| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | |
.gif/200px-Logo_of_the_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints_(1995).gif){kind=logo} | |
| Classification | Restorationist |
|---|---|
| Orientation | Latter Day Saint movement |
| Polity | Hierarchical |
| Founder | Joseph Smith, Jr. |
| Leader | Thomas S. Monson |
| Separations | LDS denominations |
| Geographical Area | 176 nations/territories |
| Statistics | |
| Congregations | 27,827 |
| Members | 13,193,999 |
| Missionaries | 52,686 |
| Temples | 124[1] |
| School system | |
| Tertiary institutions | 4[2] |
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 Christian denomination originating from the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830. For other usages see Restoration (general disambiguation Apokatastasis (universal restoration Christian Zionism (restoration of Israel and Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument Please see the talk page for this article and the "See also" list before adding content or adding a hyphen to Latter Day Saint Ecclesiastical polity is the operational and governance structure of a Church or Christian denomination. @@@ main@@@ - title Hierarchy@@@ keywords structure; sociology; information@@@ review@@@ - Biography Monson was born on August 21, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Utah to G A missionary is a member of a Religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith someone who proselytizes. A temple (from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities such as prayer and sacrifice or analogous rites A Christian School is a School run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization Higher education is Education that is provided by universities, vocational universities, Community colleges Liberal arts colleges A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Church (disambiguation A religious denomination is a subgroup within a Religion that operates under a common name tradition and identity Please see the talk page for this article and the "See also" list before adding content or adding a hyphen to Latter Day Saint The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has established congregations and temples worldwide, reporting approximately 13 million members on its rolls. Salt Lake City is the Capital and the most populous city of the U The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a ward is the larger of two types of local congregations (the smaller being a branch) In the [3][4]
Adherents, usually referred to as Latter-day Saints, LDS, or Mormons, are Restorationist Christians and do not consider themselves part of the Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant traditions. A Latter TalkMormon#Latter Day Saint vs Latter-day Saint --> Mormon For other usages see Restoration (general disambiguation Apokatastasis (universal restoration Christian Zionism (restoration of Israel and The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to The Eastern Orthodox Church: the Eastern Christian churches of Byzantine Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The church teaches that sometime after the events depicted in the New Testament, there was a Great Apostasy, or loss of authority to lead Christ's church, to preach the Gospel, and administer the ordinances of the church. The Great Apostasy is a term used by some religious groups to allege a general fallen state of traditional Christianity, or especially of Catholicism Jesus Christ is viewed as the head of the church, leading it today through revelations given to a hierarchy of priesthood leaders to whom the authority has been restored. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Revelation is the act of revealing or disclosing (see etymology or in the theological perception making something obvious and clearly understood through active or passive communication In the Latter Day Saint movement, priesthood is considered to be the power and authority of God including the authority to act as a leader in the church and to perform The highest-ranking leader is the President of the Church, who is considered to be a prophet and an apostle. In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church Prophet seer and revelator is an ecclesiastical title used in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that is currently applied to the members of the First Presidency
In addition to the words of the prophet, Latter-day Saints believe that four authoritative books of scripture contain the "word of God"[5]: the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the The Pearl of Great Price is part of the standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church see also Mormonism) and some
According to their beliefs, Jesus is the Divine Son of God the Father, delivered to the earth by the virgin Mary. [6] They believe Jesus lived a sinless life, and that his suffering at Gethsemane, the shedding of his blood, his crucifixion, his death and resurrection were sufficient to satisfy the demands of eternal justice and make an infinite atonement for the sins of all humanity. Crucifixion (from Latin crucifixio, noun of process crucifixio, from perfect passive participle crucifixus, fixed to a cross from This article concerns itself with Jesus Christ Christian, Islamic and other religious interpretations of resurrection in general The atonement is a doctrine found within both Christianity and Judaism. [7] They believe in Jesus' literal bodily resurrection, and that he currently sits at the right hand of God the Father. This article concerns itself with Jesus Christ Christian, Islamic and other religious interpretations of resurrection in general They believe Jesus is united in purpose with the Father, but that the Father and the Son are distinct glorified beings of flesh and bone, rather than solely spirit.
The church distinguished itself from other Christian denominations by their practice of temple ordinances, eternal marriage, and teaching that Jesus visited and preached in the Americas after his resurrection, as related in the Book of Mormon. In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious Ritual of special significance often involving the formation of a covenant with God Celestial marriage (also called the New and Everlasting Covenant and Eternal Marriage) is a doctrine unique to Mormonism, particularly The Church of The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. It also formerly taught plural marriage,[8] with a number of members practicing it, until the church announced their discontinuance of the practice in 1890.
History
- See also: Category:History of the Latter Day Saint movement
The LDS Church is the largest of the denominations from the Latter Day Saint movement that claim to be a continuation of the Church of Christ, restored by Joseph Smith, Jr. on April 6, 1830 in New York. Please see the talk page for this article and the "See also" list before adding content or adding a hyphen to Latter Day Saint See also Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (disambiguation The Church of Christ, later called Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was the Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous [9] Joseph Smith organized the church soon after publishing the Book of Mormon, one of the faith's scriptures, which Joseph Smith said he translated from plates of gold that were buried near his home in a place shown to him by the angel Moroni ". The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. In Latter Day Saint theology the golden plates (also called the gold plates or in some 19th century literature the golden Bible The Angel Moroni (mɒˈroʊnaɪ is an Angel that Joseph Smith Jr [10]
The church rapidly gained a following, who viewed Joseph Smith as their prophet. In Religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has encountered the Supernatural or the divine and serves as an intermediary In late 1830, Smith envisioned a "city of Zion" in Native American lands near Independence, Missouri. Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote a Utopian association of the righteous Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States Independence is a city in Jackson County in the US state of Missouri, and the fourth largest city in the state In October 1830, he sent his second-in-command, Oliver Cowdery, and others on a mission to the area. Oliver Hervy Pliny Cowdery ( 3 October 1806 – 3 March 1850) was the primary participant with Joseph Smith Jr The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church is one of the most active modern practitioners of Missionary work with over 50000 full-time missionaries [11] 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. For other places with the same name see Kirtland Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ is a Mainline Protestant denomination in North America Sidney Rigdon ( 19 February 1793 – 14 July 1876) was an important figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee The church headquarters remained in Kirtland from 1831 to 1838; meanwhile, the church built its first temple and continued to grow in membership from 680 to 17,881[12]. The Kirtland Temple is a registered National Historic Landmark in Kirtland Ohio, USA, on the eastern edge of the Cleveland metropolitan area
On July 20, 1831, Smith circulated a written revelation that Independence, Missouri was to be the center place for the city of Zion. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1831 ( MDCCCXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Independence is a city in Jackson County in the US state of Missouri, and the fourth largest city in the state [13] 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 from other Missouri settlers. After a series of raids on Mormon settlements, the church formed its own militia to defend its members 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. Missouri Executive Order 44, also known as the "extermination order" (alt Lilburn Williams Boggs ( December 14, 1796 March 14, 1860) was the Governor of Missouri from 1836 to 1840
The church then established its new headquarters in Nauvoo, Illinois, a city they built on drained swampland by the Mississippi River, where Smith served as mayor. There is also a Nauvoo Alabama, and a Nauvoo Pennsylvania Nauvoo ( is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to There, the church built a new temple, and thrived until Smith and his brother Hyrum, who was serving as assistant president and patriarch of the church, were killed by a mob in 1844. The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, For others named Hyrum Smith see Hyrum Smith (disambiguation Hyrum Smith ( February 9, 1800 – June 27, 1844 Assistant President of the Church (also referred to as Associate President of the Church) was a position in the leadership hierarchy in the early days of the Latter Day In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Presiding Patriarch (also called Presiding Evangelist, Patriarch over the Church, Patriarch of the Church Preparation for succession See also Succession crisis (Mormonism Joseph's brother Hyrum Smith, the Assistant President of the Church, was
After the murder of the Smiths, a succession crisis ensued whereby a number of church leaders campaigned to lead the church. The succession crisis in the Latter Day Saint movement occurred after the violent death of the movement's founder Joseph Smith Jr The majority of adherents voted to accept the succession claims presented by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, led by Brigham Young. In the Latter Day Saint movement, the quorum of the Twelve (also known as the council of the Twelve, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Council Brigham Young (June 1 1801 &ndash August 29 1877 was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. Their claim was based on a March 1844 meeting wherein Joseph committed the "keys of the kingdom" on the twelve apostles with Young as their leader. President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church
Migration to Utah
After continued difficulties and persecution in Illinois, Young left Nauvoo in 1846 and led his followers to what later became the state of Utah (then part of Mexico), and began to colonize the area with numerous communities. The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated across the United The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America.
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 serving in both political and religious positions. Theocracy is a form of government in which a god or deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler He openly encouraged the practice of plural marriage. When this practice became known in Washington, D.C., the United States sent federal troops there in 1857, causing a confrontation known as the Utah War which lasted from May 1857 until July 1858. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition or Buchanan's Blunder, was an armed dispute between Latter-day Saint (" Mormon " In the end, negotiations between the United States and the Latter-day Saint hierarchy resulted in a full pardon for the Mormons, the transfer of Utah's governorship from church President Brigham Young to non-Mormon Alfred Cumming, and the peaceful entrance of the army into Utah. Brigham Young (June 1 1801 &ndash August 29 1877 was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. Alfred Cumming is the name of Alfred Cumming (governor (1802–1873 Governor of the U Young still wielded significant political power as President of the Church. In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church
Young was followed by other powerful members, who defiantly followed the dictates of their faith in the face of U. S. efforts to outlaw Mormon polygamous marriages. As the political power of the U. S. moved west, the political and legal wrangling over the polygamy issue escalated. Finally, in 1890, church president Wilford Woodruff (successor to John Taylor) issued a Manifesto that officially suspended the practice. Wilford Woodruff ( March 1, 1807 &ndash September 2, 1898) was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day See also Latter Day Saint polygamy in the late 19th century The "1890 Manifesto", sometimes simply called "The Manifesto", is a statement [14] 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 illegal marriages in the church to cease. Joseph Fielding Smith Sr ( November 13, 1838 &ndash November 19, 1918) was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ The Reed Smoot hearings ( Smoot hearings or Smoot Case) were a series of Congressional hearings on whether the United States Senate should seat U The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses The "Second Manifesto" was a 1904 declaration made by Joseph F Although both these statements were issued it has been estimated that 150 polygamous marriages had been done by the church per year from 1890 to 1904, many of which were performed in Mexico to alleviate the legal issues associated with conducting polygamous marriages in the United States. [15] 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. Excommunication is a religious Censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community Mormon fundamentalism (also called fundamentalist Mormonism) is a belief in the validity of selected fundamental aspects of Mormonism as taught and [16]
20th century
During the twentieth century, the church has grown substantially. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on In the year 2000, the church reported 34,503 missionaries, and global church membership as of 2007 at 13,193,999[17]. Independent sources report self-identifying adherents at roughly half of the church reported numbers.
