The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | |
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Classification | Restorationist |
Orientation | Latter Day Saint movement |
Polity | Hierarchical |
Leader | Thomas S. Monson |
Region | 176 nations/territories |
Founder | Joseph Smith, Jr.[1] |
Origin | April 6, 1830 Manchester or Fayette, New York, United States |
Separations | LDS denominations |
Congregations | 28,424[2] |
Members | 13,824,854 (see text)[2] |
Missionaries | 51,736[2] |
Tertiary institutions | 4[3] |
Official website | www.lds.org |
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (abbreviated as the LDS Church, commonly referred to as the Mormon Church) is a restorationist Christian church, and the largest denomination originating from the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. Founded in Upstate New York in 1830, the church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has established congregations (called wards or branches) worldwide.
Adherents view faith in Jesus Christ as the central tenet of their religion.[4] LDS Church theology includes the Christian doctrine of salvation only through Jesus Christ.[5] The church has an open canon which includes four scriptural texts:[6] the Bible (both Old and New Testaments), the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Other than the Bible, the majority of the LDS canon constitutes revelation dictated by Joseph Smith and includes commentary and exegesis about the Bible, texts described as lost parts of the Bible, and other works believed to be written by ancient prophets.
Under the doctrine of revelation, Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus leads the church by revealing his will to the President of the Church, whom they sustain as a modern-day prophet, seer, and revelator. Individual members are expected to receive personal revelation from God for specifics in conducting their lives.[7] The President heads a hierarchical structure with various levels reaching down to local congregations. Male bishops, drawn from the laity, lead local congregations. Worthy male members, after age 12, may be ordained to the priesthood. Women do not hold positions within the priesthood but serve in an array of other leadership roles.[8] Both men and women may serve as missionaries, and the church maintains a large missionary program which proselytizes and conducts humanitarian service worldwide. Faithful members adhere to laws regarding sexual purity, health, fasting, and Sabbath-day observance. Members also voluntarily tithe, donating 10 percent of their income to the church.
History
The history of the LDS Church is typically divided into three broad time periods: (1) the early history during the lifetime of Joseph Smith, Jr. which is in common with all Latter Day Saint movement churches, (2) a "pioneer era" under the leadership of Brigham Young and his 19th century successors, and (3) a modern era beginning around the turn of the 20th century as Utah achieved statehood.
Beginnings
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He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.
Joseph Smith, Jr. (1838, describing an 1823 vision) [9]
The LDS Church traces its origins to the Church of Christ founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. on April 6, 1830 in Western New York.[10] Initial converts were drawn to the church because of the newly-published Book of Mormon, a self-described chronicle of indigenous American prophets that Smith said he translated from golden plates.[11]
Smith intended to establish a New Jerusalem in North America, called Zion.[12] In 1831, the church moved to Kirtland, Ohio (the eastern boundary of Zion),[13] and began establishing an outpost in Jackson County, Missouri (Zion's "center place"),[14] where he planned to eventually move the church headquarters.[15] However, in 1833, Missouri settlers brutally expelled the Saints from Jackson County,[16] and the church was unable via a paramilitary expedition to recover the land.[17] Nevertheless, the church flourished in Kirtland[18] as Smith published new revelations and the church built the Kirtland Temple as the site of what they viewed as a new Pentecost.[19] The Kirtland era ended in 1838, after a financial scandal rocked the church and caused widespread defections.[20] Smith regrouped with the remaining church in Far West, Missouri,[21] but tensions soon escalated into violent conflicts with the old Missouri settlers.[22] Believing the Saints to be in insurrection, the Missouri governor ordered the Saints' expulsion from Missouri.[23] In 1839, the Saints converted a swampland on the banks of the Mississippi River into Nauvoo, Illinois, which became the church's new headquarters.[24]
Nauvoo grew rapidly as missionaries sent to Europe and elsewhere converted new converts who then flooded into Nauvoo.[25] Meanwhile, Smith introduced plural marriage to his closest associates.[26] He also established ceremonies to allow righteous Mormons to become gods[27] in the afterlife.[28] and a secular institution to govern the Millennial kingdom.[29] He also introduced the church to a full accounting of his First Vision, in which two heavenly "personages" (LDS interpret them to be God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ) appeared to him at age 14. Long after Smith's death, this vision would come to be regarded by the LDS Church as the most important event in human history after the resurrection of Jesus.[30]
On June 27, 1844, Smith was arrested on charges of treason and inciting a riot,[31] and then killed by a mob while awaiting trial in Carthage, Illinois.[32] His death led to a succession crisis,[33] and Brigham Young assumed leadership over the majority of Saints.[34] Young had been a close associate of Smith's and was senior apostle of the Quorum of the Twelve.[35] Other groups of Latter Day Saints followed other leaders to form other denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement.[36]
Pioneer era
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For two years after Smith's death, conflicts escalated between Mormons and other Illinois residents. To prevent war,[37] Brigham Young led his followers, the Mormon pioneers constituting most of the Latter Day Saint movement, to Nebraska and then in 1847 to what became the Utah Territory.[38] As groups arrived over a period of years, LDS settlers branched out and colonized a large region now known as the Mormon Corridor.
Young incorporated The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a legal entity, and initially governed both the church and the state as a theocratic leader. He also publicized the previously-secret practice of plural marriage,[39] a form of polygamy.
By 1857, tensions had again escalated between Mormons and other Americans, largely as a result of accusations involving polygamy and the theocratic rule of the Utah territory by Brigham Young.[40] The Utah Mormon War ensued from 1857 to 1858, which resulted in the relatively peaceful[41] invasion of Utah by the United States Army, after which Young agreed to step down from power and be replaced by a non-Mormon territorial governor, Alfred Cumming.[42] Nevertheless, the LDS Church still wielded significant political power in the Utah Territory.[43]
At Young's death in 1877, he was followed by other LDS Presidents, who resisted efforts by the United States Congress to outlaw Mormon polygamous marriages. Conflict between Mormons and the U.S. government escalated to the point that in 1890, Congress disincorporated the LDS Church and seized all its assets. Soon thereafter, church president Wilford Woodruff issued a Manifesto that officially suspended the practice.[44] Although this Manifesto did not yet dissolve existing plural marriages, and did not entirely stop the practice of polygamy, relations with the United States markedly improved after 1890, such that Utah was admitted as a U.S. state. Relations further improved after 1904, when church president Joseph F. Smith again disavowed polygamy before the United States Congress and issued a "Second Manifesto" calling for all plural marriages in the church to cease, as they were already against church doctrine since Woodruff issued the Manifesto. Eventually, the church adopted a policy of excommunicating its members found practicing polygamy and today seeks to actively distance itself from “fundamentalist” groups still practicing polygamy.[45]
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Modern times
During the 20th century, the church grew substantially and became an international organization, due in part to the spread of missionaries across the globe. In 2000, the church reported 60,784 missionaries,[46] and global church membership stood at 11,068,861.[46] Worldwide membership reached 13,193,999 in 2007,[47] and 13,824,854 by the end of 2009.[2]
The church has become a more strong and public champion of the nuclear family and at times played a prominent role in political matters, including opposition to MX Peacekeeper missile bases in Utah and Nevada,[48] opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment,[49] opposing legalized gambling,[50] support of bans on same-sex marriage,[51] and opposition to legalized physician-assisted death.[52] Apart from issues that it considers to be ones of morality, however, the church usually maintains a position of political neutrality.[53]
A number of official changes have taken place to the organization during the modern era. One significant change was the ordination of black men to the priesthood in 1978, which reversed a policy originally instituted by Brigham Young.[54] There are also periodic changes in the structure and organization of the church, mainly to accommodate the organization's growth and increasing international presence. For example, since the early 1900s, the church has instituted a Priesthood Correlation Program to centralize church operations and bring them under a hierarchy of priesthood leaders. During the Great Depression, the church also began operating a church welfare system, and it has conducted numerous humanitarian efforts in cooperation with other religious organizations.
