The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Classification	Restorationist
Orientation	Latter Day Saint movement
Polity	Hierarchical
Leader	Thomas S. Monson
Geographical Area	176 nations/territories
Founder	Joseph Smith, Jr.
Origin	April 6, 1830 Manchester or Fayette, New York, United States
Separations	LDS denominations
Congregations	28,109
Members	13,508,509[1]
Missionaries	52,494[1]
Temples	129[2]
Tertiary institutions	4[3]
Official Website	www.lds.org
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (abbreviated as the LDS Church, often colloquially referred to as the Mormon Church) is the largest denomination originating from the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. circa 1830. The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has established congregations (called wards or branches) worldwide. Estimates of the church's membership range from about 13 million (6 million in the United States)^[1][4][5] to about half of those numbers, depending on how membership is counted.^[6]

Adherents are usually referred to as Latter-day Saints, LDS, or Mormons. They consider themselves part of Christianity. LDS Church theology includes Christian doctrines of restorationism (via Joseph Smith, Jr.), millenialism, continuationism, penal substitution, a form of Apostolic succession, rejection of original sin, practice of baptism by immersion, and practice of the Eucharist (called by them the Sacrament). LDS Church theology is also different from traditional Christianity in a number of ways, including rejection of the Nicene Creed, belief in a unique theory of human salvation that includes three heavens, a doctrine of "exaltation" which includes the ability of humans to become gods and goddesses in the afterlife, and unique sacramental ceremonies performed privately in temples. The Church has a canon of four scriptural texts:^[7] the Bible (both Old and New Testament), 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 books said to be written by non-Biblical prophets.

The LDS Church is organized in a hierarchical structure dominated by men, with some women in roles leading other women and children. Mormons believe that Jesus leads the church through revelation, and has chosen a single man, called "the Prophet" or President of the Church, as Jesus' ultimate spokesman on the earth. The President is part of a First Presidency of three men, which leads a Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other larger bodies (called quorums) of general authorities, who themselves lead down the chain of command to local congregational leaders. At the local level, these members of the priesthood are drawn from the laity and work on a purely volunteer basis without stipend. Members, including clergy, are asked to donate a full tithe (10%) of their income to the Church. The church has a strong cultural influence on its members, and has taken stands on a number of public, governmental issues. It is an active proselytizing church, and sends full-time missionaries nearly worldwide, which is mainly responsible for its rapid growth.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Joseph Smith era 1.2 Pioneer era 1.3 Modern era 2 Teachings and practices 2.1 Sources of authority 2.2 Comparisons within Christianity 2.3 Distinctive doctrines and practices 2.4 Comparison with other Latter Day Saint movement faiths 3 Church organization and structure 3.1 Name and legal entities 3.2 Current membership 3.3 Geographic structure 4 Church leadership 4.1 Church hierarchy 4.2 Priesthood 4.3 Auxiliary organizations 4.4 Programs 4.4.1 Missionary 4.4.2 Education 4.4.3 Welfare 4.4.4 Priesthood correlation 4.5 Finances 5 Culture 5.1 Home and family 5.2 Social events and gatherings 5.3 Media and arts 6 Controversy and criticism 7 See also 8 References 9 External links 9.1 Official websites of the Church 9.2 Church-related websites 9.2.1 Educational institutions 9.2.2 Music 9.3 Academic forums

[edit] History

The history of the LDS Church 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 the practice of polygamy was discontinued.

[edit] Joseph Smith era

The early history of the LDS Church is shared with other denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement, who all regard Joseph Smith, Jr. as the founder of their religious tradition. Smith gained a small following in the late 1820s as he was dictating the Book of Mormon, which he said was a translation of words found on a set of golden plates that had been buried near his home in western New York by an indigenous American prophet. Smith said he had been in contact with an angel Moroni, who showed him the plates' location and had been grooming him for a role as a religious leader.^[8]

On April 6, 1830, in western New York,^[9] Smith organized the religion's first legal church entity, the Church of Christ. The church rapidly gained a following, who viewed Smith as a prophet. In the 1830s, missionaries from the church converted thousands of new members^[10] and established outposts in Kirtland, Ohio and Missouri, where Smith intended to build a "city of Zion". In 1838, Smith fled Kirtland to Missouri after being charged with improper banking practices during the financial panic of 1837. In Missouri, a war with non-Mormon settlers soon ensued, leading to the church's official expulsion from Missouri.