The church has played, at times, a prominent role in political matters, including opposition to MX Peacekeeper missile bases in Utah and Nevada,[18] opposing the Equal Rights Amendment,[19] opposing legalized gambling,[20] support of bans on same-sex marriage,[21] and opposition to legalized physician-assisted death. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. The Equal Rights Amendment ( ERA) is a failed proposed amendment to the United States Constitution intended to guarantee equal rights under the Same-sex marriage (also referred to as gay marriage) is a term for a legally or Socially recognized Marriage between two people of the same Euthanasia (literally "good death" in Ancient Greek) refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner [22] Apart from issues that it considers to be ones of morality, however, the church maintains a position of political neutrality. [23]
Beliefs and practices
- See also: Mormonism and Christianity
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have some beliefs in common with Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions, though some significant differences exist. For comparison between Later Day Saint Church's doctrine and traditional Christian faiths see Mormonism and Christianity The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day According to the Latter-day Saints (Mormons Mormonism is the restoration and perfection of Christianity. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The church's core beliefs, circa 1842, are discussed in Articles of Faith (Latter Day Saints), and delineate the "first principles and ordinances of the gospel" as faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sin, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Within the Latter Day Saint movement, the Articles of Faith are a Creed composed by Joseph Smith Jr Faith is a Belief in the trustworthiness of an Idea. Formal usage of the word "faith" is usually reserved for concepts of Religion, as in Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Repentance is a change of thought and action to correct a wrong and gain Forgiveness from the one wronged In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted The Gift of the Holy Ghost is a Christian term referenced in the Bible and in the Latter Day Saint movement. [24] Perhaps the most distinct difference between the LDS church and other faiths is the belief that its founder Joseph Smith was a prophet who received a visitation from God (known as the First Vision, and was directed to produce the Book of Mormon, an additional volume of scripture to complement the Bible. The First Vision (also called the grove experience) is a religious belief held by many members of the Latter Day Saint movement (commonly called Mormonism The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin A summary of the church's major distinctive beliefs and practices are discussed below.
God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost
The church teaches that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are "one Godhead" but separate persons:
a) They are one Godhead (numerically one). In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Godhead are the objects of worship and devotion within the faith Temple Square is a ten acre (40000 m² complex located in Salt Lake City, Utah, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Salt Lake City is the Capital and the most populous city of the U In many religions the supreme Deity ( God) is given the title and attributions of Father. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance [25][26]
b) They are one in spirit, mind, and purpose (agreed in one). [27]
c) They hold the keys to govern and preside over the cosmos (one in power and authority). [28]
Three distinct beings, as well as three distinct persons
The church's view of the Godhead breaks with post New Testament Christian history and believes it returns to the teachings taught by Jesus. [29] It does not accept the Nicene Creed's definition of Trinity, that the three are "consubstantial" nor the Athanasian Creed's [8] statement that they are "incomprehensible". The Nicene Creed (ˈnaɪsiːn is an ecumenical Christian statement of faith accepted in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Assyrian Church of SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных Consubstantiality is a term used in Latin Christian Christology, coined by Tertullian in Against Hermogenes 44 used to translate
God the Father
God the Father is understood to be the literal Father of the spirits of all mankind[30][31]. He is also understood to be the Father of Jesus' spirit body and his physical body.
His son, Jesus Christ
According to the Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ is considered the "the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary. "[32] As the Creator, he is at times referred to as the father of heaven and earth. This is one sense in which he shares the title "Father" with his father. The church also teaches that those who accept Christ and are baptized are symbolically born again and become the children of Christ. [33] The church teaches that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ Christ's divinity enabled him to take upon himself the penalty for sin and to endure the consequential suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross that paid for the sins of humanity. The atonement is a doctrine found within both Christianity and Judaism. Gethsemane ( Greek ΓεσΘημανι Gesthēmani ' Hebrew: גת שמנים, from Aramaic גת שמנא Gat Šmānê, lit The atonement is a doctrine found within both Christianity and Judaism. This Atonement however is also believed to cover not only sin, but all pain, suffering, heart ache, or hardship experienced in this life. [34]. Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus' status as the son of a mortal woman (Mary) gave him the ability to suffer temptations and experience physical death; while his status as the Son of God gave him the power to lay down and take up his life again at will. The church also believes in the physical resurrection of Jesus' body. Within the body of Christian beliefs the resurrection of Jesus is a core event on which much of Christian doctrine and theology depend Because of its emphasis on Jesus' resurrection and his status as the living head of the church, the church does not use the symbol of the Christian cross except on the uniforms of military chaplains. The musical instrument is spelled Cymbal. A symbol is something --- such as an object, Picture, written word a sound a piece The Christian cross is the best-known Religious symbol of Christianity. Instead, the church tends to focus on the belief that Jesus overcame suffering and death and that he lives today. Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific
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. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. The church also teaches that Jesus is the LORD Jehovah of the Old Testament, and the Holy One of Israel. Yahweh|God in Abrahamic religions Jehovah is an English reading of, the most frequent form of the Tetragrammaton, the name of God in the Hebrew Bible, in In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Because he has the "Divine Investiture of Authority" from 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 representing the Father. [35][36]
The Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost is also a person, though he does not have a physical body as with Jesus or God the Father. He is regarded as "a being endowed with the attributes and powers of Deity and not a mere force or essence. "[37] He testifies of the Father and the Son,[38] and can sanctify people enabling them "to put off the natural man and [become]a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord"[39] The Holy Ghost is considered the "second comforter" mentioned by Jesus in the New Testament. [40]
Other heavenly figures
LDS President Lorenzo Snow expressed the nature of God in his couplet "As man is, God once was-- and as God is, man may become"-- differing somewhat from the traditional Christian idea of theosis. Lorenzo Snow ( April 3, 1814 – October 10, 1901) was the fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints In Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic theology theosis (written also theiosis, theopoiesis, theōsis Exaltation or eternal progression is a belief among members of the LDS Church that mankind, as spirit children of their father in heaven, can become like him.
Official church materials refer to "Heavenly Parents," implying to some the existence of a Heavenly Mother. In some branches of the Latter Day Saint movement, Heavenly Mother or Mother in Heaven is the mother of human spirits and the wife of God the Father [41] Belief in such a figure is common among members, and she has been mentioned in meetings by church officials[42][43] and in some of the hymns of the church. This article is about LDS church hymns in general for the book see Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1985 book The singing of Hymns [44] However, very little doctrine on the subject of a Heavenly Mother has been released by the church.
- See also: Exaltation (LDS Church), King Follett discourse, Mormonism and Christianity, Mormon cosmology, and Religious perspectives on Jesus#The_Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Apostasy and restoration
In common with other Restorationist churches, the church believes in a Great Apostasy. In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Restoration was a period in its early history during which a number of events occurred that were understood to be necessary to restore the For other usages see Restoration (general disambiguation Apokatastasis (universal restoration Christian Zionism (restoration of Israel and The Great Apostasy is a term used by some religious groups to allege a general fallen state of traditional Christianity, or especially of Catholicism 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. The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e In the Latter Day Saint movement, priesthood is considered to be the power and authority of God including the authority to act as a leader in the church and to perform Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Restoration was a period in its early history during which a number of events occurred that were understood to be necessary to restore the In Christianity, the Second Coming is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven to earth an event that will fulfill aspects of Messianic That restoration, according to church doctrine, began during the life of Joseph Smith, Jr.
According to church theology, the restoration began through a series of visions and revelations, including Smith's First Vision in 1820, visits by various angelic messengers including Moroni from whom he received "the everlasting gospel"[45]. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective The First Vision (also called the grove experience) is a religious belief held by many members of the Latter Day Saint movement (commonly called Mormonism An angel is a Spiritual Supernatural being found in many Religions Although the nature of angels and the tasks given to them vary from tradition to tradition This article is about the mythological Moroni from the Book of Mormon. It is also taught that he was visited by John the Baptist, Moses, Elijah, and the apostles Peter, James and John. Saint John the Baptist ( heb. Jochanan ben Sacharja, arab. يحيى Yaḥyā or يوحنا Yūḥanna, aram. Moses ( Latin: Moyses,; Greek: grc Mωυσής in both the Septuagint and the New Testament; Arabic: ar موسىٰ Elijah or Elias ( was a Prophet in Israel in the 9th century BC The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e For people and places called Saint James, see the Saint James disambiguation page Saint John the Apostle ( Greek Ιωάννης, see Names of John) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Both Smith and Oliver Cowdery testified that these last messengers came to them while they were together and conferred upon them the priesthood authority with its various "keys", so that mankind again possessed the "fullness of the Gospel" with authority to administer in the ordinances thereof[46]. Oliver Hervy Pliny Cowdery ( 3 October 1806 – 3 March 1850) was the primary participant with Joseph Smith Jr In the Latter Day Saint movement, priesthood is considered to be the power and authority of God including the authority to act as a leader in the church and to perform The restoration also included the re-establishment of the Church of Christ on 6 April 1830. See also Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (disambiguation The Church of Christ, later called Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was the The LDS Church teaches that it is the successor of this Church of Christ, that Smith was the successor to Peter, and that the current President of the Church is Smith's modern successor. In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church
Ordinances, covenants and temples
Latter-day Saint sacraments are called ordinances, of which there are two types: saving ordinances and non-saving ordinances. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious Ritual of special significance often involving the formation of a covenant with God All ordinances, whether saving or non-saving, must be performed by a man ordained to the appropriate priesthood office, with the exception of certain parts of the Endowment and the initiatory or washings and anointings, in which women can perform the ordinance without being ordained to an office. See also Priesthood (Latter Day Saints In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement, In Latter Day Saint theology the Endowment usually refers to an ordinance or ritual that is performed in Latter Day Saint temples. In the Latter Day Saint movement, washing and anointing (also called the initiatory) is an ordinance ( Sacrament) practiced by certain denominations In the Latter Day Saint movement, washing and anointing (also called the initiatory) is an ordinance ( Sacrament) practiced by certain denominations
Saving ordinances are those that are required for salvation or exaltation, and include baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost (confirmation), with the "sacrament" of the Lord's supper, taken each Sunday, to keep in remembrance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and to renew the covenants made at baptism, ordination to an office of the priesthood (for males), the initiatory or washings and anointings, the Endowment, celestial marriage, and family sealings. In Theology, salvation can mean three related things being saved from or Liberation from something such as Suffering or the punishment of Exaltation or Eternal Life is a Belief among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church that mankind can return to live in In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted The laying on of hands is a religious practice found throughout the world in varying forms The Gift of the Holy Ghost is a Christian term referenced in the Bible and in the Latter Day Saint movement. Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for In Mormonism, the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper most often simply referred to as the Sacrament is the Sacrament in which participants partake of See also Priesthood (Latter Day Saints In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement, In the Latter Day Saint movement, washing and anointing (also called the initiatory) is an ordinance ( Sacrament) practiced by certain denominations In Latter Day Saint theology the Endowment usually refers to an ordinance or ritual that is performed in Latter Day Saint temples. Celestial marriage (also called the New and Everlasting Covenant and Eternal Marriage) is a doctrine unique to Mormonism, particularly The Church of In Mormonism, a sealing is an ordinance (ritual performed in temples by a person holding the Sealing power. Each saving ordinance is associated with one or more covenant that the person receiving the ordinance makes with God. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages its members to make and keep several covenants as a part of the '''new and everlasting covenant''' of the gospel [47]
