Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)

Original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith in the 1820s

A reconstruction of the original log house of Peter Whitmer Sr. in Fayette, New York

The Church of Christ was the original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith.[1] Organized informally in 1829 in upstate New York and then formally on April 6, 1830, it was the first organization to implement the principles found in Smith's newly published Book of Mormon, and thus its establishment represents the formal beginning of the Latter Day Saint movement. Later names for this organization included the Church of the Latter Day Saints (by 1834 resolution),[2] the Church of Jesus Christ,[3] the Church of God,[3] the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints,[4][5] and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (by an 1838 revelation).[6][7]

Smith and his associates asserted that the Church of Christ was a restoration of the 1st-century early Christian church, which Smith claimed had fallen from God's favor and authority because of what he called a "Great Apostasy". After Smith's death in 1844, there was a crisis of authority, with the majority of the members following Brigham Young to the Salt Lake Valley, but with several smaller denominations remaining in Illinois or settling in Missouri and in other states. Each of the churches that resulted from this schism considers itself to be the rightful continuation of Smith's original "Church of Christ", regardless of the name they may currently bear (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), Community of Christ, The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite), Church of Christ (Temple Lot), etc.).

This church is unrelated to other bodies bearing the same name, including the United Church of Christ, a Reformed church body, and the Churches of Christ, who have roots in the Restoration movement. Today, there are several Latter Day Saint denominations called "Church of Christ", largely within the Hedrickite branch of the movement.

## Doctrinal development prior to 1830

[edit]

Main article: Origin of the Book of Mormon

The first Latter Day Saint references to the "church of Christ" are found in passages of the Book of Mormon that Smith dictated from April to June 1829. During the course of this dictation, the outlines for a community of believers or church structure gradually became apparent. Such a structure would have authority from God, ordinances such as baptism, and ordained clergy. Some time in April 1829, Smith dictated a story of Alma the Elder, the former priest of a wicked king, who baptized his followers by immersion, "having authority from the Almighty God", and called his community of believers the "church of God, or the church of Christ".[8] The book described the clergy in Alma's church as consisting of priests, who were unpaid and were to "preach nothing save it were repentance and faith in the Lord".[9] Alma later established many churches (or congregations), which were considered "one church" because "there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God."[10] In addition to priests, the book mentions that the clergy of these churches also included teachers.[11]

Nevertheless, in May 1829, a revelation by Smith described the "church" in informal terms: "Behold, this is my doctrine: whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church: whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me: therefore, he is not of my church."[12] Smith's further dictation of the Book of Mormon also stated that there were "two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil".[13]

Also in May 1829, Smith and Oliver Cowdery said they were visited by John the Baptist in angelic form, who conferred the Aaronic priesthood on them, which included the authority to baptize in Jesus Christ's name. Smith and Cowdery then baptized each other by immersion. They also baptized dozens of people, as early as June 1829.[14] These converts, however, did not belong to a formal church organization. Nevertheless, this community of believers referred to themselves as "the Church of Christ", and included converts in three New York towns: Fayette, Manchester, and Colesville.

In June 1829, Smith dictated a revelation stating that "in [the Book of Mormon] are all things written, concerning my church, my gospel, and my rock. Wherefore if you shall build up my church, and my gospel, and my rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you."[15] Some time between June and December 1829, Cowdery said he received a revelation about "how he should build up his church & the manner thereof". This revelation was called the "Articles of the Church of Christ", and it indicated that the church should ordain priests and teachers "according to the gifts & callings of God unto men". The church was to meet regularly to partake of bread and wine. Cowdery was described as "an Apostle of Jesus Christ". According to David Whitmer, by April 1830, this informal "Church of Christ" had about six elders and 70 members.[16]

## Organization of the church

[edit]

Further information: History of the Latter Day Saint movement § Organization of the Church of Christ

