The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

For other uses, see Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (disambiguation).

The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the city's Temple Square.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the LDS Church or the Mormon Church, is the largest and most well-known |denomination]] originating from the Latter Day Saint movement (a group of churches and adherents who follow the teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr.). The church's world headquarters is in Salt Lake City, Utah and has established churches and temples worldwide, reporting nearly 13 million members on its rolls as of December 31, 2006.

Adherents to the church (usually called Mormons, Latter-day Saints or LDS) believe that Jesus Christ leads the church by revelation given to the President of the Church, whom they consider to be a prophet. They consider themselves to be Christians, but do not consider themselves part of the Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant traditions. They believe that the church is a restoration of 1st century Christianity. They believe that before Joseph Smith restored the true church, all the other churches where in error and had fallen away from Christ's original teachings. They believe in the divine authority of the Old Testament and New Testament, but also have additional books in their scriptural canon: the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

Historically, the church has distinguished itself from traditional Christian denominations by its practice of temple ordinances such as baptism for the dead, the Endowment, and its doctrinal views on the Godhead; the church was also distinct in that it authorized the practice of plural marriage although it has since been discontinued. The church teaches that it is "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth", but it has cooperated with other religious organizations in promoting humanitarian and moral causes.

History

File:Joseph Smith Jr bronze bust Conference Center.jpg

Bust of Joseph Smith, Jr.

Main article: History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The LDS church is the largest denomination that claims to be a continuation of the Church of Christ, founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. on April 6 1830 in New York. Joseph Smith legally established this early church soon after publishing the Book of Mormon. The church rapidly gained a large following that viewed Smith as their prophet. The rapid growth of Smith's following was attributed by some to the convincing power of the Book of Mormon, which Smith said that he translated from a book of golden plates, buried near his home in a place shown him by an angel.

In late 1830, Smith envisioned a "city of Zion" in Native American lands near Independence, Missouri. In October 1830 he sent his second-in-command Oliver Cowdery and others on a mission to the area. Passing through Kirtland, Ohio, the missionaries converted a congregation of Disciples of Christ led by Sidney Rigdon, and in 1831, Smith decided to temporarily move his followers to Kirtland until the Missouri area could be colonized. The church headquarters remained in Kirtland from 1831 to 1838; meanwhile, the church built its first temple and grew in size.

On July 20, 1831 Smith circulated a written revelation that Independence, Missouri was to be the center place for the city of Zion. Though many of Smith's followers attempted to colonize Missouri throughout the 1830s, and Smith himself moved there in 1838, the church faced political and military opposition by other Missouri settlers. After a series of raids on Mormon settlements, the church formed its own militia and the Mormon War of 1838 ensued, culminating in the religion being expelled from the state under an Extermination Order signed by the governor of Missouri. The church then established its new headquarters in Nauvoo, Illinois, a city they built on drained swampland by the Mississippi River, where Joseph Smith Jr. served as mayor. There, the church built a new temple, and thrived until Smith and his brother Hyrum, whom most agree would have been Joseph's successor, were killed by a mob in 1844. They were awaiting trial for their decision to destroy a local newspaper that said Smith was practicing a form of polygamy and that he intended to establish himself as a theocratic king. Joseph Smith Jr., at the time, was a minor candidate for President of the United States.

After Joseph and Hyrum's death, some church leaders campaigned to lead the church during a time known as the Succession Crisis. The majority of adherents voted to accept the succession claims presented by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, led by Brigham Young. After continued difficulties in Illinois, Brigham Young left Nauvoo in 1846, and led his followers (called the Mormon pioneers during this period) to what later became Utah (then part of Mexico), and began to colonize the area with numerous small cities.

In Utah, Young incorporated The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a legal entity under the laws of the Territory of Utah. He initially governed his followers as a theocratic leader, and openly encouraged the practice of plural marriage, which Joseph Smith had tried to keep secret. When word of the practice got back to Washington, D.C., the United States sent federal troops there in 1857, deposed Young, and replaced him with a non-Mormon territorial governor, though Young still wielded significant political power as President of the Church. Young was followed by other powerful leaders, who were defiant in the face of U.S. efforts to outlaw polygamous marriages in the territory. Political and legal wrangling over the polygamy issue escalated until 1890, when church president Wilford Woodruff issued a Manifesto officially suspending the practice. Church relations with the United States markedly improved after 1890, and especially after 1904, when church president Joseph F. Smith disavowed polygamy before the United States Congress and issued a "Second Manifesto" calling for all polygamous marriages in the church to cease. Since about the 1930s, the church has adopted a policy of excommunicating its members found practicing polygamy.

