| Classification | Latter Day Saint movement |
|---|---|
| Theology | Nontrinitarian, Mormonism |
| Governance | Hierarchical |
| Leader | Thomas S. Monson |
| Geographical areas | 176 nations/territories |
| Founder | Joseph Smith, Jr. |
| Origin | April 6, 1830 Western New York, U.S. |
| Separations | LDS denominations |
| Congregations | 28,660[lower-roman 1] |
| Members | 14,131,467[lower-roman 1] |
| Missionaries | 52,225[lower-roman 1] |
| Temples | 134[lower-roman 1] |
| Aid organization | LDS Humanitarian Services |
| Tertiary institutions | 4[lower-roman 2] |
| Other name(s) | LDS Church, Mormon Church |
| Official website | www.lds.org |
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Notes
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS Church or, colloquially, the Mormon Church) is the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement, a Christian primitivist movement started by Joseph Smith during the American Second Great Awakening. The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has established congregations (called wards or branches) and built temples worldwide. With over 50,000 missionaries serving worldwide at any given time, the church currently claims a growing membership of over 14.1 million.[1] The church's predominant theology is Mormonism, the belief that the original doctrines and priesthood authority of Christ were restored.
The LDS Church considers itself to be a restoration of the church founded by Jesus Christ, which was later lost in the centuries after Christ in a Great Apostasy. Adherents, referred to as Latter-day Saints or, more informally, Mormons, view faith in Jesus Christ and the atonement as the central tenet of their religion.[2] LDS theology includes the Christian doctrine of salvation only through Jesus Christ,[3] though LDS doctrines regarding the nature of God and the potential of mankind differ significantly from mainstream Christianity. The church has an open canon which includes four scriptural texts:[4] the Bible (both Old and New Testaments), the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Other than the Bible, the majority of the LDS canon constitutes revelation dictated by Joseph Smith and includes commentary and exegesis about the Bible, texts described as lost parts of the Bible, and other works believed to be written by ancient prophets.
Under the doctrine of continuing revelation, Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus, under the direction of Heavenly Father, leads the church by revealing his will to its president, whom adherents regard as a modern-day "prophet, seer, and revelator." The current president is Thomas S. Monson. Individual members believe that they can also receive personal revelation from God in conducting their lives.[5] The president heads a hierarchical structure with various levels reaching down to local congregations. Bishops, drawn from the laity, lead local congregations. Worthy male members, after reaching age 12, may be ordained to the priesthood. Women do not hold positions within the priesthood but serve in an array of other leadership roles.[6]
Both men and women may serve as missionaries, and the church maintains a large missionary program which proselytizes and conducts humanitarian services worldwide. Faithful members adhere to laws regarding sexual purity, health, fasting, and Sabbath observance, and contribute 10 percent of their income to the church as a tithe. In addition, the church teaches sacred ordinances through which adherents make covenants with God, including baptism, confirmation, the sacrament (holy communion), and celestial marriage (marriage blessings which extend beyond mortality), which are of great significance to church members.[7]
Contents |
The history of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is typically divided into three broad time periods: (1) the early history during the lifetime of Joseph Smith, Jr. which is in common with all Latter Day Saint movement churches, (2) a "pioneer era" under the leadership of Brigham Young and his 19th century successors, and (3) a modern era beginning around the turn of the 20th century as Utah achieved statehood.