On April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and a group of approximately 30 believers met with the intention of formally organizing the Church of Christ into a legal institution. It is uncertain whether this occurred in the home of Peter Whitmer Sr. in Fayette, New York, or whether it occurred in the log home of Joseph Smith Sr. near their property in Manchester, New York. Soon after this formal organization, small branches were formally established in Manchester, Fayette, and Colesville. Although the purpose was to effect a legal organization, it may have had no legal effect since no records of incorporation have been found in either the Manchester–Palmyra area, the Fayette area, or in several other counties around this time period, as required by state law at the time: the church evidently did not follow the required legal formalities.[17]

### Location of the organization

[edit]

Prior to 1834, all church publications and documents stated that the church was organized in the Smith log home in Manchester, New York.[18] The first Smith log home was located on the Samuel Jennings property in Palmyra, just north of the town's southern border and subsequent the Smith Manchester property.[19][20] The Smiths may have constructed a second log home on their own property.[21] Beginning in 1834, several church publications began to give the location of the organizational meeting as Fayette, at the home of Peter Whitmer Sr. The Whitmer home had been the site of many other meetings near the same time period. After 1834, several official church accounts said the meeting was in Manchester[22] and several eyewitnesses said the event took place in Manchester.[23]

Independent researcher H. Michael Marquardt argues that the evidence suggests the organization occurred in Manchester, and that the confusion was likely due to the effect of memory tending to conflate memories of several meetings in Manchester and Fayette years earlier.[24] Critics suggest that the location of the organization was intentionally changed in 1834 around the same time the church's name was changed to the "Church of the Latter Day Saints", in order to make it seem like the new church organization was different from the "Church of Christ", as a tactic to frustrate the church's creditors and avoid payment of debts.[25]

There is also evidence pointing to Fayette as the place of organization. For example, a headnote to the earliest known version of chapter XXII of the Book of Commandments says that the revelation was dictated in Fayette on April 6, 1830, after the church was organized.[26] This was changed to "Manchester" when the book was published in 1833.[27] Officially, the major denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement claim Fayette as the birthplace of the religion, and Smith's official history, begun in 1838, listed Fayette as the founding place.[28] In 1887, one other eye-witness, David Whitmer, recollected that the event occurred in his father's home in Fayette;[16] however, years earlier, in 1875, Whitmer had already told a reporter that the event occurred in Manchester.[29] Marquardt argues that the event described by Whitmer in 1887 bears more resemblance to Fayette meetings such as the founding of the church's Fayette branch five days later on April 11, 1830.[30]

The largest successor organization to the Church of Christ, the LDS Church, accepts Fayette as the official location of the organizing meeting.[31]

### Events at the organization

[edit]

By later accounts, the April 6 organizational meeting was a charismatic event, in which members of the congregation had visions, prophesied, spoke in tongues, ecstatically shouted praises to the Lord, and fainted.[32] At this meeting, the church formally ordained a lay ministry, with the priesthood offices of deacon, teacher, priest, and elder. Smith and Cowdery, according to their 1831 account, were each ordained as "an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church".[33] This account was edited in 1835 to state that Smith was ordained the "First Elder", and Oliver Cowdery was ordained the "Second Elder".[34]

### First members of the church

[edit]

Main article: Early participants in the Latter Day Saint movement

According to the LDS Church, the first six members of the Church of Christ were:[35][36]

Oliver Cowdery

Joseph Smith

Hyrum Smith

Samuel H. Smith

David Whitmer

Not shown: Peter Whitmer Jr.

* Oliver Cowdery
* Joseph Smith
* Hyrum Smith
* Peter Whitmer Jr.
* Samuel H. Smith
* David Whitmer

Early membership also included the Three Witnesses and the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon and members of the extended Whitmer and Smith families. Other early members included friends and acquaintances of the Smith and Whitmer families, such as Porter Rockwell.