During the 20th century, the church experienced a period of exponential growth, due to a high birth rate and extensive proselytism. In 1978, after years of internal discussion within the church hierarchy, the church ended its longtime practices of not allowing blacks to hold the priesthood and prohibiting their participation in temple ceremonies thought necessary for the highest degree of salvation. Since the 1990s, the church's growth rate has no longer been exponential, but the church continues to gain about 300,000 new members per year.

The church has played a prominent role in political matters, including opposition to the repeal of Prohibition in the United States, opposition to MX (Peacekeeper) missile bases in Utah and Nevada, opposing the Equal Rights Amendment, opposing legalized gambling, support of bans on same-sex marriage, and opposition to legalized physician-assisted death. Other than what it considers moral issues, however, the church usually maintains a position of political neutrality.

Sacred texts and other publications

The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints printed in the Quadruple Combination format

Main article: Standard Works

The church's canon of sacred texts consists of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. These are referred to as the church's Standard Works. Though not canonical, many members of the church also accept the teachings and pronouncements of the church's general authorities, and particularly the President of the Church, as scripture, and even as taking precedence over the Standard Works.

The church's most significant scripture, the Book of Mormon, was published by founder Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830, and is a story about various groups of pre-Columbian Christians, which Smith said he translated from golden plates buried near his home. The church teaches that the book is an actual history of the principal ancestors of the Native American peoples, though no indisputable archaeological evidence has yet been found.

The church's acceptance of the Bible as the word of God comes with the proviso that the church teaches that it was not always translated correctly from the original manuscripts. Joseph Smith worked on his own translation, said to be more correct, but this was never canonized by the church. For English language speakers, the church encourages the use of the King James Version because that was the version available to Joseph Smith, Jr. The church accepts parts of the Apocrypha as inspired, but not canonical.

The church's Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of revelations, declarations, and teachings on various subjects, primarily written by Joseph Smith. The Pearl of Great Price contains an excerpt from Smith's 1838 autobiographical writings, two portions of his translation of the Bible, what Smith said was a translation of an Egyptian papyrus he purchased from a traveling mummy show, known as the Book of Abraham, and an excerpt of one of Smith's 1842 letters describing church beliefs, now known as the Articles of Faith.

Official periodicals: current and historical

The church also publishes several official periodicals, including the Ensign (for English-speaking adults), the Liahona (non-English languages), the New Era (for youth), and the Friend (for children). Some older, discontinued English-language publications produced or affiliated with the church included Evening and Morning Star (1833–34), Messenger and Advocate (1834-37), Elders' Journal (1837), Times and Seasons (1839–46), Millennial Star (1840–1970), The Seer (1853-54), Journal of Discourses (1854–86), The Juvenile Instructor (1866–1930), Woman's Exponent (1872–1914), The Contributor (1879–96), Young Woman's Journal (1889–1929), Improvement Era (1897–1970), The Children's Friend (1902–70), Relief Society Magazine (1915–70), and The Instructor (1930–70).

Beliefs and practices

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have many beliefs in common with Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions, but also some significant differences exist. Some of the church's unique beliefs, circa 1842, are discussed in Articles of Faith (Latter Day Saints). A comparison between LDS Church doctrine and traditional Christian faiths are discussed in Mormonism and Christianity. There are also numerous articles discussing Latter Day Saint movement perspectives on various doctrinal issues, which discuss the specific doctrines of the LDS Church as part of that movement. A summary of the church's major distinctive beliefs and practices are discussed below.

God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost

Main article: Godhead (Latter Day Saints)

Latter-day Saints believe in the resurrected Jesus Christ, as depicted in the Christus Statue in the North Visitors' Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City

The church teaches that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are "one God", in the sense that they are one "in purpose", but does not accept the Nicene Creed's definition of Trinity, that the three are "consubstantial". Rather, the church teaches that the Father and the Son are two distinct beings, both with immortal bodies of flesh and bone, while the Holy Ghost, the third member of the Godhead, is a distinct being with a "spirit body". God the Father is understood to be the father in premortal life of all the spirits who inhabit this earth and the father of Jesus. "The place where God resides" is said to be located near a celestial body called Kolob.

The church teaches that Jesus is its central focus and emphasizes that his suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross paid for the sins of humanity. Mormons believe that Jesus was part God and part man, a status which gave him power over life and death. The church also believes in the physical resurrection of Jesus' body: that his body and spirit were reunited never to be separated. Because of its emphasis on Jesus' resurrection and his status as the living head of the church, the church places less emphasis on Jesus' crucifixion and does not officially use the symbol of the Christian cross. Instead, the church tends to focus on the belief that Jesus overcame suffering and death and that he lives today.