He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traces its current dispensation beginnings to Joseph Smith, Jr. on April 6, 1830 in Western New York.[9] 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 translated from golden plates.[10]
Smith intended to establish a New Jerusalem in North America, called Zion.[11] In 1831, the church moved to Kirtland, Ohio (the eastern boundary of Zion),[12] and began establishing an outpost in Jackson County, Missouri (Zion's "center place"),[13] where he planned to eventually move the church headquarters.[14] However, in 1833, Missouri settlers brutally expelled the Latter Day Saints from Jackson County,[15] and the church was unable via a paramilitary expedition to recover the land.[16] Nevertheless, the church flourished in Kirtland[17] as Smith published new revelations and the church built the Kirtland Temple as the site of what they viewed as a new Pentecost.[18] The Kirtland era ended in 1838, after a financial scandal rocked the church and caused widespread defections.[19] Smith regrouped with the remaining church in Far West, Missouri,[20] but tensions soon escalated into violent conflicts with the old Missouri settlers.[21] Believing the Saints to be in insurrection, the Missouri governor ordered that the Saints be "exterminated or driven from the State".[22] In 1839, the Saints converted a swampland on the banks of the Mississippi River into Nauvoo, Illinois, which became the church's new headquarters.[23]
Nauvoo grew rapidly as missionaries sent to Europe and elsewhere gained new converts who then flooded into Nauvoo.[24] Meanwhile, Smith introduced plural marriage to his closest associates.[25] He also established ceremonies, which he stated the Lord had revealed to him, to allow righteous people to become gods (joint heirs with Christ)[26][27] in the afterlife,[28] and a secular institution to govern the Millennial kingdom.[29] He also introduced the church to a full accounting of his First Vision, in which two heavenly "personages" (LDS interpret them to be God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ) appeared to him at age 14. Long after Smith's death, this vision would come to be regarded by the LDS Church as the most important event in human history after the resurrection of Jesus.[30]
On June 27, 1844, Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were murdered by a mob in Carthage, Illinois,[31] while being held on charges of treason.[32] Because Hyrum was Joseph's successor,[33] their deaths caused a succession crisis,[34] and Brigham Young assumed leadership over the majority of Saints.[35] Young had been a close associate of Smith's and was senior apostle of the Quorum of the Twelve.[36] Other splinter groups, excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, followed other leaders in their own interpretation of the Latter Day Saint movement.[37]
For two years after Smith's death, conflicts escalated between Mormons and other Illinois residents. To prevent war,[38] Joseph Smith had predicted that the church would go to the West and be established in the tops of Rocky Mountains. Brigham Young fulfilled that prophecy and led his followers, the Mormon pioneers constituting most of the Latter Day Saint movement, to Nebraska and then in 1847 to what became the Utah Territory.[39] As groups (over 60,000) arrived over a period of years, LDS settlers branched out and colonized a large region now known as the Mormon Corridor.
Young incorporated The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a legal entity, and initially governed both the church and the state as a theocratic leader. He also publicized the sacred practice of plural marriage,[40] a form of polygamy.
By 1857, tensions had again escalated between Mormons and other Americans, largely as a result of accusations involving polygamy and the theocratic rule of the Utah territory by Brigham Young.[41] The Utah Mormon War ensued from 1857 to 1858, which resulted in the relatively peaceful[42] invasion of Utah by the United States Army, after which Young agreed to step down from power and be replaced by a non-Mormon territorial governor, Alfred Cumming.[43] Nevertheless, the LDS Church still wielded significant political power in the Utah Territory.[44]
At Young's death in 1877, he was followed by other LDS Presidents, who resisted efforts by the United States Congress to outlaw Mormon polygamous marriages. In 1878, the United States Supreme Court, in Reynolds v. US, decreed that "religious duty" to engage in plural marriage 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 all its assets. Soon thereafter, church president Wilford Woodruff issued a Manifesto that officially suspended the practice.[45] Although this Manifesto did not yet dissolve existing plural marriages, and did not entirely stop the practice of polygamy, relations with the United States markedly improved after 1890, such that Utah was admitted as a U.S. state. Relations further improved after 1904, when church president Joseph F. Smith again disavowed polygamy before the United States Congress and issued a "Second Manifesto" calling for all plural marriages in the church to cease, as they were already against church doctrine since Woodruff issued the Manifesto. Eventually, the church adopted a policy of excommunicating its members found practicing polygamy and today seeks to actively distance itself from “fundamentalist” groups still practicing polygamy.[46]
During the 20th century, the church grew substantially and became an international organization, due in part to the spread of missionaries around the globe. In 2000, the church reported 60,784 missionaries[47] and global church membership stood at just over 11 million.[47] Worldwide membership surpassed 13 million in 2007[48] and reached 14 million in July 2010,[49] with about six million of those within the United States.[50] The church cautions against overemphasis of growth statistics for comparison with other churches because relevant factors—including activity rates and death rates, methodology used in registering or counting members, what factors constitute membership, and geographical variations—are rarely accounted for in the comparisons.[51]
The church has become a stronger and more public champion of the nuclear family and at times played a prominent role in political matters, including opposition to MX Peacekeeper missile bases in Utah and Nevada,[52] opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment,[53] opposition to legalized gambling,[54] opposition to same-sex marriage,[55] and opposition to legalized physician-assisted death.[56] Apart from issues that it considers to be ones of morality, however, the church usually maintains a position of political neutrality, but encourages its members to be politically active, to participate in elections, and to be knowledgeable about current political and social issues within their communities, states, and countries.[57]
A number of official changes have taken place to the organization during the modern era. One significant change was the ordination of men of black African descent (regardless of actual skin color) to the priesthood in 1978, which reversed a policy originally instituted by Brigham Young in 1852.[58] There are also periodic changes in the structure and organization of the church, mainly to accommodate the organization's growth and increasing international presence. For example, since the early 1900s, the church has instituted a Priesthood Correlation Program to centralize church operations and bring them under a hierarchy of priesthood leaders. During the Great Depression, the church also began operating a church welfare system, and it has conducted numerous humanitarian efforts in cooperation with other religious organizations.
