MormonFAQ

Mormon FAQ page is under construction.

The purpose of this page is two-fold:

1. to provide factual information about the restoration sects (Sects resulting from Joseph Smith) including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons, the LDS Church);
2. to provide reporters and other authors with advice on the consistent use of words, names, places and other elements in writing about the Church and related restorationist groups.

It is hoped that the information given will be helpful to journalists and others who write about restorationist faiths and their members, doctrines, practices, or beliefs.

WHO ARE THEY?

Restorationist Faiths.

Restorationist faiths or churches are defined as all faiths who can trace their origins to Joseph Smith, Jr. [1805-1844] and the religious manifestations that he reported during his life. Restorationist movements either spring directly from the religious community founded by Smith, or via separation from some other restorationist faith(s), much as Protestant groups broke with Roman Catholicism and then fragmented further.

It is vital that writers maintain a neutral tone when reporting on events. This is of particular concern when the writer is a member of one of the restorationist churches. Pejoratives such as apostate or break-off should never be used to describe faith groups, except when directly citing a source. When this is done, it ought to be clear that the characterization belongs to the source, not the media.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS)

This is the largest of all of the restorationist movements and is based in Salt Lake City. Note the lower case on the word "day" and the use of hyphenation. Also, since the starting "The" is part of the formal name of the Church, it should be capitalized, even if used in the middle of a sentence. http://www.lds.org/, http://www.mormon.org/

The Community of Christ (RLDS)

Previously known as The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This church is the only other world wide church within the restorationist movement and is headquartered in Independence, Mo. Note the lack of hyphenization in "Latter Day," and the fact that both words are capitalized.

http://www.cofchrist.org/

Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

This church also broke with the The Community of Christ over the issues of the ordination of women and other changes in that church. Note the lack of hyphenization in "Latter Day," and the fact that both words are capitalized.

http://www.theremnantchurch.com/

The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS)

The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS Church) is one of America's largest practitioners of plural marriage. The FLDS Church emerged in the 1930s largely because of the LDS Church's continued practice of excommunicating any practitioners of plural marriage. There is no connection between the FLDS Church and the LDS Church. Members of the FLDS church are mostly children or grandchildren of people who were excommunicated from the LDS church because of their practice of polygamy.

Note the lack of hyphenization in "Latter Day," and the fact that both words are capitalized.

Others

There are many other small denominations of restorationist churches. The purpose of this guide is not to list them all, but to make interested authors aware that they exist. The various denominations are not affiliated with each other, so it is important to correctly identify which denomination you are referring to in anything you may write. There is no "synod" or "umbrella group" of restorationist movements.

Mormon

The term Mormon was originally used as a pejorative to identify a person who believed in The Book of Mormon (some early critics also used the term Mormonite, but this quickly fell from favor.) While it may be tempting to use the label "Mormon" to identify all that that belong to a restorationist movement church, that would be incorrect. Using the term "Mormon" without additional modifiers has come to represent members of the Salt Lake City based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is not appropriate to identify members of the Community or Christ or members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as "Mormon" as that would be confusing. It becomes especially objectionable to the LDS church members to identify members of the FLDS as Mormons because the founders of that denomination were excommunicated from the LDS church.

ORGANIZATION AND LEADERSHIP

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led at the highest levels by two presiding quorums: The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. (See LDS Newsroom - Organizational Structure of the Church)

From the highest levels the body of the Church is divided into Areas which contain Stakes amd Missions. Within a Stake, Local congregations are Wards and Branches, within a Mission local congregations are Branches.

For more detail of the organization of the LDS Church see: MormonFAQ-LDS Org

The Community of Christ (RLDS)

The Community of Christ is presided over by the First Presidency and The Council of Twelve Apostles. Congregations are communities and are led by a pastor.

For more detail on the organization of the Community of Christ see: MormonFAQ-CoC Org

BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

For the official declaration of the LDS beliefs and practices, go to Mormon.org.

Summary of Beliefs

First and foremost, the LDS church believes that God is a loving Heavenly Father and that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. The Bible is used as a principal book of scripture.

They consider themselves to be a Christian denomination and it is extremely offensive to them to consider them otherwise. But, they do not consider themselves to be Protestant. They are restorationist.

