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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the LDS Church or the Mormon Church, is the largest and most well-known denomination originating from the Latter Day Saint movement (a group of churches and adherents who follow the teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr.). The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah and has established churches and temples worldwide, self-reporting nearly 13 million members on its rolls.[1]
Adherents to the church (usually called Mormons, Latter-day Saints or LDS) believe that Jesus leads their church via revelation given to the President of the Church, whom they consider to be a prophet. They count themselves as Christians, but do not consider themselves part of the Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant traditions. Instead, they believe that the church is a restoration of 1st century Christianity. They believe in the divinity of the Old Testament and New Testament, but have additional books in their scriptural canon: the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.
Historically, the church has distinguished itself from other Christian denominations by its practice of polygamy (officially discontinued in 1890) and by its other unique doctrines and practices such as the Endowment, baptism for the dead, and its views on the Godhead. The church teaches that it is "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth",[2] but it has cooperated with other religious organizations in promoting humanitarian and moral causes.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest church that claims to be a continuation of the Church of Christ, founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. on April 6 1830 in either the Manchester-Palmyra area or Fayette, New York.[3] Joseph Smith established this early church soon after publishing the Book of Mormon. The church rapidly gained a large following who viewed Smith as a prophet. The rapid growth of Smith's following was attributed by some to the convincing power of the Book of Mormon, which Smith said that he translated from a book of golden plates, buried near his home in a place shown him by an angel.[4]
In late 1830, Smith envisioned a "city of Zion" in Native American lands near Independence, Missouri. In October 1830 he sent his second-in-command Oliver Cowdery and others on a mission to the area.[5] Passing through Kirtland, Ohio, the missionaries converted a congregation of Disciples of Christ led by Sidney Rigdon, and in 1831, Smith decided to temporarily move his followers to Kirtland until the Missouri area could be colonized. The church headquarters remained in Kirtland from 1831 to 1838; meanwhile, the church built its first temple and grew in size.
On July 20, 1831 Smith circulated a written revelation that Independence, Missouri was to be the center place for the city of Zion.[6] Though many of Smith's followers attempted to colonize Missouri throughout the 1830s, and Smith himself moved there in 1838, the church faced political and military opposition by other Missouri settlers. After a series of raids on Mormon settlements, the church formed its own militia and the Mormon War of 1838 ensued, culminating in the religion being expelled from the state under an Extermination Order signed by the governor of Missouri. The church then established its new headquarters in Nauvoo, Illinois, a city they built on drained swampland by the Mississippi River, where Joseph Smith Jr. served as mayor. There, the church built a new temple, and thrived until Smith and his brother Hyrum, whom most agree would have been Joseph's successor, were killed by a mob in 1844. They were awaiting trial for their decision to destroy a local newspaper that said Smith was practicing a form of polygamy and that he intended to establish himself as a theocratic king. Joseph Smith Jr., at the time, was a minor candidate for President of the United States.
After Joseph and Hyrum's death, some church leaders campaigned to lead the church during a time known as the Succession Crisis. The majority of adherents voted to accept the succession claims presented by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, led by Brigham Young. After continued difficulties in Illinois, Brigham Young left Nauvoo in 1846, and led his followers (called the Mormon pioneers during this period) to what later became Utah (then part of Mexico), and began to colonize the area with numerous small cities.
In Utah, Young incorporated The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a legal entity under the laws of the Territory of Utah. He initially governed his followers as a theocratic leader, and openly encouraged the practice of plural marriage, which Joseph Smith had tried to keep secret. When word of the practice got back to Washington, D.C., the United States sent federal troops there in 1857, deposed Young, and replaced him with a non-Mormon territorial governor, though Young still wielded significant political power as President of the Church. Young was followed by other powerful leaders, who were defiant in the face of U.S. efforts to outlaw polygamous marriages in the territory. Political and legal wrangling over the polygamy issue escalated until 1890, when church president Wilford Woodruff issued a Manifesto officially suspending the practice. Church relations with the United States markedly improved after 1890, and especially after 1904, when church president Joseph F. Smith disavowed polygamy before the United States Congress and issued a "Second Manifesto" calling for all polygamous marriages in the church to cease. Since about the 1930s, the church has adopted a policy of excommunicating its members found practicing polygamy.
