Mormonism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mormonism is a term used to describe religious, ideological, and cultural aspects of the various Latter Day Saint churches. The term Mormonism is often used to describe the belief systems of those who believe in the Book of Mormon, a sacred text which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1829 from golden plates, described as the sacred writings of the inhabitants of North and South America from approximately 650 BC to 100 AD. In 1830 Smith published the Book of Mormon and restored the Church of Christ, and the faithful were known amongst themselves as Latter Day Saints. Outside the church, church members have come to be called Mormons because of their belief in the Book of Mormon as the restoration of their religion. As the result of a revelation in 1838, the name to the Church was officially changed to the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints".[1] After the death of Joseph Smith, the majority of Smith's followers were led by Brigham Young to the Salt Lake Valley in the current state of Utah. The remaining saints stayed in Missouri organizing themselves in various sects.
After The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints abandoned the practice of plural marriage, more sects emerged in support of the practice usually in the form of polygyny. Mormonism is generally used to describe the main body of the Utah sect exclusively, mainly due to its prominance amongst Latter Day Saint denominations, but the practice of plural marriage is still heavily associated with Mormonism despite the church's efforts to distance itself and the term from polygamy. Other sects embrace or accept the term Mormonism, including the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, other Mormon fundamentalist organizations, Reform Mormonism, and cultural Mormons.
Most adherents of Mormonism may be respectfully called Latter Day Saints (or the hyphenated Latter-day Saints in reference to the largest denomination).[citation needed] Other generally acceptable terms include LDS, Saints, and Mormons. A minority of adherents object to the terms Mormon and Mormonism, since these are terms coined by outsiders to label members of the Church.
Contents |
[edit] Early History
[edit] Establishment of the Church of Christ
Joseph Smith, Jr. was raised in northwestern New York, where he reported a number of heavenly visions and visitations by angels. In his First Vision, while he was an adolescent during the early 1820s, Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove. Smith also received a set of Golden Plates from an angel, and dictated a translation of those plates, which he published in 1830 as the Book of Mormon.
According to Smith and his close associate Oliver Cowdery, an angel also gave the both of them the authority to baptize and to build up a new church, meant to be a restoration of 1st century Christianity. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, originally called the Church of Christ, was formed in the month of April 1830 in Manchester or Fayette, New York, but soon after the conversion of a Church of Christ (Campbellite) minister named Sidney Rigdon in Kirtland, Ohio, most of its members moved to Ohio in 1831.
[edit] Early succession
Almost from the founding of the new church, some leaders were dissatisfied with Joseph Smith's role as prophet and president of the church. Several churches were started on the foundation of Joseph Smith's revelations including the Pure Church of Christ, organized by Wycam Clark in 1831; the Church of Christ (Parrishite), organized by Warren Parrish in 1837; the Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, organized by George M. Hinkle in 1840; and the True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, organized by William Law in1844. All of these churches failed quickly and many of the leaders returned to the main body of Mormonism.
In Ohio, the church built a temple, and sent missionaries to various places, including Jackson County, Missouri, where the church built up branches. After a series of financial problems with a bank in Kirtland, the main body of members moved briefly to Missouri in 1838, but after the 1838 Mormon War, they were forced to establish a new center in Nauvoo, Illinois.
In Nauvoo, the church grew rapidly, began building a temple, and sent out missionaries to Canada and England. Smith served as a religious, political, and military leader. In 1844, after a conflict with an antagonistic newspaper over Smith's alleged practice of "spiritual wifery", Smith and his brother Hyrum were arrested, taken to Carthage, Illinois, and then both of them were killed by a mob on June 27, 1844.
[edit] The succession crisis
In the aftermath of the deaths of Joseph Smith and his likely successor,[citation needed] Hyrum, several church leaders campaigned to lead the church, a time known as the Succession Crisis. One claim to succession was by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a body of missionaries led by Brigham Young, who returned quickly from their missions and were accepted as leaders by the largest body of adherents.
Much of the debate over who should be the next leader of the church stems from the belief and practice of plural marriage. There is some dispute about whether or not Joseph Smith, Jr ever privately or publicly taught or practiced plural marriage; he certainly alluded to the practice in Doctrine & Covenants, Section 132. The general historical consensus, however, is that Smith did, in fact, practice polygamy. For a discussion of this topic please see Joseph Smith, Jr. and Polygamy.
[edit] Are Mormons Christians?
Many of the Christians that subscribe to the Nicene Creed argue that Mormons aren't Christians. Most of these other sects don't accept baptisms performed by Mormons as a valid baptism. There are also many other disagreements on doctrine. (See Mormonism and Christianity for more information.)
Gordon B. Hinckley, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said:
- "We are Christians in a very real sense and that is coming to be more and more widely recognized. Once upon a time people everywhere said we are not Christians. They have come to recognize that we are, and that we have a very vital and dynamic religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ."
- "We, of course, accept Jesus Christ as our Leader, our King, our Savior...the dominant figure in the history of the world, the only perfect Man who ever walked the earth, the living Son of the living God. He is our Savior and our Redeemer through whose atoning sacrifice has come the opportunity of eternal life."