After Missouri, the church built the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, where Smith served as the city's mayor and leader of the militia. As church leader, Smith also instated the then-secret practice of plural marriage, and taught a form of theocratic Millennialism which he called "theodemocracy". As a result of public disagreement over these two issues, Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith (second in line to the presidency),^[11] were assassinated on June 27, 1844 by an angry mob.^[12]

After Smith's death, a succession crisis ensued, and the majority of Smith's followers chose Brigham Young as their leader. Young had been a close associate of Smith's and was senior apostle of the Quorum of the Twelve. Other groups of Latter Day Saints followed other leaders, and formed some of the other denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement.

[edit] Pioneer era

After continued difficulties and persecution in Illinois, Young left Nauvoo in 1846 and led his followers, the Mormon pioneers, to what would become in 1850 the Utah Territory in search of religious freedom.^[13] The group 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 previously-secret practice of plural marriage, a form of polygamy.

By 1857, tensions had again escalated between Mormons and other Americans, largely as a result of church teachings on polygamy and theocracy. The Utah Mormon War ensued from 1857 to 1858, which resulted in the relatively peaceful^[14] 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. Nevertheless, the LDS Church still wielded significant political power in the Utah Territory as part of a shadow government.^[15]

At Young's death in 1877, he was followed by other powerful LDS Presidents, who resisted efforts by the United States Congress to outlaw Mormon polygamous marriages. 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.^[16] 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 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 and today seeks to actively distance itself from “fundamentalist” groups still practicing polygamy.^[17]

[edit] Modern era

During the twentieth century, the church grew substantially and became an international organization. Distancing itself from polygamy, the church began engaging, first with mainstream American culture, and then with international cultures, particularly those of Latin America, by sending out thousands of missionaries across the globe. In the year 2000 the church reported 60,784 missionaries,^[18] and global church membership stood at 11,068,861.^[18] As of 2007, membership had reached 13,193,999.^[19]

Breaking with its history of polygamy, the church became a strong and public champion of monogamy and the nuclear family, and at times played a prominent role in political matters, including opposition to MX Peacekeeper missile bases in Utah and Nevada,^[20] opposing the Equal Rights Amendment,^[21] opposing legalized gambling,^[22] support of bans on same-sex marriage,^[23] and opposition to legalized physician-assisted death.^[24] Apart from issues that it considers to be ones of morality, however, the church usually maintains a position of political neutrality.^[25]

Among the official changes to the organization during the modern area include the ordination of black men to the priesthood in 1978, reversing a policy originally instituted by Brigham Young. 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.

[edit] Teachings and practices

[edit] Sources of authority

The theology of the LDS Church consists of a mixture of Biblical doctrines with ostensible revelations and other commentary by LDS leaders, particularly Joseph Smith, Jr. The most authoritative sources of theology are the faith's canon of scripture, which includes the Bible (usually the Authorized King James Version), the Book of Mormon (a book said to be translated from buried golden plates that the faith characterizes as "Another Testament of Jesus Christ"), the Doctrine and Covenants (a set of ostensible revelations), and the Pearl of Great Price (including further ostensible translations by Smith and church historical items). These are called the faith's Standard Works. Of these books, the church holds the Book of Mormon in highest regard as "the most correct of any book on earth and the keystone of [their] religion".^[26] The Bible is accepted as "the word of God as far as it is translated correctly".^[27] Deeper and less-known LDS doctrines may be found in the remaining two works, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. Sometimes, parts of an ostensible translation of the Bible by Joseph Smith, Jr. is considered authoritative, and some excerpts have been included in the Pearl of Great Price.

Other sources of doctrine include the LDS Endowment ceremony, as well as statements by LDS leaders. The church teaches that its top leaders (general authorities) are prophets, and that their advice usually originates from God through The Holy Ghost.