During the 20th century, the church experienced a period of exponential growth, due to a high birth rate and extensive proselytism. In 1978, after years of internal discussion within the church hierarchy, the church ended its longtime practices of not allowing blacks to hold the priesthood and prohibiting their participation in temple ceremonies thought necessary for the highest degree of salvation. Since the 1990s, the church's growth rate has no longer been exponential, but the church continues to gain about 300,000 new members per year. The church has played a prominent role in political matters, opposing MX (Peacekeeper) missile bases in Utah and Nevada,[7] opposing the Equal Rights Amendment,[8] opposing legalized gambling,[9] supporting bans on same-sex marriage,[10] and opposing legalized physician-assisted death.[11] Other than what it considers moral issues, however, the church usually maintains a position of political neutrality.[12]
The church's canon of sacred texts consists of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. These are referred to as the church's Standard Works. Though not canonical, many members of the church also accept the teachings and pronouncements of the church's general authorities, and particularly the President of the Church, as scripture, and even as taking precedence over the Standard Works.[13]
The church's most significant scripture, the Book of Mormon, was published by founder Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830, and is a story about various groups of pre-Columbian Christians, which Smith said he translated from golden plates buried near his home. The church teaches that the book is an actual history of the principal ancestors of the Native American peoples, though no indisputable archaeological evidence has yet been found.
The church's acceptance of the Bible as the word of God comes with the proviso that the church teaches that it was not always translated correctly from the original manuscripts.[14] Joseph Smith worked on his own translation, said to be more correct, but this was never canonized by the church. For English language speakers, the church encourages the use of the King James Version[15] because that was the version available to Joseph Smith, Jr. The church accepts parts of the Apocrypha as inspired, but not canonical.
The church's Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of revelations, declarations, and teachings on various subjects, primarily written by Joseph Smith. The Pearl of Great Price contains an excerpt from Smith's 1838 autobiographical writings, two portion of his translation of the Bible, what Smith said was a translation of an Egyptian papyrus he purchased from a traveling mummy show, known as the Book of Abraham, and an excerpt of one of Smith's 1842 letters describing church beliefs, now known as the Articles of Faith.
The church also publishes several official magazines, including the Ensign (for English-speaking adults), the Liahona (non-English languages),[16] the New Era (for youth), and the Friend (for children). Some older, discontinued English-language publications included Evening and Morning Star (1833–34), Messenger and Advocate (1834-37), Elders' Journal (1837), Times and Seasons (1839–46), Millennial Star (1840–1970), The Seer (1853-54), Journal of Discourses (1854–86), The Juvenile Instructor (1866–1930), Woman's Exponent (1872–1914), The Contributor (1879–96), Young Woman's Journal (1889–1929), Improvement Era (1897–1970), The Children's Friend (1902–70), Relief Society Magazine (1915–70), and The Instructor (1930–70).
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have many beliefs in common with Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions, but also some significant differences exist. Some of the church's unique beliefs, circa 1842, are discussed in Articles of Faith (Latter Day Saints). A comparison between LDS Church doctrine and traditional Christian faiths are discussed in Mormonism and Christianity. There are also numerous articles discussing Latter Day Saint movement perspectives on various doctrinal issues, which discuss the specific doctrines of the LDS Church as part of that movement. A summary of the church's major distinctive beliefs and practices are discussed below.
The church teaches that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are "one God", in the sense that they are one "in purpose", but does not accept the Nicene Creed's definition of Trinity, that the three are "consubstantial". Rather, the church teaches that the Father and the Son are two distinct beings, both with immortal bodies of flesh and bone, while the Holy Ghost, the third member of the Godhead, is a distinct being with a "spirit body".[17] God the Father is understood to be the father in premortal life of all the spirits who inhabit this earth[18] and the father of Jesus. "The place where God resides" is said to be located near a celestial body called Kolob.[19]
The church teaches that Jesus is its central focus and emphasizes that his suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross paid for the sins of humanity. Mormons believe that Jesus was part God and part man, a status which gave him power over life and death. The church also believes in the physical resurrection of Jesus' body: that his body and spirit were reunited never to be separated. Because of its emphasis on Jesus' resurrection and his status as the living head of the church, the church places less emphasis on Jesus' crucifixion and does not officially use the symbol of the Christian cross. Instead, the church tends to focus on the belief that Jesus overcame suffering and death and that he lives today.
The church follows what it understands to be the teachings of Jesus, both in the Bible and in other scriptures, such as the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, which is said to contain the teachings of Jesus to a small group of Israelites in the ancient Americas that had left Jerusalem prior to its destruction in 587 BCE. The church also teaches that Jesus is the god Jehovah of the Old Testament. Because Jesus is thought to be omniscient and have the same purpose as the Father, the church teaches that Jesus Christ often speaks in the scriptures as though he were God the Father, because in so doing he is fulfilling the will of the Father.
Official church materials refer to "Heavenly Parents," implying the existence of a Heavenly Mother.[20] Belief in such a figure is common among members, and she has been mentioned in sermons by church officials[21] and in some of the hymns of the church.[22] However, no specific doctrine on the subject of a Heavenly Mother has been released by the church.
