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101-644: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church , is the largest Latter Day Saint denomination . Founded by Joseph Smith during the Second Great Awakening , the church is headquartered in Salt Lake City , Utah, and has established congregations and built temples worldwide. According to the church, as of 2023, it has over 17.2 million members of which over 6.8 million live in
202-495: A general apostasy and maintains that it is a restoration of 1st-century Christianity and the only true and authorized Christian church. Church leaders assert it is the only true church and that other churches do not have the authority to act in Jesus' name. This, the refutation of the authority of all other Christian churches, is a doctrine common to almost all Christian churches. The church's cosmology and plan of salvation include
303-520: A washing and anointing , culminating in the clothing of the patron in a " Garment of the Holy Priesthood ", which is thereafter worn as an undergarment. The instructional and testing phase of the endowment consisted of a scripted reenactment of Adam and Eve 's experience in the Garden of Eden (performed by live actors called officiators; in the mid-20th century certain portions were adapted to
404-530: A "house of God", or a temple . A revelation soon followed identifying the location of the temple in Kirtland, Ohio, and another revelation affirmed that in this building the Lord "design[ed] to endow those [he] had chosen with power on high". In a later revelation the Lord indicated that the elders were to be "endowed with power from on high; for [he had] prepared a greater endowment" than the 1831 endowment. Upon
505-528: A belief in the Bible, the divinity of Jesus , his atonement and resurrection , and a form of apostolic succession . Nevertheless, the LDS Church differs from other churches within contemporary Christianity in other ways. Differences between the LDS Church and most of traditional Christianity include disagreement about the nature of God, belief in a theory of human salvation that includes three heavens ,
606-542: A close friend, Judge James Adams of Springfield , Illinois . Throughout 1843 and 1844, Smith continued to initiate other men, as well as women, into the endowment ceremony. By the time of his death on June 27, 1844, more than 50 persons had been admitted into the Anointed Quorum , the name by which this group called themselves. The Nauvoo endowment consisted of two phases: (1) an initiation, and (2) an instructional and testing phase. The initiation consisted of
707-668: A common ancestry and basic beliefs that are different from groups sharing other provenances. The present article, in a similar fashion, distinguishes among groups of denominations by use of commonly understood names such as Mormon fundamentalist or else by short descriptions that often reference a founder of the first church within a factional group–for example, Joseph Smith III in reference to Community of Christ as well as various churches and factions that trace their origin to it. Joseph Smith's original church, and those bodies which broke with him during his lifetime. The original organization, founded by Joseph Smith in 1830, later called
808-549: A doctrine of exaltation which includes the ability of humans to become gods and goddesses in the afterlife , a belief in continuing revelation and an open scriptural canon, and unique ceremonies performed privately in temples, such as the endowment and sealing ceremonies. A number of major Christian denominations view the LDS Church as standing apart from creedal Christianity. However, church members self-identify as Christians. The faith itself views other modern Christian faiths as having departed from true Christianity by way of
909-415: A full tithe is a requirement, regardless of one's temporal circumstances. Members are also encouraged to fast (abstain from food and drink) on the first Sunday of each month for two consecutive meals. They donate at least the cost of the two skipped meals of the fast as a "fast offering", which the church uses to assist people in need and expand its humanitarian efforts . List of denominations in
1010-440: A number of solemn oaths or covenants such as an oath of consecration to the LDS Church. Also in the LDS Church's modern practices, completing the endowment ceremony is a prerequisite to both full-time missionary service and temple marriage . In order to enter a temple and participate in the endowment ceremony, church members must hold a current temple recommend . Although it was not generally referred to as an endowment at
1111-464: A portion of God's kingdom. According to LDS Church theology, men and women may be sealed to one another so that their marital bond continues into the eternities. Children may also be sealed to their biological or adoptive parents to form permanent familial bonds, thus allowing all immediate and extended family relations to endure past death. The most significant LDS ordinances may be performed via proxy in behalf of those who have died, such as baptism for
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#17327768618271212-529: A portion of their first endowments, or we might say more clearly, some of the first, or introductory, or initiatory ordinances, preparatory to an endowment. The preparatory ordinances there administered, though accompanied the ministration of angels, and the presence of the Lord Jesus, were but a faint similitude of the ordinances of the House of the Lord in their fulness. On May 3, 1842, Joseph Smith prepared
