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Mormons

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to as Mormons or Latter-day Saints, constitute a restorationist Christian movement founded by Joseph Smith on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York, based on his claims of divine visions and the translation of the Book of Mormon from golden plates provided by an angel named Moroni. The church teaches that it restores the original Christian church, including priesthood authority lost during a Great Apostasy, with core beliefs centered on Jesus Christ as savior, the Bible and Book of Mormon as scriptures, ongoing revelation through prophets, and ordinances like baptism and temple sealings for salvation and eternal family unions. As of 2024, the church reports a global membership of 17,509,781, with headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a strong emphasis on missionary service, welfare programs, and family-centered ethics. Early history involved rapid growth amid persecution, including violent conflicts in Missouri and Illinois, the 1844 assassination of Smith, and a mass exodus to the American West under Brigham Young, where Utah was settled as a theocratic haven until federal pressure ended plural marriage in 1890. Defining characteristics include tithing, word of wisdom health codes prohibiting alcohol and tobacco, and a lay ministry, though controversies persist over the unverifiable nature of Smith's revelatory claims, historical practices like polygamy involving over 30 wives for Smith, and debates on scriptural historicity lacking empirical archaeological support.

Terminology and Definitions

Usage and Preferred Terms

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are officially referred to as "members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" or simply "Latter-day Saints" in church communications and guidelines. The full name of the organization, revealed to founder Joseph Smith in 1838, emphasizes its Christ-centered identity, with "Latter-day Saints" denoting adherents in the latter days preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This nomenclature distinguishes the group from other Restorationist movements and underscores doctrinal claims of restored priesthood authority. The term "Mormon," derived from the Book of Mormon—a 19th-century scriptural record translated by Smith purporting to chronicle ancient American prophets—emerged in the 1830s as an external label applied by critics and media to the nascent movement. Early usage was often derogatory, associating the group with the book's titular figure, the prophet Mormon, rather than its Christian foundations. Over time, adherents adopted "Mormon" informally, but church leaders have consistently advocated against its use as a synonym for the church or its members, viewing it as incomplete and distracting from the full name's focus on Jesus Christ. In August 2018, church president Russell M. Nelson issued directives via an official statement and style guide, instructing media and members to prioritize the complete name on first reference and avoid abbreviations like "LDS" or nicknames such as "Mormon Church" except in proper names (e.g., Book of Mormon) or established historical contexts. This policy shift aimed to reduce misperceptions of the faith as non-Christian, though "Mormon" persists in popular discourse, cultural references (e.g., former "Mormon Tabernacle Choir," renamed in 2018), and self-identification among some ex-members or cultural subgroups. Compliance varies; for instance, the Associated Press updated its stylebook in 2019 to align partially, using "the Church" for subsequent references while permitting "Mormon" in quotes or specific uses. Despite preferences, empirical surveys indicate broad public recognition of "Mormon" as shorthand, with Pew Research noting in 2012 that 72% of Americans associate the term with the faith, though recent data shows declining usage amid the church's campaign.

Distinction from Mainstream Christianity

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) teaches that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost constitute three distinct beings united in purpose, rather than a single essence as in the orthodox Christian doctrine of the Trinity formulated at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. LDS doctrine holds that God the Father possesses a tangible body of flesh and bone, and that He progressed to divinity from a prior exalted state as a man, enabling human beings to achieve similar exaltation through obedience to eternal laws. This contrasts with mainstream Christian views, which affirm God as eternally unchanging, without physical form or progression, and the Son as co-eternal with the Father rather than a created or subordinate being. Latter-day Saints regard the Bible as scripture but subordinate it to additional standard works, including the Book of Mormon—purportedly translated by Joseph Smith from ancient records in 1829—the Doctrine and Covenants (a collection of modern revelations primarily from the 19th and early 20th centuries), and the Pearl of Great Price (containing writings attributed to Moses, Abraham, and Smith). Mainstream Christianity adheres to sola scriptura, viewing the Bible (typically the 66 books of the Protestant canon or including deuterocanonical books in Catholic and Orthodox traditions) as the closed, sufficient revelation, with no authoritative additions post-apostolic era. On salvation, LDS theology posits that grace through Christ's atonement provides resurrection for all and forgiveness for sins, but exaltation—the highest degree of salvation, involving eternal families and godhood—requires faith accompanied by repentance, baptism by immersion, receiving the Holy Ghost, temple ordinances, and enduring obedience, as articulated in the Book of Mormon's phrase "saved by grace after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23). This differs from the Protestant doctrine of sola fide, which holds salvation as a gift received by faith alone, apart from works, with Catholics emphasizing faith formed by works but not meriting exaltation to divine status. LDS belief in ongoing revelation through living prophets, starting with Joseph Smith as the restorer of priesthood authority lost after the apostolic era, rejects the mainstream Christian view of a closed canon and interpretive authority vested solely in scripture and tradition. The LDS plan of salvation includes pre-mortal spirit existence, mortal testing, and post-mortal judgment into three kingdoms of glory (celestial, terrestrial, telestial), with outer darkness for the unrepentant few, enabling eternal progression toward godhood for the faithful—concepts absent from traditional creedal Christianity, which emphasizes heaven/hell binary and union with God without becoming gods. These differences lead many evangelical and orthodox Christians to classify Mormonism as outside historic Christianity, despite LDS self-identification as such.