Some of the beliefs that differentiate the LDS Church from other churches include:

1) Modern day revelation and modern day prophets. Starting with Joseph Smith in 1830, the Church has a prophet that leads the church. The prophet generally gives counsel and guidance and there is no expectation of infallibility. There is also a strong belief in receiving revelation "line up line." We--meaning the membership and the prophet--learn only what we are able to apply in our lives. Free agency also plays a big role and everyone is free to choose to follow or not to follow.

2) Apostasy and Restoration. Mormons believe that Jesus established a church on the earth. As the Apostles were killed, there was a loss of authority in the Church. While there were many great and inspired people throughout time in many denominations, the authority and many teachings were lost and had to be restored.

3) Scripture. LDS and RLDS believe that the Bible is the word of God as it is written down by man. They do not hold it as the infallible Word of God as it may contain the errors of men. But, even though they say that, they are traditionally conservative in their Bible interpretation and are strong readers of the Bible. One Barna Research poll has members of the LDS Church reading the Bible more frequently than many protestant denominations. The Latter-day Saints also believe in an Open Canon. That means they believe in scripture in addition to the Bible. The Book of Mormon is considered scripture as well as the Doctrine and Covenants (called the Book of Commandments by some denominations) and the Pearl of Great Price (Not accepted by all non-LDS denominations.)

4) View of Salvation. Christ makes it possible for us to be saved. But he expects us to repent and come to him. This means he expects us to do what he asks. LDS believe he asks us to be baptized, live a goodly life, and repent as we make mistakes. Christ saves us, the ordinances such as baptism do not. But Jesus asks us to show our commitment to him through following his commandments and one cannot expect to be saved if he or she willfully and knowingly refuses the gospel ordinances. Everyone will have the opportunity to be saved and we are not able to say who is saved and who isn't as God will be the judge and not man.

5) Nature of God. Mormons believe in God the Father, in his son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. Where they differ from many other denominations is they don't believe they are one in substance as many trinitarians believe. Mormons also believe that God has a physical, but glorified body.

6) Deification. One belief that irritates some of the protestant denominations is the belief that God is our Heavenly Father, and that through Jesus Christ we might one day be like Him and be joint-Heirs with Christ in our Heavenly Father's presence. The doctrine is called deification by many theologians and was widely believed by some of the early church fathers in early Christianity.

Common Mis-characterizations

There are many things in the LDS church that are held up to ridicule by professional anti- Mormons and by some of Protestant denominations. Some contain a kernel of truth, but are distorted so as to be virtually unrecognizable to a Latter-day Saint.

Other attacks or claims made by critics are simply false.

In the area of history, many anti-Mormons engage in selective quotation. While the quotes may be technically correct, they may be taken out of context, out of historical context, or taken from sources which have been discredited or are not authoritative.

Bible

"With Mormons, the Bible is not the ultimate authority."

Mormons refuse to put limits on God's ability to speak to His children. Therefore, a book is not the ultimate authority, and this is true for the Bible as well as for the Book of Mormon. God is our ultimate authority, and we believe he continues to speak to us collectively, through his prophets, and individually. One of the things He has told us is the great value of the Holy Bible for teaching us about Jesus Christ.

There has to be some other authority than the Bible—otherwise, how can we know the Bible is true? We can't believe the Bible just because the Bible says we should. Mormons believe the Bible because God tells them it's true.

For more information on this topic see our FAIR-wiki article on Open_canon_vs._closed_canon.

Book of Mormon

"DNA Proves the Book of Mormon is false."

Critics tend to opt for the most naive, ill-informed reading possible of the Book of Mormon text, and then cry foul when the Saints point out that they have given much thought to these issues and come to more nuanced conclusions that are more faithful to the Book of Mormon text than the critics' poorly-considered caricatures.

Critics do not provide the "whole story" of the DNA data, and seem to want to use the certainty which DNA provides in modern crime-solving as a springboard to trick the Saints, the media, and investigators into thinking that their historical DNA conclusions are as solid.