In common with other Restorationist churches, the church believes in a Great Apostasy. It teaches that after the death of Jesus and the Twelve Apostles, the priesthood authority was lost and some important doctrinal teachings, including the text of the Bible, were changed from their original form, thus necessitating a Restoration prior to the Second Coming. That restoration, according to church doctrine, took place during the life of Joseph Smith, Jr., the religion's founder.
According to church theology, the restoration took place through a series of visions and revelations, including Smith's First Vision in 1820, visits by various angelic messengers including Moroni, John the Baptist, Moses, Elijah, and the apostles Peter, James and John. Smith said these messengers gave him priesthood authority (first the Aaronic priesthood and then the Melchizedek priesthood) and various "keys" of the priesthood that had been lost through the ages, so that Smith finally possessed the "fulness of the Gospel". The restoration also included the formation of the Church of Christ. The LDS Church teaches that it is the successor of this Church of Christ and that the current President of the Church is Smith's modern successor.
The priesthood authority is given as a matter of course to all male members ages 12 and older who generally follow the church's code of morality. Men receive the priesthood by ordination, which consists of a blessing and the laying on of hands. Prior to 1978, black men of sub-Saharan African descent were barred from being ordained to the priesthood and entering the religion's temples; in 1978, church president Spencer W. Kimball announced a revelation reversing this policy. (See Blacks and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) Women are not ordained to offices in the priesthood, although some adherents believe that women are given priesthood power and authority in the church's Endowment ceremony. (See Women and Mormonism.)
For the most part, ordination to the priesthood is a prerequisite to preside in the church, although women are given un-ordained leadership roles over children and other women, and they perform certain temple ordinances. The priesthood is structured in a hiarchical manner, emphasizing obedience. Members are encouraged to avoid public criticism of priesthood leaders; repeated public criticism by an individual may eventually result in excommunication. (See Mormonism and authority.) Although the church had a paid local clergy in the 1800s,[23] local and regional priesthood leaders currently serve as part-time volunteers. Non-clerical church employees are paid from church funds. General authorities, who may serve either for life or for a limited term, and mission presidents, who serve 3-year terms, are given a living allowance during their term if they are not already financially independent. These allowances are funded from the proceeds of the church's investments, and not from church tithing funds. A general missionary fund covers the basic living expenses of single Mormon missionaries. Missionaries and their families are asked to contribute to this fund, and in the United States the missionary's ward of origin is ultimately responsible to satisfy the monthly obligation to the general fund. Members provide general custodial work for local church facilities.
Latter-day Saint sacraments are called ''ordinances'', and there are two types: saving ordinances and non-saving ordinances. Saving ordinances are those required for salvation, and include baptism (by immersion), confirmation (laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost), ordination to an office of the priesthood (for males), the Endowment, family sealings, and arguably the Second Anointing (which is rarely performed today). Each saving ordinance is associated with one or more covenant that the person receiving the ordinance makes with God. Non-saving ordinances include various kinds of blessings, the "sacrament" (the Latter-day Saint version of the Eucharist or Communion, taken each Sunday), the dedication of graves, the dedication of buildings, the prayer circle, the Hosanna Shout, and the washing of dust from the feet against one's enemies (very rare). Some nonsaving ordinances are associated with covenants, while others are not. All ordinances, whether saving or nonsaving, must be performed by a man ordained to the appropriate priesthood office, with the exception of certain parts of the Endowment and Second Anointing ordinances, which are performed by women.
The church teaches that to obtain the highest degree of salvation (referred to as "exaltation" in the celestial kingdom), all people who have lived to the age of eight must participate in each of the saving ordinances. All the saving ordinances, except arguably the Second Anointing, are open to all worthy members of the appropriate age. Prior to 1978, however, black members of sub-Saharan African descent were barred from taking part in the Endowment and family sealing ceremonies. This policy was changed by a 1978 church declaration issued by church president Spencer W. Kimball. See Blacks and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Saving ordinaces are considered absolutely necessary for exaltation, and the church teaches that they may be performed on a person either during their lifetime or by proxy after the person has died.[24] Therefore, church members participate in the saving ordinances on behalf of dead relatives and others whose names have been extracted from historical records. The performance of these proxy ordinances are one of the functions of the church's temples. There have been certain exceptions to the church's policy of performing proxy work for all persons who have died: prior to the 1978 revelation admitting blacks to temple ceremonies, the church did not perform proxy ordinances for black men and women who had died, and since 1995, the church has agreed to discontinue performing ordinances for dead victims of the Jewish Holocaust.