[edit] Comparisons within Christianity

In addition to a general belief in the New Testament and in the atonement and resurrection of Jesus, many LDS teachings are shared by at least some factions of Christianity. For example, LDS theology includes Millenialism (belief that a thousand year reign of earthly peace will follow the Second Coming), baptism by immersion, rejection of original sin, Apostolic succession (via a vision of apostles to Joseph Smith), continuationism, and Restorationism (the belief in a Great Apostasy followed by a Restoration of truth via Joseph Smith). The LDS Church teaches that it is a restoration of 1st century Christianity, and the only true and authorized Christian church.^[28]

For the Latter-day Saints Jesus is not merely a good man, a teacher, or even a prophet; he is not merely a human being; he is not the son of Joseph and Mary who later became God's Son. In common with other Bible-oriented Christians, the Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus is the pre-existent Word of the Father who became the literal, physical, genetic Son of God. As the pre-existant Word he was the agent of the Father in the creation of all things. As the glorified Son, he is the agent of the Father in the salvation of all humanity. It is LDS belief that he was conceived of a virgin by the power of the Holy Ghost; he lived a sinless life; he was morally and ethically perfect; he healed the sick and raised the dead; he walked on the water and multiplied the loaves and fishes. It is taught that he set a perfect example for human beings to imitate and that all humans have an obligation to follow his example. Like other Christians, the LDS believe that Jesus suffered and died on the cross as a volunteer sacrifice for humanity in order to bring about an atonement through the shedding of his blood. The LDS teach that following his resurrection he ascended into the heavens and from the heavens he will again descend at the end of this world to rule among men and will eventually judge both the living and the dead.^[29]

[edit] Distinctive doctrines and practices

Nevertheless, the LDS Church differs from the many other Christian churches, and some Christians do not believe that the LDS Church is part of Christianity.^[30] Officially, major Christian denominations view the LDS Church as standing apart from, creedal Christianity,^[31] a point that the LDS Church itself does not dispute. From the perspective of Christians who hold to creeds, the most significant area of departure is the rejection by the LDS Church of certain ecumenical creeds such as the Nicene Creed, which defines the Christian Trinity as three persons with "one substance". The LDS Church defines the Trinity as God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit; who share unity of purpose or will, but are not "one substance". Moreover, the LDS Church teaches that all human spirits are co-eternal with God, and that humanity may obtain a form of godhood in the afterlife. Other significant differences relate to the church's acceptance of additional scripture and doctrine beyond what is found in either the Catholic or Protestant Bibles. Several doctrines and practices of the LDS Church distinguish it from other churches within Christianity. The Mormon cosmology, a Plan of Salvation that includes three heavens, and the doctrine of Exaltation which includes the possibility of humans eventually becoming gods and goddesses in the afterlife are distinctive. One of the church's defining characteristics has been its deeply-theological views related to the family. In the 19th century, this view included a doctrine of plural marriage (a form of polygamy); however, the church has prohibited polygamy since the turn of the 20th century. The church teaches that by participating in a sequence of ceremonies (called ordinances) including baptism, confirmation, the Endowment, Celestial marriage, and in some cases, a second anointing, sanctified Latter-day Saints in the eternities of the afterlife may eventually become perfected and preside over a heavenly kingdom composed of their own spirit children.

Other distinctive practices of the LDS Church include the performance of its sacred ceremonies or sacraments via proxy for and in behalf of those who have died, including baptism for the dead and the endowments. The Church teaches that all will have the opportunity to hear and accept or reject the gospel and the the benefits it's sacraments, in this life or the next. These ceremonies are performed in temples. Those members who have taken part in an Endowment ceremony are required to wear an undergarment, called the temple garment, day and night as a reminder of their promises made in the temple.^{[dubious – discuss]} The church also has a strict moral code, which includes a health code that prohibits consumption of alcoholic beverages, coffee, tea, and tobacco, and a law of chastity that prohibits sex outside of heterosexual marriage. LDS members are expected to donate a 10% tithe on all their income. They are also expected to maintain a high level of involvement as a volunteer for their local ward. Moreover, unmarried males between the ages of 19 and 25 years are encouraged to volunteer two years in missionary service where they either share their faith with others, and/or give humanitarian aid somewhere in the world.