Historical Origins

Joseph Smith and the First Vision

Joseph Smith Jr. was born on December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont, as the fifth of eleven children to Joseph Smith Sr., a farmer and merchant, and Lucy Mack Smith. The family faced financial difficulties and frequent moves, settling in Palmyra, New York, around 1816, where they purchased land and engaged in farming and maple sugaring. At age fourteen, Smith contracted osteomyelitis in his leg, requiring surgery without anesthesia, which left him with a permanent limp. The Palmyra region, part of the "Burned-over District," experienced intense religious fervor during the Second Great Awakening, with Methodist and Presbyterian revivals drawing large crowds and prompting widespread conversions between 1817 and 1820. Smith's family divided in religious affiliations—his father leaned toward Universalism and skepticism of organized creeds, while his mother and some siblings favored Presbyterianism—creating household tension amid competing denominational claims. Smith later recounted confusion over which church was true, leading him to study the Bible and seek divine guidance. In early 1820, during a period of reported religious excitement in Palmyra, the fourteen-year-old Smith retired to a wooded grove near his home to pray and inquire which sect he should join. He described kneeling and experiencing a thick darkness lifted by a pillar of light brighter than the sun, from which emerged two personages whose glory exceeded description; one identified the other as his Son, Jesus Christ, who forgave Smith's sins and declared that he must join none of the existing churches, as they were all wrong and their creeds an abomination, with professors drawing near to God with lips while hearts far from him. Smith was warned of an impending work he would perform, though details were withheld at the time. He initially shared the experience sparingly due to persecution, including physical attacks by a Methodist minister who dismissed it as from the devil. Smith documented the First Vision in at least four firsthand accounts during his lifetime (1832, 1835, 1838, and 1842), with differences in emphasis, wording, and details such as the number and identity of personages—early versions focusing on one figure (the Lord) and forgiveness, later ones specifying Father and Son. These variations have prompted scholarly analysis; proponents view them as complementary perspectives akin to multiple gospel accounts of Christ's life, while critics cite inconsistencies as evidence of later embellishment or fabrication. No contemporary corroborating records from 1820 exist, though Smith's 1838 account, canonized in the Pearl of Great Price, forms the basis of Latter-day Saint doctrine, positioning the vision as the foundational event initiating the Restoration by revealing the apostasy of existing Christianity and Smith's prophetic role.