In fact, DNA data tells us nothing which we did not already know from archaeological data—at present, the human settlement of the Americas is thought to date thousands of years before the advent of Lehi. Many of these settlers have links to east Asia. None of this is news, and none of it threatens the Book of Mormon's status as authentic history.

But, the critics hope that their listeners will be awed by the banner of DNA science, and conclude that something more impressive is going on. Informed members of the Church have not been persuaded by their tactics, and much has been written to help non-specialists understand the "numerous and complex" issues in the fascinating and valuable science of genetics.

For more information on this topic, see our extensive FAIR-wiki articles on Book of Mormon and DNA.

Christ

"Mormons deny the deity of Christ:"

On the contrary, Mormons believe firmly in the deity of Christ. We hold that Jesus was Jehovah of the Old Testament (therefore "God") and that he is the literal (spiritual and physical) Son of God the Father. To say that we deny his deity is simply not true. His deity is affirmed in all of the books of scripture we use.

Unique LDS Scriptural Passages affirming the deity of Christ

• Mosiah 15꞉1 — ...God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.
  
• DC 19꞉1,16-19 — I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world... For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.

"Mormons believe that Lucifer and Jesus are brothers."

This phase is a good example of how critics misrepresent what Mormons believe to attack rather than try to understand the nuances of the faith.

Put in proper context, the belief is that Jesus and Satan, as well as all of us, share the same spiritual Parent: God the Father. This in no way assumes that Jesus and Satan are spiritual equals (just as Cain and Abel shared the same father, but were stark contrasts to one another). We believe that Jesus upheld the Father's plan for us, while Satan rebelled against it and was cast out. At his rebellion, the heavens "wept" (DC 76꞉26) and he is now the enemy of God, Christ, and every human being. He seeks our misery; Christ seeks to save us, if we will accept Him.

For more information on this topic, see our FAIR-wiki article on Jesus as brother of Satan?.

Deification/theosis

"Mormons believe that they can become gods and rule over their own planets."

This is a gross mischaracterization of LDS belief. Mormons believe that we will be Joint-Heirs with Christ (see Deification above). While some individuals have speculated on what life would be like in heaven, none of those speculations have followed this claim that has been put forward by professional anti-Mormons. Mormons are offended by this claim.

For more information on this subject see our FAIRwiki article on Theosis or Human deification

God

"Mormons believe that God had sexual intercourse with Mary."

This is not a doctrine of the LDS church. It is believed that Jesus is the literal Son of God, but there is no official stance on the process by which he was conceived.

Some members and leaders have made and do make this assumption, but this is not a doctrine of the Church—such speculation was more common before assisted reproductive techniques (e.g., IVF, "test tube babies," etc.) made it clear that one can be a literal parent without sexual intercourse. The key has always been to defend the idea of God's literal Fatherhood of Jesus; the Church and its leaders always resisted efforts to allegorize or spiritualize this vital doctrine.

For more information on this topic, see our FAIR-wiki article on Conception of Jesus Christ.

"Mormons don't believe in the God and Jesus of the Bible."

Mormons believe in the biblical Godhead (Father, Son, Holy Ghost), rather than in the "Trinity" the way many Christians do. We differ from other Christians in our beliefs about the nature of God, and reject the post-biblical creeds that attempted to define God's nature (Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed, Westminster Confession of Faith, etc.) and merge the essence of the Three into One. We believe that the members of the Godhead are three distinct, ontologically separate beings, who act in perfect unity to carry out the plan of salvation. The Father and the Son, in our belief, have perfect, glorified, physical bodies, while the Holy Ghost has a body of spirit.

For more information on this topic, see our FAIR-wiki article on Do Mormons Worship a "Different Jesus"?.

"The Mormon God was once a mortal man on another planet."

Many Latter-day Saints infer that because we, as children of God, now live as mortals in this world and have the potential to become gods through the atonement of Christ, that God the Father must have gone through a similar process to be where He is. Early leaders (including Joseph Smith) taught something to this effect. But... it's something about which we know very little, since nothing formal has been revealed to the Church and very little was explained by early leaders. Could it be so? Logically, yes, but we simply don't know enough, and so it's not something that is discussed or taught much in the Church today. As far as we are concerned, God the Father has always been our God and always will be, and we leave it at that. Anything else is really just theological speculation—interesting, but not terribly important.