1313-588: A volunteer clergy at the local and regional levels; wards are led by bishops . Male members may be ordained to the priesthood , provided they are living the standards of the church. Women are not ordained to the priesthood but occupy leadership roles in some church organizations . Both men and women may serve as missionaries . The church maintains a large missionary program that proselytizes and conducts humanitarian services worldwide. The church also funds and participates in humanitarian projects independent of its missionary efforts. Joseph Smith formally organized
1414-633: Is believed to bind its participant to Jesus Christ, who saves them in their imperfection if they continually keep their promises to him. Baptism is performed by immersion, and is typically administered to children starting at age eight. Church members believe that through the ordinances of temple sealing and temple endowment , anyone can reach the highest level of salvation in the celestial kingdom and eternally live in God's presence, continue as families, become gods , create worlds, and make spirit children over whom they will govern. Other ordinances performed in
1515-471: Is by far the largest and most well-known Latter Day Saint church. It is colloquially referred to as the "Mormon Church". The Church prefers to be called by its full title or by the shorthand "Church of Jesus Christ" to emphasize its worship of Jesus Christ and to distance itself from the phrase "Mormon", which has derogatory origins. Churches that believe they are strictly following the revelations and teachings of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, including
1616-605: Is led by a president , who is considered a "prophet, seer, and revelator." Within the church, he is referred to as "the Prophet" or the "President of the Church." He is considered the only person who is authorized to receive revelation from God on behalf of the whole world or entire church. As such, the church teaches that he is essentially infallible when speaking on behalf of God—although the exact circumstances when his pronouncements should be considered authoritative are debated within
1717-747: The Bear River Massacre , and the Black Hawk War . After Young's death in 1877, he was followed in the church presidency by John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff successively, who resisted efforts by the United States Congress to outlaw Mormon polygamous marriages. In 1878, the United States Supreme Court, in Reynolds v. United States , decreed that "religious duty" to engage in plural marriage
1818-649: The Church of the Latter-Day Saints and then The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . Other small churches formed on the basis of disagreements with Smith prior to his murder in 1844 (including church established by William Law within 1844), all of which are now defunct. Sometimes called "Rocky Mountain Saints," "Brighamites," or "Mormons", tracing their leadership or influence through Brigham Young . The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1919-481: The Great Depression , the church also began operating a church welfare system, and it has conducted humanitarian efforts in cooperation with other religious organizations such as Catholic Relief Services , as well as secular organizations like Care International . The church supported its members serving in the armed forces during World Wars I and II, both in the U.S. and internationally. From 1913 to 2020
2020-664: The High Priesthood in 1831, events and rituals occurring in the Kirtland Temple in the mid-1830s, and an elaborate ritual performed in the Nauvoo Temple in the 1840s. The term endowment has the most significance to adherents of the Latter Day Saint branch known as Mormonism , including most prominently the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which practices a form of
2121-539: The Holy Spirit endowed upon confirmation. While Rigdon believed the teachings of the early Mormon missionaries who converted him, he thought the missionaries were lacking in heavenly power. In January 1831, Smith issued a revelation where he wrote that after Mormons relocated to Kirtland, Ohio , they would "be endowed with power from on high" and "sent forth". Smith reiterated this in February 1831, stating that
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#17327768618272222-561: The Midwest and East. These terms do not necessarily relate the current geographical locations of all denominations within those two groupings, but rather the original location of their respective parent organizations, which may be seen in the table below. Another method uses provenance: for instance, all denominations that ultimately trace their history back to the LDS Church based in Utah, are organized as one factional group. Divergent Paths of
2323-633: The Mormon pioneers , westward to Nebraska and then in 1847 on to what later became the Utah Territory , which at the time had been part of the lands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone nations, and claimed by Mexico until 1848 . Around 80,000 settlers arrived between 1847 and 1869, who then branched out and colonized a large region now known as the Mormon Corridor . Meanwhile, efforts to globalize
2424-569: The Mountain Meadows massacre , in which leaders of a local Mormon militia ordered the massacre of a civilian emigrant party who was traveling through Utah during the escalating military tensions. After the massacre was discovered, the church became the target of significant media criticism for it. After the Army withdrew, Young agreed to step down from power and be replaced by a non-Mormon territorial governor, Alfred Cumming . Nevertheless,
2525-486: The Nauvoo endowment . The Nauvoo endowment ceremony, introduced by Joseph Smith and codified by Mormon leader Brigham Young , consisted of symbolic acts and covenants designed to prepare participants to officiate in priesthood ordinances, and to give them the keywords and tokens they need to pass by angels guarding the way to heaven. In the LDS Church's modern practices, the endowment ceremony directs new participants to take