Teachings and practices
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Sources of authority
The theology of the LDS Church consists of a mixture of biblical doctrines with modern revelations and other commentary by LDS leaders, particularly Joseph Smith, Jr. The most authoritative sources of theology are the faith's canon of four religious texts, called the Standard Works. Included in the Standard Works are the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Among these books, the church holds in equal esteem as the other Standard Works the Book of Mormon, said by the church to be "Another Testament of Jesus Christ" that Joseph Smith translated from buried golden plates. The church characterizes the Book of Mormon as "the most correct of any book on earth and the keystone of [their] religion".[55]
The Bible, also part of the church's canon, is believed to be "the word of God as far as it is translated correctly".[56] Most often, the church uses the Authorized King James Version. Sometimes, however, parts of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible are considered authoritative. Some excerpts of Joseph Smith's translation have been included in the Pearl of Great Price, which also includes further translations by Smith and church historical items. Other historical items and revelations are found in the Doctrine and Covenants.
Another source of authoritative doctrine is the pronouncements of the current Apostles and members of the First Presidency. The church teaches that the First Presidency (the prophet and his counselors) and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles are prophets[57] and that their teachings are generally given under inspiration from God through the Holy Spirit. Members of the church acknowledge (sustain) them regularly as prophets, seers, and revelators—this is done publicly twice a year at the church's worldwide general conference broadcast.[57]
Comparisons within Christianity
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In addition to a belief in the Bible,[58] the divinity of Jesus, and his atonement and resurrection, other LDS teachings are shared with other branches of Christianity. For example, LDS theology includes belief in the doctrine of salvation through Jesus alone,[5] his virgin birth, restorationism (via a Restoration of Christ's church given through Joseph Smith, Jr.), rejection of original sin,[59] millennialism, continuationism, penal substitution,[60] and a form of Apostolic succession. The practices of baptism by immersion and the Eucharist (referred to as the Sacrament) are also held in common.
Nevertheless, the LDS Church differs from the many other churches within Christianity, and some Christians do not believe that the LDS Church is part of Christianity.[61] The faith itself views other modern Christian faiths as having departed from true Christianity[62] and that it is a restoration of 1st century Christianity and the only true and authorized Christian church.[63] Differences between the LDS Church and most of traditional Christianity include disagreement with aspects of the Nicene Creed, belief in a unique theory of human salvation that includes three heavens (referred to as "degrees of glory"),[64] a doctrine of "exaltation" which includes the ability of humans to become gods and goddesses in the afterlife,[65] a dietary code called the Word of Wisdom, and unique sacramental ceremonies performed privately in LDS temples, such as the Endowment and sealing ceremonies.
Officially, major Christian denominations view the LDS Church as standing apart from creedal Christianity,[66] a point the LDS Church itself does not dispute.[67] From the perspective of Christians who hold to creeds, the most significant area of departure is the rejection by the LDS Church of certain ecumenical creeds such as the Nicene Creed, which defines the predominant view of the Christian God as a Trinity of three separate persons with "one substance". LDS Church theology includes the belief in a "Godhead" composed of God the Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost as three separate persons who share unity of purpose or will; however, they are viewed as three distinct beings making one Godhead. Other significant differences relate to the church's acceptance of additional scripture, doctrine, and practices beyond what is found in the Catholic or Protestant versions of the Bible.
Distinctive doctrines and practices
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Several doctrines and practices of the LDS Church are unique within Christianity. For example, the Mormon cosmology, the Plan of Salvation that includes a pre-mortal life, three heavens, and the doctrine of exaltation are distinctive among Christian sects. In particular, the LDS Church teaches that every human spirit is a literal spirit child of God. Moreover, the church teaches that humans may achieve through the Atonement of Jesus Christ exaltation or theosis, which means that they may become gods and goddesses as "joint heirs" with Christ. They believe that exaltation includes the reuniting of the mortal family after the resurrection and the ability to have spirit children in the afterlife.[68] To obtain this state of godhood, the church teaches that one must have faith in Jesus, and participate in a sequence of ceremonial covenants (called ordinances).[69][70] The LDS sealing ceremony reflects a singular LDS view with respect to families. According to LDS Church theology, men and women may be sealed to each other so that their marital bond continues in the afterlife.[71] Children may also be sealed to their biological or adoptive parents to form permanent familial bonds.[72] The most significant LDS ordinances may be performed via proxy in behalf of those who have died. (See, e.g., baptism for the dead). The Church teaches that all will have the opportunity to hear and accept or reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the benefit of its sacraments, in this life or the next.
The LDS faithful observe a health code called the Word of Wisdom in which they abstain from the consumption of alcoholic beverages, coffee, tea, and tobacco. Their moral code includes a law of chastity that prohibits sexual relations outside of heterosexual marriage. LDS faithful donate a 10 percent tithe on their increase annually. They also perform volunteer service in their local church. Moreover, all single young men between 19–25 years old who are sufficiently healthy and many retired couples are encouraged to volunteer up to two years as a missionary to proselytize and/or provide humanitarian service. Unmarried women 21 years and older also may serve as missionaries for 18 months, but it is not considered their duty to do so as it is with the young men who are ordained elders. Members are further instructed to set aside one night a week, typically Monday, for a Family Home Evening, where they gather together as a family to study gospel principles and participate in non-religious activities.
Comparison with other Latter Day Saint movement faiths
The LDS Church shares a common heritage with a number of faiths, with smaller memberships, that are collectively called the Latter Day Saint movement. In common with the LDS Church, these faiths believe in Joseph Smith, Jr. as a prophet and founder of their religion. They also accept the Book of Mormon, and at least some version of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Other branches of the Latter Day Saint movement may be considered off-shoots of the LDS Church, mainly as a result of disagreements about plural marriage. In the LDS Church, the practice of plural marriage was abandoned around the turn of the 20th century, but it has continued among the fundamentalist groups, who believe the practice is a requirement for exaltation. The LDS Church, by contrast, believes that a single celestial marriage is sufficient for exaltation. Fundamentalists also believe in a number of other doctrines taught and practiced by Brigham Young in the 19th century, which the LDS Church has either abandoned, repudiated, or put in abeyance; e.g., the church has long excommunicated any members caught practicing polygamy.