[edit] Comparison with other Latter Day Saint movement faiths

The LDS Church shares a common heritage with a number of other smaller faiths that are collectively called the Latter Day Saint movement. These faiths have in common with the LDS Church their belief in Joseph Smith, Jr. as a prophet and founder of their religion. They also accept the Book of Mormon, at least some version of the Doctrine and Covenants. Some of these faiths, such as the Community of Christ, have always rejected Joseph Smith's doctrine of plural marriage, as well as many other of his distinctive doctrines. The Community of Christ also ordains women to the priesthood, focuses more on the Bible, and allows its members to accept mainstream Christian beliefs.

Other branches of the Latter Day Saint movement may be considered off-shoots of the LDS Church, mainly as a result of disagreements about plural marriage. In the LDS Church, the plural marriage doctrine 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 highest degree of salvation), which will allow them to become gods and goddesses in the afterlife. The LDS Church, by contrast, believe 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.

Stung by bad publicity in the 19th century over its former practice of plural marriage, the LDS Church has taken efforts to distance itself from polygamy and from Mormon fundamentalist groups. The church has long excommunicated any members caught practicing polygamy.

[edit] Church organization and structure

[edit] Name and legal entities

It has been suggested that Intellectual Reserve be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

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,^[32] and then in 1834, the name was officially changed to the Church of the Latter Day Saints^[33] to differentiate it from the 1st century Christian church. In April 1838, the name again was officially changed by revelation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.^[34][35][36] There were several alternate spellings of this name in use during Smith's lifetime, however, including a hyphenated "Latter-Day". After Smith died, Brigham Young and the largest body of Smith's followers incorporated the LDS Church in 1851 by legislation of the State of Deseret,^[37] under the name The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which included a hyphenated "Latter-day" and a lower-case "d".^[38] In 1887, the LDS Church was legally dissolved in the United States by the Edmunds–Tucker Act because of the church's practice (now abandoned) of polygamy. Thereafter, the church has continued to operate as an "unincorporated religious association", under the name The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which remains its formal name. Accepted informal names include the LDS Church, the Latter-day Saints, and the Mormons. The term Mormon Church is in common use, but the church began discouraging its use in the late 20th century. The Church requests that the official name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, be used when possible, or if necessary shortened to "the Church" or "the Church of Jesus Christ".^[39] However, the Church uses Mormon as a descriptive term in the name of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and its own public-face website, mormon.org. The Associated Press continues to recommend "Mormon Church" as a proper second reference in its Style Guide for journalists. The AP Style Guide also points out that the term "Mormon" is only appropriately used when referring to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Use of the term "Mormon" would not be appropriate for describing break away sects which are no longer associated with the LDS church.

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. See Finances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

[edit] Current membership

The church reports a worldwide membership of 13 million^[4][5] 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.^[40] The church membership report includes all baptized members and also "children of record"—unbaptized children under the age of eight. (Children are not baptized before the age of eight.) Although the church does not release attendance figures to the public, researchers estimate that actual attendance at weekly LDS worship services globally is around 4 million.^[41] Members living in the U.S. and Canada constitute 46% of membership, Latin America 38%, and members in the rest of the world 16%.^[42] 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.^[43] One source cites it is the second fastest growing religion in the United States with a 1.63 percent annual growth rate.^[44]

2007 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life Survey	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	75%	39%

In 2007, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life published a survey of 35,556 Adults living in the United States on religious beliefs.^[45] Of those, 1.7% claimed they were Mormon. In comparison, the LDS Church reported having 5,873,408 members or 1.9% of the overall U.S. population at year-end 2007. Responses from this survey estimates that 3.9 Million Mormons in the United States alone (1.3% of US Population) attend services on either once a week or more than once a week.

[edit] Geographic structure

Church congregations are generally organized geographically, unlike other mainstream Christian denominations. For Sunday services, the church is grouped into either larger (~200 to ~400 people) congregations known as wards, or smaller congregations known as branches. These neighborhood congregations meet in meetinghouses, also referred to as "chapels" or "stake centers" or just ward buildings, located on property most often owned by the church. In some geographic areas, rental property may be used as a meetinghouse. Although the building may sometimes be referred to as a "chapel", the room used as a chapel for religious services is actually only one component of the standard meetinghouse.^[46] The church's online "Meetinghouse Locator" can be used to find locations of church buildings and meeting times.^[47]

Regional church organizations larger than single congregations include stakes, missions, districts, areas, and regions.

