Latter Day Saint

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Latter Day Saint Movement

The Latter Day Saint movement

Mormonism · Latter Day Saint Mormonism and Christianity Latter Day Saint Denominations

History of the movement

Church of Christ · Succession crisis History of the LDS Church Community of Christ history

Sacred texts of the movement

Bible · Book of Mormon Book of Commandments Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible Doctrine & Covenants Book of Moses · Book of Abraham

Founders and early sect leaders

Joseph Smith, Jr. · Oliver Cowdery Sidney Rigdon · Brigham Young Joseph Smith III · James Strang

Beliefs

Views on Godhead · Views on Jesus Priesthood · Articles of Faith · Restoration Mormonism and Judaism · Temples

Controversies

Anti-Mormonism · Criticism This box: view • talk • edit

The term Latter Day Saint most commonly refers to (but is not limited to) members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which, its members believe, was founded under the direction of Jesus Christ by the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830. Smith taught that this church was a restoration of the 1st century Christian church.

Contents 1 Usage of the term 2 List of prominent denominations 3 Beliefs 4 See also 5 Notes 6 External links

[edit] Usage of the term

The term Latter-day Saint (within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) refers to the teaching of Joseph Smith, Jr. that adherents of the religion he established were "saints", in the same sense that Paul used the term, meaning that they were followers of Christ. They are termed latter-day saints in order to distinguish them from the saints of the early Church (former-day saints). Usage of the term Latter Day Saints first appeared in the mid 1830s, when Smith's Church of Christ was renamed Church of Latter Day Saints, and later, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (which was sometimes hyphenated as Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). These members also believe that Jesus Christ will return to earth when certain signs outlined within the Doctrine and Covenants occur (as well as some Bible prophecies, notably those found in the books of Matthew & Revelation).

The British styling "Latter-day Saint", including both the hyphenation and lower-case "d", came into use in about 1852 when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was incorporated by that name in Salt Lake City, Utah. This form is used only by that denomination, and its usage generally denotes only those members.

Because the LDS Church is by far the largest and most well-known Latter Day Saint denomination, a number of denominations who consider themselves Latter Day Saints prefer more informal terms to refer to their members, in order to avoid confusion. For example, the denomination that is officially named the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) refers to itself informally as the Strangites. In addition, the Community of Christ, the second largest Latter Day Saint denomination, in 2001 changed its name from the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, partly to avoid this type of confusion.

Latter Day Saints are sometimes also referred to as Mormons (a nickname taken from the title of The Book of Mormon). The size and prominence of the LDS Church however, has led to the terms Mormon and Mormonism being generally understood as applying only to the LDS Church. The desire of the LDS Church to disassociate itself from polygamous denominations to which the term Mormon has been applied has led to the LDS Church urging journalists to use the terms Latter-day Saint and Mormon only in reference to the LDS Church.^[1] The Associated Press Stylebook states the following concerning the use of the term "Mormon" when referring to sects formed after Joseph Smith's death: “The term Mormon is not properly applied to the other churches that resulted from the split after Joseph Smith’s death.”

[edit] List of prominent denominations

[edit] Beliefs

Below is a passage from The Wentworth Letter that Joseph Smith, Jr. wrote after being asked about the basic beliefs of the Church. This collection of thirteen statements are known as the Articles of Faith and present an overview generally accepted by most Latter Day Saint denominations.

1. We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression.
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that these ordinances are: 1st, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; 2nd, Repentance; 3rd, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; 4th, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God by prophesy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophesy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues and so forth.
8. We believe the bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes. That Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon this [the American] continent. That Christ will reign personally upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11. We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—we believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy we seek after these things.

[edit] See also

• Latter Day Saint movement
• Mormonism
• Mormon
• Succession crisis (Mormonism)
• Criticism of Mormonism

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• LDS.org - Official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Mormon.org - An official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about the basic beliefs of the Church
• GrupoSUD.com - GrupoSUD.com is a large general interest Spanish-language discussion list for LDS Church members. Includes several thousand members who get messages from a Mormon perspective.
• Mormoninfo.org - Mormoninfo.org is a source of links critical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from a fundamentalist protestant point of view.
• Mormon MommaA Mormon Blog from a female perspective.
• JosephSmith.net - An LDS Church-sponsored website describing the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his instrumentality in bringing forth the Book of Mormon as well as other modern day revelations (The Doctrine and Covenants).
• Exmormon.org - A comprehensive site summarizing critical information about Mormonism and personal stories of ex-Mormons and their reasons for exiting.