Apart from sealings to parents, the church does not perform saving ordinances for those younger than age eight or for those who have died before the age of eight because church doctrine states that these children are "alive in Christ"[25] and "of such is the kingdom of heaven".[26] In particular, the Book of Mormon condemns infant baptism and states that children who die before becoming accountable for their sins are automatically saved by the grace of Jesus.[27] Church doctrine teaches that the "age of accoutability" is eight years old.[28]
Likewise, the church teaches that the saving ordinances are not required for persons age eight or older who are "mentally incapable of knowing right and wrong".[29] However, if such persons express a desire to receive the saving ordinances, they are generally not prohibited from doing so.
The LDS Church has been characterized as a very family-centered religion. The church teaches that all individuals, including Jesus, Satan, and all the angels and devils, have spirit bodies that were born to Heavenly Parents in the pre-existence.[30] The church teaches that on earth, families may be "sealed"—meaning that they are eternally bound as husband-wife, parent-child, and sibling-sibling—and that these bonds will continue after death.[31] Sealings can also include deceased ancestors, providing much of the church's rationale for its extensive family history activities.
The church also teaches that each person's gender is eternal and that gender roles are authorized by God: in general, men are to preside over and provide for their families and women are to nurture children.[30] The church characterizes the man-woman relationship as "equal but different".[32] Nevertheless, LDS women in the United States work outside the home in about the same percentage as other American women.[33] The church teaches that gender is inherently linked to sex, but the church has no official policy on the status of intersex persons. Transgender persons are accepted in the church and may be baptized, but may not receive the priesthood or enter the temple if they are considering or have undergone elective sex reassignment surgery.[34]
The church teaches what it calls the law of chastity, a moral code which its members must follow to be in good standing with the church. At its core, the Law of Chastity prohibits pre-marital sex and adultery,[35] which includes gay and lesbian sex and non-penetrative sex. The law also prohibits other sexual behavior such as bestiality and masturbation, as well as mental behavior such as lust, sexual fantasy, and viewing of pornography.[36]
The church encourages members to enter a Celestial marriage, the only form of marriage recognized by the church as a sacrament. Celestial marriage, however, does not confer the right to have sex unless it is recognized by the government.[37] For purposes of the law of chastity, and the church recognizes most legal marital unions, except same-sex marriage, polygamous marriage, common law marriage, and other types of non-ceremonial marriages in non-common law countries.[38] The church's teachings are ambiguous about the scope of allowable sexual behavior between legally married couples.[39] The law of chastity has been interpreted to include standards of modesty.[40] The church also views abortion as a law of chastity issue. Abortion, or sex outside of marriage, may result in church discipline, including a possible excommunication, in which a member loses their church membership and privileges, but may continue to attend meetings.
LGBT members of the church are expected to keep the law of chastity.[41] If they do, they can “go forward as do all other members of the church.”[42] If they desire to enter into a heterosexual marriage, they should first learn to deal with their homosexual feelings; otherwise, they must remain celibate.[43] Gay or lesbian sex, in any form, whether the participants are married or not, is grounds for excommunication.
The church has supported a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and polygamous marriage in the United States, and has stated that it "favors measures that define marriage as the union of a man and a woman and that do not confer legal status on any other sexual relationship."[44]. The church's position is that government recognition of such rights will "undermine the divinely created institution of the family".[44]
Members of the church have a high degree of participation in religious activities outside of worship services. Church members are expected to donate their time, money, and talents to the church, and those who have participated in the Endowment ceremony make an oath to donate all that they have, if required of them, to the church.
To be in good standing and to enter the church's temples, church members are required to tithe their income to the church, which is usually interpreted as 10% of income. In addition, members are expected to donate monthly charitable "fast offerings" (at least the equivalent cost of two meals) and are occasionally encouraged to make other humanitarian donations.
In addition to attending the weekly three-hour church services, members are usually given "callings" or assignments in the church, and often attend various other meetings or activities throughout the week relating to that calling. Members in good standing are assigned to visit the homes of other members monthly as "home teachers" (men) or "visiting teachers" (women). Members are also expected to engage in missionary work, family history, to conduct a Family Home Evening weekly with their family, and to attend the temple regularly (monthly if possible). Church members are encouraged to live self-sufficiently and avoid unnecessary debt.[45]
On the morality front, good standing in the church requires that members follow the "Word of Wisdom"[46] (a health code given by Joseph Smith which the church interprets as requiring abstinence from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, coffee, tea, and recreational drugs). Members must also obey the law of chastity (the church's code for modesty and allowable forms of sexuality), and may not obtain an abortion, except in the case of rape or incest or to prevent serious health consequences. In general, members must obey the law of the country in which they live and visit, although there have been notable exceptions.[47]
The church discourages gambling in all forms, including lotteries.[48]
Church members who commit what are considered serious violations of the standards of the church (defined as, without limitation, "attempted murder, rape, forcible sexual abuse, spouse abuse, intentional serious physical injury of others, adultery, fornication, homosexual relations, deliberate abandonment of family responsibilities, robbery, burglary, theft, embezzlement, sale of illegal drugs, fraud, perjury, and false swearing"[49]) may be subject to church disciplinary action, including disfellowshipment or even excommunication. Such individuals are encouraged to continue attending church services, but are not permitted to hold callings or offer public prayer at any church meeting (although personal prayer is encouraged); excommunicated members are also prohibited from paying tithing or fast offerings. Other members are frequently unaware of the status of such individuals.[50]. Everyone is welcome to attend the public meetings of the church, whether or not they adhere to the church's lifestyle code.