## The name of the church

[edit]

### Historical background

[edit]

Smith's revelations authorized and commanded the organization of the "Church of Christ" in 1830, and in several of the revelations Smith said he received, God referred to the church by that name.[37] Smith taught that this church was a restoration of the primitive Christian church established by Jesus in the 1st century AD. Smith also taught that this restoration occurred in the "Latter Days" of the world, that is, the time immediately prior to the Second Coming of Jesus.[38]

### Early changes

[edit]

The fact that a number of the churches of the Restoration Movement were also named the "Church of Christ" caused a considerable degree of confusion in the first years of the Latter Day Saint movement. Because of the distinct belief in the Book of Mormon among Smith's followers, people outside the church began to refer them as "Mormonites" or "Mormons." Smith and other church elders considered the name "Mormon" derogatory.[39] In May 1834, the church adopted a resolution that the church would be known thereafter as "The Church of the Latter Day Saints".[2] At various times the church was also referred to as "The Church of Jesus Christ", "The Church of God",[3] and "The Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints".[4][5]

In the late 1830s, Smith and those loyal to him founded a new headquarters in Far West, Missouri. At Far West in 1838, Smith announced a revelation renaming the organization the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints".[6][7]

### Later variations

[edit]

Up to the time of Smith's death, the church was known alternatively as the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" or the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints", that is, with or without a hyphen. After Smith's death, competing Latter Day Saint denominations organized under the leadership of a number of successors. The largest of these, led by Brigham Young and now based in Salt Lake City, Utah, continued using "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" until incorporating in 1851, when the church standardized the spelling of its name as "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (LDS Church).[40] Followers of James J. Strang use the spelling of the public domain name, "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints", as the name of their church.[41]

The name "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" was also used by members who recognized Smith's son, Joseph Smith III, as his father's successor. The younger Smith became prophet-president of this group on April 6, 1860. However, the church incorporated in 1872 as the "Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" (RLDS Church),[42] to distinguish it from the larger Utah church, at the time in the midst of federal issues related to polygamy.[43] In 2001, the RLDS Church changed its name again to "Community of Christ"—consciously echoing the original "Church of Christ" name.[citation needed]

The Sidney Rigdon group dwindled until one of its elders, William Bickerton, reorganized in 1862 under the name "The Church of Jesus Christ".[44] Other Latter Day Saint denominations returned to the original name or a variation of the name, including the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), the Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite), and the now-extinct Church of Christ (Whitmerite).[citation needed]

## Succession claims

[edit]

See also: Succession crisis (Latter Day Saints)

Virtually every Latter Day Saint denomination claims to be the rightful successor to the original Church of Christ and claims Joseph Smith as its founding prophet or first president. For example, the LDS Church,[45] Community of Christ,[46] Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite),[47] Church of Christ (Temple Lot),[48] and Church of Christ with the Elijah Message[49] all claim to have been organized by Smith on April 6, 1830, the date on which the Church of Christ was organized. Other denominations, such as The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite),[50] acknowledge that their organizations were created after this date, but nevertheless claim to be a re-establishment of the original church.

In an 1880 lawsuit, an Ohio court held that the RLDS Church was the lawful successor to Smith's original Church of Christ.[51] The court also explicitly held that the LDS Church was not the lawful successor because it "has materially and largely departed from the faith, doctrines, law, ordinances and usages of the said original Church".[51] These holdings were preliminary findings of fact based on the RLDS Church's unopposed legal submissions; the court issued no final judgment on the matter because the case was dismissed.[52]

In 1894, a federal United States court in Missouri held again that the RLDS Church was the lawful successor to the original church.[53] However, on appeal the entire case was dismissed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit without any discussion by the court of the issue of legal succession.[54]

## See also

[edit]

* History of the Latter Day Saint movement
* List of denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement

Portals:

* Christianity
* Latter Day Saint movement

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ "The Missouri Mormon War". www.sos.mo.gov.
2. ^ a b "Minutes of a Conference", Evening and Morning Star, vol. 2, no. 20, p. 160 (May 1832).
3. ^ a b c Joseph Smith (B. H. Roberts (ed.)) History of the Church vol. 3, p. 24, footnote.
4. ^ a b Richard Lloyd Anderson, "I Have a Question: What changes have been made in the name of the Church?", Ensign, January 1979.
5. ^ a b Susan Easton Black, "Name of the Church" Archived 2014-05-21 at the Wayback Machine in Daniel H. Ludlow ed., Encyclopedia of Mormonism (Macmillan: New York, 1992) p. 979.
6. ^ a b Manuscript History of the Church, LDS Church Archives, book A-1, p. 37; reproduced in Dean C. Jessee (comp.) (1989). The Papers of Joseph Smith: Autobiographical and Historical Writings (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book) 1:302–03.
7. ^ a b H. Michael Marquardt and Wesley P. Walters (1994). Inventing Mormonism: Tradition and the Historical Record (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books) p. 160.
8. ^ Mosiah 18:13–17
9. ^ Mosiah 18:20
10. ^ Mosiah 25:22
11. ^ Mosiah 25:21
12. ^ Book of Commandments 9:16
13. ^ 1 Nephi 14:10
14. ^ Smith, History of the Church 1:6, 59.
15. ^ Book of Commandments __:3–4.
16. ^ a b (Whitmer 1887, p. 33)
17. ^ Marquardt (2005, pp. 224–25).
18. ^ Marquardt (2005, pp. 212–219).
19. ^ (Berge 1985)
20. ^ "Church History Maps". ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Retrieved 2017-11-05.
21. ^ "Lucy's Book – 02; note 76". signaturebookslibrary.org. Retrieved 2017-11-05. "The Smith family first lived in a house on the west end of Main Street in Palmyra. Between April 1819 and April 1820, they moved to a small cabin on Samuel Jennings's property just north of the Palmyra/Manchester township line. This log house [on their own property] was their third residence [since moving to] Palmyra and the first they had constructed."
22. ^ Marquardt (2005, p. 220)
23. ^ Eye-witnesses include Joseph Smith (Smith 1844) (who had said in other statements that it was in Fayette), William Smith (Smith 1883, p. 14), Joseph Knight Sr. (Jessee 1976), and several non-believing Palmyra residents who had attended (Tucker 1867, p. 58).
24. ^ Marquardt (2005, p. 221).
25. ^ Marquardt (2005, pp. 226–228).
26. ^ Joseph Smith Papers, (need citation).
27. ^ Book of Commandments, chapter XXII, p. 45.
28. ^ Joseph Smith (B. H. Roberts ed.). History of the Church 1:75–77.
29. ^ (Whitmer 1875)
30. ^ Marquardt (2005, pp. 222–23).
31. ^ John K. Carmack, "Fayette: The Place the Church Was Organized", Ensign, February 1989.
32. ^ Joseph Smith History, 1839 draft.
33. ^ "Articles and Covenants of the Church of Christ", Painesville Telegraph, April 19, 1831.
34. ^ D&C 20:2–3 (LDS Church ed.).
35. ^ "Chapter Six: Organization of the Church of Jesus Christ", Church History In the Fulness of Times Student Manual, LDS Church, 2003, pp. 67–78
36. ^ Joseph Smith (B. H. Roberts (ed.), History of the Church 1:76, footnote.
37. ^ LDS Church edition Doctrine and Covenants 21:11 (April 1830); 42:78 (February 1831); 107:59 (March 1835).
38. ^ Roberts, B.H, ed. (1904), History of the Church, vol. 3, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News, ISBN 1-152-94824-5 `{{citation}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
39. ^ "The Saints", Evening and Morning Star, vol. 2, no. 20, pp. 158–59 (May 1834).
40. ^ Lesson: Law and the Church as an Institution Archived 2007-08-12 at the Wayback Machine.
41. ^ "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: Name of the Church", strangite.org, accessed 2011-04-07.
42. ^ Saints' Herald, 19 March 1972, p. 6.
43. ^ "A Brief History of Mormonism" Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, Mormon History Association.
44. ^ Lovalvo, V. James (1980), It is Written: Truth Shall Spring Forth Out of the Earth, Fresno, California: Midcal Publishers, p. 318
45. ^ "Early Church History", mormonnewsroom.org, accessed 2015-10-22.
46. ^ "A Journey People", cofchrist.org, accessed 2015-10-22.
47. ^ "History and Succession" Archived 2012-12-28 at archive.today, strangite.org, accessed 2009-04-03.
48. ^ "A Brief History of the Church of Christ Archived 2016-11-22 at the Wayback Machine, churchofchrist-tl.org, accessed 2015-10-22.
49. ^ Brief Historical Background of The Church of Christ: "The Church With The Elijah Message", accessed 2010-06-30.
50. ^ "Our Mission", thechurchofjesuschrist.com, accessed 2009-04-03.
51. ^ a b Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints v. Williams, Record T, 1880, p. 488, Court of Common Pleas, Lake County Courthouse, Painesville, Ohio.
52. ^ Kim L. Loving, "Ownership of the Kirtland Temple: Legends, Lies, and Misunderstandings", Journal of Mormon History 30(2): 1–80 (Fall 2004); Eric Paul Rogers and R. Scott Glauser, "The Kirtland Temple Suit and the Utah Church", Journal of Mormon History 30(2): 81–97 (Fall 2004).
53. ^ Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints v. Church of Christ, 60 F. 937 (C.C.W.D. Mo. 1894).
54. ^ Church of Christ in Missouri v. Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 70 F. 179 (8th Cir. 1895).