History

"Mormonism is a cult."

Some of our critics like to use the word "cult" because of its shock value. It is an attempt to equate Mormons with groups like the Peoples Temple group (Jim Jones) or Heaven's Gate, where they make us out to be "kool-aid" drinkers, swallowing whatever our leaders tell us without question, and this is patently not the way the Church operates. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a legitimate world religion, and has gained the respect of world leaders, political, social, and religious. Theological differences should be no occasion for name-calling or labeling.

"Cult" is simply a word that powerful religions use to call another faith names. Early Christians were labeled as cultists by the Romans. We don't believe name-calling has any place in civil discourse.

For more information on this topic, see our FAIR-wiki article on LDS_Church_is_a_cult.

"But Joseph Smith said that all churches were wrong, and that they were an 'abomination' in God's sight. Doesn't that sound bigoted?"

Joseph Smith went into the grove at age 14 to ask God "which of all the churches is right, and which should [he] join?" He assumed that the Lord's church had continued on the earth, unchanged through the centuries, and just wanted to know which one it was. What he was told by the Father and the Son in his vision appears to have been a surprising answer to him, that they were all wrong. But what he said was that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight, that the professors (as in professional clergy) were corrupt. That's a far cry from saying that there was nothing good or true or of value in those churches, or that their members were going to hell. God's purpose in the restoration of the fullness of the gospel to the earth was to bring people to a clearer understanding of Him and His Son and their plan for creation. So our message to the world is to bring all you have that is good and true and praiseworthy from your own tradition, and let us see if we can add to it.

For more information on this topic, see our FAIR-wiki article on Godhead_and_the_Trinity.

Joseph Smith

"Mormons believe that they are saved through obedience to Joseph Smith."

Not true. Joseph Smith is, to Mormons, no different than Peter, Paul, Moses, or any of the other biblical prophets. He was an imperfect, fallible human being (by his own admission), as were biblical figures (except Jesus of course), but was nonetheless called by God to be a prophet. To say that one is a prophet doesn't mean he loses his humanity, i.e., ceases to be who he has become in his upbringing and surroundings. God has always spoken through prophets and apostles, imperfect though they be, and to us it is no different with Joseph Smith or any of his successors. (Ross Baron's question to one of his fireside attendees is a good one (paraphrasing), "Can you, as a Christian, reject Peter [or Paul, or whomever], and still accept Christ? It's the same for us with Joseph Smith."

Politics

"What is the view of the Mormon Church on the political process?"

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is neutral in matters of party politics. This applies in all of the many nations in which it is established.

The Church does not:
- Endorse, promote or oppose political parties, candidates or platforms.
- Allow its church buildings, membership lists or other resources to be used for partisan political purposes.
- Attempt to direct its members as to which candidate or party they should give their votes. This policy applies whether or not a candidate for office is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- Attempt to direct or dictate to a government leader.

The Church does:
- Encourage its members to play a role as responsible citizens in their communities, including becoming informed about issues and voting in elections.
- Expect its members to engage in the political process in an informed and civil manner, respecting the fact that members of the Church come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences and may have differences of opinion in partisan political matters.
- Request candidates for office not to imply that their candidacy or platforms are endorsed by the Church.
- Reserve the right as an institution to address, in a nonpartisan way, issues that it believes have significant community or moral consequences or that directly affect the interests of the Church.

"Should someone be disqualified (in the public arena) from holding a high public office, solely on the the basis of his/her religion?"

Absolutely not. While the Church itself has a policy of strict political neutrality, members are counseled that "honest men and wise men [women] should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men [women] ye should observe to uphold..." (D&C 98:10), regardless of their religious affiliation. Likewise, people should not necessarily vote for a candidate simply because he or she shares their specific religious faith (or lack thereof).

Polygamy

"Mormons believe you must practice polygamy to be saved."

In the LDS church, plural marriage (or polygamy) was a practice and a belief that was appropriate for its time in the 1840's through the 1890's. In the 1890's its usefulness had mostly past as it ended the practice. They follow a Book of Mormon scripture which states plural marriage is not to be practiced except during times when God commands it.