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, Jr. The most authoritative sources of theology are the faith's canon of four religious texts, called the Standard Works. Included in the Standard Works are the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Among these books, the church holds in equal esteem as the other Standard Works the Book of Mormon, said by the church to be "Another Testament of Jesus Christ" that Joseph Smith translated from buried golden plates. The church characterizes the Book of Mormon as "the most correct of any book on earth and the keystone of [their] religion".[59]
The Bible, also part of the church's canon, is believed to be "the word of God as far as it is translated correctly".[60] Most often, the church uses the Authorized King James Version. Sometimes, however, parts of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible are considered authoritative. Some excerpts of Joseph Smith's translation have been included in the Pearl of Great Price, which also includes further translations by Smith and church historical items. Other historical items and revelations are found in the Doctrine and Covenants.
Another source of authoritative doctrine is the pronouncements of the current Apostles and members of the First Presidency. The church teaches that the First Presidency (the prophet and his counselors) and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles are prophets[61] and that their teachings are generally given under inspiration from God through the Holy Spirit. Members of the church acknowledge (sustain) them regularly as prophets, seers, and revelators—this is done publicly twice a year at the church's worldwide general conference broadcast.[61]
Several doctrines and practices of the LDS Church are unique within Christianity. For example, the Mormon cosmology and plan of salvation include the doctrines of a pre-mortal life, three degrees of heaven, and exaltation. According to these doctrines every human spirit is a literal child of Heavenly Father, and each has the potential to continue to learn, grow, and progress in the eternities, eventually achieving eternal life (which Latter-day Saints view as distinct from immortality), which is to become one with God in the same way that Jesus Christ is one with the Father, thus allowing the children of God to become humans divine beings or "gods" themselves.[62] Achieving this same status is also referred to as becoming a "joint-heir with Christ."[63] The process by which this is done 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 a portion of God's kingdom.[64] To obtain this state of godhood, the church teaches that one must have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of his or her sins, strive to keep the commandments faithfully, and participate in a sequence of ceremonial covenants called ordinances, which include baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and celestial marriage.[65][66]
This latter ordinance, known as a sealing ceremony, reflects a singular LDS view with respect to families. According to LDS Church theology, men and women may be "sealed" to one another so that their marital bond continues into the eternities.[67] 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.[68] The most significant LDS ordinances may be performed via proxy in behalf of those who have died, such as baptism for the dead. The church teaches that all will have the opportunity to hear and accept or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessings that come to those who faithfully adhere to it, in this life or the next. Ordinances such as baptisms for the dead, sealings, and endowments are performed in temples that are built and dedicated specifically for these purposes.
The LDS faithful also observe a health code called the "Word of Wisdom," in which they abstain from the consumption of alcoholic beverages, coffee, tea, and tobacco. The Word of Wisdom also encourages the use of wholesome herbs and fruits within season, moderate consumption of meat, and consumption of grains, as well as regular physical exercise.[69] Latter-day Saints also follow a moral code called the "law of chastity," which prohibits adultery, all homosexual behavior, and any sexual relations outside of marriage. In addition, LDS faithfuls donate a ten percent tithe on their annual income, which is used by the church to provide funds for missionary work and temple construction. Faithful members also set aside the first Sunday of each month to abstain from food and drink for at least two consecutive meals (24 hours) and donate at least the cost of the two skipped meals as a fast offering, which the church uses to assist the poor and needy by expanding its worldwide humanitarian efforts. Members are further instructed to set aside one night a week, typically Monday, for a "Family Home Evening," where they gather together as a family to study gospel principles and participate in wholesome activities.