2626-697: The New Jerusalem in North America, called Zion . In 1831, the church moved to Kirtland, Ohio , and began establishing an outpost in Jackson County, Missouri , where Smith planned to eventually move the church headquarters. However, in 1833, Missouri settlers violently expelled the Latter Day Saints from Jackson County . The church attempted to recover the land through a paramilitary expedition , but did not succeed. Nevertheless,
2727-646: The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the church. Other splinter groups followed other leaders around this time. These groups have no affiliation with the LDS Church, however they share a common heritage in their early church history. Collectively, they are called the Latter Day Saint movement. The largest of these smaller groups is the Community of Christ , based in Independence, Missouri , followed by
2828-572: The primitive Church of Christ. This restoration is associated with a number of events which are understood to have been necessary to re-establish the early Christian church found in the New Testament , and to prepare the earth for the Second Coming of Jesus. In particular, Latter-day Saints believe that angels appeared to Joseph Smith and a limited number of his associates, and bestowed various priesthood authorities on them. The church
2929-465: The resurrection of Jesus . On June 27, 1844, Smith and his brother, Hyrum , were killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois , while being held on charges of treason. Because Hyrum was Joseph's designated successor, their deaths caused a succession crisis , and Brigham Young assumed leadership over a majority of the church's membership. Young had been a close associate of Smith's and was the president of
3030-481: The "elders of the church Smith reaffirmed that the faithful members would "be taught from on high" and "endowed with power", and that God would call the elders of the church together in Kirtland in a general conference and "pour out [his] Spirit upon them in that day they assemble themselves together". In a revelation given to an individual, Smith assured the man that "at the conference meeting he [would] be ordained unto power from on high". This general conference of
3131-531: The Bible , and other works believed to be written by ancient prophets, including the Book of Mormon. Members adhere to church laws of sexual purity , health , fasting , and Sabbath observance , and contribute ten percent of their income to the church in tithing . The church teaches ordinances through which adherents make covenants with God, including baptism , confirmation , the sacrament , priesthood ordination, endowment and celestial marriage . Members of
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3232-405: The Church distances itself from them. During the 20th century, the church grew substantially and became an international organization. In 2000, the church reported over 60,000 missionaries and global church membership stood at just over 11 million. Nominal worldwide membership surpassed 16 million in 2018. Slightly under half of church membership lives within the U.S. Academics have called
3333-713: The Church of Jesus Christ , based in Monongahela, Pennsylvania . Like the LDS Church, these faiths believe in Joseph Smith as a prophet and founder of their religion. They also accept the Book of Mormon, and most accept at least some version of the Doctrine and Covenants . However, they tend to disagree to varying degrees with the LDS Church concerning doctrine and church leadership. For two years after Smith's death, conflicts escalated between Mormons and other Illinois residents. Brigham Young led his followers, later called
3434-639: The Father and his son, Jesus Christ, are separate beings with bodies of flesh and bone, while the Holy Ghost lacks such a physical body. According to statements by church leaders, God sits at the head of the human family and is married to a Heavenly Mother , who is the mother of human spirits. However, church leaders have also categorically discouraged prayers to her and counseled against speculation regarding her. Church members believe in Jesus Christ as
3535-417: The Father, thus allowing the children of God to become divine beings—that is, gods—themselves. This view on the doctrine of theosis is also referred to as becoming a "joint-heir with Christ". The process by which this is accomplished is called exaltation, a doctrine which includes the reunification of the mortal family after the resurrection and the ability to have spirit children in the afterlife and inherit
3636-469: The LDS Church still wielded significant political power in the Utah Territory. Coterminously, tensions between Mormon settlers and Indigenous tribes continued to escalate as settlers began colonizing a growing area of tribal lands. While Mormons and Indigenous peoples made attempts at peaceful coexistence, skirmishes ensued from about 1849 to 1873 culminating in the armed conflicts of Walkara's War ,
3737-515: The Latter Day Saint movement The denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement are sometimes collectively referred to as Mormonism . One source estimated over 400 denominations have sprung from founder Joseph Smith 's original movement. Mormon is an informal term used especially when referring to the largest Latter Day Saint denomination, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and other offshoots in
3838-471: The Lord had revealed to him, to allow righteous people to become gods in the afterlife, and a secular institution to govern the Millennial kingdom. He also introduced the church to a full accounting of his First Vision , in which he claimed that two heavenly "personages" appeared to him at age 14. This vision would come to be regarded by the LDS Church as the most important event in human history since
