By late afternoon, the classification had been rescinded.
The reversal came after a swift backlash from Utah lawmakers, who argued that the change misrepresented the religious identity of millions of Americans. The Pentagon had updated its faith codes in a routine administrative review, but the reclassification of the Latter-day Saint tradition as a separate category from Christianity sparked immediate concern among members of the state’s all-Republican delegation.
In a joint statement, Utah’s senators and representatives described the original change as “deeply troubling” and said it had been made without consultation or input from religious leaders. They warned that the classification could have unintended consequences for service members seeking spiritual accommodations or recognition of their faith within the military.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to informally as the Mormon church, has long maintained that it is a restoration of original Christianity. While mainstream Christian denominations have historically debated this claim, the U.S. military had previously categorized the faith under the broader Christian umbrella.
Pentagon officials acknowledged the error in a brief statement, saying the classification update was “not intended to make any theological determination” and that the original coding would be restored immediately. The Defense Department did not explain how the reclassification occurred or whether it would review its internal procedures to prevent similar incidents.
The incident highlights the delicate balance the military must strike when managing the religious identities of its diverse service members. The Pentagon maintains a list of recognized faith groups to facilitate chaplain services, religious exemptions, and accommodation requests, and misclassification can affect everything from burial rites to dietary provisions.
For Utah lawmakers, the swift reversal was a victory but also a warning. Representative John Curtis and Senator Mike Lee each issued separate statements calling for greater transparency in how the Pentagon handles religious classifications, with Lee vowing to introduce legislation requiring congressional notification before any future changes to faith codes.
As of Thursday morning, the Pentagon’s internal database once again lists the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under the Christian faith category. The episode, however, has left some religious freedom advocates questioning how such a significant change could have been made without oversight in the first place.