## References

[edit]

* Berge, Dale L. (August 1985), "Archaeological Work at the Smith Log House", Ensign, 15 (8): 24, retrieved June 30, 2010.
* Carmack, John K. (February 1989), "Fayette: The Place the Church was Organized", Ensign, 19 (2): 15–19, retrieved June 30, 2010.
* Jessee, Dean (1976), "Joseph Knight's Recollection of Early Mormon History" (PDF), BYU Studies, 17 (1): 35, retrieved June 30, 2010[permanent dead link].
* Marquardt, H. Michael (February 1992), "An Appraisal of Manchester as Location for the Organization of the Church" (PDF), Sunstone, 87 (2): 49–57, archived from the original (PDF) on March 11, 2012, retrieved June 30, 2010.
* Marquardt, H. Michael (2005), The rise of Mormonism, 1816–1844, Xulon Press.
* Smith, Joseph (1844), "History of the Latter Day Saints", in Rupp, I. Daniel (ed.), He Pasa Ekklessia: An Original History of the Religious Denominations at Present Existing in the United States..., Philadelphia: J.Y. Humphreys, pp. 404–410.
* Smith, Lucy Mack (1908), The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, Lamoni, IA: RLDS Church \- (see also)
* Smith, William (1883), William Smith on Mormonism: A True Account of the Origin of the Book of Mormon, Lamoni, Iowa: RLDS Church, (ISBN not assigned).
* Tucker, Pomeroy (1867), Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism, New York: D. Appleton.
* Whitmer, John C. (August 7, 1875), "The Golden Tables", Chicago Times.
* Whitmer, David (1887), An Address to All Believers in Christ By A Witness to the Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, Richmond, Missouri: David Whitmer.