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. In Theology, salvation can mean three related things being saved from or Liberation from something such as Suffering or the punishment of Exaltation or Eternal Life is a Belief among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church that mankind can return to live in In Mormon Theology, there are three degrees of glory (alternatively kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate eternal dwelling place for nearly all who However, the church teaches that they may be performed for a person either during their lifetime or by proxy after the person has died. [48] 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. In the
All the saving ordinances are currently open to all worthy members of the appropriate age. Prior to 1978, black members were restricted from priesthood ordinances other than receiving baptism and confirmation, but this policy was changed in 1978. The term black people usually refers to a racial group of Humans with dark Skin color, but the term has also been used to categorise a number of diverse [49] Celestial marriage is open to one man and one woman at a time, but a widower may enter a second celestial marriage. WIDOW is a full-length Album recorded by British rock band Ritual released in 1983
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 (when children reach the "age of accountability"), because young children are deemed "alive in Christ" and not responsible for sin. Coming of age is a young person's transition from Adolescence to Adulthood The age at which this transition takes place varies in society as does the nature [50] 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". [51]
Non-saving ordinances include the dedication of graves, the dedication of buildings, the prayer circle, the Hosanna shout, shaking the dust from the feet, and various kinds of blessings, including the patriarchal blessing. Prayer circles have several different interpretations across Christianity and other religions In Mormonism, a hosanna shout is an organized ritual by a congregation of shouting Hosanna. Shaking the dust from the feet was a practice of pious Jews during New Testament times A priesthood blessing in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a "prayer for healing comfort or counsel given by a Melchizedek Priesthood holder In the Latter Day Saint movement, a patriarchal blessing (also called an evangelist's blessing) is a blessing or ordinance given by a patriarch
Plan of salvation
- Further information: Mormon cosmology
The plan of salvation, or "The Great Plan of Happiness," as taught by the church, describes humanity's place in the universe and the purpose of life. See also Mormon cosmology According to doctrine in several sects of the Latter Day Saint movement, the plan of salvation (also known as the plan of happiness Mormon cosmology is the description of the origin evolution and destiny of the Universe according to the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints See also Mormon cosmology According to doctrine in several sects of the Latter Day Saint movement, the plan of salvation (also known as the plan of happiness The Universe is defined as everything that Physically Exists: the entirety of Space and Time, all forms of Matter, Energy The church teaches that there was a pre-mortal existence, a place which existed prior to mortality in which all people and all life were created in spirit form. Pre-existence, beforelife, or pre-mortal existence refers to the belief that each individual human Soul existed before conception, and at conception [52][53] Central to this is the notion that humans existed as spirits before birth, were raised by Heavenly Parents and had essential human characteristics such as gender. [54] This general idea is also stated as "We lived in the presence of God. "[55][56]
During the pre-earth life, Heavenly Father presented a plan to have a Savior make it possible for mankind to be saved. The purpose of an earth life was to give men the opportunity to demonstrate obedience to the commandments of God while outside of His presence. This is the central test of the evolution or eternal progression of man to godhood. Jesus Christ stepped forward as the chosen Savior. However, Lucifer, one of the spirits, proposed a rival plan whereby every soul would be saved, he would receive God's glory, and human agency would be eliminated. Agency (also referred to as free agency or moral agency) in Latter-day Saint theology, is "the privilege of choice which was introduced by God [57][58] When God rejected that plan, the War in Heaven ensued, resulting in Lucifer and one third part of the spirits being cast out and denied ever receiving physical bodies. Lucifer became the devil. [59]
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. Yahweh|God in Abrahamic religions Jehovah is an English reading of, the most frequent form of the Tetragrammaton, the name of God in the Hebrew Bible, in Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Michael (מִיכָאֵל Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; Μιχαήλ Mikhaíl; Michael or Míchaël; ميخائيل Mikhā'īl) is an See also Adam and Eve Adam ( Hebrew: אָדָם was according to a literal interpretation of Genesis, the first man created by The earth was "organized" from pre-existing matter,[60] as were other planets with their inhabitants. Matter is commonly defined as being anything that has mass and that takes up space. An extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, is a Planet beyond the Solar System, orbiting around other Stars As of September 2008 312 Extraterrestrial life is Life originating outside of the Earth. [61] Michael's spirit was placed into his body which was created by God the Father and Jehovah, and became a living soul known as 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. This article concerns itself with the belief in the final Resurrection at the End of time, commonly found in the Abrahamic religions. There, a preliminary judgment, based solely on whether a person has had a baptism by the authority of the priesthood and received their confirmation, either in this life or after death by proxy, places the spirit in either a state of paradise (has completed all the saving ordinances) or spirit prison (those who have not had the saving ordinances). Those in "prison" will be visited by spirits from paradise and given the chance to learn of the teachings of Jesus Christ and to accept the accompanying saving ordinances. In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious Ritual of special significance often involving the formation of a covenant with God [62] The church teaches that all persons, wicked or righteous, will be resurrected and receive an immortal, physical body. Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an Infinite length of Time. [63] 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. In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgment or Day of the Lord is the judgment by God of every human who ever lived Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) In Mormon Theology, there are three degrees of glory (alternatively kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate eternal dwelling place for nearly all who In Mormon Theology, there are three degrees of glory (alternatively kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate eternal dwelling place for nearly all who In Mormon Theology, there are three degrees of glory (alternatively kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate eternal dwelling place for nearly all who The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages its members to make and keep several covenants as a part of the '''new and everlasting covenant''' of the gospel In Mormon Theology, there are three degrees of glory (alternatively kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate eternal dwelling place for nearly all who 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. In Christianity, the outer darkness is a place referred to three times in the Gospel of Matthew (812 2213 and 2530 into which a person may be "cast out" Satan, ( Standard Hebrew Satan'el, English accuser) is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally The Eternal Sin, or unpardonable sin, is a concept of Sin in Christian theology, whereby Salvation becomes impossible The notion of the Son of Perdition or the Man of Sin can be found in and and is a name commonly associated with the Antichrist [64] 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. In Mormon Theology, there are three degrees of glory (alternatively kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate eternal dwelling place for nearly all who Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation This is an article on sociological Millennialism You may be looking for the article on Christian Premillennialism. [64]
Those in the Celestial Kingdom will be allowed to continue to progress and become joint heirs with Jesus Christ;[65] but only individuals that are in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom will eventually be enabled in eternity to become gods and goddesses and participate in the eternal creative process of having spirit children. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. A goddess is a Female Deity. Many Cultures have goddesses Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities [66]
View of history and eschatology
The church's view of history is informed by the faith's scriptures. LDS history begins with the creation according to Genesis, but has never endorsed any particular form of creationism. Creation according to Genesis refers to the Hebrew narrative of the creation of the heavens and the earth as told in chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis "Creationism" can also refer to Creation myths in general or to a concept about the origin of the soul. Though it does not officially oppose any particular findings of natural history, the church regards Adam as the first "primal parent of the [human] race". Natural history is the Scientific research of Plants or Animals leaning more towards the Observational than Experimental methods See also Adam and Eve Adam ( Hebrew: אָדָם was according to a literal interpretation of Genesis, the first man created by [67]
According to teachings in the Book of Mormon, the Americas are a special location reserved by God for those who love freedom and freedom of religion. The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. Freedom of religion is the freedom of an individual or community in public or private to manifest religion or belief in teaching practice worship and observance 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,[68] including several groups of ancestors to the Native Americans whose stories are told in the Book of Mormon. Jackson County is a County located in the US state of Missouri. Not to be confused with Eden Gardens.The Garden of Eden ( Hebrew "pleasure" גַּן עֵדֶן Arabic: جنات عدن, In The Bible, the New Jerusalem (also called the tabernacle of God, holy city, city of God, celestial city, and heavenly Jerusalem For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States.
The church also teaches an expansive view of God's covenant with Abraham, which Joseph Smith taught extends not just to Jews, but to Latter Day Saints, who in most cases are declared by their patriarchal blessings to be literal descendants of the tribe of Ephraim, or adopted into this tribe. Abraham ( Ashkenazi Avrohom or Avruhom; ابراهيم, {{Unicode|Ibrāhīm}}; Ge'ez: PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ In the Latter Day Saint movement, a patriarchal blessing (also called an evangelist's blessing) is a blessing or ordinance given by a patriarch The Tribe of Ephraim (} was one of the Tribes of Israel; together with the Tribe of Manasseh, Ephraim also formed the House of Joseph 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 boats in about 600 B.C. and became their principal ancestors. The Tribe of Menasheh ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. Together with the Tribe of Ephraim, Menasheh also formed the House of Joseph. A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use According to the Book of Mormon, Lehi was a prophet who lived in Jerusalem during the reign of king Zedekiah (approximately 600 BC) An ocean (from Greek, ''Okeanos'' (Oceanus) is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the Hydrosphere.
The church teaches that in the future, the Second Coming of Jesus will occur, followed by a thousand years of peace. In Christianity, the Second Coming is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven to earth an event that will fulfill aspects of Messianic Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) A millennium (pl millennia) is a period of Time equal to one thousand Years (from Latin la mille, thousand and la annum Peace, in the modern usage is a concept defined by the ideal state of relationship as absence of hostility at the international level that of a War. 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,[69] and direct the government or governments that will exist. This is an article on sociological Millennialism You may be looking for the article on Christian Premillennialism. [70] 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. In Mormon Theology, there are three degrees of glory (alternatively kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate eternal dwelling place for nearly all who In Mormon Theology, there are three degrees of glory (alternatively kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate eternal dwelling place for nearly all who During the millennium the Latter-day Saints will continue to proselytize among the living and perform ordinances for the dead. After the millennium will come a final great confrontation of good versus evil, and then the Last Judgment. Evil, in many cultures is used to describe acts or thoughts which are contrary to some particular religion In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgment or Day of the Lord is the judgment by God of every human who ever lived [71]
Theology of family and gender
- See also: Celestial marriage and Women and Mormonism
The LDS Church has been characterized as a family-centered religion. Celestial marriage (also called the New and Everlasting Covenant and Eternal Marriage) is a doctrine unique to Mormonism, particularly The Church of Celestial marriage (also called the New and Everlasting Covenant and Eternal Marriage) is a doctrine unique to Mormonism, particularly The Church of Family denotes a group of People affiliated by consanguinity affinity or co-residence The church teaches that every being that lived upon the earth initially had a spirit body and that all were born to Heavenly Parents in a pre-mortal existence. Within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they teach that all things created for this earth including humanity had a pre-existence or pre-mortal origin Pre-existence, beforelife, or pre-mortal existence refers to the belief that each individual human Soul existed before conception, and at conception [72] The church teaches that on earth, families may be "sealed"—meaning that they are eternally bound as husband–wife, parents–child—and that these bonds will continue after death. In Mormonism, a sealing is an ordinance (ritual performed in temples by a person holding the Sealing power. A husband is a Male spouse (participant in a Marriage, Civil union or Civil partnership. A wife is a Female spouse or participant in a Marriage, or Civil union or Civil partnership. [73] Sealings can also include deceased ancestors, providing much of the church's rationale for its extensive family history activities. An ancestor is a Parent or ( recursively) the parent of an ancestor (i Family history is the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific Family, or specific families Members tend to be married, and have families with more children, than members of other Christian faiths [74].