Church organization and structure
Name and legal entities
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The church teaches that it 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,[73] and then in 1834, the name was officially changed to the Church of the Latter Day Saints.[74] In April 1838, the name was officially changed to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.[75] After Smith died, Brigham Young and the largest body of Smith's followers incorporated the LDS Church in 1851 by legislation of the State of Deseret[76] under the name The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which included a hyphenated "Latter-day" and a lower-case "d".[77] In 1887, the LDS Church was legally dissolved in the United States by the Edmunds–Tucker Act because of the church's practice (now abandoned) of polygamy. Thereafter, the church has continued to operate as an "unincorporated religious association" under what remains its formal name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Accepted informal names include the LDS Church, the Latter-day Saints, and the Mormons. The term Mormon Church is in common use,[78] but the church began discouraging its use in the late 20th century, though takes no issue with the term Mormon itself. The church requests that the official name be used when possible or, if necessary, shortened to "the Church" or "the Church of Jesus Christ".[79]
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 also holds several non-tax-exempt corporations. See Finances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Geographic distribution and membership
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Church congregations are organized geographically. Members are generally expected to attend the congregation with their assigned geographical area; however, some geographical areas also provide separate congregations for single adults or for speakers of alternate languages. For Sunday services, the church is grouped into either larger (~200 to ~400 people) congregations known as wards, or smaller congregations known as branches. 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, of which the church maintains a virtual tour of a typical example and also an online meetinghouse locator which can be used to find the locations and meeting times of its congregations all over the world. Regional church organizations larger than single congregations include stakes, missions, districts, areas, and regions.
2007 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life Survey[80] | Mormons (U.S.) | U.S. Avg. |
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Married | 71% | 54% |
Divorced or separated | 9% | 12% |
3 or more children at home | 21% | 9% |
Weekly (or more) Attendance at Religious Services | 76% | 39% |
The church reports a worldwide membership of over 13 million[81] 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.[82] The church membership report includes all baptized members and their children. Although the church does not release attendance figures to the public, researchers estimate that actual attendance at weekly LDS worship services globally is around 4 million.[83] Members living in the U.S. and Canada constitute 46% of membership, Latin America 38%, and members in the rest of the world 16%.[84] 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, 1.3% of the US population, making the LDS Church the 10th-largest religious body in their phone survey of over 50,000 households.[85] The 2007 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, found 1.7% of the U.S. adult population self identified themselves as Mormon.[80]
For a list of notable Latter-day Saints, see List of Latter Day Saints.
Priesthood hierarchy
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The LDS Church is organized in a hierarchical priesthood structure administered by men. Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus leads the church through revelation and has chosen a single man, called "the Prophet" or President of the Church, as his spokesman on the earth. The current president is Thomas S. Monson. He and two counselors (who usually are ordained apostles) form the First Presidency, the presiding body of the church; twelve other apostles form the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.[86] When a president dies, his successor is invariably the most senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who then reconstitutes a new First Presidency.[86] These men, and the other male members of the church-wide leadership (including the first two Quorums of Seventy and the Presiding Bishopric) are called general authorities. They exercise both ecclesiastical and administrative leadership over the church and direct the efforts of regional leaders down to the local level. General authorities and mission presidents work full-time and typically receive stipends from church funds or investments.[87]
At the local level, the church leadership are drawn from the laity and work on a part-time volunteer basis without stipend.[88] Like all members, they are asked to donate a tithe of 10 percent of their income to the church. An exception to that rule is for LDS missionaries who work at the local level and are paid basic living expenses from a fund that receives contributions from their home congregations; however, prospective missionaries are encouraged to contribute the cost of their missions to this fund themselves when possible. Members volunteer general custodial work for local church facilities.
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Men in leadership roles are generally considered to be part of the priesthood and are ordained to the priesthood as early as age 12. Ordination occurs by a ceremony where hands are laid on the head of the one ordained. The priesthood is divided into an Aaronic priesthood for young men 12 and up and a Melchizedek Priesthood for men 18 and up. Since 1978, membership in the priesthood has been open to all races.
Church programs and auxiliary organizations
Under the leadership of the priesthood hierarchy are five auxiliary organizations that fill various roles in the church: Relief Society (a women's organization),[89] the Young Men Organization and Young Women Organization (for adolescents aged 12 to 17), Primary (an organization for children up to age 12), and Sunday School (which provides a variety of Sunday classes for adolescents and adults). The church also operates several programs and organizations in the fields of proselytizing, education, and church welfare. Many of these auxiliaries and programs are coordinated by the Priesthood Correlation Program, which is designed to provide a systematic approach to maintain worldwide consistency, orthodoxy, and control of the church's ordinances, doctrines, organizations, meetings, materials, and other programs and activities.
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The LDS Church operates a large missionary program. Some members of the church are encouraged to serve as missionaries either full-time, part-time or as "service missionaries" in one of hundreds of missions throughout the world. All missionaries serve on a volunteer basis, and their expenses are paid by savings of the missionaries themselves, their families, their local congregations, and in some cases from a general church fund.[90] Missionaries include young single men between 19 and 25 (who serve two year missions), single women over the age of 21 (who serve 18-month missions), and mature couples who are generally retired (who serve terms ranging from three to 36 months[91]). Young single men are strongly encouraged and expected to serve a mission; women and couples are encouraged but not expected to serve missions. Missionaries generally have no input on what part of the world they serve their missions, and if necessary, the church will teach them a new language. Missionaries are held to high standards of personal worthiness, which is determined by interviews by ecclesiastical leaders about how well the missionary has followed church standards such as the Word of Wisdom (not consuming alcohol, tobacco, coffee, or tea) and the law of chastity (abstaining from pre- or extra-marital sex).
The church operates a Church Educational System which includes Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University–Idaho (formerly Ricks College), Brigham Young University Hawaii, and LDS Business College. The church also operates Institutes of Religion and an LDS Student Association near the campuses of many colleges and universities. For high-school aged youth, the church operates a four-year Seminary program, which provides religious classes for students to supplement their secular education. The church also sponsors a low-interest educational loan program known as the Perpetual Education Fund, which provides educational opportunities to students from developing nations.
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The church's welfare system, initiated during the Great Depression, provides aid to the poor. It is financed by fast offerings: monthly donations beyond the normal 10 percent tithe, which represents the cost of foregoing two meals on monthly Fast Sundays. Money from the program is used to operate Bishop's storehouses, which package and store food at low cost. Distribution of funds and food is administered by local bishops (congregational pastors). The church also distributes money through its LDS Philanthropies division to disaster victims worldwide.