The church follows what it understands to be the teachings of Jesus, both in the Bible and in other scriptures, such as the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, which is said to contain the teachings of Jesus to a small group of Israelites in the ancient Americas that had left Jerusalem prior to its destruction in 587 BCE. The church also teaches that Jesus is the god Jehovah of the Old Testament. Because Jesus is thought to be omniscient and have the same purpose as the Father, the church teaches that Jesus Christ often speaks in the scriptures as though he were God the Father, because in so doing he is fulfilling the will of the Father.

Official church materials refer to "Heavenly Parents," implying the existence of a Heavenly Mother. Belief in such a figure is common among members, and she has been mentioned in sermons by church officials and in some of the hymns of the church. However, no specific doctrine on the subject of a Heavenly Mother has been released by the church.

See also: King Follett Discourse, Exaltation (Mormonism), and Mormonism and Christianity

Apostasy, restoration, and priesthood

Joseph Smith, Jr. said that he saw two "personages" in the spring of 1820, one of which pointed to the other and said, "This is my beloved son. Hear him!" The church teaches this was an actual visitation by God the Father and Jesus in the flesh.

Main articles: Restoration (Latter Day Saints) and Priesthood (Latter Day Saints)

In common with other Restorationist churches, the church believes in a Great Apostasy. It teaches that after the death of Jesus and the Twelve Apostles, the priesthood authority was lost and some important doctrinal teachings, including the text of the Bible, were changed from their original form, thus necessitating a Restoration prior to the Second Coming. That restoration, according to church doctrine, took place during the life of Joseph Smith, Jr., the religion's founder.

According to church theology, the restoration took place through a series of visions and revelations, including Smith's First Vision in 1820, visits by various angelic messengers including Moroni, John the Baptist, Moses, Elijah, and the apostles Peter, James and John. Smith said these messengers gave him priesthood authority (first the Aaronic priesthood and then the Melchizedek priesthood) and various "keys" of the priesthood that had been lost through the ages, so that Smith finally possessed the "fulness of the Gospel". The restoration also included the formation of the Church of Christ. The LDS Church teaches that it is the successor of this Church of Christ and that the current President of the Church is Smith's modern successor.

The priesthood authority is given as a matter of course to all male members ages 12 and older who generally follow the church's code of morality. Men receive the priesthood by ordination, which consists of a blessing and the laying on of hands. Prior to 1978, black men of sub-Saharan African descent were barred from being ordained to the priesthood and entering the religion's temples; in 1978, church president Spencer W. Kimball announced a revelation reversing this policy. (See Blacks and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) Women are not ordained to offices in the priesthood, although some adherents believe that women are given priesthood power and authority in the church's Endowment ceremony. (See Women and Mormonism.)

For the most part, ordination to the priesthood is a prerequisite to preside in the church, although women are given un-ordained leadership roles over children and other women, and they perform certain temple ordinances. The priesthood is structured in a 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. (See Mormonism and authority.) Although the church had a paid local clergy in the 1800s, local and regional priesthood leaders currently serve as part-time volunteers. Non-clerical church employees, general authorities (who serve life or five-year terms), and mission presidents (who serve three-year terms) are paid a stipend from church funds, and provided other benefits, although many of them are independently wealthy. A general missionary fund covers the basic living expenses of single Mormon missionaries. Missionaries and their families are asked to contribute to this fund, and in the United States the missionary's ward of origin is ultimately responsible to satisfy the monthly obligation to the general fund. Members provide general custodial work for local church facilities.

Ordinances, covenants and temples

Main articles: Ordinance (Latter Day Saints), Covenant (Latter Day Saints), and Temple (Latter Day Saints)

Baptismal font in the Salt Lake Temple, circa 1912, where baptisms for the dead are performed by proxy. The font rests on the backs of twelve oxen representing the Twelve Tribes of Israel

Latter-day Saint sacraments are called ordinances, and there are two types: saving ordinances and non-saving ordinances. All ordinances, whether saving or nonsaving, must be performed by a man ordained to the appropriate priesthood office, with the exception of certain parts of the Endowment and second anointing, in which women can perform the ordinance without being ordained to an office.

Saving ordinances are those required for salvation, and include baptism (by immersion), confirmation (laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost), ordination to an office of the priesthood (for males), the Endowment, celestial marriage, family sealings, and arguably the second anointing (which is rarely performed today). Each saving ordinance is associated with one or more covenant that the person receiving the ordinance makes with God.