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. Gender comprises a range of differences between men and women extending from the biological to the social A gender role is defined as a set of perceived behavioural norms associated particularly with Males or Females in a given social group or system [72] The church characterizes the man-woman relationship as "equal but different". [75] Nevertheless, LDS women in the United States work outside the home in about the same percentage as other American women. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" [76] The church teaches that gender is inherently linked to sex, but the church has no official policy on the status of intersex persons. Gender comprises a range of differences between men and women extending from the biological to the social Intersexuality is the state of a living thing of a gonochoristic species whose Sex chromosomes, Genitalia, and/or Secondary sex characteristics 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. Transgender (trænzˈdʒɛndɚ from ( Latin) derivatives Sex reassignment surgery (SRS gender reassignment surgery, or sex-change operation is a term for the Surgical procedures by which a person's physical [77]
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, in welfare programs, on activities committees, and at a Family History Library. An auxiliary organization is a secondary body of church government within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church that is "established for moral educational The Primary (formerly the Primary Association) is a children's organization and an official auxiliary within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Family History Library (FHL is a genealogical research facility provided and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS or Since the 1840s, women have officiated in certain ordinances that take place inside temples. In the Latter Day Saint movement, washing and anointing (also called the initiatory) is an ordinance ( Sacrament) practiced by certain denominations In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious Ritual of special significance often involving the formation of a covenant with God In the [78]
The Law of Chastity
- See also: Sexuality and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Homosexuality and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The church teaches what it calls the law of chastity, a moral code that its members must follow to be in good standing with the church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that members must obey what it calls the ' Law of chastity, which is a code of Morality and See also Sexuality and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Homosexuality is officially The law of chastity is one of two moral codes established by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Morality (from the Latin la moralitas "manner character proper behavior" has three principal meanings At its core, the law of chastity prohibits pre-marital sex and adultery,[79] which includes gay and lesbian sex. Fornication, or simple fornication is a term which refers to voluntary Sexual intercourse between persons not married to each other Adultery is the voluntary Sexual intercourse between a married person and another person who is not his or her Spouse, though in many places it is In the English language, gay is an Adjective that in modern usage refers to Homosexuality. A lesbian is a Woman who is romantically or sexually attracted only to other women 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. Human sexual behavior or different human sexual practices encompass a wide range of activities such as strategies to find or attract partners ( Mating and display Zoophilia, from the Greek ζῷον ( zṓion, "animal" and φιλία ( philia, "friendship" or "love" is a Paraphilia Masturbation refers to Sexual stimulation especially of one's own genitals ( self masturbation) and often to the point of Orgasm, which Literature In Dante's Inferno, the first Canticle of the Divine Comedy, the lustful are punished by being continuously A sexual fantasy, also called an erotic fantasy, is a deliberate fantasy or pattern of Thoughts with the goal of creating or enhancing sexual feelings Pornography or porn is the explicit depiction of Sexual subject matter with the sole intention of sexually exciting the viewer [80]
The church encourages members to enter a celestial marriage, the only form of marriage recognized by the church as a sacrament and "the only due and proper way of joining husband and wife". Celestial marriage (also called the New and Everlasting Covenant and Eternal Marriage) is a doctrine unique to Mormonism, particularly The Church of In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious Ritual of special significance often involving the formation of a covenant with God [81] For purposes of the law of chastity, however, the church presently recognizes only civil unions that are considered "legal and lawful" by the government where it takes place, with certain exceptions including same-sex marriage, polygamous marriage, common law marriage, and other types of non-ceremonial marriages in non-common law countries. Same-sex marriage (also referred to as gay marriage) is a term for a legally or Socially recognized Marriage between two people of the same The term polygamy (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage" is used in related ways in Social anthropology, Sociobiology, and Common-law marriage (or Common law marriage) sometimes called de facto marriage, informal marriage or marriage by habit and repute Common law refers to law and the corresponding legal system developed through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive [82]
In countries where celestial marriage is not recognized by the government, it must be preceded by a civil marriage. The church's teachings are ambiguous about the scope of allowable sexual behavior between legally married couples. Human sexual behavior or different human sexual practices encompass a wide range of activities such as strategies to find or attract partners ( Mating and display Some church leaders have taught that oral sex, anal sex and contraception are sinful, even as part of a marriage relationship, but there are no policies on these issues that are enforced in the church. Oral sex refers to sexual activities involving the use of the Mouth, and may include use of the Tongue, Teeth, and Throat, in order Anal sex most often refers to the sex act involving insertion of the Penis into the Rectum. Birth control, sometimes synonymous with contraception, is a regimen of one or more actions devices or Medications followed in order to deliberately prevent Sexual activity outside of marriage may result in church discipline, including a possible excommunication, in which a member loses his or her church membership and privileges but may continue to attend meetings. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church a disciplinary council is an ecclesiastical trial during which a member of the church is tried for alleged violations Excommunication is a religious Censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community [83] In most instances, the church strongly discourages surgical sterilization as an elective form of birth control among married couples. [84]
LGBT members of the church are expected to keep the law of chastity. LGBT (also GLBT) is an initialism referring collectively to Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, and Transgender / transsexual The law of chastity is one of two moral codes established by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [85][86] If they do, they can “go forward as do all other members of the church. ”[85] If they desire to enter into a heterosexual marriage, they should first learn to deal with their homosexual feelings; otherwise, they must remain celibate. [87] Gay or lesbian sex, in any form, whether the participants are married or not, may be 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. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the "[88] The church's position is that government recognition of such rights will "undermine the divinely created institution of the family". For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. Institutions are structures and mechanisms of Social order and Cooperation governing the Behavior of a Set of Individuals [88] [89]
The emphasis on the law of chastity leads to a lower rate of pre-marital sex among LDS youth than among their peers [90].
Organized worship and participation
The church provides several kinds of services and gatherings for participation by members and non-members, including weekly services on Sunday, periodic conferences such as the semi-annual general conference, and ritual services at the church's temples (for members only). In Mormonism, worship services include weekly services held on Sundays (or Saturday when local custom or law prohibits Sunday worship in neighborhood based religious units In the Latter Day Saint movement, a general conference is a meeting for all members of the church for conducting general church business and instruction In the All persons, regardless of their beliefs or standing in or out of the church, are welcome to attend normal church services and conferences. [91] Women usually attend worship services wearing skirts or dresses, while men typically wear suits or dress shirts (Normally white) and ties. Children are also typically in their "Sunday best. "[92]
The church holds its normal worship services on Sunday[93] during a three-hour block composed of three meetings: sacrament meeting, which features the church's weekly sacrament (Eucharist) ritual and sermons by various selected members; Sunday School, featuring a lesson on various scriptural topics; and finally, each participant is assigned a meeting based on their age and sex, which could include a meeting of priesthood holders for males aged 12 and up separated into age-specific quorums, Relief Society for adult women, and a meeting of the Young Women Organization for adolescent females. The Conference Center, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, which cost billions of dollars is the premier meeting hall for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day In the Latter Day Saint movement, a general conference is a meeting for all members of the church for conducting general church business and instruction In Mormonism, worship services include weekly services held on Sundays (or Saturday when local custom or law prohibits Sunday worship in neighborhood based religious units Sacrament meeting is the weekly worship service held on Sunday in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In Mormonism, the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper most often simply referred to as the Sacrament is the Sacrament in which participants partake of The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those Sunday School is an official Auxiliary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official Auxiliary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Young Women (often referred to incorrectly as Young Women's or Young Woman's) is a youth organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of During the second and third hours, children participate in activities of the Primary. The Primary (formerly the Primary Association) is a children's organization and an official auxiliary within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Periodically, members participate in local, regional, and general church-wide conferences in lieu of Sunday services. A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. The general conference is broadcast semi-annually (April and October) from Salt Lake City, Utah. In the Latter Day Saint movement, a general conference is a meeting for all members of the church for conducting general church business and instruction Salt Lake City is the Capital and the most populous city of the U The 2008 general conference was broadcast live through the Internet April 5 and 6 on www. lds. org and was of particular significance in that a new president of the church was presented for a sustaining vote, in what is called a Solemn assembly. A solemn assembly is a sacred gathering in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church which is held most often for the purpose of sustaining a new president [94]
The church also provides ritual services at its temples, which are open only to members of the appropriate age who meet standards of orthodoxy and worthiness. The City of Puerto Princesa ( Filipino: Lungsod ng Puerto Princesa) the capital of Palawan, is a first class city in the Philippines In the The word orthodox, from Greek orthodoxos "having the right opinion" from orthos ("right true straight" + doxa ("opinion Members are encouraged to attend the temples regularly, where they usually participate in the Endowment, sealing, washing and anointing, and other ordinances, most often by proxy for the dead. In Latter Day Saint theology the Endowment usually refers to an ordinance or ritual that is performed in Latter Day Saint temples. In Mormonism, a sealing is an ordinance (ritual performed in temples by a person holding the Sealing power. In the Latter Day Saint movement, washing and anointing (also called the initiatory) is an ordinance ( Sacrament) practiced by certain denominations In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious Ritual of special significance often involving the formation of a covenant with God
Duties and expectations of church members
- See also: Perfection (Latter Day Saints) and Law of consecration
For members of the church, the greatest commandment is to love God with all their heart and the second is to love others as they love themselves. Latter Day Saints teach that Perfection is a continual process requiring the application of Faith, Works, and Grace in compliance with the admonition In the Latter Day Saint movement (also known as Mormonism) the law of consecration has two broad meanings All other commandments are considered appendages to these great commandments. (Matt 22:37-40) In addition, they have a high degree of participation in religious activities outside of worship services. Members are expected or encouraged to pray frequently (several times a day), perform good works, and read scriptures daily. Prayer is one of the central teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as "Mormons" as taught throughout the holy scriptures and by
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 Lord. For other uses see Time (disambiguation Time is a component of a measuring system used to sequence events to compare the durations of Money is anything that is generally accepted as Payment for Goods and services and repayment of Debts. In Latter Day Saint theology the Endowment usually refers to an ordinance or ritual that is performed in Latter Day Saint temples. An oath (from Anglo-Saxon āð, also called plight) is either a Promise or a Statement of Fact calling In the Latter Day Saint movement (also known as Mormonism) the law of consecration has two broad meanings To be in good standing and to enter the church's temples, church members are asked to tithe their income to the church, which is usually interpreted as 10% of income. In the A tithe (from Old English teogoþa "tenth" is a one-tenth part of something paid as a (usually voluntary contribution or as a Tax or levy Income, refers to consumption opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame which is generally expressed in monetary terms In addition, members are asked to donate monthly charitable "fast offerings" (at least the equivalent cost of two meals), which are used to help the needy, regardless of whether or not they are church members, and are encouraged to make other humanitarian donations when necessary. Fast offering is the term used in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to denote money or usable commodities donated to the church in order to help the needy
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. A calling is how responsibilities and duties are allocated in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members in good standing are assigned to visit the homes of other members monthly as "home teachers" (men) or "visiting teachers" (women). Home teaching (formerly called ward teaching) is a responsibility of priesthood holders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members are also expected to engage in missionary work, family history research, to conduct a Family Home Evening weekly with their family, and to attend the temple regularly. Family history is the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific Family, or specific families Family Home Evening ( FHE) or Family Night, in the context of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, refers to one evening per week usually Monday In the Church members are encouraged to live self-sufficiently and avoid unnecessary debt. Debt is that which is owed usually referencing Assets owed but the term can cover other obligations [95] All male members are expected to serve a two-year mission at the age of 19, though there are high standards of worthiness and physical and mental health that prohibit many men from serving. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church is one of the most active modern practitioners of Missionary work with over 50000 full-time missionaries Women may optionally serve a mission if they are over the age of 21 and not married, as may older married couples. Women serve a mission for a period of only eighteen months compared to two years for men.