The church's cosmology is referred to as the Plan of Salvation. It describes humanity's place in the universe and the purpose of life. The church teaches that there was a pre-existence, a place, which existed prior to mortality, in which all people and all life were created in spirit form.[51] God the Father is said to have proposed a plan to send spirits to earth to be proven and, if worthy, receive added "glory".[52] Satan, one of the spirits, proposed a rival plan whereby every soul would be saved, Satan would receive God's power, and human agency would be eliminated.[53] When God rejected that plan, the First War in Heaven ensued, resulting in Satan and a third of the spirits becoming devils."[54]
The earth, according to church teachings in the temples, was created by Jehovah, which the church identifies as the pre-mortal Jesus, and Michael the archangel, who is identified as the pre-mortal Adam. The earth was "organized" from pre-existing matter,[55] as were other planets with their inhabitants.[56] Michael's spirit was implanted in a body created by God the Father and Jehovah, and became Adam.
The church teaches that at birth, a pre-existing spirit enters a mortal body. Upon death, the spirit goes to a "spirit world" to await the resurrection of the dead. There, depending on the person's good deeds while alive, the spirit will be in either a state of paradise or spirit prison. Those in "prison" will be visited by spirits from paradise and given the chance to accept the teachings of Jesus Christ and the LDS saving ordinances.[57] The church teaches that all persons, wicked or righteous, will be resurrected and receive an immortal, physical body.[58] The nature of that body, however, will depend on the result of the Last Judgment, at which Jesus will assign each soul to one of three degrees of glory (heavenly kingdoms): the celestial kingdom in the presence of the Father and the Son for those who accept Jesus Christ and receive all LDS saving ordinances, either as a mortal or by proxy; the terrestrial kingdom, a place of glory in the presence of Christ for righteous persons who refuse to receive the saving ordinances and for those who do not keep the covenants they commit to; and the telestial kingdom for the wicked. A further destination, called outer darkness, is reserved for Satan, his devils, and those mortals who commit the unpardonable sin and thereby become the sons of perdition.[59] Those who are ultimately destined for the telestial kingdom will be those who suffer for their sins in hell; however, these persons remain in hell only the 1000 years during the millennial reign of Christ, after which they will exit hell and be resurrected with an immortal body into a state of peace.[60]
Those in the celestial kingdom will be allowed to continue to progress and become joint heirs with Jesus Christ;[61] such individuals will eventually be enabled in eternity to become gods and goddesses and participate in the eternal creative process of having spirit children.[62]
Based on teachings in the Book of Mormon, the church teaches an expansive form of American exceptionalism, where the Americas are a special location reserved by God for those who love freedom and freedom of religion. According to Joseph Smith, what is now Jackson County, Missouri was the location of the Garden of Eden and will be the location of the future New Jerusalem, and God has led numerous groups to the western hemisphere in search of freedom,[63] including several groups of ancestors to the Native Americans, whose stories are told in the Book of Mormon.
The church also teaches an expansive view of God's covenant with Abraham, which Joseph Smith taught extends not just to Jews, but to Mormons, who in most cases are declared by their Patriarchal blessings to be descendants of the tribe of Ephraim, one of the Ten Lost Tribes. Native Americans are typically declared to be descended from the Tribe of Manasseh based on the teachings of the Book of Mormon that members of this tribe, the family of Lehi, crossed the ocean in about 600 B.C. and became their principal ancestors.
The church teaches that there will be a Millennium, in which, after a period of tribulation, the Second Coming of Jesus will occur, followed by a thousand years of peace, after which will occur the Last Judgment. Distinctive within Latter-day millennialism, however, is the idea that Jesus will reign "personally upon the earth" from a location that is presently within the United States,[64] and direct the government or governments that will exist.[65] Jackson County, Missouri is expected to have an important LDS temple during the Millennium and Jerusalem is expected to be an important center of government in the world.[66] As the earth transitions into the Millennial period, only those good and honorable people who stand to inherit the celestial kingdom or the terrestrial kingdom will continue on the earth completing missionary work among the living and the work of the dead through family history and temple ordinances that all may be resurrected with the saving grace of Christ fully completed prior to the time of judgment.
