What is the hearth of Mormonism?
The hearth of Mormonism is the western United States. Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Where is Mormonism practiced?
Mormonism is practiced mostly in the US and has not spread to other parts of the world. The hearth of Mormonism is the western United States. Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
What is the history of Mormonism?
Founded by Smith in 1830 C.E. in New York, Mormonism developed as a sectarian movement in a turbulent period of American religious history. Joseph Smith claimed to have been called by God to restore the church that Christ had established on the earth, but which had been lost after the deaths...
Who are the Mormons?
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s.
Where did the Mormon religion start?
New York StateThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded by Joseph Smith in New York State in the USA in 1830.
What is the origin of Mormonism?
Mormonism is the religious tradition and theology of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity started by Joseph Smith in Western New York in the 1820s and 1830s.
What is the base of Mormonism?
These key elements of the faith include belief in God the Father, his Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit; belief in modern prophets and continuing revelation; belief that through Christ's atonement all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of Christ's Gospel; belief in the importance of ...
Who created the Mormon religion?
Joseph SmithContents. Mormons are a religious group that embrace concepts of Christianity as well as revelations made by their founder, Joseph Smith. They primarily belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or LDS, which is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has more than 16 million members worldwide.
Who founded Mormon Church?
Joseph SmithThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints / FounderJoseph Smith Jr. was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. Wikipedia
Are Amish and Mormon the same?
A major difference in the two subcultures that seems to have resulted from their distinctive theological doctrines is that the Amish have developed a closed and introverted society, whereas the Mormons have evolved an open and extroverted society in which a real expansion and new members are desired.
Do Mormons believe Jesus is the Son of God?
We believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh (John 3:16). We accept the prophetic declarations in the Old Testament that refer directly and powerfully to the coming of the Messiah, the Savior of all humankind. We believe that Jesus of Nazareth was and is the fulfillment of those prophecies.
Where did Mormonism originate?
Founded by Smith in 1830 C.E. in New York, Mormonism developed as a sectarian movement in a turbulent period of American religious history.
Where did Joseph Smith receive his revelations?
Origin: Joseph Smith first received his revelations in western New York. Deity: Mormons believe in a three-member Godhead that includes the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This differs from the Nicene-based understanding of the Trinity that emerged in Christian history.
Who is the fifth prophet of the LDS Church?
Another church manual (also available on the LDS church’s website) includes a story about a visit to a kindergarten class made by the church’s fifth prophet, Lorenzo Snow. President Snow noted, “These children are now at play, making mud worlds, the time will come when some of these boys, through their faithfulness to the gospel, will progress and develop in knowledge, intelligence and power, in future eternities, until they shall be able to go out into space where there is unorganized matter and call together the necessary elements, and through their knowledge of and control over the laws and powers of nature, to organize matter into worlds on which their posterity may dwell, and over which they shall rule as gods” ( Presidents of the Church Student Manual: Religion 345, 90-91, 2004).
What do LDS say about the thrones?
Beginning with LDS scripture, “ [they] shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths…and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever. Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them.” (D&C 132:19-20)
What is the highest part of the Celestial Kingdom called?
Gospel Fundamentals, a book published by the Mormon church in 2002 (and available on the church’s website) says, “To live in the highest part of the celestial kingdom is called exaltation or eternal life. To be able to live in this part of the celestial kingdom, people must have been married in the temple and must have kept the sacred promises they made in the temple. They will receive everything our Father in Heaven has and will become like Him. They will even be able to have spirit children and make new worlds for them to live on, and do all the things our Father in Heaven has done” (201).
What is the LDS doctrine in Ensign magazine?
The August 2020 issue of Ensign magazine includes two back-to-back articles that reference the LDS doctrine of human beings becoming like God. An apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is quoted in “Seeing Yourself in the Great Plan of Happiness” by Seventy Brian K. Taylor:
Is the Grand Destiny of the Faithful still alive?
And the fact that it’s noted and repeated several times in the 2020 August Ensign magazine confirms that “ The Grand Destiny of the Faithful ” — that is, the goal of becoming Gods just like Mormonism’s Heavenly Father — remains alive and well in the Mormon church.