Good standing in the church requires that members follow the "Word of Wisdom"[96] (a health code given by Joseph Smith which the church interprets as requiring abstinence from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, coffee, black tea, and recreational drugs). Word of wisdom is regarded among Charismatics and Pentecostals to be the Supernatural revelation of wisdom through the power of the Holy Spirit Health is a state of complete physical mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom Black tea is a variety of Tea that is more oxidized than the Oolong, green, and white varieties Recreational drug use is the use of Psychoactive drugs for Recreational purposes rather than for work, medical or spiritual purposes Members must also obey the law of chastity (the church's code for modesty and allowable forms of sexuality), and are strongly counseled against choosing an elective abortion, except in the cases of a pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, a pregnancy that seriously jeopardizes the life or health of the mother, or a pregnancy where a physician determines that the fetus has severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth. The law of chastity is one of two moral codes established by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Standards of modesty (also called demureness or reticence) are aspects of the Culture of a Country or people at a given point in time Generally speaking human sexuality is how people experience and express themselves as sexual beings An Pregnancy ( Latin graviditas) is the carrying of one or more offspring known as a Fetus or Embryo, inside the Uterus of a Female Rape, also referred to as Sexual assault, is an Assault by a person involving Sexual intercourse with or Sexual penetration of another person Incest refers to any sexual activity between closely related persons (often within the immediate family that is illegal or socially Taboo. A physician, medical practitioner or medical doctor who practices Medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human Health A fetus (or foetus or fœtus) is a developing Mammal or other Viviparous Vertebrate, after the Embryonic stage and Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a Human Pregnancy or [97] In general, members must obey the law of the country in which they live and visit, although there have been notable exceptions. Law is a system of rules enforced through a set of Institutions used as an instrument to underpin civil obedience politics economics and society In Political geography and International politics, a country is a Political division of a geographical entity [98] The church discourages gambling in all forms, including lotteries. A lottery is a form of Gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize [99]
Church members who commit what are considered serious violations of the standards of the church (defined as, without limitation, "attempted murder, rape, 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"[100]) may be subject to church disciplinary action, including disfellowshipment or even excommunication. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church a disciplinary council is an ecclesiastical trial during which a member of the church is tried for alleged violations Excommunication is a religious Censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community Such individuals are encouraged to continue attending church services, but are not permitted to hold church responsibilities 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. [101] Everyone is welcome to attend the public meetings of the church, whether or not they adhere to the church's lifestyle code.
In contrast to overt actions which are prohibited, church members are generally permitted to think or believe freely on any issue, but are discouraged from publicly criticizing local leaders or general authorities; repeated public criticism of the church or its leaders may subject a person to church discipline for apostasy. List of general authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church a general authority is a member In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church a disciplinary council is an ecclesiastical trial during which a member of the church is tried for alleged violations The church maintains a Strengthening Church Members Committee which monitors members' publications and refers critical material to local authorities for possible disciplinary action. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Strengthening Church Members Committee ( SCMC) is a committee of general authorities who monitor
Sacred texts and other publications
The church's canon of sacred texts consists of the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church consists of several books that constitute its open scriptural The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church consists of several books that constitute its open scriptural A Biblical canon or canon of scripture is a list or Set of Biblical books considered to be authoritative as Scripture by a particular religious Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the The Pearl of Great Price is part of the standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church see also Mormonism) and some These are more commonly referred to as the church's Standard Works. The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church consists of several books that constitute its open scriptural Though not canonical, many members of the church also accept the teachings and pronouncements of the church's general authorities—and in particular those of the President of the Church—as doctrine, and complementing the Standard Works. List of general authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church a general authority is a member In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church
The church accepts the Holy Bible as the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. [102] Joseph Smith wrote, "I believe the Bible as it read when it came from the pen of the original writers"[103] The LDS church uses the King James Version (KJV) or translation for its English speaking members and other translations to accommodate alternative languages. Joseph Smith did work on his own translation, but it is only used in conjunction with the KJV. The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST, also called the Inspired Version of the Bible (I An extract of his translation can be found in the Pearl of Great Price, called Joseph Smith-Matthew after the book of Abraham and preceding Joseph Smith-History. [104][105] The church regards parts of the Apocrypha,[106] the writings of some Protestant Reformers and non-Christian religious leaders, and the non-religious writings of some philosophers to be inspired, though not canonical. The Protestant Reformers were those Theologians churchmen, and Statesmen whose careers works and actions brought about the Protestant Reformation of the [107]
The church's most distinctive scripture, the Book of Mormon, was published by founder Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830. The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. It is believed to be "another testament of Jesus Christ" and bears that subtitle as of 1982. [108] Smith stated that he translated the Book of Mormon from metal plates that had "the appearance of gold" that he found buried near his home. In Latter Day Saint theology the golden plates (also called the gold plates or in some 19th century literature the golden Bible His history records:
At length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate. On the 22nd day of September 1827, having gone as usual at the end of another year to the place where they were deposited, the same heavenly messenger delivered them up to me with this charge: that I should be responsible for them; that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to preserve them, until he, the messenger, should call for them, they should be protected. [109]
As of September 2007, the full text of the Book or Mormon had been translated and published in 77 languages, and selections in an additional 28 for a total of 105 languages. [110] The introduction printed with the book says that it is a history of the principal ancestors of the "American Indian" peoples. An ancestor is a Parent or ( recursively) the parent of an ancestor (i For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. [111] Much debate has taken place on the subject of whether archeology supports or denies the Book of Mormon's authenticity. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos [112][113]The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, at BYU regularly publishes the observations of dozens of scholars trained in biblical studies, achaeology, classics, history, law, linguistics, anthropology, political science, philosophy, Near Eastern studies, liturature, and other fields relating to parallels with the Book of Mormon and the ancient world. [114]
The church's Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of modern revelations, declarations, and teachings, primarily written by Joseph Smith. The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the The Pearl of Great Price consists of five separate books, including two portions of Joseph Smith's translation of the Bible. The Pearl of Great Price is part of the standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church see also Mormonism) and some The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST, also called the Inspired Version of the Bible (I These five books are Selections from the Book of Moses (corresponding to a portion of the Old Testament), the Book of Abraham (Smith's translation of an Egyptian papyrus, which includes an account of the creation), Joseph Smith—Matthew (corresponding to a section of the New Testament), Joseph Smith—History (an excerpt from Smith's 1838 autobiographical writings), and the Articles of Faith (an excerpt of one of Smith's 1842 letters describing church beliefs). The Book of Moses is a text published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is considered by those within Mormonism to be the translated The Book of Abraham is a scriptural text for Latter Day Saint movement denominations Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now Papyrus (/pəˈpaɪrəs/ (Rhymes -aɪrəs)is a thick paper-like material produced from the Pith of the papyrus plant Cyperus papyrus Joseph Smith—History (abbreviated JS–H) is a book in the Pearl of Great Price that contains an autobiographical record of some of the early The Wentworth letter was a letter written in 1842 by Latter Day Saint founder Joseph Smith Jr
Church organization and structure
Name and legal entities
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,[115] and then in 1834, the name was officially changed to the Church of the Latter Day Saints[116] to differentiate it from the 1st century Christian church. See also Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (disambiguation The Church of Christ, later called Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was the In April 1838, the name again was officially changed by revelation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints[117] There were several alternate spellings of this name 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 incorporated the LDS Church in 1851 by legislation of the State of Deseret,[118] under the name The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which included a hyphenated "Latter-day" and a lower-case "d". Brigham Young (June 1 1801 &ndash August 29 1877 was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. The State of Deseret was a provisional state of the United States, proposed in 1849 by Mormon settlers in Salt Lake City. [119] 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. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Edmunds–Tucker Act of 1887 touched all the issues at dispute between the United States Congress and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The term polygamy (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage" is used in related ways in Social anthropology, Sociobiology, and Thereafter, the church has continued to operate as an "unincorporated religious association", under the name The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which remains its formal name. Accepted informal names include the LDS Church, the Latter-day Saints, and the Mormons. A Latter TalkMormon#Latter Day Saint vs Latter-day Saint --> Mormon The term Mormon Church is in common use, but the church began discouraging its use in the late 20th century. [120]
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. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. In the Common law, real property (or realty) refers to one of the two main classes of Property, the other class being Personal 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. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. In 1997, the church incorporated Intellectual Reserve, Inc. to hold all the church's copyrights, trademarks, and other intellectual property. Intellectual Reserve Inc (abbreviated IRI) is a legal entity of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which owns the church's Intellectual property Copyright is a legal concept enacted by Governments, giving the creator of an original work of authorship Exclusive rights to control its distribution usually for A trademark or trade mark, represented by the symbols ™ and ®, or mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual Intellectual property ( IP) is a legal field that refers to creations of the mind such as musical literary and artistic works inventions and symbols names The church also holds several non-tax-exempt corporations. See Finances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Finances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are similar to other non-profit and religious organizations where the principal source
Current membership
The church reports a worldwide membership of 13 million[3][4] with approximately 6. The Deseret Morning News LDS Church Almanac gives the following information on historical membership records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 7 million residing outside the United States. According to these statistics it is the fourth largest religious body in the United States. [121] 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 worship services globally is around 4 million. [122] Members living in the U. S. and Canada constitute 47% of membership, Latin America 36%, and members in the rest of the world 17%. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page [123] 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. The City College of The City University of New York (known more commonly as the City College of New York or simply City College, CCNY, or colloquially as The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 3% of the US population, making the LDS Church the 10th-largest religious body in their phone survey of over 50,000 households. [124]One source cites it is the second fastest growing religion in the United States with a 1. 63 percent annual growth rate. [125] These figures are disputed. The Salt Lake Tribune published an article showing that the LDS church loses as many converts as it gains, making its net growth zero percent[126]. The Salt Lake Tribune is the largest-circulated daily newspaper in the U
Geographic structure
Church congregations are generally organized geographically, unlike other mainstream Christian denominations. For Sunday services, the church is grouped into either larger (~200 to ~400 people) congregations known as wards, or smaller congregations known as branches. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a ward is the larger of two types of local congregations (the smaller being a branch) These neighborhood congregations meet in meetinghouses, also referred to as "chapels" or "stake centers" or just ward buildings, 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. [127] The church's online "Meetinghouse Locator" can be used to find locations of church buildings and meeting times. [128]
Regional church organizations larger than single congregations include stakes, missions, districts, areas, and regions. A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. This article is about a geographical administrative area within the LDS Church A district of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative unit composed of a number of congregations called branches An area is an administrative unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which typically is composed of multiple stakes and missions.