Saving ordinaces are considered absolutely necessary for exaltation, and the church teaches that they may be performed on a person either during their lifetime or by proxy after the person has died. Therefore, church members participate in the saving ordinances on behalf of dead relatives and others whose names have been extracted from historical records. The performance of these proxy ordinances are one of the functions of the church's temples. There have been certain exceptions to the church's policy of performing proxy work for all persons who have died: prior to the 1978 revelation admitting blacks to temple ceremonies, the church did not perform proxy ordinances for black men and women who had died, and since 1995, the church has agreed to discontinue performing ordinances for dead victims of the Jewish Holocaust.

The church teaches that to obtain the highest degree of salvation (referred to as "exaltation" in the celestial kingdom), all people who have lived to the age of eight must participate in each of the saving ordinances. All the saving ordinances, except arguably the second anointing, are currently open to all worthy members of the appropriate age. Prior to 1978, black members were barred from all saving ordinances other than baptism and confirmation, but this policy was changed in 1978. (See Blacks and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) Celestial marriage is open to one man and one woman at a time, but a widower may enter a second celestial marriage, resulting in a plural marriage in the afterlife.

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. 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". However, if such persons express a desire to receive the saving ordinances, they are generally not prohibited from doing so.

Non-saving ordinances include the "sacrament" (the Latter-day Saint version of the Eucharist, taken each Sunday), the dedication of graves, the dedication of buildings, the prayer circle, the Hosanna Shout, shaking the dust from the feet (now rare), and various kinds of blessings such as the patriarchal blessing. Some nonsaving ordinances are associated with covenants, while others are not.

Cosmology

Main article: Plan of Salvation

The church's cosmology is referred to as the Plan of Salvation. It describes humanity's place in the universe and the purpose of life. The church teaches that there was a pre-existence, a place, which existed prior to mortality, in which all people and all life were created in spirit form. God the Father is said to have proposed a plan to send spirits to earth to be proven and, if worthy, receive added "glory". Satan, one of the spirits, proposed a rival plan whereby every soul would be saved, Satan would receive God's power, and human agency would be eliminated. When God rejected that plan, the First War in Heaven ensued, resulting in Satan and a third of the spirits becoming devils."

The earth, according to church teachings in the temples, was created by Jehovah, which the church identifies as the pre-mortal Jesus, and Michael the archangel, who is identified as the pre-mortal Adam. The earth was "organized" from pre-existing matter, as were other planets with their inhabitants. Michael's spirit was implanted in a body created by God the Father and Jehovah, and became Adam.

The church teaches that at birth, a pre-existing spirit enters a mortal body. Upon death, the spirit goes to a "spirit world" to await the resurrection of the dead. There, depending on the person's good deeds while alive, the spirit will be in either a state of paradise or spirit prison. Those in "prison" will be visited by spirits from paradise and given the chance to accept the teachings of Jesus Christ and the accompanying saving ordinances. The church teaches that all persons, wicked or righteous, will be resurrected and receive an immortal, physical body. The nature of that body, however, will depend on the result of the Last Judgment, at which Jesus will assign each soul to one of three degrees of glory (heavenly kingdoms): the celestial kingdom in the presence of the Father and the Son for those who accept Jesus Christ and receive all LDS saving ordinances, either as a mortal or by proxy; the terrestrial kingdom, a place of glory in the presence of Christ for righteous persons who refuse to receive the saving ordinances and for those who do not keep the covenants they commit to; and the telestial kingdom for the wicked. A further destination, called outer darkness, is reserved for Satan, his devils, and those mortals who commit the unpardonable sin and thereby become the sons of perdition. 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.

Those in the celestial kingdom will be allowed to continue to progress and become joint heirs with Jesus Christ; such individuals will eventually be enabled in eternity to become gods and goddesses and participate in the eternal creative process of having spirit children.

View of history and eschatology

The church's view of history is informed by the faith's scriptures. Mormon history begins with the creation according to Genesis, but has never endorsed any particular form of creationism. 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".

Based on teachings in the Book of Mormon, the church teaches an expansive form of American exceptionalism, where the Americas are a special location reserved by God for those who love freedom and freedom of religion. According to Joseph Smith, what is now Jackson County, Missouri was the location of the Garden of Eden and will be the location of the future New Jerusalem, and God has led numerous groups to the western hemisphere in search of freedom, including several groups of ancestors to the Native Americans, whose stories are told in the Book of Mormon.