3939-787: The Missouri settlers. Believing the Latter Day Saints to be an insurrection, the Missouri governor ordered that they be " exterminated or driven from the State ". In 1839, the Latter Day Saints converted a swampland on the banks of the Mississippi River into Nauvoo, Illinois , which became the church's new headquarters. Nauvoo grew rapidly as missionaries sent to Europe and elsewhere gained new converts who flooded into Nauvoo. Meanwhile, Smith introduced polygamy to his closest associates. He also established ceremonies , which he stated
4040-659: The Mormons largely abandoned Kirtland and its temple in 1838-39 and moved west. As Smith's theology expanded during the 1840s, the Kirtland endowment was superseded by the Nauvoo endowment. Mormons looked back upon the Kirtland Temple rituals with the authority bestowed by the three prophets as preparatory to the greater endowment revealed at Nauvoo. This was certainly the view of Brigham Young, who said: And those first Elders who helped to build it [Kirtland Temple], received
4141-633: The Restoration —a reference work on this subject—follows this approach. In such studies, and in general Latter Day Saint parlance, the -ite -suffixed terms Josephite and Brighamite have been used for the Missouri-based Community of Christ and the Utah-based LDS Church, respectively; these terms have sometimes been used to distinguish groups of denominations as well. Those denominations within each group share
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4242-598: The Sunday School and Young Men. The church and its members consider marriage and family highly important, with emphasis placed on large, nuclear families. In 1995, the church's First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve issued " The Family: A Proclamation to the World ", which asserts the importance of a heterosexual, nuclear family. The proclamation defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman and stated that
4343-418: The U.S . The church also reports over 99,000 volunteer missionaries and 350 temples . The church was founded as the Church of Christ in western New York , in 1830 by Smith. Under his leadership, the church's headquarters moved successively to Ohio , Missouri , and Illinois . After Smith's 1844 death and a resultant succession crisis , the majority of his followers sided with Brigham Young , who led
4444-674: The [historical] RLDS Church, in a direct line of succession from those who dissented following doctrinal changes roughly coinciding with the church's name change to Community of Christ. The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) and related churches tracing their leadership through Granville Hedrick . Churches tracing their leadership through Sidney Rigdon or William Bickerton . The Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite) and related churches tracing their leadership through Alpheus Cutler . The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) and related churches tracing their leadership through James Strang . Other "Prairie Saint" branches of
4545-432: The appearance of Jesus to them in the Kirtland Temple, and his acceptance of the building as his house. This was followed by the appearance of three prophets : Moses , Elias, and Elijah , each of whom bestowed additional temple-related authority on the two men. Initially, Smith intended the Kirtland endowment to become an annual affair; he administered the same ceremonies again in 1837. However, because of persecution
4646-631: The belief in a Godhead composed of God the Father , his son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost as three separate persons who share a unity of purpose or will; however, they are viewed as three distinct beings. This is in contrast with the predominant Christian view, which holds that God is a Trinity of three distinct persons in one essence . The Latter-day Saint conception of the Godhead is similar to what contemporary Christian theologians call social trinitarianism . The church also believes that God
4747-458: The belief that their leader was inspired to restore a new religious tradition in the mold of Joseph Smith Those churches rejecting Brigham Young's leadership, in favor of some other claimant. These adherents are occasionally referred to, collectively, as "Prairie Saints." The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and related churches tracing their leadership through Joseph Smith III . Members consider themselves members of
4848-568: The church as a whole, individual members of the church believe that they can also receive personal revelation from God in conducting their lives, and in revealing truth to them, especially about spiritual matters. Generally, this is said to occur through thoughts and feelings from the Holy Ghost , in response to prayer . Similarly, the church teaches its members may receive individual guidance and counsel from God through blessings from priesthood holders. In particular, patriarchal blessings are considered special blessings that are received only once in
4949-412: The church as the Church of Christ , on April 6, 1830, in western New York ; the church's name was later changed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Initial converts were drawn to the church in part because of the newly published Book of Mormon , a self-described chronicle of Indigenous American prophets that Smith said he had translated from golden plates . Smith intended to establish
5050-558: The church began in earnest around this time, with missionaries being sent off to the Sandwich Islands (present-day Hawaii ), India , Chile , Australia , China , South Africa , and all over Europe. Young incorporated the LDS Church as a legal entity, and initially governed both the church and the state as a theocratic leader. He also publicized the practice of plural marriage in 1852. Modern research suggests that around 20 percent of Mormon families may have participated in
