Portal:History of the Latter Day Saint movement

For a topic timeline on this subject, see Timeline of Mormonism

History of the Latter Day Saint movement An 1893 engraving depicting Joseph Smith's description of receiving artifacts from the angel Moroni. The Latter Day Saint movement is a religious movement within Christianity that arose during the Second Great Awakening in the early 19th century and that led to the set of doctrines, practices, and cultures called Mormonism, and to the existence of numerous Latter Day Saint churches. Its history is characterized by intense controversy and persecution in reaction to some of the movement's doctrines and practices and their relationship to mainstream Christianity (see Mormonism and Christianity). The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the different groups, beliefs, and denominations that began with the influence of Joseph Smith. The founder of the Latter Day Saint movement was Joseph Smith, who was raised in the burned-over district of Upstate New York. Smith stated that, in response to prayer, he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, as well as angels and other visions. This eventually led him to a restoration of Christian doctrine that, he said, was lost after the early Christian apostles were killed. In addition, several early leaders made marked doctrinal and leadership contributions to the movement, including Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and Brigham Young. Modern-day revelation from God continues to be a principal belief of the Mormon faith. Mormon history as an academic field is called Mormon studies. (Full article...) (Read More ...) Selected article A reconstruction of the original log house of Peter Whitmer Sr. in Fayette, New York The Church of Christ was the original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith. Organized informally in 1829 in upstate New York and then formally on April 6, 1830, it was the first organization to implement the principles found in Smith's newly published Book of Mormon, and thus its establishment represents the formal beginning of the Latter Day Saint movement. Later names for this organization included the Church of the Latter Day Saints (by 1834 resolution), the Church of Jesus Christ, the Church of God, the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (by an 1838 revelation). Smith and his associates asserted that the Church of Christ was a restoration of the 1st-century early Christian church, which Smith claimed had fallen from God's favor and authority because of what he called a "Great Apostasy". After Smith's death in 1844, there was a crisis of authority, with the majority of the members following Brigham Young to the Salt Lake Valley, but with several smaller denominations remaining in Illinois or settling in Missouri and in other states. Each of the churches that resulted from this schism considers itself to be the rightful continuation of Smith's original "Church of Christ", regardless of the name they may currently bear (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), Community of Christ, The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite), Church of Christ (Temple Lot), etc.). This church is unrelated to other bodies bearing the same name, including the United Church of Christ, a Reformed church body, and the Churches of Christ, who have roots in the Restoration movement. Today, there are several Latter Day Saint denominations called "Church of Christ", largely within the Hedrickite branch of the movement. (Full article...) Portal:History of the Latter Day Saint movement/box-footer Selected biography Sidney Rigdon (February 19, 1793 – July 14, 1876) was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. (Full article...) Portal:History of the Latter Day Saint movement/box-footer Selected Location The Kirtland Temple is the first temple built by adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement, located in Kirtland, Ohio, and dedicated in March 1836. Joseph Smith, the movement's founder, directed the construction following a series of reported revelations, and the temple showcases a blend of Federal, Greek Revival, and Gothic Revival architectural styles. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 and named a National Historic Landmark in 1977. Prior to March 5, 2024, the temple was owned and operated by Community of Christ (previously known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS)) for over a century before ownership transferred to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Construction of the Kirtland Temple was a community effort involving significant contributions from church members, including the establishment of a sawmill and an ashery to supply building materials. The temple features unique architectural elements such as adjustable pews and dual pulpits, reflecting its multifunctional use for worship and education. The third floor was used for academic and religious instruction, emphasizing the importance of Hebrew studies to the faith's theological development. The dedication on March 27, 1836, was attended by approximately one thousand people and included traditional rites such as the Hosanna Shout. Reports of visions and spiritual experiences by church leaders, including the restoration of certain priesthood keys through ancient prophets Moses, Elias (understood to be the Biblical prophet Malachi), and Elijah, were documented and later canonized in the Doctrine and Covenants. These keys represented various aspects of religious authority, including the gathering of Israel, the gospel of Abraham, and sealing powers. Not long after the dedication, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery reported seeing Jesus Christ "standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit." (Full article...) Portal:History of the Latter Day Saint movement/box-footer Categories History of the Latter Day Saint movement 19th-century Mormonism 20th-century Mormonism 21st-century Mormonism History books about the Latter Day Saint movement History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints) Danites Defunct Latter Day Saint organizations Latter Day Saint denominations Historians of the Latter Day Saint movement Mormonism and law LGBTQ Mormon history Mormon fundamentalism Mormon museums 1838 Mormon War Mormonism and women Significant places in Mormonism Topics History of the Latter Day Saint movement: Early participants in the Latter Day Saint movement - Mormonism and history - New Mormon history - History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - History of the Community of Christ 19th-century Mormonism: 1886 Revelation - Late Corp. of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. 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