[edit] Church leadership

The leader of the church is termed President, and church members revere him as a prophet, seer, and revelator. The prophet is believed to hold the same divine calling as biblical prophets, and his responsibility is primarily over the church as a whole. His stewardship extends over the whole human family on earth as the Lord's mouthpiece. He is entitled to guide the church through revelation, acting as God's spokesman. The President of the Church serves as such until death. The current president is Thomas S. Monson.

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

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

The church has no paid local clergy; however, general authorities who demonstrate need receive stipends from the church, using income from church-owned investments.^[48] All area and local authorities are unpaid and continue in their normal occupations while serving in leadership positions.

Although the church had a paid local clergy in the 1800s,^[49] local and regional priesthood leaders currently serve in a voluntary capacity. Non-clerical church employees, general authorities (who serve life or five-year terms), and mission presidents are paid a stipend from church funds and provided other benefits. A general missionary fund covers the basic living expenses of single LDS missionaries who are unable to pay their own way. Missionaries and their families are asked to contribute to this fund, and in the United States the missionary's congregation of origin is ultimately responsible to satisfy the monthly obligation to the general fund. Members volunteer general custodial work for local church facilities.

[edit] Church hierarchy

The church has a hierarchical structure, with clearly defined stewardships or realms of responsibility for the various offices. Those who hold such offices do not elect to do so but are "called" by someone of a higher authority in the church; lower positions are not paid for their service. General Authorities, The Quorum of the Twelve, and the First Presidency are paid for their administrative duties, but not as religious ministers.

[edit] Priesthood

The priesthood is offered to all male members ages 12 and older who follow the church's code of morality. The priesthood is received by ordination, which consists of other priesthood holders laying their hands on the head of the one ordained. Ordination to the priesthood is a prerequisite to preside in the church.

The priesthood in the LDS Church is divided into two levels, the lower priesthood or Aaronic Priesthood, and the higher priesthood or Melchizedek Priesthood. Within each level are various offices. The Aaronic Priesthood offices include deacon, teacher, priest, and bishop. The Melchizedek priesthood offices include elder, high priest, patriarch, seventy, and apostle.

From the end of the nineteenth century until 1978, The church did not allow black men of African descent to be ordained to the priesthood or allow black men or women of African descent to participate in temple ordinances such as the Endowment and sealing that the church teaches are necessary for the highest degree of salvation. In the early church, at least two black people were ordained during Joseph Smith's lifetime, but they were not permitted by later presidents of the church to participate in temple ordinances. Now, they have full and equal rights.

[edit] Auxiliary organizations

Under the leadership of the priesthood hierarchy are five auxiliary organizations that fill various roles in the church: Relief Society, Young Men Organization, Young Women Organization, Primary, and Sunday School.

The Relief Society is the church's women's organization. Founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, and with the motto "Charity Never Faileth", the organization today includes more than 5 million women in more than 165 countries.^[50] Every Latter-day Saint woman age 18 or older is a member of the Relief Society.

The Young Men and Young Women organizations are composed of adolescents aged 12 to 17. Members often have an additional meeting during the week (referred to as Mutual), which can involve an activity, game, service project, or instruction. The young men and women may meet separately or take part in combined activities. In the United States and Canada, the young men participate in Scouting, including efforts to earn the Boy Scouts religious award for church members, "On my Honor." Young men throughout the church also work toward earning the church's "Duty to God" award. Young women participate in a comparable program called Personal Progress. Both the young men and the young women are encouraged to live by the standards outlined in the church's "For the Strength of Youth" booklet.

The Primary is an organization for children up to age 12, founded in 1878. It provides classes, music, and activities for children during two hours of the three-hour Sunday meeting schedule.