Other church programs and departments include LDS Family Services, which provides assistance with adoption, marital and family counseling, psychotherapy, and addiction counseling; the LDS Church History Department, which collects church history and records; and the Family History Department, which administers the church's large family history efforts and operates the world's largest library dedicated to genealogical research.[92] The church is also a major sponsor of Scouting programs for boys, particularly in the United States, where it provides more members of the Boy Scouts of America than any other church.[93]
Finances
The church has not released church-wide financial statements since 1959, but in 1997, Time magazine called it one of the world's wealthiest churches per capita.[94] Its for-profit, non-profit, and educational subsidiary entities are audited by an independent accounting firm: as of 2007[update], Deloitte & Touche.[95][96] In addition, the church employs an independent audit department that provides its certification at each annual general conference that church contributions are collected and spent in accordance with church policy.[97] The church receives almost all funds from tithes (ten percent of a member's income) and fast offerings (money given to the church to assist individuals in need). According to the church, tithing and fast offering moneys collected are devoted to ecclesiastical purposes and not used in for-profit ventures. The church uses its tithing funds to construct and maintain buildings and other facilities; to print the Scriptures for missionary work; to provide social welfare and relief; and to support missionary, educational, and other church-sponsored programs.[98]
The church has also invested in for-profit business and real estate ventures such as Bonneville International, Deseret Book Company, and cattle ranches in Utah, Florida, and Canada. However, these ranches are split between Church Welfare Work (Bishop's Storehouse and Welfare Square) for which funds are used from tithing and are not for profit.[clarification needed] For-profit ranching operations are partially self-sustained but never use tithed money.[citation needed]
Culture
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 Intermountain West, but as membership of the church spreads around the world, many of its more distinctive practices follow, such as adhering to the Word of Wisdom, a revealed health law or code,[99] similar to Leviticus chapter 11 in the Bible, prohibiting the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, coffee and tea, and other addictive substances.[100] As a result of the Word of Wisdom, the culture in areas of the world with a high concentration of LDS tends to be reflected.[101][102]
Meetings and outreach programs are held regularly and have become part of Latter-day Saint culture.
Home and family
In 1995, the church presidency issued "The Family: A Proclamation to the World", which stresses the importance of the family. The presidency proclaimed that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children." The document further explains that "gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose," that the father and mother have differing but equal roles in raising children, and that successful marriages and families, founded upon the teachings of Jesus Christ, can last eternally.[103] This document is widely cited by LDS members as a statement of principle.[104]
Four times a year, the adult women (members of the church's Relief Society) attend a Home, Family and Personal Enrichment Meeting. The meeting may consist of a service project, of attending a social event, or of various classes being offered. Additional Enrichment activities are offered for women with similar needs and interests.
After interviewing and polling thousands of youth across America, evangelical statistician Christian Smith writes, "... in general comparisons among major U.S. religious traditions using a variety of sociological measures of religious vitality and salience... it is Mormon teenagers who are sociologically faring the best." [105]
Social events and gatherings
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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. The church's Young Men's and Young Women's organizations (formerly known as the Mutual Improvement Association - MIA, or simply "Mutual") meet at the meetinghouse once a week, where the youth participate in activities and work on Duty to God, Scouting, or Personal Progress. 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 at no cost for weddings, receptions, and funerals.
Media and arts
The culture has created substantial business opportunities for independent LDS media. Such communities include cinema, fiction, websites, and graphical art like photography and paintings. The church owns a chain of bookstores called Deseret Book, which provide a channel through which publications are sold. Titles including The Work and the Glory and The Other Side of Heaven have found acceptance both within and outside the church; BYU TV, the church-sponsored television station, also airs on several networks. The church also produces six pageants annually depicting various events of the primitive and modern-day church. Its Easter pageant Jesus the Christ has been identified as the "largest annual outdoor Easter pageant in the world."[106]
Controversy and criticism
The church has been subject to criticism and even Anti-Mormonism since its early years in New York and Pennsylvania. In the late 1820s, criticism centered around the claim by Joseph Smith, Jr. to have discovered a set of golden plates from which the Book of Mormon was reputedly translated. In the 1830s, the greatest criticism was for Smith's handling of a banking failure in Kirtland, Ohio, and the LDS Church's political and military power in Missouri, culminating in the 1838 Mormon War. In the 1840s, criticism of the church centered on the church's theocratic aspirations in Nauvoo, Illinois, and the then-secret practice of plural marriage, criticism which appeared in the Nauvoo Expositor and led to a series of events culminating in Smith's assassination in 1844.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Prop8templeProtest.jpg/220px-Prop8templeProtest.jpg)
As the church began openly practicing plural marriage under Brigham Young during the second half of the 19th century, the church became the target of nation-wide criticism for that practice, as well as for the church's theocratic aspirations in the Utah Territory. Beginning in 1857, the church also came under significant media criticism after the Mountain Meadows massacre in southern Utah.[107]
Academic critics have questioned the legitimacy of Smith as a prophet as well as the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham. Criticism has expanded to include claims of historical revisionism, homophobia, racism, and sexist policies. Notable 20th century critics include Jerald and Sandra Tanner and Fawn Brodie.
In recent years, the Internet has provided a new forum for critics,[108] and the church's support in 2008 of California's Proposition 8 sparked heated debate and protest by gay-rights organizations and others.[109][110][111] While the church remains opposed to gay marriage it has come out in support of certain protections for members of the LGBT community in Salt Lake City, Utah.[112]
Due to differences in doctrines, some Christian churches consider the LDS Church to be distinct from the historic apostolic tradition of Christianity.[113][114]
Notes
- ^ Smith (1842) ("At the request of Mr. John Wentworth, Editor and Proprietor of the Chicago Democrat, I have written the following sketch of the rise, progress, persecution, and faith of the Latter-day Saints, of which I have the honor, under God, of being the founder.").
- ^ a b c d "2009 Statistical Report for 2010 April General Conference".
- ^ LDS Church (2008a).
- ^ Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith (1976), 121 ("The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it."). Thomas S. Monson, “The Way of the Master,” Ensign, Jan 2003, 2–7.
- ^ a b "For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ." Book of Mormon; Mosiah 3:12
- ^ Articles of Faith 1:8
- ^ "Perhaps the puzzle some feel can be explained by the reality that each of us has two different channels to God. We have a channel of governance through our prophet and other leaders. This channel, which has to do with doctrine, ordinances, and commandments, results in obedience. We also have a channel of personal testimony, which is direct to God. This has to do with His existence, our relationship to Him, and the truth of His restored gospel. This channel results in knowledge." Elder Dallin H. Oaks Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2008 LDS General Conference, http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-851-10,00.html
- ^ Ballard, M. Russell (October 2007), "Faith, Family, Facts, and Fruits", Conference report, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, retrieved September 28, 2009
- ^ Scriptures, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, retrieved 2007-12-25: "On September 22, 1827, an angel named Moroni—the last Book of Mormon prophet—delivered these records to the Prophet Joseph Smith." Angel Moroni Statue Displayed in Massachusetts, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2001, retrieved 2007-12-25.