Is marriage a laboratory for Godhood?
Stating on page 1 that marriage is a “laboratory for godhood,” the church’s 1992 Achieving a Celestial Marriage Student Manual went on to teach: “In the relationship of husband and wife and parent and child we begin to approach the divine calling of godhood.
Is the doctrine of humans’ eternal potential to become like their Heavenly Father central to the gospel of Jesus Christ?
The 2014 church essay states, “The doctrine of humans’ eternal potential to become like their Heavenly Father is central to the gospel of Jesus Christ.” This is the unbiblical heart of Mormonism (e.g., see Isaiah 43:10 ). And the fact that it’s noted and repeated several times in the 2020 August Ensign magazine confirms that “ The Grand Destiny of the Faithful ” — that is, the goal of becoming Gods just like Mormonism ’s Heavenly Father — remains alive and well in the Mormon church.
Where is the Mormon faith located?
Much of the Mormon belief system is geographically oriented around the North and South American continents. Mormons believe that the people of the Book of Mormon lived in the western hemisphere, that Christ appeared in the western hemisphere after his death and resurrection, that the true faith was restored in Upstate New York by Joseph Smith, that the Garden of Eden was located in North America, and that the New Jerusalem would be built in Missouri. For this and other reasons, including a belief by many Mormons in American exceptionalism, Molly Worthen speculates that this may be why Leo Tolstoy described Mormonism as the "quintessential 'American religion'".
Where did Mormonism begin?
The doctrines of Mormonism began with the farmboy Joseph Smith in the 1820s in western New York during a period of religious excitement known as the Second Great Awakening. After praying about which denomination he should join, Smith said he received a vision in the spring of 1820.
How does Mormon fundamentalism differ from mainstream Mormonism?
Mormon fundamentalism teaches that plural marriage is a requirement for exaltation (the highest degree of salvation), which will allow them to live as gods and goddesses in the afterlife. Mainstream Mormons, by contrast, believe that a single Celestial marriage is necessary for exaltation.
How does the LDS Church maintain orthodoxy?
The church maintains a degree of orthodoxy by excommunicating or disciplining its members who take positions or engage in practices viewed as apostasy. For example, the LDS Church excommunicates members who practice polygamy or who adopt the beliefs and practices of Mormon fundamentalism.
What is the book of Mormon?
For other uses, see Mormon (disambiguation). The Book of Mormon. Mormonism is the religious tradition and theology of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity started by Joseph Smith in Western New York in ...
How many members does the LDS Church have?
However, the LDS Church has experienced the most growth out of any of the churches following Mormonism, with a current membership of over 16 million.
What is the doctrine of Mormonism?
Mormonism includes significant doctrines of eternal marriage, eternal progression, baptism for the dead, polygamy or plural marriage as authorized by God, sexual purity, health (specified in the Word of Wisdom), fasting, and Sabbath observance .
Where are Mormons located?
The center of Mormon cultural influence is in Utah, and North America has more Mormons than any other continent, although the majority of Mormons live outside the United States. As of December 2020, the LDS Church reported having 16,663,663 members worldwide.
What was the name of the city that Mormons built in the early 1800s?
In the first period, Smith attempted to build a city called Zion, in which converts could gather. During the pioneer era, Zion became a "landscape of villages" in Utah. In modern times, Zion is still an ideal, though Mormons gather together in their individual congregations rather than a central geographic location.
What was the main issue of Mormonism in the 19th century?
One of the central doctrinal issues that defined Mormonism in the 19th century was the practice of plural marriage, a form of religious polygamy. From 1852 until 1904, when the LDS Church banned the practice, many Mormons who had followed Brigham Young to the Utah Territory openly practiced polygamy.
What is the Mormon Church?
For other uses, see Mormon (disambiguation). Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s.
Why are LDS people not active?