The LDS Sunday School organization provides classes for adolescents and adults during the one hour of the Sunday meeting schedule. It provides a variety of classes, including introductory classes for new members and nonmembers, and gospel doctrine classes for more experienced members. Adolescents are grouped into classes by age.

[edit] Programs

[edit] Missionary

Some members of the church are encouraged to serve as missionaries, either full-time, part-time or as "service" missionaries. All missionaries serve on a volunteer basis, and none are paid for their service. While members are encouraged to serve as missionaries, there is no requirement to do so.

Unmarried young men between the ages of 19 and 25 who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood and meet standards of worthiness and preparation are especially encouraged to serve a two-year, full-time proselytizing mission. These are the backbone of the worldwide missionary effort. Women who desire to serve a mission must be at least 21 and unmarried, and are generally called to serve 18-month missions. A would-be missionary must request that he or she be considered for service, then must go through interviews with church authorities to determine worthiness and ability to perform the duties. Once this is done, they "put in their papers," then wait to see where they will be called to serve. Full-time missionaries may be called to serve anywhere in the world, and often know nothing about the mission area that they will be assigned to. If necessary, they will be taught the language they must use.

Missionaries are expected to pay their own expenses (though some are partially supported by other church members, especially if they come from less-affluent areas). With few exceptions, a missionary will serve the entire period of his or her calling in one mission, but will be moved around within the mission boundaries. Exceptions may include missionaries who develop health problems while on their missions and wish to continue to serve by being transferred to a mission close to home, or those in areas that impose length-of-stay limits on foreign "workers." Also, sister missionaries called to the Salt Lake Temple Square Mission spend approximately three months "in the field" somewhere else in the United States.

Retired married couples and other older people are allowed to serve missions as well, and their length of service varies from three to 36 months.^[51] Many of these older missionaries are on "service missions," rather than proselyting, but many also serve at church historical sites throughout the world or where there is a special need.

There are approximately 350 missions worldwide with approximately 53,000 full-time proselytizing missionaries. ^[42] At any given time, there are also over 3,000 service missionaries, serving as health care specialists, doctors, craftsmen, artisans, construction supervisors, agricultural experts and educators for developing countries, and educators, historians, family history researchers, and leadership trainers.^[42]

Missions often overlap in their geographical areas of authority, when necessary to serve portions of the resident population. For instance, within the bounds of one mission might also be special missions serving a foreign-speaking immigrant community, inner-city areas, historical sites, Welfare Program resources such as storehouses and farms, etc., and even missions specifically created for a unique project, such as temple construction or making films for the church. These special missions are generally in addition to the approximately 350 missions mentioned above, and number in the hundreds.

Every full-time and service missionary is the responsibility of a Mission President and his wife, who are generally called for several years at a time (and, like the missionaries they lead, they pay their own way). They provide administration of day-to-day operations, as well as spiritual guidance of the missionaries. The exceptions are part-time missionaries who are serving in their own neighborhoods under the direction of their Bishop or Branch President.

In June 2007, the church marked the induction of its one millionth full-time missionary since 1830.^[5] There is no recorded total of part-time missionaries.

[edit] Education

Latter-day Saints believe in the value of education. Joseph Smith taught that "the glory of God is intelligence."^[52] Accordingly, the church maintains Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University–Idaho (formerly Ricks College), Brigham Young University Hawaii, and LDS Business College.

The church also has religious education programs. The Seminary and Institute programs are part of the Church Educational System: Seminary is a program for secondary school students held daily in conjunction with the school year. The Institute of Religion and the LDS Student Association programs serve young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 and those enrolled in post-secondary education institutions with church-owned buildings near university and college campuses designated for the purpose of religious education and cultural socialization.

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

[edit] Welfare

Members of the church donate fast offerings on Fast Sunday and at other times for the purpose of helping those who are poor or financially struggling. The bishop will meet with a family, or the head(s) of a family to determine whether and how much help they need from the church. The church strongly encourages its members to be self-reliant, so these meetings will usually include a plan on how to get the family back on its own feet. This welfare program is available not only to members of the church, but to needy members of the community as well. In fact, the church has a very broad humanitarian effort, which helps not only those who are going through financial struggles, but also victims of natural disasters or other devastating events. All of these services are paid for by charitable donations and are run by volunteer workers. $104.9 million of aid was given in 2007. Welfare service missionaries numbering 6,470 are currently serving in the church.^[53]

[edit] Priesthood correlation

The Priesthood Correlation Program is a program designed to provide a systematic approach to maintain consistency in its ordinances, doctrines, organizations, meetings, materials, and other programs and activities. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is organized according to priesthood function, and correlation provides support to the priesthood quorums, thereby improving communication and leadership, and keeping unorthodox information, doctrines and other undesired concepts from being introduced.