For more information of this topic, see our FAIR-wiki article on Polygamy_a_requirement_for_exaltation.

Racism

"Mormons are racists, or have a history of racism in their church."

Mormons have always allowed those of black-African descent to join the Church and worship in the same congregations as everyone else. Sometime in the mid-19th century, a policy was introduced that denied blacks the benefits of membership in our lay priesthood. This policy was in place until 1978, at which time (then) Church president Spencer W. Kimball announced that the priesthood could be held by any eligible male member. We do not know the reasons for this pre-1978 policy, because there is no recorded revelation given for it. Many have pointed to statements by past Church leaders which, by today's standards, would be considered racist. We would not try to justify statements by our leaders that carried racist connotations. But other Christians who point the "racist" finger at Mormons should certainly not apply a different standard to our past than they do to their own.

For more information on this topic see our FAIR-wiki article on Blacks_and_the_priesthood

Salvation

"Mormons don't believe in being saved by grace though faith-only in Jesus Christ."

Mormons believe they are saved by Jesus Christ. Without Christ, it wouldn't matter how many good works or ordinances you did, it would not lead to your salvation. Similarly, it matters not how much you profess Christ if you do not try to follow Him by obedience to what He taught.

For more information on this topic, see our FAIR-wiki article on Works_and_grace.

"Mormonism is 'exclusive,' that is, if you're not a Mormon, you can't be saved."

Not true, though our view of salvation is different in some ways. We believe in different levels of salvation, stemming from the idea that God will judge us according to our works and award us accordingly. Paul alluded to differences in the glories of resurrected beings, comparing them to the sun, moon, and stars (1 Cor. 15), and coupled with modern revelation (D&C 76, for exampe), we believe that there are degrees of glory in the hereafter, and that each is a "kingdom of glory," where a degree of salvation is granted through the grace of Christ. In order to attain the highest, people must accept Christ, exercise faith in him, and endure to the end of their lives in faithfulness.

For more information on this topic, see our FAIR-wiki article on Salvation_of_non-members.

Temple

"Mormons wear 'magic' underwear. This is one of their strange, 'out there' beliefs."

It is true that adult members of the Church who have participated in an ordinance in our Temples, called the "endowment," wear a special undergarment. The purpose of this garment is to serve as a reminder of the covenants one has made to God. Keeping the covenants made brings with it the blessings of spiritual protection. Anecdotal stories of the garment offering physical protection are sometimes related by members of the Church, and this is, perhaps, where some critics of the Church ascribe the "magic" quality to the garment. However, calling it "magic underwear" only serves to ridicule and sensationalize a belief we hold sacred. It is tantamount to making light of the priestly vestments of other faiths, or the yarmulke of the Jews, or the cross jewelry of another Christian. An added benefit of the garment is that wearing it requires that one also wear clothing that is modest.

"Mormons believe they can be married forever in heaven."

Why this is so problematic to some is a complete mystery. Imagine wanting the covenants you make before God with your spouse here on earth to be continued in eternity! This is indeed a core doctrine of the Church, that in the Temple, a couple can be sealed together for this life and for all eternity, rather than "til death do you part." We take seriously Jesus' declaration to Peter, that "whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven..." (Matt. 16:19). Children can likewise be joined to their parents by this same sealing power. It's funny that even many who are not LDS seem to share a similar hope or belief, judging from much of great music and literature.

"Mormons believe in being baptized for dead people."

This is another one of those things that, at first glance sounds a little weird, yet, once understood it's not so strange. Our doctrine of baptsim for the dead starts with the premise that all are on equal footing before God; that it would be unjust to condemn someone to hell for living at the wrong time or in the wrong place, without ever having a chance hear of Jesus. While Jesus' body was in the tomb, he went and began to teach his gospel to those in the Spirit World, where they have the freedom to accept it or reject it. Baptism, for us, is an earthly ordinance; so we search out the names of our deceased ancestors, and act as proxies for them in the Temple where we are baptized in their behalf. In the Spirit World, they have the freedom to accept or reject this proxy ordinance. To us, it's not about giving them a chance to "become a Mormon" when they're dead; it's about accepting or rejecting Christ and His gospel.