The LDS Church expects all able-bodied male members to serve a two-year mission.[70] Prospective missionaries normally must be at least 19 years old and not more than 26 years old, not yet married, and must meet certain criteria for spiritual worthiness.[71] Unmarried women 21 years and older may also serve as missionaries, generally for a term of 18 months. However, the LDS Church emphasizes that women are not under the same expectation to serve as male members are, and may serve solely as a personal decision. Retired couples are encouraged to serve missions, and may serve for either 6-, 12-, 18-, or 23-month terms.[72] These senior missionaries often serve in non-proselyting capacities such as humanitarian aid workers or family history specialists.
In addition to a belief in the Bible ("as far as it is translated correctly"),[73] the divinity of Jesus, and his atonement and resurrection, other LDS teachings are shared with other branches of Christianity. For example, LDS theology includes belief in the doctrine of salvation through Jesus alone, restorationism[74] (via a Restoration of Christ's church given through Joseph Smith, Jr.), millennialism, continuationism, penal substitution,[75] and a form of Apostolic succession. The practices of baptism by immersion and the Eucharist (referred to as the Sacrament) are also held in common. However, most mainstream Christian groups will not accept a prior LDS baptism as evidence of Christian initiation, as they will between themselves; for example, between Catholics and Baptists.[76] The LDS Church does not accept as valid any baptisms besides those performed by the Church.
Nevertheless, the LDS Church differs from the many other churches within Christianity, and many people do not accept the LDS Church as part of Christianity.[77] The faith itself views other modern Christian faiths as having departed from true Christianity[78] via a general apostasy and that it is a restoration of 1st century Christianity and the only true and authorized Christian church.[79] Differences between the LDS Church and most of traditional Christianity include disagreement with aspects of the Nicene Creed, belief in a unique theory of human salvation that includes three heavens (referred to as "degrees of glory"),[80] a doctrine of "exaltation" which includes the ability of humans to become gods and goddesses in the afterlife,[81] a dietary code called the Word of Wisdom, and unique sacramental ceremonies performed privately in LDS temples, such as the Endowment and sealing ceremonies.
Officially, major Christian denominations view the LDS Church as standing apart from creedal Christianity,[82] a point the LDS Church itself does not dispute.[83] From the perspective of Christians who agree with creeds, the most significant area of departure is the rejection by the LDS Church of certain parts of ecumenical creeds such as the Nicene Creed, which defines the predominant view of the Christian God as a Trinity of three separate persons with "one substance". LDS Church theology includes the belief in a "Godhead" composed of God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost as three separate Persons who share a unity of Purpose or Will; however, they are viewed as three distinct Beings making one Godhead. Other significant differences relate to the church's acceptance of additional scripture, doctrine, and practices beyond what is found in the Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox versions of the Bible.
The LDS Church shares a common heritage with a number of smaller faith groups that are collectively called the Latter Day Saint movement. The largest of these smaller groups is the Community of Christ (previously known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), based in Independence, Missouri, followed by the Church of Jesus Christ, based in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. In common with the LDS Church, these faiths believe in Joseph Smith, Jr. as a prophet and founder of their religion. They also accept the Book of Mormon, and most, but not all, accept at least some version of the Doctrine and Covenants. However, they tend to disagree to varying degrees with the LDS Church on matters of doctrine and church leadership.
The main branches of the Latter Day Saint movement resulted from the crisis of succession upon the death of Joseph Smith, Jr. Other branches may be considered later off-shoots of the LDS Church branch, mainly as a result of disagreements about plural marriage. In the LDS Church, the practice of plural marriage was abandoned around the turn of the 20th century, but it has continued among the fundamentalist groups, who believe the practice is a requirement for exaltation. The LDS Church, by contrast, believes that a single celestial marriage is sufficient for exaltation. Fundamentalists also believe in a number of other doctrines taught and practiced by Brigham Young in the 19th century, which the LDS Church has either abandoned, repudiated, or put in abeyance; e.g., the church has long excommunicated any members caught practicing polygamy.