Church leadership and hierarchy
The leader of the church is termed President, and church members revere him as a prophet, seer, and revelator. In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church Prophet seer and revelator is an ecclesiastical title used in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that is currently applied to the members of the First Presidency The prophet is believed to hold the same divine calling as biblical prophets, and his responsibility is primarily over the church as a whole. His stewardship extends over the whole human family on earth as the Lord's mouthpiece. He is entitled to guide the church through revelation, acting as God's spokesman. Latter Day Saints teach that the Latter Day Saint movement began with a Revelation from God (see History of the Latter Day Saint movement) The President of the Church serves as such until death. The current president is Thomas S. Monson. Biography Monson was born on August 21, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Utah to G
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. First Presidency The First Presidency (also called the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church or simply the Presidency) is the presiding or governing authority Quorum of the TwelveIn The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Quorum of the Twelve, the Presiding BishopBishop (Latter Day Saints The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church is a priesthood calling Seventy is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of several denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of List of general authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church a general authority is a member The members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are accepted by the church as prophets, seers, and revelators. Prophet seer and revelator is an ecclesiastical title used in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that is currently applied to the members of the First Presidency
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 priesthood quorum presidents. Seventy is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of several denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of This article is about a geographical administrative area within the LDS Church A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight In the Latter Day Saint movement, a quorum is a group of people ordained or endowed with priesthood authority and organized to act together as a body
The church has no salaried ministry; however, general authorities who demonstrate need receive stipends from the church, using income from church-owned investments. [129] All area and local authorities are unpaid and continue in their normal occupations while serving in leadership positions. In religious organizations the laity comprises all persons who are not Clergy.
Although the church had a paid local clergy in the 1800s,[130] local and regional priesthood leaders currently serve as volunteers. Non-clerical church employees, general authorities (who serve life or five-year terms), and mission presidents are paid a stipend from church funds and provided other benefits. List of general authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church a general authority is a member Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church A general missionary fund covers the basic living expenses of single Mormon missionaries. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church is one of the most active modern practitioners of Missionary work with over 50000 full-time missionaries Missionaries and their families are asked to contribute to this fund, and in the United States the missionary's congregation of origin is ultimately responsible to satisfy the monthly obligation to the general fund. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a ward is the larger of two types of local congregations (the smaller being a branch) Members volunteer general custodial work for local church facilities.
Church hierarchy
The church has a hierarchical structure, with clearly defined stewardships or realms of responsibility for the various offices. In the Latter Day Saint movement, priesthood is considered to be the power and authority of God including the authority to act as a leader in the church and to perform See also Priesthood (Latter Day Saints In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement, 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 laity and are not paid for their service. In religious organizations the laity comprises all persons who are not Clergy.
Priesthood
The priesthood is offered to all male members ages 12 and older who follow the church's code of morality. The priesthood is received by ordination, which consists of other priesthood holders laying their hands on their head. In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies The laying on of hands is a religious practice found throughout the world in varying forms Ordination to the priesthood is a prerequisite to preside in the church.
The priesthood is structured in a hierarchical manner, emphasizing obedience. Members are encouraged to avoid public criticism of priesthood leaders; repeated public criticism by an individual may eventually result in excommunication. Excommunication is a religious Censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community (See Mormonism and authority. See also Council of Fifty Within Mormonism the priesthood authority to act in God's name was said by Mormonism's founder Joseph Smith Junior to had been removed from the primitive )
The priesthood in the LDS church is divided into two levels, the lower priesthood or Aaronic Priesthood, and the higher priesthood or Melchizedek Priesthood. The Aaronic priesthood (also called the Levitical priesthood) is the lesser of the two (or sometimes three orders of priesthood recognized in Mormonism The Melchizedek priesthood is the greater of the two (or sometimes three orders of priesthood recognized in Mormonism. Within each level there are various offices. The Aaronic Priesthood offices include Deacon, Teacher, and Priest. Deacon is a priesthood office in the Aaronic Priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ Teacher is a priesthood office in the Aaronic Priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ Priest is a priesthood office in the Aaronic Priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ The Melchizidek priesthood offices include Elder, High Priest, Patriarch, Seventy, and Apostle. Elder is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek Priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ High priest is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of See also Evangelist (Latter Day Saints In the Latter Day Saint movement, Patriarch (also called Evangelist) is an office of the Priesthood Seventy is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of several denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of
Revelation
The church teaches that revelation from God continues today. Latter Day Saints teach that the Latter Day Saint movement began with a Revelation from God (see History of the Latter Day Saint movement) 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. A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a ward is the larger of two types of local congregations (the smaller being a branch) 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"[131] as modern-day scripture, and members are encouraged to ponder and pray for revelation regarding the truthfulness of such statements. List of general authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church a general authority is a member
Auxiliary organizations
Under the leadership of the priesthood hierarchy are five auxiliary organizations that fill various roles in the church: Relief Society, Young Men Organization, Young Women Organization, Primary, and Sunday School. An auxiliary organization is a secondary body of church government within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church that is "established for moral educational An auxiliary organization is a secondary body of church government within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church that is "established for moral educational The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official Auxiliary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Young Men (often referred to incorrectly as Young Men's) is a youth organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Young Women (often referred to incorrectly as Young Women's or Young Woman's) is a youth organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of The Primary (formerly the Primary Association) is a children's organization and an official auxiliary within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Sunday School is an official Auxiliary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church
The Relief Society is the church's women's organization. The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official Auxiliary 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. There is also a Nauvoo Alabama, and a Nauvoo Pennsylvania Nauvoo ( is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. [132] Every Latter-day Saint woman age 18 or older is a member of the Relief Society.
The Young Men and Young Women organizations are composed of adolescents aged 12 to 18. The Young Men (often referred to incorrectly as Young Men's) is a youth organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Young Women (often referred to incorrectly as Young Women's or Young Woman's) is a youth organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Members often have an additional meeting during the week (referred to as Mutual), 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 earn the Boy Scouts religious award for church members, "On my Honor. Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide Youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical mental and spiritual A variety of religious emblems programs are used by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA to encourage youth to learn about their faith and to recognize adults who provide significant " Young men throughout the church also work toward earning the church's "Duty to God" award. Young women participate in a comparable program called Personal Progress. Personal Progress is a goal-setting and achievement program within the Young Women Organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 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. "For the Strength of Youth" is a piece of writing distributed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that "summarizes standards from scripture and
The Primary is an organization for children up to age 12, founded in 1878. The Primary (formerly the Primary Association) is a children's organization and an official auxiliary within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints It provides classes, music, and activities for children during the second and third hours of the Sunday meeting schedule.
The LDS Sunday School organization provides classes for adolescents and adults during the second hour of the Sunday meeting schedule. Sunday School is an official Auxiliary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church It provides a variety of classes, including introductory classes for new members and nonmembers, and gospel doctrine classes for more experienced members. Adolescents are grouped into classes by age.
Programs
Missionary program
- See also: Mission (LDS Church)
Young men between the ages of 19 and 25 who meet standards of worthiness and preparation are encouraged to serve a two-year, full-time proselytizing mission. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church is one of the most active modern practitioners of Missionary work with over 50000 full-time missionaries This article is about a geographical administrative area within the LDS Church Women 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. [133]
There are 347 missions and approximately 53,000 full time proselytizing missionaries serving throughout the world. [123] 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. [123]
In June 2007, the church marked the induction of its one millionth missionary since 1830. [4]
Church Educational System
Latter-day Saints believe in the value of education. The Church Educational System (CES of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education Joseph Smith taught that "the glory of God is intelligence. "[134] Accordingly, the church maintains Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University–Idaho (formerly Ricks College), Brigham Young University Hawaii, and LDS Business College. Brigham Young University–Idaho (also known as BYU–Idaho or BYU–I) is a four-year private College owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Brigham Young University-Hawaii (BYUH is a private undergraduate co-educational University in Lā'ie Hawai'i, USA (thirty-five miles from Honolulu LDS Business College ( LDSBC) is a two-year college in Salt Lake City Utah, focused on training students in business and industry The church also has religious education programs. In Secular usage religious education is the Teaching of a particular Religion (although in England the term religious instruction would refer Seminary is a program for secondary school students held daily in conjunction with the school year. A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is a specialized and often live-in Higher education institution for the purpose of instructing students The Institute of Religion and the LDS Student Association programs serve 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. Institutes of Religion are the official young single adult and university student ministry of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. LDS Student Association (also known as the Latter-day Saint Student Association or the LDSSA) is an organization affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage third level and' post-secondary education', is the educational level following the completion of a school providing
In addition, the church sponsors a low-interest educational loan program known as the Perpetual Education Fund. The Perpetual Education Fund (PEF is a program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first announced by President Gordon B This fund is designed to benefit young men and women from less developed 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. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church is one of the most active modern practitioners of Missionary work with over 50000 full-time missionaries 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. A vocation is an occupation for which a person is suited trained or qualified Technical school is a general term used for Two-year college which provide mostly Employment -preparation skills for trained labor, such as Welding
Welfare Program
- Further information: Bishop's storehouse
Members of the church donate fast offerings on Fast Sunday and at other times for the purpose of helping those who are poor or financially struggling. A bishop's storehouse (also known as the Lord's storehouse) in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church usually refers to a commodity resource Fast offering is the term used in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to denote money or usable commodities donated to the church in order to help the needy In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Fast Sunday is a Sunday (usually the first Sunday of every month set aside for Fasting. The bishop will meet with a family, or the head(s) of a family to determine whether and how much help they need from the church. Bishop is the highest priesthood office of the Aaronic priesthood in the Latter Day Saint movement. The church strongly encourages its members to be self-reliant, so these meetings will usually include a plan on how to get the family back on its own feet. This welfare program is not only available to members of the church, but to any needy members of the community. In fact, the church has a very broad humanitarian effort, which helps not only those who are going through financial struggles, but also victims of natural disasters or other devastating events. Humanitarian Services is an arm of the LDS Philanthropies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All of these services are paid for by charitable donations and are run by volunteer workers. $104. 9 million of aid was given in 2007. 3,974 welfare service missionaries are currently serving in the church. [135]
Priesthood Correlation Program
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. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Priesthood Correlation Program (also called the Correlation Program or simply Correlation) The Church Office Building is a 28- story building in Salt Lake City Utah, and serves as the worldwide headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Finances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are similar to other non-profit and religious organizations where the principal source Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and [136] Its for-profit, non-profit, and educational subsidiary entities are audited by an independent accounting firm: as of 2007, Deloitte & Touche. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (also branded as Deloitte) is one of the largest Professional services firms in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along [137][138][139] The church receives most of its money from tithes (ten percent of a member's income) and fast offerings (money given to the church to assist individuals in need). A tithe (from Old English teogoþa "tenth" is a one-tenth part of something paid as a (usually voluntary contribution or as a Tax or levy Fast offering is the term used in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to denote money or usable commodities donated to the church in order to help the needy About ten percent of its funding also comes from income on investments and real estate holdings. [140]
The church uses its funds to construct and maintain buildings and other facilities; to provide social welfare and relief; and to support missionary, educational, and other church-sponsored programs. [141] 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. History Bonneville International was formed with approval of the LDS First Presidency in 1964. Deseret Book is the largest Latter-day Saint book Publisher and also owns a chain of LDS Bookstores in the western United States. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page
Culture
Due to the differences in lifestyle promoted by church doctrine and history, a distinct culture has grown up around members of the church. A culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reflecting the cultural impact of basic beliefs and traditions of the church distinguishes church members practices and 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. Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America. Word of wisdom is regarded among Charismatics and Pentecostals to be the Supernatural revelation of wisdom through the power of the Holy Spirit Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market [142] Because of such prohibitions, the culture in areas of the world with a high concentration of Mormons tends to reflect these restrictions. [143]
Meetings and outreach programs are held regularly and have become part of the Latter-day Saint culture.