The church is a continuation of the Church of Christ established in 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr. This original church underwent several name changes during the 1830s, being called the Church of Jesus Christ, the Church of God,[67] and then in 1834, the name was officially changed to the Church of the Latter Day Saints[68] to differentiate it from the 1st century Christian church. In April 1838, the name again was officially changed by revelation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which, in the form of the revelation published by Joseph Smith did not contain the article in the title and spelled "Latter Day" without a hypen or lower-case "d".[69] There were several alternate spellings in use during Smith's lifetime, however, including a hyphenated "Latter-Day". After Smith died, Brigham Young and the largest body of Smith's followers retained the name, and when this body was incorporated as a church in 1851 by legislation of the State of Deseret,[70] the spelling and punctuation were standardized by hyphenating "Latter-day" and using a lower-case "d": The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[71] Since the mid-1900s, the church has consistently capitalized the initial article "The" to emphasize the church's position that it is "the" only true church of Jesus Christ.
The church is also known as the LDS Church and the Mormon Church. Church members are known as Mormons or Latter-day Saints, both being appellations accepted among Latter-day Saints themselves. The nickname "Mormon" arose soon after the publication of The Book of Mormon in 1830. Although originally used by those who opposed the church, the term came to be used widely within the church.
The church requests that the official name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, be used where possible, stating: "This full name was given by revelation from God to Joseph Smith in 1838."[72] It also encourages the use of "the Church" or "the Church of Jesus Christ" as shortened references, although "LDS Church" is commonly used within the church's own publications and the church officially uses "Mormon" as a descriptive term for itself in the name of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the website ''mormon.org''. When referring to members of the church, it suggests "Latter-day Saints" as preferred, although "Mormons" is acceptable.[72] Despite these efforts, the Associated Press continues to recommend "Mormon Church" as a proper second reference in its Style Guide for journalists, and the church itself uses "Mormon Church" on some of its websites.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally incorporated in 1851. That corporation, however, was dissolved by an act of the United States Congress in 1887 because of the church's practice (now abandoned) of polygamy. Thereafter, the church has continued to operate as an "unincorporated religious association". However, the church has organized several tax-exempt corporations to assist with the transfer of money and capital. These include the Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized in 1916 under the laws of the state of Utah to acquire, hold, and dispose of real property. In 1923, the church incorporated the Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah to receive and manage money and church donations. In 1997, the church incorporated Intellectual Reserve, Inc. to hold all the church's copyrights, trademarks, and other intellectual property.
The Church has a hierarchical structure, with clearly defined stewardships or realms of responsibility for the various offices. Those who hold such offices do not elect to do so but are "called" by someone of a higher authority in the church; all are laymen and are not paid for their service.
The leader of the church is termed President, and church members revere him as a prophet, seer, and revelator. The prophet is believed to hold the same divine calling as biblical prophets, and his responsibility is over the church as a whole. He is entitled to guide the church through revelation, acting as God's spokesman. The President of the Church serves as such until death. Historically, the senior apostle of the church has always become the new President of the Church. The current President is Gordon B. Hinckley.
The First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Presiding Bishopric and the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy are all referred to as General Authorities because they direct the work of the entire church throughout the world. The members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are accepted by the church as prophets, seers, and revelators.
Other church authorities are referred to as area authorities and local authorities and include all other Quorums of the Seventy, mission presidents, stake presidents, bishops, and other quorum presidents.
The church has no salaried ministry; however, general authorities who demonstrate need receive stipends from the church, using income from church-owned investments.[73] All area and local authorities are unpaid and continue in their normal occupations while serving in leadership positions.
The church teaches that revelation from God continues today, but only as far as one's own responsibility is concerned. Accordingly, revelation to direct the entire church comes to the President; revelation to direct a stake comes to the stake president; for a ward, to the bishop, and so forth. Latter-day Saints also believe that individuals can receive personal revelation and divine guidance in raising their families and managing their personal affairs. Because of their belief in modern revelation, Latter-day Saints give significant weight to the teachings of their church leaders. They revere the words their prophets and general authorities speak when "moved upon by the Holy Ghost",[74] as modern-day scripture, and members are encouraged to ponder and pray for revelation regarding the truthfulness of such statements.
The Relief Society is the women's organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, and with the motto "Charity Never Faileth", the organization today includes more than 5 million women in over 165 countries.[75] Every Latter-day Saint woman age 18 or older is a member of the Relief Society.