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,[84] and then in 1834, the name was officially changed to the Church of the Latter Day Saints.[85] In April 1838, the name was officially changed to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.[86] 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[87] under the name The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which included a hyphenated "Latter-day" and a lower-case "d".[88] In 1887, the LDS Church was legally dissolved in the United States by the Edmunds–Tucker Act because of the church's practice (now abandoned) of polygamy. The Edmunds-Tucker Act was repealed in 1978. The church has continued to operate under what remains its formal name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Accepted informal names include the LDS Church, the Latter-day Saints, and the Mormons. The term Mormon Church is in common use,[89] but the church began discouraging its use in the late 20th century, though takes no issue with the term Mormon itself. The church requests that the official name be used when possible or, if necessary, shortened to "the Church" or "the Church of Jesus Christ".[90]
The church has organized several tax-exempt corporations to assist with the transfer of money and capital. These include the Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized in 1916 under the laws of the state of Utah to acquire, hold, and dispose of real property. In 1923, the church incorporated the Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah to receive and manage money and church donations. In 1997, the church incorporated Intellectual Reserve, Inc. to hold all the church's copyrights, trademarks, and other intellectual property. The church also holds several non-tax-exempt corporations, such as Bonneville International and the Deseret News. See Finances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Church congregations are organized geographically. Members are generally expected to attend the congregation with their assigned geographical area; however, some geographical areas also provide separate congregations for single adults or for speakers of alternate languages. For Sunday services, the church is grouped into either larger (~200 to ~400 people) congregations known as wards, or smaller congregations known as branches. Although the building may sometimes be referred to as a chapel, the room used as a chapel for religious services is actually only one component of the standard meetinghouse, of which the church maintains a virtual tour of a typical example and also an online meetinghouse locator which can be used to find the locations and meeting times of its congregations all over the world. Regional church organizations larger than single congregations include stakes, missions, districts, areas, and regions.
| 2007 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life Survey[91] | Mormons (U.S.) | U.S. Avg. |
|---|---|---|
| Married | 71% | 54% |
| Divorced or separated | 9% | 12% |
| 3 or more children at home | 21% | 9% |
| Weekly (or more) Attendance at Religious Services | 76% | 39% |
The church reports a worldwide membership of over 14 million[92] 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.[93] The church membership report includes all baptized members and their children. Although the church does not release attendance figures to the public, researchers estimate that actual attendance at weekly LDS worship services globally is around 4 million.[94] Members living in the U.S. and Canada constitute 46% of membership, Latin America 38%, and members in the rest of the world 16%.[95] A survey by the City College of New York in 2001 extrapolated that there were 2,787,000 self-identified LDS adults in the United States in 2001, 1.3% of the US population, making the LDS Church the 10th-largest religious body in their phone survey of over 50,000 households.[96] The 2007 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, found 1.7% of the U.S. adult population self identified themselves as Mormon.[91]
The Church continues to seek recognition in regions where they have typically had little or no influence. On August 30, 2010, Church leaders announced that they were making significant progress on "regularized operations for the Church in China."[97]
For a list of notable Latter-day Saints, see List of Latter Day Saints.
The LDS Church is organized in a hierarchical priesthood structure administered by men. Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus leads the church through revelation and has chosen a single man, called "the Prophet" or President of the Church, as his spokesman on the earth. The current president is Thomas S. Monson. He and two counselors (who usually are ordained apostles) form the First Presidency, the presiding body of the church; twelve other apostles form the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.[98] When a president dies, his successor is invariably the most senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the one who has held an apostleship position the longest), who then reconstitutes a new First Presidency.[98] These men, and the other male members of the church-wide leadership (including the first two Quorums of Seventy and the Presiding Bishopric) are called general authorities. They exercise both ecclesiastical and administrative leadership over the church and direct the efforts of regional leaders down to the local level. General authorities and mission presidents work full-time and typically receive stipends from church funds or investments.[99]
At the local level, the church leadership are drawn from the laity and work on a part-time volunteer basis without stipend.[100] Like all members, they are asked to donate a tithe of 10 percent of their income to the church. An exception to that rule is for LDS missionaries who work at the local level and are paid basic living expenses from a fund that receives contributions from their home congregations; however, prospective missionaries are encouraged to contribute the cost of their missions to this fund themselves when possible. Members volunteer general custodial work for local church facilities.
All worthy males are generally considered for the priesthood and are ordained to the priesthood as early as age 12. Ordination occurs by a ceremony where hands are laid on the head of the one ordained. The priesthood is divided into an Aaronic priesthood for young men 12 and up and a Melchizedek Priesthood for men 18 and up.