Home, family, and personal enrichment
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 Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official Auxiliary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The meeting may consist of a service project, or of attending a social event, or of various classes being offered. Additional Enrichment activities are offered for women with similar needs and interests.
Social events and gatherings
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. Mutual (a group for youth of the church) is held 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 for personal or family use, to accommodate such events as music recitals, family reunions, weddings and receptions, birthdays, or funerals.
Media community
The culture has created substantial business opportunities for independent LDS media. The largest of these communities are LDS cinema, LDS fiction, LDS websites, and LDS graphical art like photography and paintings. LDS or Mormon cinema (informally Mollywood, a portmanteau of Molly Mormon and Hollywood) typically refers to Films with themes relevant LDS fiction (or Mormon fiction) is a growing Niche market of Fiction Novels featuring themes related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day The church owns a chain of bookstores called Deseret Book which provide an avenue for much of this media to be sold. Deseret Book is the largest Latter-day Saint book Publisher and also owns a chain of LDS Bookstores in the western United States. This culture also resides outside of heavily Mormon populations and many LDS bookstores exist near temples where members commonly visit. Some of the titles that have become popular outside of the LDS community are The Work and the Glory novels and The Other Side of Heaven movie. The Work and the Glory is a nine-part novel series by Gerald N The Other Side of Heaven is a 2001 Walt Disney Film. It was produced by Academy Award winner Gerald R There are a number of works that have been successful only within the LDS community. These works generally elaborate on LDS culture or historical fiction in some manner.
Criticism
The church has been subject to criticism since its early years in New York and Pennsylvania. Criticism at the time stemmed from unique doctrines and perceived implausibility of the claims that Joseph Smith was a prophet who had been visited by God and angels. Criticism continued after the church settled in Missouri which caused considerable political turmoil, which culminated in the 1838 Mormon War. After the church relocated to Illinois, religious and political controversy persisted and led to the assassination of Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1844. In the late 1800s, critics condemned the church under the leadership of Brigham Young for its practice of polygamy, the Adam-God doctrine, the doctrine of Blood atonement, and the barring of blacks from receiving the priesthood and temple blessings. Brigham Young (June 1 1801 &ndash August 29 1877 was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. In Mormonism, the Adam–God theory (also called the Adam–God doctrine) was a doctrine taught by Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and other early In Mormonism, blood atonement is the controversial concept that there are certain Sins to which the Atonement of Jesus does not From the end of the nineteenth century until 1978 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not allow black men of African descent to be ordained to In response to the controversy surrounding polygamy, Federal legislators passed laws designed to weaken the church. Criticism has historically centered on the legitimacy of Smith's revelations and the historicity of the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham. The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. The Book of Abraham is a scriptural text for Latter Day Saint movement denominations In modern times, critics have made claims against the church alleging intolerant attitudes, racism, sexist policies, and inadequate financial disclosure, as well as allegations of church responsibility for the Mountain Meadows massacre. The Mountain Meadows massacre involved a mass slaughter of the Fancher-Baker emigrant Wagon train at Mountain Meadows in the Utah Territory by
See also
References
- Anderson, Richard Lloyd (1989). Mormonism is a term used to describe the religious, ideological and cultural elements of certain branches of the Latter Day Saint movement Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses. Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah. ISBN 0875792421.
- Newell, Coke (2001-05-04). Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV 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 (2000-10-01). Mormon America: The Power and the Promise, 1st, HarperSanFrancisco. ISBN 0060663723.
- Parry, Donald W. (co-edited by) (2002). Echos and Evidences of the Book of Mormon. Foundation for Ancient Recearch and Mormon Studies, BYU, Provo, Utah. ISBN 0934893721.
- Reynolds, Noel B. (essays by nine scholars edited by) (1982). Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins. Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, Provo. ISBN 0934893187.
- Riess, Jana (2005-02-25). Mormonism For Dummies. For Dummies. ISBN 0764571958.
- Shipps, Jan (1987-01-01). Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252014170.
- Shipps, Jan (2000-12-09). Sojourner in the Promised Land: Forty Years Among the Mormons. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252025903.
- Smith, Joseph F. (compiled by) (1976). Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Deseret Book Company. ISBN 0-87747-665-9.
- Williams, Drew (2003-06-03). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Mormonism. Alpha. ISBN 0028644913.
- (2008) 2008 Church Almanac. Deseret Morning News. ISBN-13: 978-1-59038-900-3.
Notes
- ^ Statistical Report 2007
- ^ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "LDS Newsroom - Education". Press release. A news release, media release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded Communication directed at members of the News Retrieved on 2008-04-16. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1178 BC - A Solar eclipse may have marked the return of Odysseus, legendary King of Ithaca, to his kingdom
- ^ a b "LDS Church says membership now 13 million worldwide", Salt Lake Tribune, June 25, 2007.
- ^ a b c Press Release, LDS Church, "One Million Missionaries, Thirteen Million Members", 25 June 2007.
- ^ Ariticles of Faith 1:8
- ^ Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pg. 90, 1981 edition
- ^ pamphlet #3691000 The Gospel of Jesus Christ, pg. 18, published by the Church. English approval 11/05
- ^ See D&C 132
- ^ The church was organized April 6, 1830 in the log home of Joseph Smith, Sr. in the Manchester area, followed by a meeting the next Sunday in nearby Fayette at the home of Peter Whitmer, Sr. Nevertheless, one of Smith's histories and an 1887 reminiscence by David Whitmer say the church was organized at the Whitmer home in Fayette. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display Joseph Smith Sr (1771&ndash1840 was the father of Joseph Smith Jr Manchester is a Town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9258 at the 2000 census Fayette is a Town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 3643 at the 2000 census Peter Whitmer Sr (1773–1854 was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family David Whitmer ( January 7, 1805 &ndash January 25, 1888) was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became (Whitmer, however, had already told a reporter in 1875 that the church was organized in Manchester. Whitmer (August 7, 1875), “The Golden Tables”, Chicago Times, <http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/IL/mischig.htm#080775>. Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. Year 1875 ( MDCCCLXXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ) See Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints). See also Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (disambiguation The Church of Christ, later called Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was the The church refers to Fayette as the place of organization in all its official publications. To publish is to make content Publicly known. The term is most frequently applied to the distribution of text or images on paper or to the placing of content
- ^ Scriptures. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved on 2007-12-25. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian : "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 on 2007-12-25. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian .
- ^ D&C 32
- ^ The Deseret Morning News 2008 Church Almanac pg. 655
- ^ D&C 57:1-3
- ^ Official Declaration — 1
- ^ D. Michael Quinn, "LDS Church Authority and New Plural Marriages, 1890 - 1904"
- ^ 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
- ^ 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.
- ^ Newsroom. lds. org (2005-05-26). Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place "Same-Gender Attraction". Press release. A news release, media release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded Communication directed at members of the News Retrieved on March 2007. March 2007 is the third month of the year It began on a Thursday, and ended 31 days later on a Saturday.
- ^ Newsroom. lds. org. "Euthanasia and Prolonging Life". Press release. A news release, media release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded Communication directed at members of the News Retrieved on March 2007. March 2007 is the third month of the year It began on a Thursday, and ended 31 days later on a Saturday.
- ^ Newsroom. lds. org (2006-10-19). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal. "Political Neutrality". Press release. A news release, media release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded Communication directed at members of the News Retrieved on March 2007. March 2007 is the third month of the year It began on a Thursday, and ended 31 days later on a Saturday. ; see also Newsroom. lds. org, "No Thumbs Up or Down To Legislature", Retrieved May 2007.
- ^ Articles of Faith 1:4
- ^ Alma 11:44
- ^ Doctrine and Covenants 20:28
- ^ Joseph Fielding Smith, ‘’Teachings’’, p. 311,372
- ^ Joseph Fielding Smith, ‘’Teachings’’, p. 312
- ^ Jeffrey R. Holland, The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent, Ensign Magazine, Nov. 2007, pg. 40
- ^ Hebrews 12:9
- ^ Abraham 3:21-26, Doctrine and Covenants 93:29
- ^ Mosiah 3:8, The Book of Mormon p. 152, 1981 ed.
- ^ Doctrine and Covenants 39:4-6
- ^ Alma 7:11-13
- ^ Doctrine and Covenants 1:38
- ^ Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 471
- ^ James E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith, p. 159 published 1977
- ^ St. John 15:26, KJV
- ^ Book of Mormon pg. 153,Mosiah 3:19, pub. 1981
- ^ St. John 14:15-16 KJV
- ^ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Chapter 2: Our Heavenly Family", Gospel Principles, 11 (1997).
- ^ See, e. g. , Spencer W. Kimball, "The True Way of Life and Salvation", Ensign, May 1978, 4. Spencer Woolley Kimball ( March 28, 1895 – November 5, 1985) was the twelfth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
- ^ Smith, Joseph F. (1909). Man: Origin and Destiny, pp. 348-355.
- ^ See, e. g. , Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, #292 "O My Father"; #286 Oh, What Songs of the Heart. This article is about the named book (hymnal specifically For general information about said church hymns see The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hymns. "O My Father" (originally "My Father in Heaven", also "Invocation or The Eternal Father and Mother " is a Latter-day Saint "Oh What Songs of the Heart" is a Mormon Hymn, the text of which was written by Joseph L
- ^ The Holy Bible,Revelation of St. John the Divine 14:6
- ^ See The Pearl of Great Price, Salt Lake City, 1981 footnote pg. 58-59
- ^ LDS Church, "Gospel Topics: Ordinances".
- ^ LDS Church, “Chapter 40: Temple Work and Family History”, Gospel Principles, 255.
- ^ See Blacks and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From the end of the nineteenth century until 1978 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not allow black men of African descent to be ordained to
- ^ Moroni 8:4-23; D&C 68:25-27; LDS Church, “Chapter 20: Baptism”, Gospel Principles, 129.
