Restoration Church of Jesus Christ

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The Restoration Church of Jesus Christ was founded in Los Angeles, California by Antonio A. Feliz and some members of Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons in 1985. It was established primarily to serve the spiritual needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersexual former Mormons.

1 History
2 Scripture
3 Beliefs and practices
4 Membership
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

The church was founded on 23 August 1985 by Antonio A. Feliz, a former bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who had been excommunicated for homosexual acts. Feliz had also served as the Director of Church Welfare for what was then called the Andean Region (now called the South America West Area) of the LDS Church during the 1970s. The Restoration Church of Jesus Christ is sometimes called the Gay Mormon Church due to its overwhelmingly homosexual membership, although people of any sexual orientation are welcome to join. The RCJC is also called the Liberal Mormon Church.^{[citation needed]}

Antonio A. Feliz originally named the church the Church of Jesus Christ of All Latter Day Saints, but when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints allegedly informed him of their intent to sue, he changed the name to the Restoration Church of Jesus Christ.^{[citation needed]}

At a church conference in Sacramento, California, in May 1987, Feliz resigned as president. He was succeeded by Robert A. McIntier, an engineer, who is the current president of the church (as of 2007).

[edit] Scripture

The scriptures of the church are the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants (Both the LDS and Community of Christ versions), the Pearl of Great Price, and a book called The Hidden Treasures and Promises, which members say consists of revelations given through the president of the church and other leaders.

[edit] Beliefs and practices

In the RCJC, women may hold the priesthood. The Heavenly Mother is regarded as an equal member of the Godhead along with the Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. The "Heavenly Parents" (i.e., the Heavenly Father and the Heavenly Mother) are worshiped in prayer (in the name of Jesus Christ). The priesthood leaders of the church are called general officers as in the Community of Christ, not general authorities as in the LDS Church.

The church practices endowments, the law of adoption, and celestial marriage. In addition to heterosexual marriage the church also embraces homosexual marriage. All marriages are performed in members' homes, until such time as the church is able to construct a Temple.

[edit] Membership

The total membership of the church is about 500 on the rolls and perhaps 50 active members. It has one family (ward) in Salt Lake City, Utah. There are members on the rolls in Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, but these areas in California have not yet been organized into "families" (wards).

[edit] See also

Secret Gospel of Mark

[edit] References

Feliz, Antonio A. Out of the Bishop’s Closet San Francisco:1988 Alamo Square Press
Quinn, Michael D. Same-Sex Dynamics Among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example University of Illinois Press, 1996