Under the leadership of the priesthood hierarchy are five auxiliary organizations that fill various roles in the church: Relief Society (a women's organization),[101] the Young Men and Young Women organizations (for adolescents aged 12 to 18), Primary (an organization for children up to age 12), and Sunday School (which provides a variety of Sunday classes for adolescents and adults). The church also operates several programs and organizations in the fields of proselytizing, education, and church welfare such as LDS Humanitarian Services. Many of these auxiliaries and programs are coordinated by the Priesthood Correlation Program, which is designed to provide a systematic approach to maintain worldwide consistency, orthodoxy, and control of the church's ordinances, doctrines, organizations, meetings, materials, and other programs and activities.
The church operates a Church Educational System which includes Brigham Young University (BYU), BYU–Idaho (formerly Ricks College), BYU–Hawaii, the BYU Jerusalem Center, and LDS Business College. The church also operates Institutes of Religion and an LDS Student Association near the campuses of many colleges and universities. For high-school aged youth, the church operates a four-year Seminary program, which provides religious classes for students to supplement their secular education. The church also sponsors a low-interest educational loan program known as the Perpetual Education Fund, which provides educational opportunities to students from developing nations.
The church's welfare system, initiated during the Great Depression, provides aid to the poor. It is financed by fast offerings: monthly donations beyond the normal 10 percent tithe, which represents the cost of foregoing two meals on monthly Fast Sundays. Money from the program is used to operate Bishop's storehouses, which package and store food at low cost. Distribution of funds and food is administered by local bishops (congregational pastors). The church also distributes money through its LDS Philanthropies division to disaster victims worldwide.
Other church programs and departments include LDS Family Services, which provides assistance with adoption, marital and family counseling, psychotherapy, and addiction counseling; the LDS Church History Department, which collects church history and records; and the Family History Department, which administers the church's large family history efforts and operates the world's largest library dedicated to genealogical research.[102] The church is also a major sponsor of Scouting programs for boys, particularly in the United States, where it provides more members of the Boy Scouts of America than any other church.[103]
Although the church has not released church-wide financial statements since 1959, in 1997, Time magazine called it one of the world's wealthiest churches per capita.[104] In a June 2011 cover story, Newsweek magazine stated that the LDS church "resembles a sanctified multinational corporation—the General Electric of American religion, with global ambitions and an estimated net worth of $30 billion."[105] Its for-profit, non-profit, and educational subsidiary entities are audited by an independent accounting firm: as of 2007[update], Deloitte & Touche.[106][107] In addition, the church employs an independent audit department that provides its certification at each annual general conference that church contributions are collected and spent in accordance with church policy.[108]
The church receives significant funds from tithes (ten percent of a member's income) and fast offerings (money given to the church to assist individuals in need). According to the church, tithing and fast offering moneys collected are devoted to ecclesiastical purposes and not used in for-profit ventures.
The church has also invested in for-profit business and real estate ventures such as Bonneville International, Deseret Book Company, and cattle ranches in Utah, Florida, Nebraska, Canada and other locations. However, these ranches are split between Church Welfare Work (Bishops' Storehouse and Welfare Square) for which funds are used from tithing and are not for profit.
Due to the differences in lifestyle promoted by church doctrine and history, a distinct culture has grown up around members of the church. It is primarily concentrated in the Intermountain West, but as membership of the church spreads around the world, many of its more distinctive practices follow, such as adhering to the Word of Wisdom, a health law or code,[109] similar to Leviticus chapter 11 in the Bible, prohibiting the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, coffee and tea, and other addictive substances.[110] As a result of the Word of Wisdom, the culture in areas of the world with a high concentration of LDS tends to be reflected.[111][112]
Meetings and outreach programs are held regularly and have become part of Latter-day Saint culture.
In 1995, the church presidency issued "The Family: A Proclamation to the World", which stresses the importance of the family. The presidency proclaimed that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children." The document further explains that "gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose," that the father and mother have differing but equal roles in raising children, and that successful marriages and families, founded upon the teachings of Jesus Christ, can last eternally.[113] This document is widely cited by LDS members as a statement of principle.[114]
The adult women (members of the church's Relief Society) generally meet quarterly for additional instruction and service. The meetings may consist of a service project, conferences, or of various classes being offered.