- ^ Scholars and eye-witnesses disagree whether the church was organized in Manchester, New York at the Smith log home, or in Fayette at the the home of Peter Whitmer. Bushman (2005, p. 109) ; Marquardt (2005, pp. 223–23) (arguing that organization in Manchester is most consistent with eye-witness statements). The LDS Church officially favors organization in Fayette. Lloyd, R. Scott (22 May 2009), "'Major discovery' discussed at Mormon History Association Conference", Church News of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LDS Church, retrieved 2009-05-22
- ^ Book of Mormon, Introduction.
- ^ Bushman (2005, p. 122) ; LDS D&C 57:1-3 (revelation dated July 20, 1931, stating that "the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at [Jackson County, Missouri], even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation").
- ^ Brodie (1971, p. 97) (citing letter by Smith to Kirtland converts, quoted in Howe (1833, p. 111) ). In 1834, Smith designated Kirtland as one of the "stakes" of Zion, referring to the tent–stakes metaphor of Isaiah 54:2.
- ^ Smith et al. (1835, p. 154) ; Bushman (2005, p. 162) ; Brodie (1971, p. 109) .
- ^ Smith said in 1831 that God intended the Mormons to "retain a strong hold in the land of Kirtland, for the space of five years." (Doctrine and Covenants 64:21).
- ^ Bushman (2005, pp. 222–27) ; Brodie (1971, p. 137) (noting that the brutality of the Jackson Countians aroused sympathy for the Mormons and was almost universally deplored by the media).
- ^ Brodie (1971, pp. 141, 146–59) ; Bushman (2005, p. 322) .
- ^ Brodie (1971, p. 101) ; Arrington (1992, p. 21) (by summer of 1835, there were 1500 to 2000 Saints in Kirtland); Desert Morning News 2008 Church Almanac pg.655 (from 1831 to 1838, church membership grew from 680 to 17,881).
- ^ (Bushman 2005, pp. 310–19) ; (Brodie 1971, p. 178) .
- ^ Bushman (2005, pp. 328–38) ; Brooke (1994, p. 221) ("Ultimately, the rituals and visions dedicating the Kirtland temple were not sufficient to hold the church together in the face of a mounting series of internal disputes.")
- ^ Roberts (1905, p. 24) (referring to the Far West church as the "church in Zion"); (Bushman 2005, p. 345) (The revelation calling Far West "Zion" had the effect of "implying that Far West was to take the place of Independence.")
- ^ Bushman (2005, pp. 357–364) ; Brodie (1971, p. 227-30) ; Remini (2002, p. 134) ; Quinn (1994, pp. 97–98) .
- ^ (Bushman 2005, p. 367) (Boggs' executive order stated that the Mormon community had "made war upon the people of this State" and that "the Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the State if necessary for the public peace"). In 1976, Missouri issued a formal apology for this order (Bushman 2005, p. 398) .
- ^ Bushman (2005, pp. 383–84) .
- ^ Bushman (2005, p. 409) ; Brodie (1971, pp. 258, 264–65) .
- ^ Brodie (1971, pp. 334–36) ; Bushman (2005, pp. 437, 644) .
- ^ D&C 132 18-20, LDS Church, retrieved 2010-05-08
The Lord’s Plan for Men and Women, LDS Church, retrieved 2010-05-09, - ^ Widmer (2000, p. 119) (Smith echoed the words of Paul that faithful saints may become co-heirs with Jesus Romans 8:17); Roberts (1909, pp. 502–03) ; Bushman (2005, pp. 497–98) (the second anointing provided a conditional guarantee that those persons who were pure and faithful would be exalted, even if they sinned, if they were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise).
- ^ Quinn (1994, p. 120–22) ; Bushman (2005, pp. 519–21) (describing the Council of Fifty noting that Smith prophesied "the entire overthrow of this nation in a few years," at which time the Kingdom of God would be prepared to lead)
- ^ LDS Church (2010), Joseph Smith Home Page/Mission of the Prophet/First Vision: This Is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!, retrieved 2010-04-29; Allen (1966, p. 29) (belief in the First Vision now considered second in importance only to belief in the divinity of Jesus.); Hinkley, Gordon B. (1998), "What Are People Asking about Us?", Ensign (November) ("[N]othing we teach, nothing we live by is of greater importance than this initial declaration.").
- ^ Many local Illinoisans were uneasy with Mormon power, and their unease was fanned by the local media after Smith suppressed a newspaper containing an exposé regarding plural marriage, theocracy, and other sensitive issues. Smith was charged and arrested for crimes including treason.
- ^ Encyclopedia of Latter-Day Saint History pg. 824. Brodie (1971, pp. 393–94) ; Bushman (2005) .
- ^ Quinn (1994, p. 143) ; Brodie (1971, p. 398) .
- ^ Bushman (2005, pp. 556–57) .
- ^ Smith's position as President of the Church was originally left vacant, based on the sentiment that nobody could fill Smith's shoes. Years later, the church established the principle that Young, and any other senior apostle of the Quorum of the Twelve, would be ordained President of the Church as a matter of course upon the death of the former President, subject to unanimous agreement of the Quorum of the Twelve.
- ^ Quinn (1994, pp. 198–211) .
- ^ In 2004, the State of Illinois recognized the expulsion of the Latter-day Saints as the "largest forced migration in American history" and stated in the adopted resolution that, "WHEREAS, The biases and prejudices of a less enlightened age in the history of the State of Illinois caused unmeasurable hardship and trauma for the community of Latter-day Saints by the distrust, violence, and inhospitable actions of a dark time in our past; therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we acknowledge the disparity of those past actions and suspicions, regretting the expulsion of the community of Latter-day Saints, a people of faith and hard work." "Official House Resolution HR0793 (LRB093 21726 KEF 49525 r), Illinois General Assembly, April 1, 2004
- ^ "Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail: History & Culture", U.S. National Park Service. "The great Mormon migration of 1846–1847 was but one step in the LDS' quest for religious freedom and growth."
- ^ The Mormon doctrine of plural wives was officially announced by one of the Twelve Apostles Orson Pratt and Smith's successor Brigham Young in a special conference of the elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints assembled in the Mormon Tabernacle on 28 August 1852, and reprinted in an extra edition of the Deseret News Template:Cite article. See also The 1850s: Official sanction in the LDS Church
- ^ See Tullidge, Edward, History of Salt Lake City, 132-35 (Original from the University of Michigan, 1886).
- ^ The most notable instance of violence during this war was the tragic Mountain Meadows massacre, in which church leaders have been accused of remaining complacent while a local Mormon militia ordered the massacre of a civilian emigrant party who had the misfortune of traveling through Utah during the escalating military tensions. The Mormons feared further illegal theft of land, and murders which had plagued them back east.