The status of women in church leadership has remained largely unchanged since the early 1900s. Although they are not ordained to the priesthood, preaching and instruction by women is an integral part of weekly Latter-day Saint worship. Certain leadership positions are filled only by women, and in some of the church's auxiliary organizations women may preside over men, such as in the Primary and the Young Women Organization, in welfare programs, at a Family History Library, and so forth. Since the 1840s, women have officiated in certain ordinances (sacred rites) that take place inside temples.[76]
The Church reports a worldwide membership of 12,868,606[1] (as of December 31, 2006) with approximately 6.7 million residing outside the United States. According to these statistics it is the fourth largest religious body in the United States.[77] The church membership report includes all baptized members and also "children of record"—unbaptized children under the age of nine. (Children are not baptized before the age of eight.) Although the church does not release attendance figures to the public, researchers estimate that actual attendance at weekly LDS worshsip services globally is around 4 million.[78] Members living in the U.S. and Canada constitute 47% of membership, Latin America 36%, and members in the rest of the world 17%. (See growth history). A Survey by the City College of New York in 2001 extrapolated that there were 2,787,000 self-identified LDS adults in the United States in 2001, an increase of 1.3% over their 1991 survey, making the LDS Church the 10th-largest religious body in their phone survey of over 50,000 households.[79]
The church does not disclose information about its finances to its members or the public, but it is one of the world's wealthiest churches per capita[80] It receives most of its money from tithes (ten percent of a member's income) and fast offerings (which is the cost a member would have spent on food for two meals but fasted instead and therefore donates that money to the church). About ten percent of its funding also comes from income on investments and real estate holdings.[81]
The church uses its funds to construct and maintain buildings and other facilities, as well as providing social welfare and relief and supporting missionary, educational, and other church-sponsored programs.[82]. The church has also invested in business and real estate ventures such as Bonneville International, Deseret Book Company, and cattle ranches in Utah, Florida, and Canada.
Latter-day Saints believe in the value of education. Joseph Smith taught that "the glory of God is intelligence."[83] Accordingly, the church maintains Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University-Idaho (formerly Ricks College), Brigham Young University-Hawaii, and LDS Business College. The church also has religious education programs. Seminary is a program for secondary school students held daily in conjunction with the school year. The Institutes of Religion program serves young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 and those enrolled in post-secondary education institutions with church-owned buildings near university and college campuses designated for the purpose of religious education and cultural socialization.
In addition, the church sponsors a low-interest educational loan program known as the Perpetual Education Fund. This fund is designed to benefit young men and women from all parts of the world who have served a mission, returned to their home, and need further education to become productive citizens in their respective countries. As they finish their education and enter the work force, they then are able to pay back the funds provided so that other individuals can attend both vocational technical schools and university.
Young men between the ages of 19 and 25 who meet minimum standards of worthiness and preparation are encouraged to consider serving a two-year, full-time proselytizing mission. Women (less encouraged but supported) who desire to serve a mission must be at least 21 and generally serve 18-month missions. Retired married couples are encouraged to serve missions as well, and their length of service varies from three to 36 months.[84]
Today there are 344 missions and approximately 53,000 full time proselytizing missionaries serving throughout the world.[1] In addition, about 3,552 missionaries are on special assignment missions, serving as health care specialists, doctors, craftsmen, artisans, construction supervisors, agricultural experts and educators for developing countries and educators, family history researchers and leadership trainers.[1]
Weekly worship services, including sacrament meetings, are held on Sundays (or Saturday when local custom or law prohibits Sunday worship) in neighborhood-based religious units, and twice each year the church holds a worldwide General Conference. Congregations for Sunday services are grouped geographically, with larger (~200 to ~400 people) congregations known as wards, and smaller (two through ~200 people) congregations known as branches. These neighborhood congregations meet in meetinghouses, also referred to as "chapels" or "stake centers", located on property most often owned by the church. In some geographic areas, rental property may be used as a meetinghouse. Although the building may sometimes be referred to as a "chapel", the room used as a chapel for religious services is actually only one component of the standard meetinghouse.[85] Visitors or members can use the church's online "Meeting House Locator" to find locations of church buildings and meeting times.[86]
All persons, regardless of their beliefs or standing in or out of the church, are welcome to attend.[87] The sacrament (similar to Communion, the Lord's Supper, or the Eucharist in other churches) is offered weekly (only on Sunday at the time a ward meets) to those wishing to participate. Mondays are reserved for Family Home Evening; members meet in meetinghouses for various activities throughout the rest of the week.
Women usually attend worship services wearing skirts or dresses, while men typically wear suits or dress shirts (preferably white) and ties. Children are also typically in their "Sunday best."[88]
Two years after the organization of the Church, in 1832, Joseph Smith, Jr., reported receiving a revelation that called upon church members to build a House of the Lord to restore the practice of temple worship.[89] The Church built its first temple in Kirtland, Ohio in 1836. This temple was used primarily for instruction and learning.[90]
In 1846 the Nauvoo Temple was built in Nauvoo, Illinois. With this temple came the introduction of special ordinances, such as the endowment and baptism for the dead.[91] When the Latter-day Saints moved west to Utah, they were forced to abandon these temples. The Nauvoo Temple was destroyed by fire and the Kirtland Temple is owned by the Community of Christ.