After interviewing and polling thousands of youth across America, evangelical statistician Christian Smith writes, "... in general comparisons among major U.S. religious traditions using a variety of sociological measures of religious vitality and salience... it is Mormon teenagers who are sociologically faring the best."[115]
In addition to these regularly scheduled meetings, additional meetings are frequently held at the meetinghouse. Auxiliary officers may conduct leadership meetings or host training sessions and classes. The ward or branch community may schedule social activities at the meetinghouse, including dances, dinners, holiday parties and musical presentations. The church's Young Men's and Young Women's organizations (formerly known as the Mutual Improvement Association - MIA, or simply "Mutual") meet at the meetinghouse once a week, where the youth participate in activities and work on Duty to God, Scouting, or Personal Progress. Other popular activities are basketball, family history conferences, youth and singles conferences, dances, and various personal improvement classes. Church members may also reserve the building at no cost for weddings, receptions, and funerals.
| “ | No question the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is "having a moment" ... The Twilight vampire novels of Mormon Stephenie Meyer sell tens of millions of copies, Mormon convert Glenn Beck inspires daily devotion and outrage with his radio show, and HBO generated lots of attention with the Big Love finale. Even Broadway has gotten in on the act, giving us The Book of Mormon, a big-budget musical about Mormon missionaries by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Avenue Q writer Robert Lopez that, with 14 nominations, is expected to clean up at the (2011) Tony Awards on June 12. | ” |
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— Newsweek magazine, June 2011[105]
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The culture has created substantial business opportunities for independent LDS media. Such communities include cinema, fiction, websites, and graphical art like photography and paintings. The church owns a chain of bookstores called Deseret Book, which provide a channel through which publications are sold. Titles including The Work and the Glory and The Other Side of Heaven have found acceptance both within and outside the church; BYU TV, the church-sponsored television station, also airs on several networks. The church also produces six pageants annually depicting various events of the primitive and modern-day church. Its Easter pageant Jesus the Christ has been identified as the "largest annual outdoor Easter pageant in the world."[116]
Politically there are 15 Mormons in the current 112th United States Congress.[117] This includes six U.S. Senators: Harry Reid (D-Nevada), Dean Heller (R-Nevada), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Tom Udall (D-New Mexico); and nine U.S. Representatives: Rob Bishop (R-Utah), Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), Jeff Flake (R-Arizona), Wally Herger (R-California), Raul Labrador (R-Idaho), Jim Matheson (D-Utah), Buck McKeon (R-California), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), and Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa).[117] There is one Mormon State Governor, Gary Herbert of Utah.[117] Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, Jr. are both Mormon, and are vying for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.[118]
Officially, the current position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that they will take no partisan role in politics. This means a hands-off approach to candidate races like those of Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman, Jr. While the church takes an apolitical approach to the candidates themselves, it still actively works to counter anti-Mormonism that may come up during political campaigns. According to Michael Otterson, the LDS Church's managing director for public affairs, "We now have two Latter-day Saints running, and the potential for misunderstanding or missteps is therefore twice what it was before."[119] However, the official church stance on staying out of politics does not include what church leaders feel are moral issues, and it has not been hesitant to endorse such political stances.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is widely known for its worldwide humanitarian services. The church's extensive welfare system, LDS Philanthropies, is a branch of the Presiding Bishopric. Initiated during the Great Depression, it provides aid for the poor, financed by donations in the form of tithes from church members. It is responsible for philanthropic donations to the LDS Church and other affiliated charities, such as the Church History Library, Brigham Young University and the Church Educational System, the Perpetual Education Fund, the Polynesian Cultural Center, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and efforts dedicated to providing funds for LDS missionaries and temple construction.[120] Money from the program is also used to operate bishop's storehouses, which package and store food for the poor at low cost. Distribution of funds and food is administered by local bishops. These local storehouses distribute commodities to the needy as requested by local bishops on a "Bishop's Order for Commodities" form (referred to as a bishop's order). Bishop's storehouses also provide service opportunities for those receiving assistance and for those desiring to serve missions or to volunteer in the church's welfare program. The day-to-day operations of the storehouses are run by elder missionaries as store managers.[121]