- "Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pray and worship in the name of Jesus Christ. He is the center of our faith and the head of our Church. The Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ and witnesses of His divinity, His life, and His Atonement."</quote>
[edit] Denominations
[edit] Prairie Saints
[edit] Community of Christ
The Community of Christ, previously known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) was estabished by Joseph Smith III and a small remnant of the church in 1860. This movement gathered together many followers of other Latter Day Saint denominations. Based in Independence, Missouri, the Community of Christ is the second largest Latter Day Saint denomination. Its members are of the position that it is, despite its reorganization and occasional name change, the original church established by Joseph Smith II, based on the belief that all other groups distorted the doctrine of the original church, or aligned with someone who lacked authority to replace Smith.
In the late 20h century, the RLDS church changed some key doctrines as well as its name. Priesthood, which up until then was held exclusively by male members, was granted to both male and female members of the church. This caused a number of smaller groups to develop. A loose group of independent branches calling themselves Independent RLDS or Restoration Branches started in the 1980s. The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, organized by Frederick Niels Larson, was established in 2000. The Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was organized by several RLDS seventies in1989.
[edit] Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
Other Prairie Saint denominations include:
- The Church of Christ, later called the Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion—organized by Sidney Rigdon—1844. The original organization of this church dissolved by 1847.
- The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)—a reorganization of the Rigdonites under William Bickerton—1862. This denomination continues to this day and has several thousand members worldwide.
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)—organized by James J. Strang—1844. Today this denomination has a following of a few hundred faithful and is headquartered in Voree (now Burlington) Wisconsin.
- The Church of Christ (Whitmerite)—organized by David Whitmer—1847 and 1871. Extant until around 1925.
- The Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)—organized by Alpheus Cutler—1853. Survives today with a handful of members in Independence, Missouri.
- The Restored Church of Jesus Christ (Eugene O. Walton)—organized by Eugene O. Walton—1980. This church is headquartered in Independence, Missouri, USA, and has 25 members.
- The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) (Hedrickites)—organized by Granville Hedrick—1863. Headquarted today on the Temple Lot in Independence, Missouri.
- The Church of Christ with the Elijah Message—organized by Otto Fetting and William Draves—1929 and 1943. Headquartered today in Independence, Missouri, USA, on Lacy Road. A denomination which split with the Temple Lot church over reported revelations from John the Baptist.
[edit] Rocky Mountain Saints
[edit] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
In 1846, Brigham Young led a large group of Mormon pioneers out of Nauvoo, Illinois to Winter Quarters, Nebraska, and eventually to the Salt Lake Valley (initially part of Mexico but soon annexed by the United States as the Utah Territory), where the first company arrived on July 24, 1847.
Now an international organization, the church has its world headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah where Gordon B. Hinckley serves as its fifteenth President. The church sends tens of thousands of missionaries throughout the world,<ref name="Missionary Program">The Missionary Program. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved on 2006-10-30.</ref> and in 2005 reported a worldwide membership of over 12.5 million.<ref>Statistical Report 2005, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.</ref>
[edit] Mormon fundamentalism
The LDS Church officially renounced the practice of polygamy in 1890, partly due to pressure from the United States government. The church began formally excommunicating polygamists in the early 20th century. This excommunication caused the creation of several sects who continued the practice.
- The Church of the First Born—organized by Joseph Morris—1861. Probably defunct, remnants of this organization survived into the mid-20th century.
- The Church of Zion—organized by William S. Godbe—1868 (defunct).
- The Apostolic United Brethren—organized by Lorin C. Woolley in the 1920s. Headquarters in Bluffdale, Utah.
- The Kingston clan—organized by Thomas R. King—1926. A large group of Latter Day Saints who practice plural marriage.
- The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints—organized by John Y. Barlow—1935. Headquartered in Colorado City, Arizona, this is the largest group of Latter Day Saints who practice plural marriage.
- The Aaronic Order—organized by Maurice L. Glendenning in 1942. Its web site is http://houseofaaron.org/.
- The Restoration Church of Jesus Christ-founded by Antonio A. Feliz in 1985.
- The New Covenant Church of God—organized by Christopher C. Warren—1986.
- The True & Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days—organized by James D. Harmston—1994. Headquartered in Manti, Utah, this is a relatively small group that practices plural marriage.
[edit] Reform Mormonism
Reform Mormonism is a branch of Mormonism that was founded in 2002 by former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Like Judaism, Reform Mormonism is not a church, but a religion with unique liturgy, traditions, and holidays. It is currently a small movement, with rituals that can be observed within the home.
Most Reform Mormons come from the LDS Church and other Latter Day Saint movement churches, while a few supporters come from outside that tradition. Some Reform Mormons remain members of other churches.
Because of its liberal nature, scripture is not limited to the standard canon common to Latter Day Saints, and adherants are "free to explore and use the Scripture of the world for their pursuit."<ref>http://www.reformmormonism.org/library/scripture/index.htm</ref> It sees the Book of Mormon as one of several inspired works. Rather than the Doctrine and Covenants, the religion has the Book of Michael which is an evolving book of scripture.
[edit] References
<references/>
[edit] See also
- Latter Day Saints
- Mormons
- Latter-day Saint theology and Judaism
- List of articles about Mormonism
- Mormonism and Christianity
- Ex-Mormon
- Mormonism Polygamyca:Mormonism
cy:Mormoniaeth de:Mormonen es:Mormones eo:Mormonismo fa:مورمونها fr:mormonisme ko:몰몬교 ia:Mormonismo it:Mormoni nl:Mormonen ja:モルモン教 pl:Mormoni ru:Мормонизм fi:Mormonismi zh:摩门教