[edit] Finances

The church has not released church-wide financial statements since 1959, but in 1997 Time Magazine called it one of the world's wealthiest churches per capita.^[54] Its for-profit, non-profit, and educational subsidiary entities are audited by an independent accounting firm: as of 2007^[update], Deloitte & Touche.^[55][56] 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.^[57]

The church receives most of its money from tithes (ten percent of a member's income) and fast offerings (money given to the church to assist individuals in need.) According to the church, tithing and fast offering moneys collected are devoted to ecclesiastical purposes and not used for-profit ventures. About ten percent of its funding also comes from income on investments and real estate holdings.^{[citation needed]}

The church uses its tithing funds to construct and maintain buildings and other facilities; to print the Scriptures for missionary work; to provide social welfare and relief; and to support missionary, educational, and other church-sponsored programs.^[58]

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, and Canada. But these ranches are split between Church Welfare Work (Bishop's Storehouse and Welfare Square) for which funds are used from tithing and are not for profit.^{[clarification needed]} For-profit ranching operations are partially self-sustained but never use tithed money.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Culture

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 following the Word of Wisdom, a revealed health law or code (D&C 89), similar to Leviticus chapter 11 in the Bible, prohibiting the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, coffee and tea, and other addictive substances.^[59] Because of such prohibitions, the culture in areas of the world with a high concentration of LDS tends to reflect these restrictions.^[60]

Meetings and outreach programs are held regularly and have become part of the Latter-day Saint culture.

[edit] Home and family

Four times a year, the adult women (members of the church's Relief Society) attend a Home, Family and Personal Enrichment Meeting. The meeting may consist of a service project, or of attending a social event, or of various classes being offered. Additional Enrichment activities are offered for women with similar needs and interests.

[edit] Social events and gatherings

In addition to these regularly scheduled meetings, additional meetings are frequently held at the meetinghouse. Auxiliary officers may conduct leadership meetings or host training sessions and classes. The ward or branch community may schedule social activities at the meetinghouse, including dances, dinners, holiday parties and musical presentations. The church's Young Men's and Young Women's organizations (formerly known as the Mutual Improvement Organization, 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 for weddings and receptions, or funerals.

[edit] Media and arts

The culture has created substantial business opportunities for independent LDS media. The largest of these communities are LDS cinema, LDS fiction, LDS websites, and LDS graphical art like photography and paintings. The church owns a chain of bookstores called Deseret Book, which provide a channel through which publications are sold. This culture also resides outside of heavily Mormon populations, and many LDS-related bookstores exist near temples. Some of the titles that have become popular outside of the LDS community are The Work and the Glory novels and the movie The Other Side of Heaven.^{[original research?]} A number of works have been successful only within the LDS community. These works generally elaborate on LDS culture or are of historical interest or are historical fiction. BYU TV, the church-sponsored television station, also airs on several networks.

[edit] Controversy and criticism

The church has been subject to both praise and criticism by outsiders since its early years in New York and Pennsylvania. During the 1830s, the first main source of criticism had to do with Smith's handling of financial matters in Kirtland, Ohio^{[original research?]}. Then in Missouri, local newspapers criticized Mormon settlers for their political power and apparent abolitionism. This criticism stirred up anger culminating in the 1838 Mormon War^{[original research?]}. After the church relocated to Illinois, criticism of the LDS Church related mainly to the church's political aspirations and its clandestine practice of plural marriage. Most prominently, the Nauvoo Expositor directly criticized the Smith administration and called for reform within Mormonism. The fallout of this criticism led to Smith's 1844 assassination^{[original research?]}.