5151-778: The church consist of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, first two Quorums of Seventy and the Presiding Bishopric . And under the leadership of the general officers are five organizations: the Relief Society , Sunday School , Young Women , Young Men , and Primary . Women serve as presidents and counselors in the presidencies of the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary, while men serve as presidents and counselors of
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#17327768618275252-483: The church flourished in Kirtland as Smith published new revelations and the church built the Kirtland Temple , culminating in a dedication of the building similar to the day of Pentecost . The Kirtland era ended in 1838, after a financial scandal rocked the church and caused widespread defections. Smith regrouped with the remaining church in Far West, Missouri , but tensions soon escalated into violent conflicts with
5353-542: The church has responded to various challenges to its doctrine and authority. Challenges have included rising secularization , challenges to the correctness of the translation of the Book of Abraham , and primary documents forged by Mark Hofmann purporting to contradict important aspects of official early church history. The church's positions regarding women , Black people , and homosexuality have all been publicly criticized during this timeframe. LDS Church theology includes
5454-517: The church include confirmation , the sacrament (analogous to the Eucharist or holy communion), and priesthood ordination. The LDS Church asks its members to adhere to a dietary code called the Word of Wisdom, in which they abstain from the consumption of alcohol, coffee, tea, tobacco, and illicit or harmful substances. The Word of Wisdom also encourages the consumption of herbs and grains along with
5555-418: The church itself. The physical establishment of the church by Smith in 1830 is seen as simply the reestablishment of the same primitive church that existed under Jesus and his Apostles. Similarly, the church teaches that Jesus leads the church presently through its apostles and prophets, especially its current president. The LDS Church shares various teachings with other branches of Christianity. These include
5656-417: The church teaches this atonement began in the garden of Gethsemane and continued to his crucifixion (rather than the orthodox belief that the crucifixion alone was the physical atonement). The church also teaches that Jesus appeared to other peoples after his death, including spirits of the dead in the spirit world, and Indigenous Americans. The church also teaches that Jesus is the true founder and leader of
5757-545: The church to be distinct and separate from mainstream Christianity . The church has an open canon of four scriptural texts : the Holy Bible , the Book of Mormon , the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C), and the Pearl of Great Price . Other than the Bible, the majority of the church canon consists of material the church's members believe to have been revealed by God to Joseph Smith, including texts described as lost parts of
5858-558: The church to its current headquarters in Salt Lake City. Young and his successors continued the church's growth, first throughout the Intermountain West , and more recently as a national and international organization. The church has been criticized throughout its history. Modern criticism includes disputes over the church's historical claims, treatment of minorities, and finances . The church's practice of polygamy
5959-575: The church was a major sponsor of Scouting programs for boys, particularly in the United States. The LDS Church was the largest chartered organization in the Boy Scouts of America , but in 2020, the church ended its relationship with the BSA and began an alternate, religion-centered youth program, which replaced all other youth programs. During the second half of the 20th century and early 21st,
6060-507: The church was held from June 3 to June 6, 1831, in which a number of men were ordained to the "High" or "Melchizedek" Priesthood for the first time, which ordination "consisted [of] the endowment--it being a new order--and bestowed authority". Later that year, an early convert who had left the church claimed that many of the Saints "have been ordained to the High Priesthood, or the order of Melchizedek; and profess to be endowed with
6161-569: The church's canon, is believed to be the word of God—subject to an acknowledgment that its translation may be incorrect, or that authoritative sections may have been lost over the centuries. Most often, the church uses the Authorized King James Version . Two extended portions of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible have been canonized and are thus considered authoritative. Additionally, over 600 of
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#17327768618276262-526: The church's elders could be "endowed with power from on high". At the beginning, the school was "accompanied by a pentecostal outpouring, including speaking in tongues, prophesying and 'many manifestations of the holy spirit'". It included a new Latter Day Saint ordinance of foot washing . A year and a half after the June 1831 endowment, Smith said he received a revelation in December 1832 to prepare to build
6363-418: The church, known as Latter-day Saints or informally as Mormons , believe that the church president is a modern-day " prophet, seer, and revelator " and that Jesus Christ, under the direction of God the Father , leads the church by revealing his will and delegating his priesthood keys to its president. The president heads a hierarchical structure descending from areas to stakes and wards . The church has