- ^ To combat the notion that rank-and-file Mormons were unhappy under Young’s leadership, Cumming noted that he had offered to help any leave the territory who desired. Of the 50,000 inhabitants of the state of Utah, the underwhelming response—56 men, 33 women, and 71 children, most of whom stated they left for economic reasons—impressed Cumming, as did the fact that Mormon leaders contributed supplies to the emigrants. Cumming to [Secretary of State Lewis Cass], written by Thomas Kane, May 2, 1858, BYU Special Collections.
- ^ Firmage, Edwin Brown; Mangrum, Richard Collin (2002), Zion in the Courts: A Legal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1830-1900, U. of Illinois Press, p. 140, ISBN 0252069803
{{citation}}
: More than one of|author=
and|last1=
specified (help) - ^ Official Declaration — 1
- ^ In 1998 President Gordon B. Hinckley stated,
“If any of our members are found to be practicing plural marriage, they are excommunicated, the most serious penalty the Church can impose. Not only are those so involved in direct violation of the civil law, they are in violation of the law of this Church.” Gordon B. Hinckley, "What Are People Asking About Us?" Ensign, November 1998, 70
- ^ a b “Statistical Report, 2000,” Ensign, May 2001, 22
- ^ Deseret Morning News 2008 Church Almanac pg. 655
- ^ “First Presidency Statement on Basing of MX Missile”, Ensign, June 1981, 76.
- ^ “The Church and the Proposed Equal Rights Amendment: A Moral Issue”, Ensign, March 1980, insert.
- ^ “Church’s Stand against Gambling", Ensign, March 1992, 74.
- ^ "Same-Gender Attraction" (Press release). Newsroom.lds.org. 2005-05-26. Retrieved March 2007.
{{cite press release}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ "Euthanasia and Prolonging Life" (Press release). Newsroom.lds.org. Retrieved March 2007.
{{cite press release}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ "Political Neutrality" (Press release). Newsroom.lds.org. 2006-10-19. Retrieved March 2007.
{{cite press release}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help); see also Newsroom.lds.org, "No Thumbs Up or Down To Legislature", Retrieved May 2007. - ^ Bush & Mauss 1984: 70
- ^ History of the Church, 4:461.
- ^ See Articles of Faith 1:8 ("We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly.")
- ^ a b The Sustaining of Church Officers: Presented by President Henry B. Eyring. Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 2 Oct 2009. Retrieved 12 Jan 2009. See paragraph 7; "It is proposed that we sustain the counselors in the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators." See also Search "The Sustaining of Church Officers" for past sustaining
- ^ Adherents believe in the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly" See Articles of Faith 1:8.
- ^ See Articles of Faith 1:2 ("We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression."). This doctrine is common within Christian Restorationism.
- ^ Book of Mormon, Alma 34:8-16.
- ^ For example, a 2007 poll conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 31% of Americans surveyed do not consider Mormons to be Christian. See Public Expresses Mixed Views of Islam, Mormonism.
- ^
Smith, Joseph, Jr. (March 1, 1842), "Church History [Wentworth Letter]", Times and Seasons, 3 (9): 707
{{citation}}
: More than one of|pages=
and|page=
specified (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) (traditional Christian denominations "were believing in incorrect doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as his church and kingdom"). Smith, Joseph, Jr. (April 1, 1842), "History of Joseph Smith", Times and Seasons, 3 (11): 748{{citation}}
: More than one of|pages=
and|page=
specified (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) (Stating that Jesus told Smith that all existing Christian creeds "were an abomination in his sight." - ^ D&C 1:30 (LDS Church is the "only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth").
- ^ Spencer W. Kimball, “An Eternal Hope in Christ,” Ensign, Nov 1978, 71 ("Then he taught and testified that even as Christ is risen from the dead, so will all men come forth from the grave; each will then be judged according to his works, and each will receive his appointed place in the mansions which are prepared. In that resurrected state, Paul said, there are “celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial, and bodies telestial; but the glory of the celestial, one; and the terrestrial, another; and the telestial, another” (JST, 1 Cor. 15:40).").
- ^ Carter, K. Codell (1992), "Godhood", in Ludlow, Daniel H. (ed.), Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York: Mcmillan, pp. 553–55, ISBN 0-02-904040-X ("The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that all resurrected and perfected mortals become gods.").
- ^ See, for example, Presbyterians and Latter-day Saints, retrieved 2007-01-30 (Presbyterian Church USA, stating that "Mormonism is a new and emerging religious tradition distinct from the historic apostolic tradition of the Christian Church"); Should Lutherans Rebaptize Former Mormons Who Are Joining the Congregation?, retrieved 2006-08-15 (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, stating that LDS Church doctrine regarding the Trinity is "substantially different from that of orthodox, creedal Christianity."; General Conference 2000 806-NonDis, retrieved 2006-08-15 (United Methodist Church, stating that the LDS Church, "by self-definition, does not fit within the bounds of the historic, apostolic tradition of Christian faith".).
- ^ According to Joseph Smith, Jr., Jesus told him that the Christian creeds "were an abomination in his sight; that those professors [of religion] were all corrupt". Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith—History 1:19.
- ^ LDS Church (1997), Gospel Principles (PDF), Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church (listing among the "blessings given to exalted people" that "they will become gods,… and will be able to have spirit children…."); Carter, K. Codell (1992), "Godhood", in Ludlow, Daniel H. (ed.), Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York: Mcmillan, pp. 553–55, ISBN 0-02-904040-X (p. 553: "all resurrected and perfected mortals become gods"; p. 554: "Latter-day Saints believe that those who become gods will have the opportunity to…add[] further offspring to the eternal family").
- ^ Pope, Margaret McConkie (1992), "Exaltation", in Ludlow, Daniel H. (ed.), Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York: Mcmillan, p. 479, ISBN 0-02-904040-X ("All Church ordinances lead to exaltation, and the essential crowning ordinances are the Endowment and the eternal marriage covenant of the temple.").
- ^ LDS Church (2006), Church Handbook of Instructions: Book 1, Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics, Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church, p. 80.
- ^ A man may be sealed to more than one wife if his previous wives are either dead or legally divorced from him; a living woman, however, may only be sealed to one husband. See LDS Church (2006), Church Handbook of Instructions, Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church, p. 85. Thus, there is a common view within the LDS Church that though prohibited by the LDS Church in mortality, plural marriage will exist in the afterlife. See, e.g., Penrose, Charles W. (1897), Mormon Doctrine Plain and Simple, or Leaves from the Tree of Life, Salt Lake City, UT, p. 66
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) ("In the case of a man marrying a wife in the everlasting covenant who dies while he continues in the flesh and marries another by the same divine law, each wife will come forth in her order and enter with him into his glory."); Smith, Joseph Fielding (1954–56), McConkie, Bruce R. (ed.), Doctrines of Salvation: Sermons and Writings of Joseph Fielding Smith, vol. 2, Bookcraft, p. 2{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: date format (link) (stating of his deceased wives: "my wives will be mine forever"). - ^ See Hyer, Paul V. (1992), "Sealing: Temple Sealings", in Ludlow, Daniel H. (ed.), Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York: Mcmillan, p. 12891290, ISBN 0-02-904040-X; Thomas, Ryan L. (1992), "Adoption of Children", in Ludlow, Daniel H. (ed.), Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York: Mcmillan, pp. 20–21, ISBN 0-02-904040-X. Children born to biological parents who have been sealed to each other are considered "born in the covenant" and need not be sealed to their parents. See Cottrell, Ralph L. (1992), "Born in the Covenant", in Ludlow, Daniel H. (ed.), Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York: Mcmillan, p. 218, ISBN 0-02-904040-X.