Reasons for inactivity can include rejection of the fundamental beliefs and/or history of the church, lifestyle incongruities with doctrinal teachings, and problems with social integration. Activity rates tend to vary with age, and disengagement occurs most frequently between age 16 and 25. In 1998, the church reported a majority of less active members returned to church activity later in life. As of 2017, the LDS Church was losing millennial -age members, a phenomenon not unique to the LDS Church. Former Latter-day Saints who seek to disassociate themselves from the religion are often referred to as ex-Mormons .
How many hours do Mormons work?
The vast majority of church leadership positions are lay positions, and church leaders may work 10 to 15 hours a week in unpaid church service. Observant Mormons also contribute 10 percent of their income to the church as tithing, and are often involved in humanitarian efforts.
How many black Mormons were there in 1997?
In general, Mormons greeted the change with joy and relief. Since 1978, black membership has grown, and in 1997 there were approximately 500,000 black members of the church (about 5 percent of the total membership), mostly in Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean.
Historical Overview
Theology
- Nature of God
In orthodox Mormonism, the term God generally refers to the biblical God the Father, whom Latter Day Saints refer to as Elohim, and the term Godhead refers to a council of three distinct divine persons consisting of God the Father, Jesus Christ (his firstborn Son, whom Latter Day Saints re… - Restoration
Mormonism describes itself as falling within world Christianity, but as a distinct restored dispensation; it characterizes itself as the only true form of the Christian religion since the time of a Great Apostasy that began not long after the ascension of Jesus Christ. According to Mormon…
Relationship with Other Faiths
- Relationship with mainstream Christianity
Mormonism categorizes itself within Christianity, and nearly all Mormons self-identify as Christian. For some who define Christianity within the doctrines of Catholicism, Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy, the Churches of the East, and Protestantism, Mormonism's differences plac… - Relationship with Judaism
Although Mormons do not claim to be part of Judaism, Mormon theology claims to situate Mormonism within the context of Judaism to an extent that goes beyond what most other Christian denominations claim. The faith incorporates many Old Testament ideas into its theolo…
Theological Divisions
- Mormon theology includes three main movements. By far the largest of these is "mainstream Mormonism", defined by the leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The two broad movements outside mainstream Mormonism are Mormon fundamentalism, and liberal reformist Mormonism.
Criticism
- As the largest denomination within Mormonism, the LDS Church has been the subject of criticism since it was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830. Perhaps the most controversial, and a key contributing factor for Smith's murder, is the claim that plural marriage (as defenders call it) or polygamy (as critics call it) is biblically authorized. Under heavy pressure — Utah would not be a…
See Also
References
- Cited and general sources
1. Bloom, Harold (1992), The American Religion: The Emergence of the Post-Christian Nation (1st ed.), New York: Simon & Schuster, ISBN 9780671679972. 2. Brooke, John L. (1994), The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644–1844, Cambridge: Cambridge Universit…
Further Reading
- Beckwith, Francis J., Carl Mosser, and Paul Owen, jt. eds. (2002). The New Mormon Challenge: Responding to the Latest Defenses of a Fast-Growing Movement. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan. 535 p. ISB...
- Brooks, Melvin R. (1960). L.D.S. Reference Encyclopedia. Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft.
- McConkie, Bruce R. (1979). Mormon Doctrine. Second ed. Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft. 85…
- Beckwith, Francis J., Carl Mosser, and Paul Owen, jt. eds. (2002). The New Mormon Challenge: Responding to the Latest Defenses of a Fast-Growing Movement. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan. 535 p. ISB...
- Brooks, Melvin R. (1960). L.D.S. Reference Encyclopedia. Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft.
- McConkie, Bruce R. (1979). Mormon Doctrine. Second ed. Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft. 856 p. N.B.: The contents are brief articles arranged alphabetically in the form of a topical dictionary. ISB...
- Nelson, Nels L. (1904). Scientific Aspects of Mormonism: or, Religion in Terms of Life. Chicago, Ill.: Press of Hillison & Etten Co., 1904, t.p. 1918. xi, 347 p.
External Links
- PBS: Frontline + American Experience: Mormons—PBS special on Mormon belief
- Patheos + Mormonism—Patheos.com. Mormonism Origins, Mormonism History, Mormonism Beliefs
- "Religions: Mormonism"—BBC Religion