The church also teaches an expansive view of God's covenant with Abraham, which Joseph Smith taught extends not just to Jews, but to Mormons, who in most cases are declared by their Patriarchal blessings to be descendants of the tribe of Ephraim, one of the Ten Lost Tribes. Native Americans are typically declared to be descended from the Tribe of Manasseh based on the teachings of the Book of Mormon that members of this tribe, the family of Lehi, crossed the ocean in about 600 B.C. and became their principal ancestors.

The church teaches that there will be a Millennium, in which, after a period of tribulation, the Second Coming of Jesus will occur, followed by a thousand years of peace, after which will occur the Last Judgment. Distinctive within Latter-day millennialism, however, is the idea that Jesus will reign "personally upon the earth" from a location that is presently within the United States, and direct the government or governments that will exist. Jackson County, Missouri is expected to have an important LDS temple during the Millennium and Jerusalem is expected to be an important center of government in the world. 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; they will proselytize among the living and perform ordinances for the dead until a final great confrontation of good versus evil prior to the Last Judgment.

Theology of family and gender

See also: Celestial marriage and Women and Mormonism

The LDS Church has been characterized as a very family-centered religion. The church teaches that all individuals, including Jesus, Satan, and all the angels and devils, have spirit bodies that were born to Heavenly Parents in the pre-existence. The church teaches that on earth, families may be "sealed"—meaning that they are eternally bound as husband-wife, parent-child, and sibling-sibling—and that these bonds will continue after death. Sealings can also include deceased ancestors, providing much of the church's rationale for its extensive family history activities.

The church also teaches that each person's gender is eternal and that gender roles are authorized by God: in general, men are to preside over and provide for their families and women are to nurture children. The church characterizes the man-woman relationship as "equal but different". Nevertheless, LDS women in the United States work outside the home in about the same percentage as other American women. The church teaches that gender is inherently linked to sex, but the church has no official policy on the status of intersex persons. Transgender persons are accepted in the church and may be baptized, but may not receive the priesthood or enter the temple if they are considering or have undergone elective sex reassignment surgery.

Sexuality

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 which its members must follow to be in good standing with the church. At its core, the law of chastity prohibits pre-marital sex and adultery, which includes gay and lesbian sex and non-penetrative sex. The law also prohibits other sexual behavior such as bestiality and masturbation, as well as mental behavior such as lust, sexual fantasy, and viewing of pornography.

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". 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. Where celestial marriage is not recognized by the government, it must be proceeded by a civil marriage. The church's teachings are ambiguous about the scope of allowable sexual behavior between legally married couples. The law of chastity has been interpreted to include standards of modesty. Sexual activity outside of marriage may result in church discipline, including a possible excommunication, in which a member loses their church membership and privileges, but may continue to attend meetings. In most instances, the church strongly discourages surgical sterilization as an elective form of birth control among married couples.

LGBT members of the church are expected to keep the law of chastity. If they do, they can “go forward as do all other members of the church.” If they desire to enter into a heterosexual marriage, they should first learn to deal with their homosexual feelings; otherwise, they must remain celibate. 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 church's position is that government recognition of such rights will "undermine the divinely created institution of the family".

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).

Interior of the LDS Conference Center where the Church holds its semi-annual General Conference

The church holds its normal worship services on Sunday 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 "Priesthood meeting" for men, Relief Society for adult women, and Young Women Organization for adolescent females. During the second and third hours, children participate in activities of the Primary. Periodically, members participate in local, regional, and general church-wide conferences in lieu of Sunday services. The general conference is broadcast semi-annually from Salt Lake City, Utah.

Latter-day Saint chapel in Puerto Princesa, Philippines

All persons, regardless of their beliefs or standing in or out of the church, are welcome to attend normal church services and conferences. Women usually attend worship services wearing skirts or dresses, while men typically wear suits or dress shirts (preferably white) and ties. Children are also typically in their "Sunday best."

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. Members are encouraged to attend the temples regularly, where they usually participate in the Endowment, sealing, washing and anointing, and other other ordinances (symbolic rituals), most often by proxy for the dead.

Duties and expectations of church members

See also: Perfection (Latter Day Saints) and Law of consecration

Members of the church have a high degree of participation in religious activities outside of worship services. Church members are expected to donate their time, money, and talents to the church, and those who have participated in the Endowment ceremony make an oath to donate all that they have, if required of them, to the church.

To be in good standing and to enter the church's temples, church members are required to tithe their income to the church, which is usually interpreted as 10% of income. In addition, members are expected to donate monthly charitable "fast offerings" (at least the equivalent cost of two meals) and are occasionally encouraged to make other humanitarian donations.

