The Family: A Proclamation to the World

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"The Family: A Proclamation to the World" is a statement issued by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1995, which defined the church's official position on family, gender roles, and human sexuality. It was first announced by church president Gordon B. Hinckley at the worldwide General Relief Society Meeting on September 23, 1995.

Contents

[edit] History

The document was first read in the General Relief Society Meeting on September 23, 1995 by President Gordon B. Hinckley who was currently serving as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Directly prior to reading the Proclamation, President Hinckley stated the main reason why such a Proclamation was generated. "With so much of sophistry that is passed off as truth, with so much of deception concerning standards and values, with so much of allurement and enticement to take on the slow stain of the world, we have felt to warn and forewarn. In furtherance of this we of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles now issue a proclamation to the Church and to the world as a declaration and reaffirmation of standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family which the prophets, seers, and revelators of this church have repeatedly stated throughout its history."[1] Numerous copies of the Proclamation have been printed in multiple languages. Many have been framed for display in Church buildings and the homes of church members throughout the world, a practice that continues today more than a decade later.

The Proclamation had much significance when it was first announced, and has been addressed and discussed multiple times in General Conferences of the Church, and in virtually every other kind of meeting that occurs in the Church throughout the world. A sentinel meeting where the Proclamation and issues regarding it were discussed occurred at the 2008 Worldwide Leadership Training of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[2]

"The Family: A Proclamation to the World" will continue to be a source of inspiration and direction about issues regarding the family for members of the Church and, as the title suggests, for the world.

[edit] Contents

While "The Proclamation" states no new doctrines or policies, it is the most complete official statement of church policies on gender and sex. It contains a number of doctrinal assertions, items of counsel, and warnings.

[edit] Doctrinal assertions

  • Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God
  • The Family is central to God's plan
  • All human beings are created in God's image.
  • As a beloved spirit son or daughter of Heavenly Parents, each person has a divine nature and destiny
  • Gender is an essential characteristic of human identity before[3], during, and after life on Earth.
  • "In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan..." [4]
  • "Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally."
  • Parents will be held accountable before God for how they fulfill their responsibilities to their families.
  • The family is ordained of God.
  • "Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity"

[edit] Items of counsel

  • God's commandment given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force
  • Procreation (sexual relations) is sacred and must only take place between a married man and woman.
  • Procreation is divinely appointed, and therefore life is sacred and an important part of God's plan
  • Parents have "a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children."
  • Parents' sacred responsibilities includes "rear[ing] their children in love and righteousness. . .provid[ing] for their physical and spiritual needs, and. . .teach[ing] them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live"
  • Happiness and success come through following the teachings of Jesus and through "faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities."
  • "By divine design fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families."
  • "Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children."
  • "...fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners."
  • "We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society."

[edit] Warnings

  • Those who commit adultery or "abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God."
  • Disintegration of the family will bring "calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets".

[edit] Status

The proclamation was issued by the three members of the First Presidency and the twelve members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, emphasizing its authoritative nature. There has been many different responses to "The Family: A Proclamation to the World", some critical and some supporting the proclamation's assertion of LDS doctrine. Articles and books published in response to "The Proclamation" include [5]

Each of the fifteen signatories is considered by the LDS church as an apostle as well as a prophet, seer, and revelator. LDS doctrine asserts that the First Presidency, and the Quorum of the Twelve in concert with the First Presidency, are entitled to receive direct revelation from God to lead the church and to teach the entire world; and that their pronouncements, when moved by the Holy Spirit, have the authority of scripture. However, not all joint statements of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are treated as scripture in LDS Church theology. A decision does not become established doctrine or scripture in the LDS Church until submitted to the "common consent" of church members; i.e., until it has been approved by the body of church members in general conference, a procedure established in the Doctrine and Covenants.[6][7] The LDS Church and its leaders have thus far characterized the proclamation as "a declaration and reaffirmation of standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family which the prophets, seers, and revelators of this church have repeatedly stated throughout its history."[8]

However, owing to the fact that proclamations of this nature are very rare in the history of the Church ("The Family: A Proclamation to the World" being only the fifth official "proclamation"[9]), it is easy to see that this is a hallmark piece of doctrine, written by the leaders of the Church, for direction at this time of the world's history. Therefore, despite "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" not yet being 'cannonized', or in other words accepted as scripture by the entire body of the Church, it does not detract from it's monumental meaning and power, particularly in clarifying what the Church does and does not believe about issues regarding the family.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=69ac6e9ce9b1c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
  2. ^ http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,8027-1-4404-1,00.html
  3. ^ on the "Pre-existence" page, scroll down to the "Pre-mortal existence in Mormonism (Latter-day Saints)" section
  4. ^ For this and the following quotes, please see "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" at http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=1aba862384d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
  5. ^ "Strengthening Our Families: An In-Depth Loom at the Proclamation on the Family" available at http://deseretbook.com/item/5012751/Strengthening_Our_Families_An_In_Depth_Look_at_the_Proclamation_on_the_Family or "Helping and Healing our Families: Principles and practices inspired by 'The Family: A Proclamation to the World'" available at http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=4940474
  6. ^ D&C 28:13
  7. ^ Harold B. Lee taught: The only one authorized to bring forth any new doctrine is the President of the Church, who, when he does, will declare it as revelation from God, and it will be so accepted by the Council of the Twelve and sustained by the body of the Church." (Harold B. Lee, The First Area General Conference for Germany, Austria, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and Spain of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, held in Munich Germany, August 24–26, 1973, with Reports and Discourses, 69.)
  8. ^ Gordon B. Hinckley, “Stand Strong Against the Wiles of the World,” Ensign, November 1995, 100
  9. ^ See Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pp. 1151, 1153, 1155, 1156, and archives for the 1980 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Proclamation 1) issued on January 15, 1841 by the First Presidency comprising of Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and Hyrum Smith. This proclamation “reviews the progress of the Church in spite of harships and persecution, and speaks at length on the prospects of the settlement of Nauvoo.” Proclamation 2) issued April 6 in New York and on October 22, 1845 by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (who were currently serving as the governing of the Church because a First Presidency had not yet been re-organized) and was “addressed to the rulers and people of all nations” and “was an announcement that God had spoken from the heavens and restored the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth.” Proclamation 3) issued October 21, 1865, by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the purpose of “correct[ing] certain theories about the nature of God that had been published by one of the Twelve in official Church literature, without having those statements cleared and verified by the First Presidency and the Twelve.” Proclamation 4) issued on April 6, 1980 by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the organization of the church. This proclamation was concerning the progress, doctrine, mission, and message of the Church, and also mentioned in some detail about the family. Proclamation 5) “The Family: Proclamation to the World”

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