* v
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Fundamental ideas|

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Current denominations or sub-groups in the Latter Day Saint movement

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> | | | |  -- (I.) Major two * -- | | | | | | | | | | |
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> | | | | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
>  17.0 million (2022), about 98–99% of Latter Day Saint movement - Utah-based| | Russell M. Nelson
> presided 2018-present| | Thomas S. Monson
> presided 2008-2018| | John Taylor
> presided 1877-1887| | Brigham Young
> presided 1844-1877| | |
> | | | | | |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Joseph Smith Jr.
> presided 1830-1844[a]|
> | | | | |
> | | | | | Community of Christ
>  252,000 (2019), about 1–2% of Latter Day Saint movement - Missouri-based| | Steven M. Veazey
> presided 2005-present| | Wallace B. Smith
> presided 1978-1966| | | | | | Joseph Smith III
> presided 1860-1914| |
> | | | | | | | |
> | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | | -- (II.) With membership in the thousands * --| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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> | | | | | The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
>  19,029 members (Dec. 31, 2012) - Pennsylvania-based| | Joel Gehly
> presided 2018-present| | | | | | William Bickerton
> presided 1862-1880| | Sidney Rigdon
> presided 1844-1847[b]| |
> | | | | | | |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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> | | | | | Church of Christ With the Elijah Message
>  over 12,000 members (1998) - Missouri-based| | William Draves
> presided 1943-1994| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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> | | | | Apostolic United Brethren
>  approximately 10,000 members (1998)- Utah-based| | Mormon fundamentalism
> John Woolley / Lorin Woolley
> Council of Friends
> (Short Creek Community)
> presided 1918-1928 / 1928-1934| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> |
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> | | | | Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
>  approximately 10,000 members (2011) - Utah-based| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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>   * v
>   * t
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> See fundamentalist denominations in addition to the pair above.

> 

>> | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Kingdom of God
> Organized by:Frank Naylor and Ivan Neilsen - approx. 250| | Centennial Park>
> Organized by: Marion Hammon and Alma Timpson - approx. 1,500 members| | FLDS church schisms| | Woolley schisms|
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>> | | | | Church of Jesus Christ (Original Doctrine) Inc.
> Organized by: Winston Blackmore - approx. 700 members| | | | | | |
>> | | | | | | | | | | | |
>> Church of the Lamb of God
> Organized by: Ervil LeBaron - Current status unknown| | Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times
> Organized by: Joel F. LeBaron - Several hundred adherents| | AUB schisms| |
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>> | | | | Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
> Organized by: Gerald Peterson, Sr. - approx. 100 members| | | | | | |
>> | | | | | | | | | | | | |
>> | | | | Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly
> Organized by: Alex Joseph| | | | | | |
>> | | | | | | | | | | | | |
>> | | | | Church of the New Covenant in Christ
> Organized by: John W. Bryant| | | | | | |
>> | | | | | | | | | | | |
>> | | | | Latter Day Church of Christ
> Organized by: Elden Kingston - approx. 2,000 members| | | | | |
>> | | | |
>> |
>> | | | | School of the Prophets
> Organized by: Robert C. Crossfield| | | | | | LDS Church schisms
> (Non-Woolley)|
>> | | | | | |
>> | | | | | | | | |
>> | | | | True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days
> Organized by: James D. Harmston - approx. 400 members| | |
>> |
>> | | | | | | | | |
>> | | | | The Church of the Firstborn and the General Assembly of Heaven
> Organized by: Terrill R. Dalton| | | |
>> |

> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | Restoration branches movement which have created the
> Joint Conference of Restoration Branches
>  6,000–7,000 members[c] (2010) - Missouri-based| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | |
> | | | |

> |

>   * v
>   * t
>   * e

> See Restoration branches movement groupings in addition to one above.