In addition to attending the weekly three-hour church services, members are usually given "callings" or assignments in the church, and often attend various other meetings or activities throughout the week relating to that calling. Members in good standing are assigned to visit the homes of other members monthly as "home teachers" (men) or "visiting teachers" (women). Members are also expected to engage in missionary work, family history research, to conduct a Family Home Evening weekly with their family, and to attend the temple regularly (monthly if possible). Church members are encouraged to live self-sufficiently and avoid unnecessary debt.

On the morality front, good standing in the church requires that members follow the "Word of Wisdom" (a health code given by Joseph Smith which the church interprets as requiring abstinence from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, coffee, tea, and recreational drugs). Members must also obey the law of chastity (the church's code for modesty and allowable forms of sexuality), and may not obtain an 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. In general, members must obey the law of the country in which they live and visit, although there have been notable exceptions.

The church discourages gambling in all forms, including lotteries.

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") may be subject to church disciplinary action, including disfellowshipment or even excommunication. Such individuals are encouraged to continue attending church services, but are not permitted to hold 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.. 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 criticising local leaders or general authorities; repeated public criticism of the church or its leaders may subject a person to church discipline for apostasy. The church maintains a Strengthening Church Members Committee which monitors members' publications and refers critical material to local authorities for possible disciplinary action.

Church organization and structure

Name and legal entities

File:Logo of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1995).gif

The Church's official logo since 1995

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, and then in 1834, the name was officially changed to the Church of the Latter Day Saints to differentiate it from the 1st century Christian church. In April 1838, the name again was officially changed by revelation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 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, under the name The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which included a hyphenated "Latter-day" and a lower-case "d". In 1887, the LDS Church was legally dissolved in the United States by the Edmunds-Tucker Act because of the church's practice (now abandoned) of polygamy. Thereafter, the church has continued to operate as an "unincorporated religious association", under 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. The term Mormon Church is in common use, but the church began discouraging its use in the late 20th century.

The church has organized several tax-exempt corporations to assist with the transfer of money and capital. These include the Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized in 1916 under the laws of the state of Utah to acquire, hold, and dispose of real property. In 1923, the church incorporated the Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah to receive and manage money and church donations. In 1997, the church incorporated Intellectual Reserve, Inc. to hold all the church's copyrights, trademarks, and other intellectual property.

Geographic structure

Church congregations are organized strictly geographically. For Sunday services, the church is grouped into either larger (~200 to ~400 people) congregations known as wards, or smaller (two through ~200 people) congregations known as branches. These neighborhood congregations meet in meetinghouses, also referred to as "chapels" or "stake centers", located on property most often owned by the church. In some geographic areas, rental property may be used as a meetinghouse. Although the building may sometimes be referred to as a "chapel", the room used as a chapel for religious services is actually only one component of the standard meetinghouse. Visitors or members can use the church's online "Meetinghouse Locator" to find locations of church buildings and meeting times.

Priesthood hierarchy

The church has a hierarchical structure, with clearly defined stewardships or realms of responsibility for the various offices. Those who hold such offices do not elect to do so but are "called" by someone of a higher authority in the church; all are laymen and are not paid for their service.

File:Gordon Bitner Hinckley bronze bust conference center.jpg

Gordon B. Hinckley in the Hall of the Prophets in the LDS Conference Center

The leader of the church is termed President, and church members revere him as a prophet, seer, and revelator. The prophet is believed to hold the same divine calling as biblical prophets, and his responsibility is over the church as a whole. He is entitled to guide the church through revelation, acting as God's spokesman. The President of the Church serves as such until death. Historically, the senior apostle of the church has always become the new President of the Church. The current President is Gordon B. Hinckley.

The First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Presiding Bishopric and the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy are all referred to as general authorities because they direct the work of the entire church throughout the world. The members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are accepted by the church as prophets, seers, and revelators.

Other church authorities are referred to as area authorities and local authorities and include all other Quorums of the Seventy, mission presidents, stake presidents, bishops, and other priesthood quorum presidents.

The church has no salaried ministry; however, general authorities who demonstrate need receive stipends from the church, using income from church-owned investments. All area and local authorities are unpaid and continue in their normal occupations while serving in leadership positions.

The church teaches that revelation from God continues today, but only as far as one's own responsibility is concerned. Accordingly, revelation to direct the entire church comes to the President; revelation to direct a stake comes to the stake president; for a ward, to the bishop, and so forth. Latter-day Saints also believe that individuals can receive personal revelation and divine guidance in raising their families and managing their personal affairs. Because of their belief in modern revelation, Latter-day Saints give significant weight to the teachings of their church leaders. They revere the words their prophets and general authorities speak when "moved upon by the Holy Ghost", as modern-day scripture, and members are encouraged to ponder and pray for revelation regarding the truthfulness of such statements.