- ^ Roberts, B.H., ed. (1905), [[History of the Church|History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], vol. 3, Deseret News, pp. 23–24
{{citation}}
: URL–wikilink conflict (help). - ^ Smith, Joseph, Jr.; Williams, Frederick G.; Cowdery, Oliver (1834), "Minutes of a Conference of the Elders of the Church of Christ, May 3, 1834", The Evening and the Morning Star, 2 (20): 160
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link). - ^ Smith, Joseph, Jr. (August 1838), Elders' Journal of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1 (4): 52 http://www.solomonspalding.com/docs/eldjur04.htm
{{citation}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link). Manuscript History of the Church, book A-1, LDS Church Archives, 1838, p. 37, reproduced in Jessee, Dean C., ed. (1989), The Papers of Joseph Smith: Autobiographical and Historical Writings, vol. 1, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, pp. 302–303. Marquardt, H. Michael; Walters, Wesley P. (1994), Inventing Mormonism: Tradition and the Historical Record, Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, p. 160. - ^ The initial incorporation by the non-existent State of Deseret[1] was not legally valid, but was soon ratified by the Utah Territory in 1851 [2] and 1855. See Late Corporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Romney, 136 U.S. 44–45 (1890).
- ^ State of Deseret: An Ordinance, incorporating the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, February 4, 1851.
- ^ The Associated Press continues to says that "Mormon Church" is a proper second reference in its Style Guide for journalists.[3]
- ^ "Style Guide" (Press release). Newsroom.lds.org. 2009-03-24. Retrieved March 2009.
{{cite press release}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ a b Portrait of Mormons in the U.S., Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, July 24, 2009
- ^ This is the church's own estimate, based on membership records. Hales (2009). The church's definition of "membership" includes all persons who were ever baptized, or whose parents were members while the person was under the age of eight (called "members of record") LDS Church (2006, pp. 145–46) harvtxt error: multiple targets (4×): CITEREFLDS_Church2006 (help), who have neither been excommunicated nor asked to have their names removed from church records. LDS Church (2006, pp. 116, 148–49) harvtxt error: multiple targets (4×): CITEREFLDS_Church2006 (help).
- ^ 2005 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, National Council of Churches. See article by Information Please Database, Pearson Education, Inc.
- ^ Stack (2006).
- ^ Statistical Information, Retrieved December 1, 2007
- ^ Egon Mayer, Ph.D.; Barry A. Kosmin, Ph.D.; Ariela Keysar, Ph.D., "American Religious Identification Survey", cuny.edu, retrieved 2006-07-27
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Haight, David B., "A Prophet Chosen of the Lord", Ensign, May 1986, 7
- ^ Ludlow, Daniel H., Latter-day Prophets Speak: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Church Presidents, 1948/1993, Ch. 32
- ^ For a time, the church had a paid local clergy; however, that practice was discontinued in the early 1900s. See D. Michael Quinn (1997), Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power, Salt Lake City: Signature Books, ch. 6.
- ^ The Relief Society was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, and with the motto "Charity Never Faileth", the organization today includes more than 5 million women in more than 165 countries. From Pioneer Group to Worldwide Society, newsroom.lds.org. Every Latter-day Saint woman age 18 or older is a member of the Relief Society.
- ^ LDS Church (2006), Church Handbook of Instructions, vol. 1, p. 155 ("Contributions to the General Missionary Fund help spread the gospel in ways such as providing partial financial support for missionaries who need it to supplement contributions from themselves, their families, and the ward missionary fund.").
- ^ Mormon Missionaries, Light Planet
- ^ AAG International Research, AAG International Research, AAG, retrieved 2009-10-31
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: External link in
(help)|publisher=
- ^ Boy Scouts of America Membership Report – 2007 (PDF), P.R.A.Y., 2008-01-07, retrieved 2008-05-22
- ^ Biema, David Van. Kingdom Come. Time Magazine, Vol. 150 No. 5, August 4, 1997 (estimating the church's value at over $30 billion).
- ^ Belo Corp Form 8-K. Accessed May 16, 2007.
- ^ "Financial Planning". finserve.byu.edu. Accessed May 16, 2007.
- ^ Cantwell, Robert W. (2007), "Church Auditing Department Report, 2006", Ensign, 37 (5): 6, retrieved 2008-02-22,
The Church Auditing Department has been granted access to all records and systems necessary to evaluate the adequacy of controls over receipts of funds, expenditures, and safeguarding of church assets. The Church Auditing Department is independent of all other church departments and operations, and the staff consists of certified public accountants, certified internal auditors, certified information systems auditors, and other credentialed professionals. Based upon audits performed, the Church Auditing Department is of the opinion that, in all material respects, contributions received, expenditures made, and assets of the church for the year 2006 have been recorded and administered in accordance with appropriate accounting practices, approved budgets, and church policies and procedures.
{{citation}}
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ignored (help) - ^ Church Finances, newsroom.lds.org
- ^ (D&C 89)
- ^ See Doctrine & Covenants, Section 89.
- ^ Salt Lake Tribune Editorial, Liquor stores: Banning phone listings, stores won't stop abuse.