Translation of the Book of Mormon

Joseph Smith reported retrieving a set of gold plates from a hillside near his family's farm in Manchester, New York, on September 22, 1827, after being directed by the angel Moroni, who had first appeared to him in 1823. The plates, described as engraved in "reformed Egyptian" and accompanied by the Urim and Thummim—a pair of seer stones set in a frame resembling spectacles—were said to contain the record of ancient American prophets. Smith claimed the angel instructed him to translate the text by divine power, though he possessed limited formal education and no known proficiency in ancient languages. Initial translation efforts began in 1827 with Martin Harris serving as scribe, producing about 116 pages covering the Book of Lehi before Harris lost the manuscript in June 1828, prompting a pause until spring 1829. Resumed on April 7, 1829, with Oliver Cowdery as principal scribe after his arrival in Harmony, Pennsylvania, the bulk of the 269,510-word English text was dictated over approximately 60-85 working days, primarily between April and late June 1829. Smith employed various methods for dictation, including placing either the Urim and Thummim or a brown seer stone into a hat to exclude light, viewing translated words that appeared on the stone's surface, which he then read aloud; sometimes employing a cloth hung between himself and the scribe; without reference to the plates, which were typically covered. Scribes, including Emma Smith, Cowdery, Harris, and John Whitmer, wrote the dictation on paper, with Smith occasionally correcting errors but not revising extensively during the process. To complete the work amid local opposition, Smith and Cowdery relocated to the Whitmer farm in Fayette, New York, around early June 1829, finishing the translation by June 30. Eleven formal witnesses attested to the plates' existence: the Three Witnesses—Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Harris—claimed a visionary encounter on June 1829 with an angel displaying the plates and affirming the translation's truth; the Eight Witnesses, family members including three Whitmers and two Smiths, reported physically handling the uncovered plates shown by Smith in a nearby field. These testimonies were printed in the 1830 edition, though some witnesses later distanced themselves from the church while maintaining their statements. The completed manuscript was typeset by E.B. Grandin in Palmyra, New York, with funding secured by Harris mortgaging his farm, resulting in publication on March 26, 1830, as a 588-page volume costing $3,000 to produce. Smith described the process as occurring "by the gift and power of God," without scholarly aids or the plates remaining visible during most dictation, a method corroborated by contemporary accounts from participants but lacking independent verification of the source materials. The plates were reportedly returned to Moroni after translation, leaving no physical artifacts for examination.

Early Church Formation and Persecutions

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally organized on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York, by Joseph Smith and a small group of five other men, including Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer, following the publication of the Book of Mormon earlier that month. Initially named the Church of Christ, it emphasized restoration of primitive Christianity through new revelation, priesthood authority claimed via angelic ordinations, and communal practices outlined in Smith's revelations. Membership grew rapidly from these six charter members to approximately 280 by September 1830, fueled by baptisms and missionary efforts led by figures like Samuel Smith, who distributed copies of the Book of Mormon. Early doctrines included gathering believers into dedicated lands, rejection of creedal Trinitarianism in favor of a distinct Godhead, and economic cooperation via the United Firm (later Law of Consecration), which contributed to internal cohesion but external suspicion. Opposition emerged almost immediately in New York, where neighbors viewed Smith's prophetic claims and the Book of Mormon's origins—allegedly translated from golden plates via seer stones—as fraudulent or blasphemous, leading to legal suits over debts and family properties by late 1830. Mobs harassed meetings and threatened violence, prompting the church's relocation to Kirtland, Ohio, in early 1831, where a revelation designated it as a temporary gathering place. In Ohio, growth continued with the establishment of a printing press and the School of the Prophets, but tensions escalated; on March 24, 1832, a mob tarred and feathered Smith and Sidney Rigdon, attempting to castrate Smith and coerce renunciation of his revelations, amid rumors of financial impropriety and doctrinal novelty. These incidents reflected broader Second Great Awakening hostilities toward sectarian innovation, though Mormon block voting and abstinence from alcohol and tobacco also disrupted local economies. Simultaneous missionary efforts in 1831 identified Jackson County, Missouri, as the site of Zion, drawing about 800 settlers by 1833 and sparking conflict with established residents over rapid demographic shifts, Mormon advocacy for Native American conversion (tied to Book of Mormon narratives), and perceived threats to slavery in a border state where some church members expressed abolitionist leanings. On July 20, 1833, a mob manifesto demanded Mormon departure, citing religious fanaticism, economic rivalry from Mormon mills and stores, and fears of electoral dominance; this led to the destruction of the church's printing press on July 24 and systematic expulsion of roughly 1,200 Saints by November 6, with homes burned and families driven across the Missouri River into Clay County amid armed threats. Relocated to Caldwell County by 1836, the Saints numbered around 5,000 by 1838, but economic distress, disputed elections (e.g., the August 6 Gallatin confrontation), and formation of Mormon defensive groups like the Danites escalated into the Missouri Mormon War. The war intensified with mutual raids, culminating in Governor Lilburn Boggs's October 27, 1838, executive order declaring Mormons must be "exterminated or driven from the state," justified by reports of Mormon insurgencies like the October 25 Battle of Crooked River. Three days later, on October 30, a militia of about 240 attacked the Haun's Mill settlement in Caldwell County, where 240-250 unarmed Mormons had gathered; the assault killed 17, including three children and elderly Thomas McBride (bayoneted and hacked), wounded 13, and involved looting, with assailants claiming retaliation for perceived Mormon aggression despite no direct involvement by Haun's Mill residents. These events displaced nearly 12,000 Mormons during the harsh winter of 1838-1839, with Smith imprisoned until April 1839 on treason charges, marking the church's forced exodus from Missouri due to a combination of religious intolerance, cultural clashes, and retaliatory violence from both sides, though disproportionate against the minority faith.