6464-474: The church. In any case, modern declarations with broad doctrinal implications are often issued by joint statement of the First Presidency ; they may be joined by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as well. Church members believe Joseph Smith was the first modern-day prophet. Normally, the Prophet and two other ordained apostles he chooses as counselors form the First Presidency, the presiding body of
6565-523: The church; twelve other apostles form the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. When a president dies, his successor is chosen from the remaining apostles, and is invariably the longest-tenured of the group. Apostles are chosen by the church president after the death of an existing apostle. Following the death of church president Thomas S. Monson on January 2, 2018, senior apostle Russell M. Nelson was announced as president on January 16. The general authorities of
6666-493: The completion of the Kirtland Temple after three years of construction (1833–36), the elders of the church gathered for this second promised endowment in early 1836. The Kirtland Temple endowment ceremonies were patterned after Old Testament sacerdotal practices. They consisted of preparatory washings, administered in private homes, in which men washed and purified their bodies with water and alcohol Kirtland Elders' Quorum Record 1836-1841 , 25 January 1836, archived from
6767-439: The dead . The church teaches that all will have the opportunity to hear and accept or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ, either in this life or the next. Within church cosmology, the fall of Adam and Eve is seen positively. The church teaches that it was essential to allow humankind to experience separation from God, to exercise full agency in making decisions for their own happiness. The LDS Church teaches that, subsequent to
6868-436: The death of Jesus and his original apostles, his church, along with the authority to act in Jesus Christ's name and the church's attendant spiritual gifts, were lost , due to a combination of external persecutions and internal heresies. The "Restoration"—as begun by Joseph Smith and embodied in the church itself—refers to a return of the authentic priesthood power, spiritual gifts , ordinances, living prophets and revelation of
6969-462: The denomination a Restorationist church, a new religious movement , and a potential world religion . The church has become a strong proponent of the nuclear family and at times played a prominent role in political matters, including opposition to MX Peacekeeper missile bases in Utah and Nevada , the Equal Rights Amendment , legalized gambling, same-sex marriage , and physician-assisted death . A number of official changes have taken place to
7070-399: The doctrines of a pre-existence , an earthly mortal existence, three degrees of heaven and exaltation. According to these doctrines, every human spirit is a spiritual child of a Heavenly Father and each has the potential to continue to learn, grow, and progress in the eternities, eventually achieving eternal life, which is to become one with God in the same way that Jesus Christ is one with
7171-472: The endowment was a solemn assembly, held on March 30, in which the men partook of the sacrament and then washed each other's feet. Those present spent the rest of the day and night prophesying, speaking in tongues, testifying and exhorting each other. To those present it was a "day of Pentecost ". Indeed, Smith told the solemn assembly that they could now "go forth and build up the kingdom of God". On April 3, 1836, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery recounted
7272-566: The faith's canon of four religious texts, called the " standard works ". Included in the standard works are the Bible , the Book of Mormon, the D&;C and the Pearl of Great Price . The Book of Mormon is a foundational sacred book for the church; the terms "Mormon" and "Mormonism" come from the book itself. The LDS Church teaches that the Angel Moroni told Smith about golden plates containing
7373-543: The family unit is "central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children." The document further says that " gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal , mortal, and eternal identity and purpose," that the father and mother have differing roles as "equal partners" in raising children, that "children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony", and that successful marriages and happy families are most likely established when founded upon
7474-507: The forbidding of coffee, tea, tobacco, and alcohol, but not the other guidelines concerning meat, grains, and herbs. In 2019, the church further clarified through its New Era magazine that the usage of marijuana and opioids is prohibited except as prescribed by a competent physician for medical purposes. Church members are expected to follow a moral code called the law of chastity, which prohibits adultery , homosexual behavior, and sexual relations before or outside of marriage. As part of
7575-465: The founder of the Latter Day Saint movement , was in early 1831, some days after Smith was joined in his ministry by Sidney Rigdon , a newly converted Campbellite minister from Ohio . Rigdon's congregation also was converted to Smith's Church of Christ . Rigdon had apparently disagreed with the Campbellites in that he believed in a Pentecostal endowment of power beyond the abiding presence of
7676-488: The large number of Latter Day Saint churches and their differing backgrounds, categorizing them can be difficult. In the field of Mormon studies , terms such as Rocky Mountain Saints are sometimes used for those denominations headquartered in the American West and Prairie Saints for those denominations that formed in and around Nauvoo, Illinois ; Voree, Wisconsin ; Independence, Missouri ; and other locations in