- ^ http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/12/15/americas-10-fittest-citiesand-10-least-fit-too.html
- ^ LDS Church (1995), The Family: A Proclamation to the World. http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?sourceId=1aba862384d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0
- ^ Together forever: Gospel perspectives for marriage and family By Douglas E. Brinley page 48 ISBN 1-57008-540-4
- ^ Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, Authors: Christian Smith, Melinda Lundquist Denton, page 261 (Oxford Univ Pr. 2005)
- ^ Griffiths, Lawn (2007-03-24), Mesa Mormon temple prepares for Easter pageant, East Valley Tribune, retrieved 2008-11-30
{{citation}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ Bagley, Will (2002), Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows, Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, pp. xiii, xvi, 98, 208, ISBN 0-8061-3426-7; Turley, Richard E., Jr. (19 June 2007), Newsroom: The Mountain Meadows Massacre, LDS Church
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) (acknowledging criticism of the LDS Church). - ^ Mindy Sink (September 6, 2003), Religion Journal; Spiritual Issues Lead Many to the Net, New York Times, retrieved 2008-02-21
- ^ San Diego march for marriage equality draws 20,000 protesters, Gay & Lesbian Times, retrieved 2009-01-21
{{citation}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=
(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ California and Same-Sex Marriage, LDS Church, retrieved 2009-01-21
- ^ Page, Jared (2008-06-20), Sierra Club hails LDS Church for downtown Salt Lake makeover, Deseret News, retrieved 2008-06-29
{{citation}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|month=
(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ Mormon Church Backs Gay Protecting City Ordinances, "Deseret News"
{{citation}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=
(help) - ^ Winning them softly: Evangelicals try to reach Mormons with respect - and hard science. John W. Kennedy, posted 2/01/2004 (February 2004, Vol. 48, No. 2) Christianity Today (Accessed:October 7, 2006)
- ^ Apologetics website. RESPONSE TO A 'DUBIUM' on the validity of baptism conferred by «The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints», called «Mormons», retrieved 2006-08-15 (the official Roman Catholic view). Presbyterians and Latter-day Saints, retrieved 2007-01-30 (a Presbyterian view). Should Lutherans Rebaptize Former Mormons Who Are Joining the Congregation?, retrieved 2006-08-15 (a Lutheran view). General Conference 2000 806-NonDis, retrieved 2006-08-15 (a Methodist view). Latter-day politics, GetReligion, June 13, 2005, retrieved 2008-11-22 (an Episcopalian view)
References
- Anderson, Richard Lloyd (1989), Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company, ISBN 0875792421
- Dart, John (2007-08-21), "Counting Mormons: study says LDS numbers inflated", Christian Century.
- Garr, Arnold K.; Cannon, Donald Q.; Cowan, Richard (2000), Encyclopedia of Latter-Day Saint History, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company, ISBN 1-57345-882-8
{{citation}}
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value: checksum (help) - Hales, Brook P. (May 2009), "Statistical Report, 2009", Ensign: 30
- LDS Church (2006), Church Handbook of Instructions, Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church (published only to certain clergy—not generally available to church members or the public).
- LDS Church (2008a), Newsroom–Education, LDS Church online publication, retrieved 2009-10-16
- LDS Church (2008b), 2008 Church Almanac, Deseret Morning News, ISBN 978-1-59038-900-3
- Newell, Coke (2001), Latter Days: An Insider's Guide to Mormonism, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, St. Martin's Griffin, ISBN 0312280432
- Ostling, Richard; Ostling, Joan K. (2000), Mormon America: The Power and the Promise (1st ed.), HarperSanFrancisco, ISBN 0060663723
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specified (help) - edited by Donald W. Parry, Daniel C. Peterson, and John W. Welch. (2002), Parry, Donald W.; Peterson, Daniel C.; Welch, John W. (eds.), Echos and Evidences of the Book of Mormon, Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, ISBN 0934893721
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has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - edited with an introduction by Noel B. Reynolds ; associate editor, Charles D. Tate. (1982), Reynolds, Noel B. (ed.), Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins, Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, ISBN 0934893187
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:|author=
has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Riess, Jana; Bigelow, Christopher Kimball (2005), Mormonism For Dummies, For Dummies, ISBN 0764571958
- Robinson, Stephen E. (1992), Are Mormons Christians?, Bookcraft, Inc., ISBN 088494784X
- Shipps, Jan (1987), Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition, University of Illinois Press, ISBN 0252014170
- Shipps, Jan (2000), Sojourner in the Promised Land: Forty Years Among the Mormons, University of Illinois Press, ISBN 0252025903
- Smith, Joseph, Jr. (March 1, 1842), "Church History [Wentworth Letter]", Times and Seasons, 3 (9): 706–10
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link). - selected and arranged by the Historian, Joseph Fielding Smith ; index and concordance by Robert J. Matthews. (1976), Smith, Joseph Fielding (ed.), Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Deseret Book Company, ISBN 0-87747-665-9
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Stack, Peggy Fletcher (2006-06-22), "Keeping Members a Challenge for LDS Church", Salt Lake Tribune
- Williams, Drew (2003), The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Mormonism, Alpha, ISBN 0028644913
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
Official websites of the Church
- LDS.org – The official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — with links to Gospel Library, Church History, Family Home Evening programs, and more
- Mormon.org – Information on basic beliefs, a meetinghouse locater, and a place to email questions
- scriptures.lds.org – Online scriptures and study guides
- FamilySearch.org – One of the largest collections of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world
- new.familysearch.org - An updated version of the FamilySearch.org website.
- Newsroom.lds.org – The official source of public news releases and background information by the Church
- Provident Living – Self-reliance and welfare resources
- Church Educational System – Religious education for secondary and tertiary school students
- JosephSmith.net – Information on the life and mission of Church founder Joseph Smith
- Distribution Services – Church and gospel supplies available to order
- BeSmart.com – Tertiary education opportunities
- Polynesian Cultural Center – Tourist attraction owned by LDS Church
- Jesus Christ – Information and testimony regarding Jesus Christ
- President Thomas S. Monson – Official information on the president of the church
- LDS Church News – An official news publication for the LDS Church
- Mormon Channel – Official radio station (talk and music) broadcasting 24 hours daily.
- Mormonmessages on Youtube – Official Youtube Page of the LDS Church
- Combating Pornography.org - Official Church website for information about resources designed to help combat pornography.
- Preserving Marriage.org - Official Church website for information about preserving the divine institution of marriage.
- LDS Employment Resource Services - Official Church website for information about helping Church members find employment.
- Deseret Book – LDS bookstore owned by LDS Church
Church-related websites
- LDS Today – News related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- LDS Library – Full text search engine; more than 3,300 important LDS books
- Mormon wiki – Wiki for and supported by Latter-day Saints
- LDSFAQ at byu.edu – A comprehensive index answering many common questions. Uses large portions of The Encyclopedia of Mormonism
- Mormon Momma – Scholarship and fellowship for LDS women
- Audio Book of Mormon – Free download, mp3 format
- The LDS Woman – Free online social network and magazine for LDS women
- Mormonism Search – Search Mormon Web Sites – Browser Plugin Available
- Mission.net – Church missionary alumni and informational site
- Bible References Supporting The Beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Mormon Studies – A site dedicated to the academic and cultural study of Mormonism.
- The Genesis Group – website for black Latter-day Saints, their families and friends, and individuals interested in the LDS Church
- Mormon Times – For and about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Educational institutions
- Brigham Young University
- Brigham Young University Hawaii
- Brigham Young University–Idaho
- BYU Jerusalem Center
- BYU Salt Lake Center
- LDS Business College
- Missionary Training Center (MTC)
Music
- Church Music – official website
- Mormon Tabernacle Choir – official website
- Music and the Spoken Word – official website
- Saints Unified Voices
- Liahona.net – free LDS-type music in MP3 format.
Academic forums
- The Joseph Smith Papers
- Encyclopedia of Mormonism (BYU)
- Encyclopedia of Mormonism – wiki version (BYU)
- FARMS – Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (BYU)
- Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought – An independent quarterly covering history, religion, science and social issues.
- The Mormon History Association
- The Mormons – Frontline + American Experience four-hour PBS documentary aired April 1 – May 30, 2007