Other references
D&C 128 Where the doctrine is revealed.
1 Corinthians 15:29 Where the practice is at least alluded to by Paul.
Dr. Krister Stendahl, Swedish theologian, former Bishop of Stockholm (Lutheran), and former dean of the Harvard Divinity School (hardly a light-weight in the Christian world), named this LDS doctrine his "holy envy" of the Latter-day Saints in Between Heaven and Earth, aired on KBYU television beginning in October 2002 ("holy envy" meaning "be willing to find elements in the other religious traditions and faiths that you admire and wish could, in some way, be reflected in your own religious tradition or faith").

For more information on this topic, see our FAIR-wiki article on Baptism_for_the_dead.

TERMS

A

Aaronic Priesthood

This is one of the two Latter-Day Saints priesthoods. It is made up of three offices Deacon, Teacher and Priest each with increasing duties. In the LDS Church it is generally given to young men starting at age 12. In the RLDS and most other restorationist churches, it is generally given to adults. Capitalize both words. See priesthood.

Aaronic Order

A communal restorationist faith in and around Esk-Dale, Utah.

anti-Mormon

Those who actively campaign against Mormon beliefs or practices. Merely disbelieving Mormon doctrine, leaving the Church, or disagreeing with Church policy does not make someone anti-Mormon. Some anti-Mormons write books, pamphlets and articles, while others protest outside of church buildings and conference centers while the Mormons worship. For an example of anti-Mormon activities, see: off-site. Anti-Mormons generally share one of two ideologies: (a) Evangelical/Fundamentalist Christian groups or (b) secular/agnostic/atheist, usually former members. Authors should be aware that that some who pass themselves off as experts on Mormonism have their own ideologic agendas, and sometimes derive some or all of their income from material attacking the LDS church.

apostate

An inflammatory word used by some to denote a person who has been a member of a Church and who has been excommunicated or who has withdrawn from membership because of belief in doctrines that are not compatible with church doctrine. The term, however, should not be used to describe or label any church or person. If a church can trace its origins to another church, then it should be so stated. For example: The Restoration Church of Jesus Christ was formed by members of the RLDS Church in 1989. If an individual is no longer a member of the church, they should be referred to as a "former member" or some other less inflammatory term.

Apostle

A calling usually in reference to a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In the RLDS Church it may be used as a title, Apostle John Smith. Use the term Elder in the LDS Church, Elder John Smith, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Area Authority Seventy

Articles of Faith

Auditorium, The

Capitalize when referencing to the building (RLDS) at Independence, Mo.

B

baptism for the dead

The practice of baptizing a person by proxy for a deceased person. Do not capitalize. This rite is performed most often in the temples of the LDS Church.

Barlow University

A college in Colorado City, Arizona operated by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Barlow)

Beehive

A term used for a class of young women age 12 or 13.

Bishop

A lay person called to oversee the operation of a local congregation (LDS) or to assist in the temporal affairs of the church in a given area (RLDS). Capitalize when part of the title. Bishop John Smith otherwise lower case as in the bishop's storehouse. In the RLDS and Temple Lot, etc. bishops have the general oversight and responsibility for all the temporal affairs of the church and its members.

Book of Commandments

A book of scripture first published in 1833, consisting of revelations received by Joseph Smith. It was reissued in 1835 with additional revelations as the Doctrine and Covenants. The Book of Commandments is still used by the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) and several other restorationist churches. .

Book of the Law of the Lord

A book of scripture translated by James J. Strang in 1851. Used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strang) and related groups.

The Book of Mormon

A book of scripture used by most, but not all, of the restorationist churches. Translated by Joseph Smith, Jr. it is also known as The Record of the Nephites by some churches. The LDS Church's media style guide gives the name as The Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ which is rarely used even within the LDS Church. Citing scriptures from the Book of Mormon. Because the Book of Mormon has two different verse numbering systems in use it is important to cite verses from it in a consistent way. The numbering system used by the church about which the story is concerning should be used with the alternate system used afterwards. The two systems are noted as either LDS or RLDS. For example: 1Ne. 1:1 (1Ne. 1:1 RLDS) You should do this even in cases where the two numbering systems agree.