7777-430: The law of chastity, the church strongly opposes pornography, and considers masturbation an immoral act. Law of chastity violations can be grounds for church discipline ; resulting penalties may include having access to the temple and sacrament revoked, as well as excommunication. The church discourages romantic dating until around the age of 16. Church members are expected to donate one-tenth of their income to support
7878-468: The literal Son of God and Messiah , his crucifixion as a conclusion of a sin offering , and his subsequent resurrection . However, Latter-day Saints reject the ecumenical creeds and the definition of the Trinity . Jesus is also seen as the elder brother of all who live in this world. The church teaches that Jesus performed a substitutionary atonement ; in contrast with other Christian denominations,
7979-444: The moderate consumption of meat. When Joseph Smith published the Word of Wisdom in 1833, it was considered only advice; violation did not restrict church membership. During the 1890s, though, church leaders started emphasizing the Word of Wisdom more. In 1921, church president Heber J. Grant made obeying the Word of Wisdom a requirement to engage in worship inside of the faith's temples. From that time, church leadership has emphasized
8080-589: The more doctrinally significant verses from the translation are included as excerpts in the current LDS Church edition of the Bible. Other revelations from Smith are found in the D&C, and in the Pearl of Great Price. Another source of authoritative doctrine is the pronouncements of the current Apostles and members of the First Presidency. The church teaches that the First Presidency and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles are prophets and that they are therefore authorized teachers of God's word. In addition to doctrine given by
8181-432: The movement underwent a leadership crisis which led to a schism within the church. The largest group followed Brigham Young and settled in what became the Utah Territory and is now the Utah-based LDS Church. The second-largest faction, Community of Christ, coalesced around Joseph Smith III , eldest son of Joseph Smith. Other would-be leaders included the senior surviving member of the First Presidency , Sidney Rigdon ;
8282-532: The movement, such as the Church of Christ (Whitmerite) , none of which is known to be extant. Those denominations which originated independent from other organizations and do not trace their doctrinal or priesthood lineage to any 19th-century Latter Day Saint factions, but still hold Latter Day Saint beliefs. * ^ Membership worldwide; generally church-reported; with an occasional exception ^ Once larger Endowment (Latter Day Saints) In
8383-483: The movement. Groups opposed to the use of the term Mormon such as the LDS Church consider it to be connected to the polygamy once practiced by the Utah church, or to pejoratives used against early adherents of the movement. The Latter Day Saint movement includes: Although a few small factions broke with Smith's organization during his lifetime, he retained the allegiance of the vast majority of Latter Day Saints until his death in June 1844. Following Smith's death,
8484-500: The newly baptized James Strang from Wisconsin; and Alpheus Cutler , one of the Council of Fifty . Each of these men still retains a following as of 2014—however tiny it may be in some cases—and all of their organizations have undergone further schisms. Other claimants, such as Granville Hedrick , William Bickerton , and Charles B. Thompson , later emerged to start still other factions, some of which have further subdivided. Given
8585-730: The operations of the church. After initially relying on a communal lifestyle known as the law of consecration throughout most of the 1830s, the church created the law of tithing in July 1838 when the membership was concentrated in Missouri . Church members would frequently tithe by giving ten percent of their livestock and produce; nowadays donations are generally done with money. Annual donations were estimated to total $ 7 billion to $ 33 billion USD donated in 2012 (equivalent to $ 9.3 billion to $ 43.8 billion in 2023). To qualify for participation in temple ordinances (which Latter-day Saints believe are necessary for their salvation), paying
8686-434: The organization during the modern era. In 1978, the church reversed its previous policy of excluding Black men of African descent from the priesthood, which had been in place since 1852; members of all races can now be ordained to the priesthood. Also, since the early 1900s, the church has instituted a Priesthood Correlation Program to centralize church operations and bring them under a hierarchy of priesthood leaders. During
8787-481: The original on 4 July 2008 , retrieved 5 January 2010 . After this, they gathered in the temple where they were anointed with specially consecrated oil and with blessings pronounced upon their heads by Smith and other church leaders. The men's anointings were sealed with uplifted hands. Following these ceremonies many men reported participating in extraordinary spiritual experiences, such as seeing visions, speaking prophecies or receiving revelations. The culmination of
8888-549: The other Latter Day Saint endowments, confirmation has continued to coexist with later endowments as a separate Latter Day Saint ordinance . In the Community of Christ , formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the "endowment of the Holy Spirit" such as occurred on the day of Pentecost is the only recognized endowment. The first reference to an endowment by Joseph Smith ,
8989-527: The practice of plural marriage , which was discontinued by the LDS Church in the late-19th century after the Manifesto . The number of members is unknown. Originating in Independence, Missouri The defunct Godbeites and a few other small churches that broke with the LDS Church to pursue a more liberal, inclusive, or rationalist theology . Several small churches rooted in Mormonism; formed under