Expansion and Settlement

Migration to Nauvoo and Westward Trek

Following the issuance of Missouri Governor Lilburn W. Boggs's Extermination Order on October 27, 1838, which authorized the expulsion or extermination of Mormons amid conflicts including the Mormon War, approximately 10,000 Latter-day Saints were driven from their settlements in Missouri during the winter of 1838–1839. Suffering severe hardships including exposure to cold and inadequate shelter, many crossed the frozen Mississippi River into Illinois, arriving in the vicinity of Commerce (later renamed Nauvoo) starting in early 1839. The Illinois legislature granted a city charter to Nauvoo in late 1840, allowing for self-governance including a militia known as the Nauvoo Legion, which contributed to rapid development. Nauvoo grew swiftly from a swampy river town into one of Illinois's largest cities, with an estimated population exceeding 10,000 by 1844, bolstered by converts from the eastern United States and Europe. Infrastructure projects included drainage, a temple begun in 1841, and economic enterprises, but tensions escalated due to political influence, rumors of polygamy, and the destruction of the anti-Mormon Nauvoo Expositor press on June 10, 1844. These events led to Joseph Smith's arrest; he and his brother Hyrum were killed by a mob at Carthage Jail on June 27, 1844. A succession crisis ensued, but Brigham Young, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, secured leadership on August 8, 1844, when a church conference sustained him and the Quorum as Joseph's successors, averting fragmentation despite rival claimants. Mounting hostilities, including the repeal of Nauvoo's charter in early 1845 and mob violence, prompted plans for westward migration to seek isolation in the Rocky Mountains. The exodus from Nauvoo began on February 4, 1846, with the first wagons crossing the frozen Mississippi River, followed by thousands more through September amid a mob siege in late 1846 that killed several defenders. Pioneers established temporary camps like Garden Grove and Winter Quarters in Iowa and Nebraska, where over 2,000 deaths occurred from disease and exposure before the main push west. Brigham Young's vanguard company of 148 departed Winter Quarters on April 5, 1847, enduring 1,040 miles across plains and mountains to enter the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, declaring it their new Zion. Subsequent companies followed, with handcart pioneers from 1856–1860 pulling lightweight carts to reduce costs; however, the Willie and Martin companies of 1856 faced extreme weather, resulting in over 210 deaths among nearly 1,000 participants due to starvation, hypothermia, and exhaustion before rescue efforts arrived. Overall, the migrations from 1846–1868 involved around 70,000 Latter-day Saints reaching Utah, with mortality rates varying but highlighting the trek's physical toll driven by persecution and the quest for autonomy.