Abbreviations of book titles The following are the accepted abbreviations.

• 1 Ne. 1 Nephi
• 2 Ne. 2 Nephi
• Jacob Jacob
• Enos Enos
• Jarom Jarom
• Omni Omni
• W of M Words of Mormon
• Mosiah Mosiah
• Alma Alma
• Hel. Helaman
• 3 Ne. 3 Nephi
• 4 Ne. 4 Nephi
• Morm. Mormon
• Ether Ether
• Moro. Moroni

Branch

Ecclesiastical unit in the LDS Church that is comparable in function to a ward but that is smaller. It is presided over by a Branch President.

Brigham Young University

Also known as BYU or "The Y". A University in Provo, Utah operated by the LDS church. It is one of the largest private Universities in the West with approximately 27,000 daytime students. It has received many national recognitions and is ranked high in several categories. http://www.byu.edu

Brigham Young University-Idaho

A University in Rexburg, Idaho operated by the LDS church. Formerly known as "Ricks College." http://www.byui.edu/

Brigham Young University-Hawaii

A University in Laie, Hawaii operated by the LDS church. http://www.byuh.edu/

BYU Jerusalem Center

The Jerusalem Center is Brigham Young University's center for study in Jerusalem. Students enroll through the BYU campus in Provo, Utah, travel to the Holy Land, and live in the Center for programs that extend for two or four months. Students study a core curriculum that focuses on Old and New Testament, ancient and modern Near Eastern studies, and language (Hebrew and Arabic). Classroom study is built around field trips that cover the length and breadth of the Holy Land. http://ce.byu.edu/jc/

C

Celestial Kingdom

The highest of degree of glory in the LDS concept of heaven. It is compared to the glory of the sun It is sub-divided into three heavens or degrees (D&C 131:1-4).

D

Deacon

An office in the Aaronic Priesthood. In the LDS Church this office is generally given to boys at the age of 12. In the Community of Christ (RLDS) it is held by adults, both men and women. This office generally performs non-ecclesiastical duties such as collecting offerings and passing the sacrament (communion) to the congregation.

Doctrine and Covenants

E

Elder

There are three uses for the term "Elder." First it is a level of priesthood that belongs to most male members between the ages of 18 and 50. Secondly, it is the title used when referring to all male LDS missionaries who posses that priesthood. Third, it is the title used when referring to members of the the Quorum of the Twelve, or the Seventy. For example, Dallin H. Oaks may be referred to as "Elder Oaks."

Endowment

Ritualistic-drama ceremony given in LDS temples that teaches man about the creation, fall, atonement, and how man may return to God's presence and be exalted.

Exaltation

In LDS belief, exaltation refers to the deification of men and women in the highest heaven of the Celestial Kingdom. This is reserved for those who are heirs of God and join-heirs with Jesus Christ (See Romans 8:16-18). They will become "gods, even sons of God" (See D&C 76:58-59) and thus participate in the Divine Council (See Psalm 82).

F

Family Home Evening 

Family Prayer

Fasting

Fast Offerings

Fast and Testimony Meeting

On the first Sunday of each month, the members of the church fast. Then when they come to church, instead of their usual meeting they have an open pulpit and allow the members to stand and give their testimonies.

First Presidency

The highest presiding council of the Church composed of the President of the Church who is the Presiding High Priest over the whole Church and usually two counselors who are also High Priests. All three are referred to by the the title of "President." The RLDS and the LDS Churches both have a First Presidency.

G

Garments

After a member of the church goes to the temple, they wear special garments as their under clothing as a sacred reminder of covenants made with God. They are similar in form to boxer shorts and an under shirt. Some anti-Mormons mockingly refer to this as "magic underwear" or other derogatory names which behavior is very offensive to the members of the church.

General Authorities

Church Leaders who have authority in the world wide church and who are not restricted in authority to certain geographical regions alone. The First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the First and Second Quorums of Seventy, and the Presiding Bishopric are all general authorities.