9090-467: The practice. By 1857, tensions had again escalated between Mormons and other Americans, largely as a result of accusations involving polygamy and the theocratic rule of the Utah Territory by Young. The Utah Mormon War ensued from 1857 to 1858, which resulted in the relatively peaceful invasion of Utah by the United States Army . The most notable instance of violence during this conflict was
9191-534: The present time. LDS Church members are encouraged to set aside one evening each week, typically Monday, to spend together in " Family Home Evening " (FHE), which typically consists of gathering as a family to study the faith's gospel principles, and other family activities. Daily family prayer is also encouraged. The theology of the LDS Church consists of a combination of biblical doctrines with modern revelations and other commentary by LDS leaders, particularly Joseph Smith. The most authoritative sources of theology are
9292-517: The recipient's life, which are recorded, transcribed, and archived. In the church, an ordinance is a sacred rite or ceremony that has spiritual and symbolic meanings, and acts as a means of conveying divine grace . Ordinances are physical acts which signify or symbolize an underlying spiritual act; for some ordinances, the spiritual act is the finalization of a covenant between the ordinance recipient and God . Ordinances are generally performed under priesthood authority. The ordinance of baptism
9393-550: The record, guided him to find them buried in the Hill Cumorah , and provided him the means of translating them from Reformed Egyptian . It claims to give a history of the inhabitants from a now-extinct society living on the American continent and their distinct Judeo-Christian teachings. The Book of Mormon is very important to modern Latter-day Saints, who consider it the world's most correct text. The Bible, also part of
9494-465: The same power as the ancient apostles were". In 1833, Joseph Smith established what he called a School of the Prophets , Although the events at this school were never specifically called an "endowment", it has been classified as such by scholars including Gregory A. Prince because of similarities with the 1831 and 1836 endowments, and the fact that part of the school's stated intention was so that
9595-694: The second floor of his Red Brick Store , in Nauvoo , Illinois , to represent "the interior of a temple as circumstances would permit". The next day, May 4, he introduced the Nauvoo endowment ceremony to nine associates: Associate President and Patriarch to the Church Hyrum Smith (Smith's brother); first counselor in the First Presidency , William Law ; three of the Twelve Apostles , Brigham Young , Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards ; Nauvoo stake president, William Marks ; two bishops , Newel K. Whitney and George Miller ; and
9696-512: The teachings of Jesus Christ. The proclamation also promotes specific roles essential to maintaining the strength of the family unit—the traditional roles of a husband and father as the family's breadwinner and those of a wife and mother as a nurturing caregiver. It concludes by inviting its audience to "promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society". Senior church leaders have continued to emphasize conservative teachings on marriage and gender to
9797-403: The theology of the Latter Day Saint movement , an endowment refers to a gift of "power from on high", typically associated with the ordinances performed in Latter Day Saint temples . The purpose and meaning of the endowment varied during the life of movement founder Joseph Smith . The term has referred to many such gifts of heavenly power, including the confirmation ritual, the institution of
9898-591: The time, in retrospect, Latter Day Saints have viewed the confirmation , first performed on April 6, 1830, and attendant outpourings of the spiritual gifts , as an early type of endowment. The term derives from the Authorized King James Version , referring to the spiritual gifts given the disciples of Jesus on the day of Pentecost , in which they were "endowed with power from on high". Subsequent to these early confirmations, Mormons exhibited what they viewed as spiritual gifts such as having visions, prophecy , gift of healing, gift of knowledge, gift of tongues. Unlike
9999-563: Was admitted as a U.S. state in 1896. Relations further improved after 1904, when church president Joseph F. Smith again disavowed polygamy before the United States Congress and issued a " Second Manifesto ", calling for all plural marriages in the church to cease. Eventually, the church adopted a policy of excommunicating its members found practicing polygamy. Some fundamentalist groups with relatively small memberships have broken off and continue to practice polygamy, but
10100-473: Was controversial until it was curtailed in 1890 and officially rescinded in 1904 . Church theology is restorationist and nontrinitarian ; the church strongly identifies as Christian including a belief in the doctrine of salvation through Jesus Christ and his substitutionary atonement on behalf of mankind. It is often included in the lists of larger Christian denominations , though some Catholics , mainline Protestants and Evangelicals have considered
10201-460: Was not a valid defense to prosecutions for violating state laws against polygamy. Conflict between Mormons and the U.S. government escalated to the point that, in 1890, Congress disincorporated the LDS Church and seized most of its assets. Soon thereafter, Woodruff issued a manifesto that officially suspended the performance of new polygamous marriages in the United States. Relations with the United States markedly improved after 1890, such that Utah
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