The church also distributes money through its Humanitarian Services division to natural disaster victims worldwide.[122] The church's Humanitarian Center, established in 1991, prepares emergency relief supplies for worldwide shipment to disaster victims, works to establish a global sense of self-reliance, and offers service opportunities to both church members and non-members. The emergency relief supplies that the church donates typically include clothing, personal care kits, and medical supplies. According to the LDS Humanitarian Center website, it ships about 12 million pounds of shoes and clothing, 1 million hygiene kits, and 1 million pounds of medical supplies per year, to relieve suffering in more than 100 countries.[123] When a disaster strikes, the church works with local government officials and other organizations to determine the immediate needs, and sends the necessary supplies and food to the affected area within hours. Missionaries are then sent to help alleviate other long-term damages by assisting injured persons and reconstructing damaged buildings. The church works in these efforts without regard to the nationality or religion of the recipients, and 100 percent of the financial contributions donated to the church by members and non-members are used for humanitarian purposes.[124]
The church has been involved in providing relief aid for victims of several disasters in recent years, including Hurricane Katrina,[125][126][127] the 2010 Haiti earthquake,[128] the 2011 Christchurch earthquake,[129] and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[130] In 2005 the church partnered with Catholic Relief Services to provide aid for struggling families and individuals in Niger,[131] and it has also partnered with Islamic Relief to help victims of flooding in Pakistan.[132] In addition, the church sponsors five global projects (neonatal resuscitation training, clean water projects, wheelchair distribution, vision treatment, and measles vaccinations),[133] and works with local government agencies and other religious and secular organizations such as the American Red Cross and UNICEF to accomplish these needs. In 2003 the church joined Measles Initiative and has committed one million dollars per year to the campaign.[134]
The church has been subject to criticism and sometimes discrimination since its early years in New York and Pennsylvania. In the late 1820s, criticism centered around the claim by Joseph Smith, Jr. to have been led to a set of golden plates from which the Book of Mormon was reputedly translated.
In the 1830s, the greatest criticism was for Smith's handling of a banking failure in Kirtland, Ohio, and the LDS Church's political and military power in Missouri, culminating in the 1838 Mormon War. In the 1840s, criticism of the church centered on the church's theocratic aspirations in Nauvoo, Illinois. Criticism of the practice of plural marriage and other doctrines taught by Smith appeared in the Nauvoo Expositor, which led to a series of events culminating in Smith's murder in 1844.
As the church began openly practicing plural marriage under Brigham Young during the second half of the 19th century, the church became the target of nation-wide criticism for that practice (which was banned by the church in 1890), as well as for the church's theocratic aspirations in the Utah Territory. Beginning in 1857, the church also came under significant media criticism after the Mountain Meadows massacre in southern Utah.
Academic critics have questioned the legitimacy of Smith as a prophet as well as the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham. Criticism has expanded to include claims of historical revisionism, homophobia, racism, and sexist policies. Notable 20th-century critics include Jerald and Sandra Tanner and Fawn Brodie. Evangelical Christians continue to argue that Smith was either fraudulent or delusional. Mormon apologetics organizations, such as the Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research (FAIR) and the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), have been founded to counter these criticisms. Most of the apologetic work focuses on providing and discussing evidence supporting the claims of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, and much of it features criticism of the perceived lack of honesty when it comes to the scholarship of non-Mormon critics. Scholars and authors such as Hugh Nibley, Daniel C. Peterson, Jeff Lindsay, Orson Scott Card, and James E. Talmage are well-known apologists both within and without the church.
In recent years, the Internet has provided a new forum for proponents and critics of religions, including Mormonism.[135] The church's support in 2008 of California's Proposition 8 sparked heated debate and protest by gay-rights organizations and others.[136][137][138] The church expressed support for a Salt Lake City ordinance protecting members of the LGBT community against discrimination in employment and housing while allowing religious institutions to consider lifestyles in actions such as hiring or providing university accommodations.[139]
Due to doctrinal differences, the LDS Church is generally considered to be distinct and separate from mainstream Christianity by Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches, which express differences with one another but consider each others churches as Christian.[140][141] Many have accused the LDS Church of not being a Christian church at all as a result of disagreements with Apostolic succession and the "Great Apostasy", the Nicene Creed and, more so, Mormon cosmology and its plan of salvation including the doctrines of pre-mortal life, baptism for the dead, three degrees of heaven, and exaltation, the last of which allows for the belief that humans may become gods and goddesses achieving the same status that Jesus achieved, which is also referred to as becoming a "joint-heir with Christ".[142]
“If any of our members are found to be practicing plural marriage, they are excommunicated, the most serious penalty the Church can impose. Not only are those so involved in direct violation of the civil law, they are in violation of the law of this Church.” Gordon B. Hinckley, "What Are People Asking About Us?" Ensign, November 1998, 70
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