Establishment in Utah

Following the martyrdom of Joseph Smith in 1844 and the expulsion from Nauvoo, Illinois, Brigham Young assumed leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and directed the westward migration to escape ongoing persecution. The vanguard pioneer company, comprising 143 men, three women, and two children in 72 wagons, departed Winter Quarters, Nebraska, on April 16, 1847, enduring a 1,031-mile journey across plains and mountains. On July 22, 1847, advance scouts Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow entered the Great Salt Lake Valley, followed by Brigham Young two days later on July 24, despite illness, upon viewing the site from a wagon and declaring, "This is the right place." Upon arrival, the pioneers confronted a barren, arid landscape with saline soil and limited water, yet commenced immediate settlement efforts, plowing 60 acres, planting potatoes, corn, and other crops, and constructing an irrigation dam and fort for protection. Salt Lake City, initially called Great Salt Lake City, was surveyed and plotted in a grid pattern centered on a temple block, reflecting Young's emphasis on communal order and religious centrality. By fall 1847, over 2,000 additional migrants had arrived, bolstering the colony through cooperative labor systems like the United Order for resource allocation and public works. In 1849, the settlers petitioned Congress for recognition as the State of Deseret, encompassing a vast region including parts of modern Utah, Nevada, and California, but Congress rejected the expansive boundaries due to concerns over Mormon theocracy and polygamy. Instead, the Compromise of 1850 established the Utah Territory on September 9, with diminished borders and Brigham Young appointed as its first governor on February 3, 1851, granting federal oversight while allowing significant Mormon autonomy in local governance and law. Young's administration promoted rapid expansion, founding over 100 settlements by 1852 through directed colonization missions, emphasizing agriculture via irrigation canals—totaling 1,000 miles by 1860—and self-sufficiency in manufacturing to mitigate isolation. Interactions with Native American tribes, such as the Ute, involved initial trade and alliances but later tensions over resources, addressed through Young's policy of integration and reservation establishment. The establishment solidified Mormon dominance in Utah, with church leaders holding key territorial positions, fostering economic resilience amid federal suspicion that culminated in the 1857 Utah War, though the core settlement infrastructure endured. By 1860, the population exceeded 40,000, primarily Latter-day Saints, transforming the desert valley into a viable agrarian base through empirical adaptations like crop experimentation and communal fort construction.

Practice and End of Polygamy

Plural marriage, also known as polygamy, was introduced as a divine principle by Joseph Smith, who dictated a revelation on the subject on July 12, 1843, now canonized as Doctrine and Covenants section 132. This revelation commanded the practice among select church members as a restoration of ancient biblical precedents, emphasizing eternal sealings and exaltation, though it was initially kept confidential due to anticipated opposition. Smith began performing plural marriages secretly in Nauvoo, Illinois, as early as 1841, marrying an estimated 30 to 40 women, some of whom were already wed to other men in polyandrous unions. Following Smith's death in 1844 and the Mormon exodus to Utah Territory under Brigham Young, the practice expanded openly after its public announcement on August 29, 1852, during a special conference in Salt Lake City, where apostle Orson Pratt preached on the doctrine and Young affirmed its divine origin. Church leaders taught that plural marriage required the first wife's consent and was not mandatory for all, but it became a marker of faithfulness for many adherents, with Young himself marrying approximately 55 wives. By the 1850s and 1860s, an estimated 20 to 30 percent of Latter-day Saint families in Utah engaged in plural marriage, with higher rates among church leadership—up to 75 percent of general authorities—and varying by locality, such as 40 percent in St. George by 1880. The United States government viewed plural marriage as a threat to social order and republican values, enacting laws to suppress it, beginning with the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act of 1862, which criminalized polygamy but saw limited enforcement. The Edmunds Act of 1882 intensified penalties, defining unlawful cohabitation as a misdemeanor, disallowing polygamists from voting or holding office, and leading to over 1,000 convictions, including the imprisonment of church leaders. The Edmunds-Tucker Act of 1887 further escalated measures by dissolving the Church's corporate charter, confiscating assets worth millions, requiring anti-polygamy oaths for jury service and voting, disenfranchising women by revoking suffrage in Utah Territory, effectively paralyzing Utah's governance and delaying statehood. Facing economic ruin, leadership vacuums from imprisoned apostles, and revelations interpreted as divine withdrawal of approval, church president Wilford Woodruff issued the Manifesto on October 6, 1890, publicly declaring that the church would cease teaching or authorizing new plural marriages, citing obedience to civil law as paramount. This document, later canonized as Official Declaration 1, facilitated Utah's statehood in 1896 but did not immediately halt all practices; an estimated 200 to 250 post-Manifesto plural marriages occurred into the early 1900s, prompting a 1904 "Second Manifesto" by Joseph F. Smith enforcing excommunication for new unions. The church maintains that plural marriage was a temporary commandment, discontinued when legally untenable, with excommunication for practitioners today.