- ^ LDS Church, “Chapter 20: Baptism”, Gospel Principles, 129.
- ^ Moses 3:5; D&C 93:29
- ^ Smith, Joseph Fielding. Bruce R. McConkie, ed. Doctrines of Salvation (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954 [1972 reprint]) Vol. 1, p. 62
- ^ First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles. "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" 1995
- ^ Smith. Doctrines of Salvation. vol. 1, p. 56
- ^ general idea also expressed in Smith, Joseph F. Gospel Doctrine: Sermons and Writings of Joseph F. Smith. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1969) p. 93
- ^ See Moses 4:1-4
- ^ Abraham 3:24-28 describes this as well
- ^ D&C 29:36-37, 2 Nephi 2:17 briefly mentions the fall of Satan (Book of Mormon, p. 58 [1982 English edition (Salt Lake City)]).
- ^ See Abraham 3:24-25
- ^ Moses 1:29-33
- ^ LDS Church, “Chapter 45: The Postmortal Spirit World”, Gospel Principles, 289.
- ^ See Alma 11:42-45.
- ^ a b LDS Church. “Chapter 46: The Last Judgment”, Gospel Principles, 294.
- ^ Romans 8:17.
- ^ LDS Church, “Chapter 47: Exaltation”, Gospel Principles, 301.
- ^ LDS Church (1909), First Presidency Statement: The Origin of Man.
- ^ See 2 Nephi 1:5-7
- ^ Article of Faith 1:10
- ^ Berrett, William E, Teachings of the Doctrine and Covenants, 1956, Ch. 42, p. 280
- ^ Revelation 20:1-3 KJV
- ^ a b LDS Church, The Family: A Proclamation to the World.
- ^ LDS Church, “Chapter 38: Eternal Marriage”, Gospel Principles, 241.
- ^ Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, [1] [2] [3]
- ^ Sonja Farnsworth (1992), "Mormonism's Odd Couple: The Motherhood-Priesthood Connection", in Maxine Hanks, ed. , Women and Authority: Re-emerging Mormon Feminism, Salt Lake City: Signature Books.
- ^ Helen Witney & Jane Barnes (2007), The Mormons, Part 2 (PBS presentation) ("Mormon women work outside the home in about the same proportions as other American women").
- ^ Church Handbook of Instructions: Book 1, Stake Presidents and Bishoprics (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2006) at 41, 78. Church Handbook of Instructions (formerly the General Handbook of Instructions) is a two-volume book of instructions and policies for leaders of The
- ^ Women and the priesthood. Mormon.org. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved on 2006-11-05. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany)
- ^ LDS Church (1997), Gospel Principles, p. 249.
- ^ Spencer W. Kimball (1969), The Miracle of Forgiveness, Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, pp. 25, 77–89.
- ^ Heber J. Grant, J. Reuben Clark, Jr. , David O. McKay (October 1942), "Parenthood: First Presidency Message", Conference Report, pp. 12-13.
- ^ In the 19th century, the church performed illegal polygamous marriages, but that practice has been discontinued. The church is sensitive about its historical relationship with polygamy and entry into a polygamous marriage, even where legal, may result in excommunication: Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1: Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics (2006), p. 110.
- ^ LDS Church, Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1: Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics, 2006, pp. 109–111.
- ^ LDS Church, Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1: Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics, 2006, p. 188.
- ^ a b Gordon B. Hinckley, "What Are People Asking about Us?", Ensign, November 1998, 71.
- ^ The church characterizes its church discipline policy as neutral regarding sexual orientation Lattin, Don (1997) Musings of the Main Mormon (Pres. Gordon Hinckley: “Now we have gays in the church. Good people. We take no action against such people—provided they don’t become involved in transgression, sexual transgression. If they do, we do with them exactly what we’d do with heterosexuals who transgress. ”) Nevertheless, according to the church handbook, repeated homosexual activities by adults, unlike repeated heterosexual extramarital sex, will result in an automatic annotation to a person's permanent membership record, which will follow them if they move to a new local congregation. See Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1: Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics (2006), p. 147. Also, homosexual activity committed after the age of 16 will normally permanently bar a person from serving a mission for the church. Id. , p. 94.
- ^ Interview with Elder Oaks and Wickman.
- ^ a b First Presidency Statement on Same-Gender Marriage
- ^ Moore, Carrie. "LDS Church expresses disappointment in California gay marriage decision", Deseret News, May 15, 2008.
- ^ Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton,"Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers", 2005 ISBN 978-0195180954, [4] esp. Charts of outcomes
- ^ Open invitation to attend church, on Church-maintained website
- ^ Mormon. org. What to expect at Sunday meetings. Retrieved on 2006-10-22. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus
- ^ Services may be held on a different day when Sunday worship is prohibited by law.
- ^ LDS.org
- ^ D&C 104:78; Benson, Ezra Taft. "Pay Thy Debt, and Live. " Ensign. June 1987: p. 3. Available online. Retrieved on 2006-10-22. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus
- ^ Doctrine and Covenants section 89, originally a strong recommendation, but adopted as a requirement by Brigham Young in 1851. Brigham Young (June 1 1801 &ndash August 29 1877 was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.
- ^ Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1:Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics, 2006, p. 185.
- ^ For example, until 1890, the church advocated civil disobedience to U. Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain Laws demands and commands of a Government, or of an occupying power, without resorting to physical S. anti-polygamy laws. The term polygamy (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage" is used in related ways in Social anthropology, Sociobiology, and
- ^ Gambling. Gordon B. Hinckley, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- ^ Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1: Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics (2006), p. 110.
- ^ Russell M. Ballard. "A Chance to Start Over: Church Disciplinary Councils and the Restoration of Blessings". Ensign (September 1990).
- ^ See Articles of Faith 1:8 ("We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. ")
- ^ Teachings of The Prophet Joseph Spmth, p. 327
- ^ Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2006, pp. Church Handbook of Instructions (formerly the General Handbook of Instructions) is a two-volume book of instructions and policies for leaders of The 174.
- ^ Why do Latter-day Saints use the King James (or Authorized) Version of the Bible?. Retrieved on 2008-03-31. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor
- ^ See D&C 91.
- ^ FAQ about the Church
- ^ see the title page of the Book of Mormon
- ^ Joseph Smith - History 1:59
- ^ 2008 Church Almanac,Deseret Morning News, Salt Lake City pg. 656
- ^ However, this introduction is not officially recognized by the church as being part of the divinely inspired canon of scripture.
- ^ Does Archeology Support the Book of Mormon?:A Brief Survey of the Evidence Institute for Religious Research. 1992
- ^ Ludlow, Daniel H. ; S. Kent Brown and John W. Welch (2000). To All the World: The Book of Mormon Articles from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism. Foundation for Ancient Research, 13–14. ISBN 0934893470. .
- ^ Parry, Peterson, and Welch, Echos and Evidences of the Book of Mormonpg. xi-xii
- ^ Roberts, B.H., ed. Brigham Henry Roberts ( March 13, 1857 – September 27, 1933) was a Mormon leader historian and politician who published a (1905), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. This article is about a book that chronicles the early history of the LDS Church 3, Deseret News, pp. 23–24, <http://books.google.com/books?vid=0lm9j64Cc548Kni2rlK-aO8&id=m2bEVgSvbS8C>.
- ^ 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, <http://www.centerplace.org/history/ems/v2n20.htm#160>. Frederick Granger Williams (1787&ndash1842 was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and served in the First Presidency as Second Counselor to church Oliver Hervy Pliny Cowdery ( 3 October 1806 – 3 March 1850) was the primary participant with Joseph Smith Jr Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João Year 1834 ( MDCCCXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The Evening and the Morning Star (often shortened to Evening and Morning Star) was an early Latter Day Saint periodical published monthly in
- ^ 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>.
- ^ The initial incorporation by the non-existent State of Deseret[5] was not legally valid, but was soon ratified by the Territory of Utah in 1851[6] and 1855. The State of Deseret was a provisional state of the United States, proposed in 1849 by Mormon settlers in Salt Lake City. 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 or Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, February 4, 1851.
- ^ The LDS church requests that the official name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, be used where possible. [7]. 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. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a 360 member all-volunteer Choir. 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 Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio
- ^ 2005 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, National Council of Churches. See article by Information Please® Database, Pearson Education, Inc.
- ^ Fletcher, Peggy. "Keeping Members a Challenge for LDS Church". Salt Lake Tribune, 22 June 2006.
- ^ a b c Statistical Information, Retrieved May 2, 2007
- ^ Egon Mayer, Ph. D. ; Barry A. Kosmin, Ph. D. ; Ariela Keysar, Ph. D. . American Religious Identification Survey. cuny. edu. Retrieved on 2006-07-27. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England.
- ^ Duin, Julia. "Mormons in mourning", The Washington Times, February 1, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-01. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen
- ^ http://www.sltrib.com/ci_2890645
- ^ A church-maintained virtual tour of a typical meetinghouse
- ^ Worship With Us
- ^ Ludlow, Daniel H. , Latter-day Prophets Speak: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Church Presidents, 1948/1993, Ch. 32
- ^ D. Michael Quinn (1997), Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power, Salt Lake City: Signature Books, ch. 6.
- ^ D&C 8:3-4. Members are encouraged to listen carefully to general conference but also feel they can rely on personal revelation in order to appreciate validity of such statements. In the Latter Day Saint movement, a general conference is a meeting for all members of the church for conducting general church business and instruction (see Joseph F. Smith, in Conference Report, April 1902, and Howard W. Hunter in Conference Report, October 1981. )
- ^ From Pioneer Group to Worldwide Society. newsroom. lds. org.
- ^ Mormon Missionaries. Light Planet.
- ^ D&C 93:36
- ^ Statistical Information. newsroom. lds. org.
- ^ Biema, David Van. Kingdom Come. Time Magazine, Vol. Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and 150 No. 5, August 4, 1997 (estimating the church's value at over $30 billion).
- ^ "Why Deseret Trust Company?" Accessed 15 May 2007. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- ^ Belo Corp Form 8-K. Accessed 16 May 2007. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- ^ "Financial Planning". finserve. byu. edu. Accessed 16 May 2007. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- ^ Mormon Inquiry article
- ^ Church Finances. newsroom. lds. org.
- ^ See Doctrine & Covenants, Section 89.
- ^ Salt Lake Tribune Editorial, Liquor stores: Banning phone listings, stores won't stop abuse.
External links
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
- Deseret Book - LDS bookstore owned by LDS Church
- Newsroom.lds.org - The official source of public news releases and background information by the Church
- Provident Living - Self-reliance and welfare resources
- The Genesis Group - Official website for black Latter-day Saints, their families and friends, and individuals interested in the LDS Church
- 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
Church-related websites
- How to Join the Mormon Church - a user manual
- Utah History Encyclopedia
- 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.
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
- Encyclopedia of Mormonism (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 Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies ( FARMS) is an informal collaboration of academics devoted to Mormon historical scholarship
- The Mormon History Association
- The Mormons - Frontline + American Experience four hour PBS documentary aired April 30–May 1, 2007
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