> 

>> | Smaller, founded in the 20th century
>> 

>> |
>> Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
> Organized by: Frederick Niels Larsen- 1,000–2,000 members| |
>> | | | |
>> Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
> Organized by: Several RLDS entities- 8 congregations| |
>> | | | |
>> Minuscule, founded in the 20th century | |
>> | | | | |
>> |
>> Church of Jesus Christ (Toneyite)
> Organized by: Forrest Toney| |
>> | | | |
>> Church of Jesus Christ Restored 1830
> Organized by: Nolan W. Glauner| |
>> | | | |
>> Church of Christ
> Organized by: David B. Clark| |
>> | | | |
>> Church of Jesus Christ (Zion's Branch)
> Organized by: David B. Clark| |

> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | Fellowships of the Remnant
> About 5,000–10,000 participants (2017). Organized 2013 worldwide by
> adherents of a self-subscribed neo-LDS fundamentalist and neo-"Reorganized Latter Day Saint" and Reorganization-like Restorationism revealed through Denver Snuffer
> (excommunicated from LDS Church under Monson)| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | | |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | | | | |
> | | | | Church of Christ (Fettingite)
>  2,000 members (1988); Missouri-based| | | Otto Fetting
> presided 1927-1933| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | Church of Christ (Temple Lot)
>  7,310 members (2013) - Missouri-based| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Granville Hedrick
> presided 1863-1881| |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | |

> |

>   * v
>   * t
>   * e

> See Temple Lot - derived denominations in addition to pair above.

> 

>> | Church of Christ
> (Leighton-Floyd/Burt)
> Organized by: Howard Leighton-Floyd
> and H. H. Burt
> approx. 35 members| | | William Draves
> presided 1943-1994
> Church of Christ with the
> Elijah Message schisms| | Otto Fetting
> presided 1927-1933
> Church of Christ
> (Fettingite) schisms| | Granville Hedrick
> presided 1863-1881
> Church of Christ (Temple Lot)
> schisms|
>> 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

>> | | | | |
>> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
>> Church of Christ with
> the Elijah Message
> (The Assured Way
> of the Lord)
> Organized by:Leonard Draves| | | | Church of Christ (Restored)
> Organized by: A. C. DeWolf
> approx. 450 members| | | | | | | |
>> | | |
>> | | | | | | | | | [note 1]| | |
>> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
>> | |
>> | | | | | Church of Israel
> Organized by:Dan Gayman| | Church of Christ
> at Halley's Bluff
> Organized by: Thomas B. Nerren
> and E. E. Long
> less than 100 members| | | |
>> | |

>>   1. ^ While not considered a schism of the Church of Christ (Fettingite) and its founder Otto Fetting, the Church of Christ at Halley's Bluff accepted Fetting's revelations, but it did not immediately break with the Fettingites in 1929. Nerren and Long instead formed a separate sect in 1932, which was later joined by five other former Temple Lot congregations by 1941.

> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | -- (III.) Minuscule, founded in the 19th century *† --| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
>  300 members (1998) - Wisconsin-based| | | | | | | | | | | | | | James Strang
> presided 1844-1856| |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
> | | | | Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
>  "one branch" (as of 2023) - Missouri-based| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Alpheus Cutler
> presided 1853-1864| |
> | | | | | | | | | | | | |

>  *^ Membership worldwide; generally church-reported; with an occasional exception
>  †^ Once larger

>   1. ^ Organized the Church of Christ, the Latter Day Saint movement's original organization, of which multiple denominations currently believe themselves the true successor
>   2. ^ See Rigdonite.
>   3. ^ Members consider themselves as remaining adherents of the (historical) Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (As of 2011, litigation by the Community of Christ against Restoration Branch individuals and entities generally established CofC's right to both the full and abbreviated RLDS name.)