Modern Development

20th Century Institutionalization

Following the abandonment of plural marriage and Utah's statehood in 1896, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pursued administrative reforms to centralize authority and achieve financial independence. Under Joseph F. Smith, who served as church president from 1901 to 1918, the Church liquidated outstanding debts by 1907 through increased tithing receipts and divestment from secular businesses, enabling a shift toward ecclesiastical self-sufficiency. Priesthood quorums were reorganized to enhance local governance while subordinating auxiliary organizations like the Relief Society and Sunday School to male priesthood oversight, reducing fragmentation in decision-making. The Great Depression prompted further institutional innovation with the establishment of the Church welfare system in April 1936 under Heber J. Grant's presidency. Initially termed the Church Security Program and renamed the Welfare Plan in 1938, it created a network of bishop's storehouses, welfare farms, and employment services stocked via fast offerings and member labor, serving over 100,000 individuals annually by the early 1940s without relying on federal aid. This self-reliance model, rooted in doctrinal principles of consecration, emphasized work over charity to preserve dignity and avert idleness, contrasting with expanding New Deal programs. Mid-century growth under David O. McKay (president 1951–1970) necessitated streamlined operations, leading to the formalization of the Correlation Program in 1961. Directed by Harold B. Lee of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, it unified curricula, publications, and activities across auxiliaries under priesthood committees, culminating in standardized manuals and the Priesthood Bulletin in 1965 to support a membership that doubled to over 2.9 million by 1970. Concurrently, the Church Educational System expanded seminaries—initiated in 1912—to over 400,000 students by 1970 and institutes near universities, while Brigham Young University grew to enroll 25,000 students by decade's end, integrating religious instruction with secular academics. Temple construction accelerated as an institutional priority, with five new temples dedicated between 1919 and 1945: Laie, Hawaii (1921); Cardston, Alberta (1923); Mesa, Arizona (1927); Idaho Falls, Idaho (1944); and Bern, Switzerland (1955). By 2000, the total reached 49 operating temples worldwide, reflecting centralized planning from Salt Lake City headquarters to accommodate ritual ordinances for a globalizing membership, though access remained restricted to worthy adherents. These developments solidified the Church's bureaucratic structure, enabling efficient management amid rapid expansion from 1 million members in 1947 to 11 million by 2000.

Global Missionary Efforts

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains one of the largest organized missionary programs among religious denominations, emphasizing proselytizing as a core scriptural mandate from texts such as the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. Full-time missionaries, primarily young adults aged 18-25, serve in assigned geographic areas worldwide, typically for 24 months for men and 18 months for women, funded personally or by family and church assistance programs. Senior missionaries, often retired couples, contribute through service roles like humanitarian aid or administrative support, with terms ranging from 6 to 36 months. Global expansion accelerated after World War II, particularly under church president David O. McKay (1951-1970), who introduced standardized teaching curricula and encouraged missions beyond North America and Europe. By the 1970s, missionaries operated in over 50 countries; this grew to more than 150 nations by the 21st century, with adaptations for local cultures, including translations of proselytizing materials into over 100 languages. Key milestones include the establishment of missions in Africa (e.g., Nigeria in 1971 following priesthood policy changes) and Asia (e.g., Japan in 1901, expanding post-1970s), driven by doctrinal shifts toward retaining converts locally rather than gathering to Utah. As of August 2025, the church reports 74,127 full-time missionaries serving across 450 missions, with total teaching and service missionaries exceeding 84,000 including seniors. This represents a record high, up from 67,871 full-time teaching missionaries at the end of 2023, amid annual increases in mission numbers—36 added in 2024 and 55 planned for 2026, bringing the total to 506. Missionary efforts correlate with membership growth to 17.5 million worldwide, though retention varies by region, with higher concentrations in the Americas and Pacific Islands (e.g., 64% of Tonga's population). Modern strategies incorporate digital tools, such as online referrals and social media, alongside traditional door-to-door contacting and community service, to address legal restrictions in some nations and shifting demographics. Training occurs at 18 missionary training centers globally, with the largest in Provo, Utah, emphasizing language acquisition and doctrinal instruction before deployment. These efforts have facilitated the church's transition from a U.S.-centric organization to a multinational entity, with non-U.S. members comprising over half of the total.