Soon after the arrival of the saints in the Rocky Mountains, they began building several temples, including the well-known Salt Lake Temple, which took 40 years to complete.[92] The church continued to build temples as membership grew. See List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Today faithful members of the church are encouraged to regularly attend temples and participate in ordinances there, such as baptism for the dead. The church teaches that certain temple ordinances, including being married in the temple, are necessary for eternal salvation. The church also regards the temples as places of peace and refuge that are set apart from the world. Adult members who have performed a temple ordinance called an endowment also receive a temple garment which they wear as underclothes. The church considers the temple ordinances exceptionally sacred and does not discuss them publicly. Non-members or members without a recommendation from church leaders to enter the temple are not permitted to attend or observe temple ordinances. For a member to receive a recommendation to enter the temple they must be found worthy by local leaders of the church. However, the general public, member or non member, is invited to attend an open house of the temple prior to its dedication.
Twice a year (spring and autumn), the church holds General Conference, in which the president of the church and other leaders speak from Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. These sermons, given in several sessions over two days, are carried worldwide by radio, television, satellite and Internet broadcasts. They are translated into numerous languages, and are later made available on DVD (complete with translations) and also printed in church publications such as Ensign and Liahona. Attendees come from around the world.
Conference sermons address doctrinal topics drawn from scriptures and personal experiences, messages of faith and hope, church history and information on the church as it expands throughout the world.
Throughout the twentieth century, conference sermons were delivered in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. With a maximum capacity of about 3000, the Tabernacle would typically be filled and thousands of other attendees would sit on blankets on Temple Square lawns. In 2001, the church's Conference Center was opened, and since that time talks have been given in the Center's 21,000-seat auditorium.
Conference satellite broadcasts may be watched live or time-delayed in thousands of church buildings worldwide. The public is invited to attend General Conference, either through these broadcasts, in the Conference Center or other areas at Temple Square.
Due to the differences in lifestyle promoted by church doctrine and history, a distinct culture has grown up around members of the Church. It is primarily concentrated in the Rocky Mountains, but as membership of the Church spreads around the world, many of its more distinctive practices follow, such as following the Word of Wisdom, a health code prohibiting the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, coffee and tea, and other addictive substances.[93] Because of such prohibitions, the culture in areas of the world with a high concentration of Mormons tends to reflect these restrictions.[94]
Meetings and outreach programs are held regularly and have become part of the Latter-day Saint culture.
Young men and women aged 12 to 18 often have an additional meeting during the week (referred to as Mutual or (previously) MIA, which are short for Mutual Improvement Association), which can involve an activity, game, service project, or instruction. The young men and women may meet separately or take part in a combined activities. In the United States and Canada, the young men participate in Scouting, including efforts to gain the Duty to God award and an award unique to the LDS Church, "On my Honor." Young women participate in a comparable program called Personal Progress. Both the young men and the young women are encouraged to live by the standards outlined in the church's For the Strength of Youth booklet.
LDS Institutes of Religion are located throughout the United States and Canada, usually close to college and university campuses. They offer a variety of religion classes free of charge, which are open both to members and non-members of the church. Institutes of Religion are also designed to be places for young Latter-day Saint students to associate with one another and have activities.
Four times a year the adult women (members of the church's Relief Society) attend a Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment Meeting (formerly known as Homemaking Meeting). The meeting may consist of a service project, or of attending a social event, or of various classes being offered. In addition, Enrichment activities are offered (weekly, monthly, or as determined by ward Relief Society leaders) for women with similar needs and interests.
In addition to these regularly scheduled meetings, additional meetings are frequently held at the meetinghouse. Auxiliary officers may conduct leadership meetings or host training sessions and classes. The ward or branch community may schedule social activities at the meetinghouse, including dances, dinners, holiday parties and musical presentations. Other popular activities are basketball, family history conferences, youth and singles conferences, dances and various personal improvement classes. Church members may also reserve the building for personal or family use, to accommodate such events as music recitals, family reunions, weddings and receptions, birthdays, or funerals.
The culture has created substantial business opportunities for LDS media. The largest of these communities are LDS cinema, and LDS Fiction, LDS websites, and LDS graphical art like photography and paintings. The church owns a chain of bookstores called Deseret Book which provide an avenue for much of this media to be sold. This culture also resides outside of heavily Mormon populations and many LDS bookstores exist near many temples where many members commonly visit. Some of the titles that have become popular outside of the LDS community are "The Work and the Glory" series of novels, and "The Other Side of Heaven" movie. There are a number of titles that have become huge successes within the LDS community. These titles generally elaborate on LDS culture or historical fiction in some manner.
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