See also: First Presidency (LDS Church), Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church), Seventy (Latter Day Saints), Presiding Bishop (LDS Church), General authority, Apostle (Latter Day Saints), and President of the Church (Latter Day Saints)

Current membership

See also: Membership history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church reports a worldwide membership of 12,868,606 (as of December 31, 2006) with approximately 6.7 million residing outside the United States. According to these statistics it is the fourth largest religious body in the United States. 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. Members living in the U.S. and Canada constitute 47% of membership, Latin America 36%, and members in the rest of the world 17%. A Survey by the City College of New York in 2001 extrapolated that there were 2,787,000 self-identified LDS adults in the United States in 2001, an increase of 1.3% over their 1991 survey, making the LDS Church the 10th-largest religious body in their phone survey of over 50,000 households.

Finances

The Church Administration Building with the LDS Church Office Building tower in the background

Main article: Finances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The church does not release church-wide financial statements to its members or the public, but as of 1997 it was estimated to be one of the world's wealthiest churches per capita Its for-profit, non-profit, and educational subsidiary entities are audited by an independent accounting firm, as of 2007 Deloitte & Touche. The church receives most of its money from tithes (ten percent of a member's income) and fast offerings (which is the cost a member would have spent on food for two meals but fasted instead and therefore donates that money to the church). About ten percent of its funding also comes from income on investments and real estate holdings.

The church uses its funds to construct and maintain buildings and other facilities, as well as providing social welfare and relief and supporting missionary, educational, and other church-sponsored programs.. 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.

Auxilliary organizations

Main articles: Auxiliary organization, Women and Mormonism, and Priesthood Correlation Program

Under the control of the priesthood hierarchy are numerous auxiliary organizations that fill various roles in the church.

Relief Society and the status of women

The Relief Society is the church's women's organization. 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. Every Latter-day Saint woman age 18 or older is a member of the Relief Society.

The status of women in church leadership has remained largely unchanged since the early 1900s. Although they are not ordained to the priesthood, preaching and instruction by women is an integral part of weekly Latter-day Saint worship. Certain leadership positions are filled only by women, and in some of the church's auxiliary organizations women may preside over men, such as in the Primary, in welfare programs, on activities committees, at a Family History Library, and so forth. Since the 1840s, women have officiated in certain ordinances (sacred rites) that take place inside temples.

Compared to women of other faiths, LDS women are more likely to graduate from college than Catholic or Protestants, but less likely than Jewish or nonaffiliated women. This is also true of graduate education. They are also more likely to be employed in professional occupations than Catholic or Protestant women and at about the same frequency as Jewish women and women with no religious affiliation.

In 2000 Self magazine ranked Provo, Utah as the number 1 healthiest city in the country for women. The article said that the reason that womem in Provo experience such low incidents of cancer, smoking, drinking, violence, depression, etc., is due to the Mormon influence.

Young men and women

Main article: Young Men Organization

Main article: Young Women Organization

Young men and women aged 12 to 18 often have an additional meeting during the week (referred to as Mutual or (previously) MIA, which are short for Mutual Improvement Association), which can involve an activity, game, service project, or instruction. The young men and women may meet separately or take part in a combined activities. In the United States and Canada, the young men participate in Scouting, including efforts to gain the Duty to God award and an award unique to the LDS Church, "On my Honor." Young women participate in a comparable program called Personal Progress. Both the young men and the young women are encouraged to live by the standards outlined in the church's For the Strength of Youth booklet.

Programs

Missionary program

Main article: Mormon missionary

See also: Mission (LDS Church)

Young men between the ages of 19 and 25 who meet minimum standards of worthiness and preparation are encouraged to consider serving a two-year, full-time proselytizing mission. Women (less encouraged but supported) who desire to serve a mission must be at least 21 and generally serve 18-month missions. Retired married couples are encouraged to serve missions as well, and their length of service varies from three to 36 months.

Today there are 344 missions and approximately 53,000 full time proselytizing missionaries serving throughout the world. 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.

Church Educational System

Main article: Church Educational System

Latter-day Saints believe in the value of education. Joseph Smith taught that "the glory of God is intelligence." Accordingly, the church maintains Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University-Idaho (formerly Ricks College), Brigham Young University-Hawaii, and LDS Business College. The church also has religious education programs. Seminary is a program for secondary school students held daily in conjunction with the school year. The Institute of Religion program serves young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 and those enrolled in post-secondary education institutions with church-owned buildings near university and college campuses designated for the purpose of religious education and cultural socialization.