General Conference

The first weekend in April and the first weekend in October, all of the General Authorities of the church will meet in Salt Lake City in the conference center. They will give sermons and talks on a variety of subjects. It is broadcast all over the world and listened to by the members of the LDS church. You can see the talks from General Conference here http://www.lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,49-1-775,00.html

Gift of the Holy Ghost

The right to have, whenever one is worthy, the companionship of the Holy Ghost. This right is given only after proper and authorized baptism and is conferred by the laying on of hands by those who hold Melchizedek Priesthood. It acts as a cleansing agent to purify a person and sanctify them from sin.

Godhead

• The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost acting in a quorum. In the LDS teach that "the Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us." (D&C 130:22)
• The term "Godhead" as found in the KJV New Testament is archaic and means "godhood"--the quality or state of being divine. LDS do not generally use the term in this fashion although it is in KJV version of the Bible which is used by the Church.

H

High Priest

This is a level in the LDS priesthood given to many males over the age of 50, or to those who have served in Ward or Stake leadership positions.

Home Teaching

Homosexuality

I

Institute

J

Jesus Christ

Joseph Smith 

L

Laurel

M

Melchizedek Priesthood

Mia Maid

P

Pastor

The leader of the local congregation in the RLDS Church.

Patriarch

Patriarchal Blessings

Pearl of Great Price

A book of scripture held sacred by the LDS Church. It contains various texts including:

• The Book of Moses: Joseph Smith's retranslation of the early chapters of Genesis.
• The Book of Abraham: Joseph Smith's translations of some papyrus that was discovered with some mummies by Michael Chandler.
• Joseph Smith - Matthew: Part of Joseph Smith's retranslation of Matthew, chapters 23 and 24.
• Joseph Smith - History: Joseph's account of early events of the Church, taken from his History of the Church. And,
• The Articles of Faith: A brief statment of basic beliefs of the Church, originally part of a letter by Joseph Smith to John Wentworth, Editor of the Chicago Democrat who inquired of Joseph about the Church.

Priest

A level in the LDS priesthood held by young men ages 16-18. It is also often held by newer male converts in the LDS church. In the Community of Christ (RLDS) the office of Priest as with other Priesthood offices is generally held by adults, both men and women.

Primary

The children's organization in the LDS church.

R

Relief Society

the woman's organization within the LDS church. All women within the church belong to this organization.

S

Sabbath

Seminary

Stake

Ecclesiastical unit comprised of wards and branches and presided over by a Stake President.

Stake Conference

A meeting of the entire stake. It generally takes place twice a year. No ward or branch meetings are held on the Sunday when Stake Conference is held.

T

Teacher

There are two uses of this word among LDS. The first is the familiar term teacher, as in a Sunday School teacher. The second usage is for a position in the LDS priesthood that is generally reserved for young men age 14-16.

Telestial Kingdom

The lowest kingdom of Glory in the LDS view of heaven. It is compared to the glory of the stars.

Temple

The temple is not a church building for normal Sunday meetings. It is a place of sacred worship and ceremonies performed for the living and on behalf of the dead.

Terrestrial Kingdom

The middle kingdom of Glory in the LDS view of heaven. It is compared to the glory of the moon.

Testimony

This has two uses within the LDS church. First it is a description of belief, as in "He has a testimony of the gospel." Secondly, it is used to describe the verbal expression of that belief, as in "He bore his testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."

Tithing 

Tithing has been defined by the Lord as "one-tenth of [a person's] interest annually" (D&C 119:4). Generally this has been interpreted to mean "increase." The Church has not defined "interest" or "increase" specifically and so it is up to the member to determine what it is.

W

Ward

Ecclesiastical unit presided over by a Bishop. Members are assigned to attend wards by geographical location.

Welfare

Word of Wisdom 

The health code followed by practicing Latter-day Saints (Mormons.) The current interpretation includes not drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, taking illegal drugs, drinking coffee, or black or green tea. Some Latter-day Saints in the United States have further interpreted this to mean they should not drink any caffeinated beverages although many have not.

Z

Zion

There are several definitions:

• The name of the people of the Lord (Moses 7:18).
• A city built by Enoch and his people that was translated (Moses 7:18-69).
• The City of Jerusalem (2 Sam. 5:6-7).
• The New Jerusalem that is to be built in Jackson County Missouri (D&C 84:1-4).
• All of North and South America (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 362).