* v
* t
* e

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

History|

* 1838 Mormon War
* 1890 Manifesto
* Anthon Transcript
* Brigham Young
* Church of Christ
* First Vision
* Good Neighbor policy
* History of the Relief Society
* Historic sites
* Joseph Smith
* Death
* Succession crisis
* LGBTQ Mormon timeline
* Handcart companies
* Mormon Battalion
* Name of the church
* Pioneers
* Mormonism & violence
* Utah War
* 2023 SEC case

Sacred texts|

* Holy Bible
* Book of Mormon
* Doctrine & Covenants
* Pearl of Great Price
* Book of Moses
* Book of Abraham
* Joseph Smith–Matthew
* Joseph Smith–History
* Articles of Faith

Beliefs
& practices|

* Apostolic succession
* Apostasy & restoration
* Calling
* Cosmology
* Adam & Eve
* Evolution
* Plan of salvation
* Degrees of glory
* Exaltation
* Premortal life
* Family Home Evening
* Fast Sunday
* "For the Strength of Youth"
* Gender
* "Family Proclamation"
* Transgender people
* God in Mormonism
* Heavenly Mother
* Ministering
* Marriage
* Celestial
* Interracial
* Polygamy
* Ordinances
* Baptism for the dead
* Marriage sealing
* Second anointing
* Temple endowment
* Temple garment
* Priesthood
* Race
* Black people
* Black Mormons
* Black temple & priesthood restrictions
* Curses of Cain and Ham
* Native Americans
* Pacific Islanders
* Slavery
* Revelation
* Reformed Egyptian
* Sexuality
* Birth control
* Homosexuality
* Sexual orientation change efforts
* Masturbation
* Soaking
* Spectrums of belief & practice
* Suicide
* Tithing
* Word of wisdom

Culture
& worship|

* Cultural depictions
* Especially for Youth
* Family Services
* Feminism
* Films
* List
* Foodways
* General Conference
* Helping Hands
* Humanitarian services
* Hymns
* Book
* Latter-day Saints Channel
* Liahona magazine
* Missionary service
* Mormons
* Music
* Pageants
* Pioneer Day
* Tabernacles
* Tabernacle Choir
* Temples
* List
* Worship services
* Sacrament

Leadership|

* President
* Russell M. Nelson
* List
* First Presidency
* Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
* Quorums of the Seventy
* Presiding Bishop
* Relief Society
* Sunday School
* Young Women
* Young Men
* Primary

Demographics|

* Membership history
* Statistics by country
* Mormon corridor
* Less-active Mormon
* Ex-Mormon
* LGBTQ Mormons & organizations

Organization|

* Congregational
* Area
* District
* Stake
* Ward
* Statistics
* Church Educational System
* BYU
* BYU-Idaho
* BYU-Hawaii
* BYU–Pathway Worldwide
* Ensign College
* Deseret Management
* Deseret Book
* Deseret Industries
* Deseret Media
* Temple Square Hospitality
* Deseret News
* Bonneville International
* Beneficial Financial
* FamilySearch
* RootsTech
* Philanthropies
* Finances
* Ensign Peak Advisors
* Perpetual Emigration Fund
* Perpetual Education Fund
* Utah Property Management
* AgReserves
* Deseret Ranches

Criticism|

* Anti-Mormonism
* Book of Abraham
* Book of Mormon
* Geographical setting
* Historical authenticity
* Linguistics
* Origin
* Fawn M. Brodie
* No Man Knows My History
* Christian Research Institute
* Ed Decker
* The God Makers
* John Dehlin
* Mormon Stories podcast
* Jeremy Runnells
* CES Letter
* Kinderhook plates
* Salamander letter
* September Six
* Jerald & Sandra Tanner
* Truth & Transparency

Related|

* Bloggernacle
* ComeUntoChrist.org
* Book of Mormon translations
* Joseph Smith Translation
* Joseph Smith Papers
* Dialogue
* FAIR organization
* FARMS organization
* I'm a Mormon campaign
* LGBTQ Mormon suicides
* Mormon fundamentalism
* Mormon History Association
* Mormon studies
* Mormonism & Nicene Christianity
* Relationship to U.S. politics
* LGBTQ rights
* Senkyoshigo
* Sunstone
* Joseph Smith Papyri
* Eyewitnesses
* Kirtland Egyptian papers
* Giving Machine

* Category
* Latter Day Saint Movement
* Outline

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