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, as well as for the church's theocratic aspirations in the Utah Territory , May 2009 . After the Civil War, the church also came under nation-wide criticism for the Mountain Meadows massacre. On the other hand, the church was also occasionally the subject of journalistic praise during this era. After spending a summer with the LDS in the early 1870s, historian John Codman concluded that the LDS in Utah did a better job of ridding their communities of gambling, drunkenness, and prostitution than the rest of the country.^[61]

After the 1890 and 1904 manifestos and church president Joseph F. Smith's testimony before the U.S. Senate, the most severe national criticism of the church eased^{[original research?]}. However, throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, academic critics have questioned the legitimacy of Smith as a prophet and the historicity of the Book of Mormon and other works such as the Book of Abraham^{[original research?]}. In modern times, criticism focuses on claims of historical revisionism, homophobia, racism,^{[original research?][62]} sexist policies, and inadequate financial disclosure. Notable 20th century critics include Jerald and Sandra Tanner and Fawn Brodie.

In recent years, the Internet has provided a new forum for critics,^[63] and the church's recent support of California's Proposition 8 sparked heated debate and protesting by gay-rights organizations.^{[64][65] [66]}

[edit] See also

• Mormonism
• List of Latter Day Saints
• Bloggernacle

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

[edit] Official websites of the Church

• LDS.org - The official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — with links to Gospel Library, Church History, Family Home Evening programs, and more
• Mormon.org - Information on basic beliefs, a meetinghouse locater, and a place to email questions
• scriptures.lds.org - Online scriptures and study guides
• FamilySearch.org - One of the largest collections of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world
• Deseret Book - LDS bookstore owned by LDS Church
• Newsroom.lds.org - The official source of public news releases and background information by the Church
• Provident Living - Self-reliance and welfare resources
• Church Educational System - Religious education for secondary and tertiary school students
• JosephSmith.net - Information on the life and mission of Church founder Joseph Smith
• Distribution Services - Church and gospel supplies available to order
• BeSmart.com - Tertiary education opportunities
• Polynesian Cultural Center - Tourist attraction owned by LDS Church
• Jesus Christ - Information and testimony regarding Jesus Christ
• President Thomas S. Monson - official information on the president of the church
• LDS Church News - An official news publication for the LDS Church
• Mormon Channel - Official radio station (talk and music) broadcasting 24 hours daily.
• Mormonmessages on Youtube - Official Youtube Page of the LDS Church

[edit] Church-related websites

• Utah History Encyclopedia
• LDS Today - News related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• LDS Library - Full text search engine; more than 3,300 important LDS books
• Mormon wiki - Wiki for and supported by Latter-day Saints
• LDSFAQ at byu.edu - A comprehensive index answering many common questions. Uses large portions of The Encyclopedia of Mormonism
• Mormon Momma - Scholarship and fellowship for LDS women
• Audio Book of Mormon - Free download, mp3 format
• The LDS Woman - Free online social network and magazine for LDS women
• Mormonism Search - Search Mormon Web Sites - Browser Plugin Available
• Mission.net - Church missionary alumni and informational site
• Bible References Supporting The Beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Mormon Studies - A site dedicated to the academic and cultural study of Mormonism.
• The Genesis Group - Official website for black Latter-day Saints, their families and friends, and individuals interested in the LDS Church
• Mormon Times - For and about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

[edit] Educational institutions

• Brigham Young University
• Brigham Young University Hawaii
• Brigham Young University–Idaho
• BYU Jerusalem Center
• BYU Salt Lake Center
• LDS Business College
• Missionary Training Center (MTC)

[edit] Music

• Church Music - official website
• Mormon Tabernacle Choir - official website
• Music and the Spoken Word - official website
• Saints Unified Voices
• Liahona.net - free LDS-type music in MP3 format.

[edit] Academic forums

• The Joseph Smith Papers
• Encyclopedia of Mormonism (BYU)
• Encyclopedia of Mormonism - wiki version (BYU)
• FARMS - Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (BYU)
• Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - An independent quarterly covering history, religion, science and social issues.
• The Mormon History Association
• The Mormons - Frontline + American Experience four-hour PBS documentary aired April 1 - May 30, 2007

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