Recent Growth and Challenges

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported a worldwide membership of 17,509,781 at the end of 2024, reflecting a net increase of 254,387 members or 1.47% from the prior year, with 308,682 convert baptisms and 91,617 children of record added. This marked a continuation of decelerating growth rates, which peaked above 6% annually in the early 1990s but have remained below 2% since 2013, amid a broader pattern of stagnation in the United States—where membership hovered around 6.6 million—contrasted with steadier expansion in regions like Africa and Latin America. Retention challenges have intensified, particularly among younger generations, with surveys indicating declining affiliation rates; Pew Research documented an overall retention of 64% in 2014, down from 70% in 2007, while generational data from Jana Riess's analysis shows millennials experiencing even lower persistence, potentially approaching 50% disaffiliation as exposure to doctrinal inconsistencies and historical critiques via the internet prompts faith crises. Secularization trends, including reduced social stigma for leaving in the U.S. Mormon corridor, have contributed to net losses offsetting baptisms in mature markets, though the church maintains that active participation remains robust among committed adherents. Demographically, fertility rates among Latter-day Saints have converged toward national averages, with Utah—home to a high concentration of members—experiencing the sharpest U.S. decline to 1.8 children per woman by 2023, eroding the historical "fertility advantage" and correlating with fewer children of record annually, a figure that has trended downward for decades. Institutionally, the church faced scrutiny over financial practices, including a 2023 SEC settlement fining it and Ensign Peak Advisors $5 million for using shell companies to obscure $32 billion in investments, violating disclosure rules without admitting wrongdoing. Ongoing lawsuits and reports have alleged mishandling of sexual abuse cases within wards, prompting policy adjustments like a 2017 help line but drawing criticism for prioritizing confidentiality over mandatory reporting in some instances. These issues, alongside doctrinal rigidity amid cultural shifts, have fueled disaffiliation, though church leaders emphasize resilience through missionary acceleration and global temple construction.

Theological Beliefs

Nature of God and the Godhead

The theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) teaches that the Godhead comprises three distinct beings: God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. These beings are separate in personage and substance, united only in purpose, will, and doctrine as they execute the plan of salvation. This view contrasts with the traditional Christian doctrine of the Trinity, which posits one God in three persons sharing the same essence. God the Father and Jesus Christ possess glorified, tangible bodies of flesh and bones, as revealed in Doctrine and Covenants 130:22, stated by Joseph Smith on April 2, 1843: "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." The Holy Ghost, lacking a physical body, serves as a revelator and comforter, enabling divine influence without corporeal form. This anthropomorphic conception of deity aligns with LDS interpretations of biblical passages, such as those depicting God in human-like form, and was restored, per church doctrine, after an apostasy obscured primitive Christian understandings. The foundational revelation establishing this doctrine occurred in Joseph Smith's First Vision in 1820, where he beheld the Father and the Son as two personages, separate and distinct, with the Father introducing the Son. LDS members direct worship and prayer to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, recognizing the Father as the supreme being whose work and glory is the immortality and eternal life of humanity (Moses 1:39). This framework underscores a literal father-child relationship between God and humankind, with humans as spirit children of the Father possessing divine potential for exaltation.

Scriptures and Revelation

The standard works of scripture accepted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consist of four volumes: the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. These texts form the foundational canon, with members encouraged to study them alongside personal prayer and the guidance of the Holy Ghost to discern truth. The Bible, specifically the King James Version, includes the Old and New Testaments and is regarded as the word of God insofar as it is translated correctly. The Book of Mormon, published in March 1830 in Palmyra, New York, is described as a record of ancient prophets in the Americas, abridged by the prophet Mormon and translated by Joseph Smith from golden plates revealed by the angel Moroni beginning in 1823. It recounts God's dealings with peoples who migrated from Jerusalem around 600 BCE, emphasizing Jesus Christ's ministry among them after his resurrection. The Doctrine and Covenants comprises revelations, primarily received by Joseph Smith between 1823 and 1844, addressing church organization, doctrines, and governance, with later sections from subsequent prophets. It includes 138 sections and two official declarations, such as those ending the practice of plural marriage in 1890 and extending priesthood ordination to all worthy males regardless of race in 1978. The Pearl of Great Price contains the Book of Moses (visions expanding Genesis), the Book of Abraham (translated from Egyptian papyri acquired in 1835), Joseph Smith—History (an account of early revelations), and the Articles of Faith (thirteen statements of belief compiled in 1842). Central to Latter-day Saint theology is the doctrine of continuing revelation, whereby God communicates through chosen prophets to guide the church in response to contemporary needs, maintaining an open canon rather than a closed one. The president of the church, regarded as a prophet, seer, and revelator, receives direction for the entire body, while local leaders and individuals may obtain revelation within their stewardships, always subordinate to prophetic authority. This principle traces to Joseph Smith's foundational experiences, such as the First Vision in 1820, and extends to modern declarations issued in general conferences.