In addition, the church sponsors a low-interest educational loan program known as the Perpetual Education Fund. This fund is designed to benefit young men and women from all parts of the world who have served a mission, returned to their home, and need further education to become productive citizens in their respective countries. As they finish their education and enter the work force, they then are able to pay back the funds provided so that other individuals can attend both vocational technical schools and university.

Culture

Main article: Culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Due to the differences in lifestyle promoted by church doctrine and history, a distinct culture has grown up around members of the Church. It is primarily concentrated in the Rocky Mountains, but as membership of the Church spreads around the world, many of its more distinctive practices follow, such as following the Word of Wisdom, a health code prohibiting the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, coffee and tea, and other addictive substances. Because of such prohibitions, the culture in areas of the world with a high concentration of Mormons tends to reflect these restrictions.

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 meeting may consist of a service project, or of attending a social event, or of various classes being offered. In addition, Enrichment activities are offered (weekly, monthly, or as determined by ward Relief Society leaders) for women with similar needs and interests.

Social events and gatherings

LDS stake center. Stake centers serve as meetinghouses for local congregations and headquarters for the local stake.

In addition to these regularly scheduled meetings, additional meetings are frequently held at the meetinghouse. Auxiliary officers may conduct leadership meetings or host training sessions and classes. The ward or branch community may schedule social activities at the meetinghouse, including dances, dinners, holiday parties and musical presentations. Other popular activities are basketball, family history conferences, youth and singles conferences, dances and various personal improvement classes. Church members may also reserve the building for personal or family use, to accommodate such events as music recitals, family reunions, weddings and receptions, birthdays, or funerals.

Media community

The culture has created substantial business opportunities for LDS media. The largest of these communities are LDS cinema, and LDS Fiction, LDS websites, and LDS graphical art like photography and paintings. The church owns a chain of bookstores called Deseret Book which provide an avenue for much of this media to be sold. This culture also resides outside of heavily Mormon populations and many LDS bookstores exist near many temples where many members commonly visit. Some of the titles that have become popular outside of the LDS community are "The Work and the Glory" series of novels, and "The Other Side of Heaven" movie. There are a number of titles that have become huge successes within the LDS community. These titles generally elaborate on LDS culture or historical fiction in some manner.

Criticism

Main article: Criticism of Mormonism

People have been critical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for multiple reasons. Some common criticisms include the church's historical involvement in polygamy, the church's teachings on God, and the church's former ban on blacks receiving the priesthood.

LDS Standard Works

See also

• Criticism of Mormonism
• Mormonism and Christianity
• Latter Day Saint
• Latter Day Saint movement
• Mormon
• Mormonism
• Jesus in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Book of Mormon
• General authority
• Blacks and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Homosexuality and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Animals and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

References

• Newell, Coke (2001-05-04). Latter Days: An Insider's Guide to Mormonism, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0312280432. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Ostlink, Richard (2000-10-01). Mormon America: The Power and the Promise (1st ed.). HarperSanFrancisco. ISBN 0060663723. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Riess, Jana (2005-02-25). Mormonism For Dummies. For Dummies. ISBN 0764571958. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Shipps, Jan (1987-01-01). Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252014170. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Shipps, Jan (2000-12-09). Sojourner in the Promised Land: Forty Years Among the Mormons. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252025903. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Williams, Drew (2003-06-03). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Mormonism. Alpha. ISBN 0028644913. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

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
• 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

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
• GrupoSUD.com - A large general interest Spanish-language discussion group for LDS Church members.
• The LDS Woman - Free online social network and magazine for LDS women.
• Mormonism Search - Search Mormon Web Sites - Browser Plugin Available

Music

• Church Music - official website
• Mormon Tabernacle Choir - official website
• Music and the Spoken Word - official website
• Saints Unified Voices
• HymnWiki - a wiki for hymns, with a large focus on LDS content (hymns of all faiths are welcome).
• Liahona.net - free LDS-type music in MP3 format.

Criticism

• CARM.ORG - Well known Christian aplogetics website

Academic forums

• FARMS - Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (BYU)
• FAIR - Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research
• Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - An independent quarterly covering history, religion, science and social issues.
• The Mormon History Association
• The Mormons - Frontline + American Experience four hour PBS documentary aired April 30-May 1, 2007
• Mormon Transhumanist Association - Mormon Perspectives on Science and Technology

Main branches of the Latter Day Saint movement

William Bickerton: The Church of Jesus Christ

Sidney Rigdon: "Rigdonites"

Granville Hedrick: Church of Christ (Temple Lot)

Joseph Smith III: Community of Christ

James Strang:

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Brigham Young

Fundamentalist Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Joseph Smith