Plan of Salvation

The Plan of Salvation, referred to interchangeably as the plan of happiness or plan of redemption in Latter-day Saint doctrine, constitutes Heavenly Father's outlined purpose for the eternal progression of His spirit children toward exaltation and likeness to Him. Central to this framework is the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which provides the mechanism for overcoming spiritual and physical death, enabling repentance, resurrection, and judgment according to individual agency and obedience. The plan emphasizes free agency as essential for growth through opposition, with mortal life serving as a probationary state to demonstrate faithfulness via faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring in covenants. In the premortal existence, individuals existed as intelligent spirit children of Heavenly Parents, organized in a council where the plan was presented; participants chose to follow it, with Jesus Christ volunteering as Savior, while a third of the spirits under Lucifer rebelled and were cast out, becoming unable to receive mortal bodies. The Creation followed, with Jesus Christ, under the Father's direction, forming the earth as a venue for acquiring physical bodies and experiencing joy amid trials, fulfilling the divine purpose stated as "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). The Fall of Adam and Eve introduced mortality, opposition between good and evil, and the conditions of sin and death necessary for exercising agency and progression, transforming the earth into a testing ground rather than an initial state of paradise. During mortal probation, humans face accountability for choices, with salvation requiring acceptance of Christ's gospel through ordinances such as baptism by immersion at age eight or older and temple sealings for exaltation. Upon death, spirits enter the spirit world, divided into paradise for the righteous—who rest from worldly cares and may engage in missionary work—and spirit prison for others, where the gospel is taught to enable acceptance and vicarious ordinances performed by the living. Christ's Atonement, encompassing His suffering in Gethsemane, crucifixion on April 3, 33 AD (as dated in some church teachings), and resurrection, universally conquers physical death via unconditional resurrection for all and spiritual death through conditional repentance and obedience. Resurrection reunites perfected physical bodies with spirits, granting immortality to every individual regardless of righteousness (Alma 11:42-45), followed by the final judgment where Christ assesses lives based on desires, works, and ordinances, assigning placements accordingly. Eternal destinations comprise three kingdoms of glory—celestial (for the valiant in Christ, including exaltation with eternal families via temple marriage), terrestrial (for honorable but not fully valiant followers), and telestial (for those rejecting the gospel but accepting Christ after suffering for sins)—with outer darkness reserved for unrepentant sons of perdition who deny the Holy Ghost after full knowledge (Doctrine and Covenants 76). This structure underscores progression as ongoing, with lower kingdoms offering limited happiness but no exaltation, motivating full covenant-keeping in mortality.

Religious Practices

Ordinances and Temples

Ordinances in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are sacred rites performed under priesthood authority, symbolizing spiritual rebirth and commitment to divine laws, and are deemed necessary for exaltation in the highest degree of celestial glory. These include baptism by immersion for remission of sins, typically administered to children at age eight or converts, followed immediately by confirmation, which confers the gift of the Holy Ghost through laying on of hands. For males, ordination to the Aaronic or Melchizedek Priesthood enables further service and ordinance performance. Each ordinance requires faith, repentance, and worthiness, with records maintained centrally to track spiritual progress. Temple ordinances represent the pinnacle of these rites, reserved for dedicated structures distinct from public meetinghouses, where participants make covenants of obedience, sacrifice, consecration, and chastity to God, receiving symbolic instruction on the plan of salvation. The endowment ceremony, introduced by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo in 1842, consists of preparatory washings and anointings followed by a presentation of creation, fall, and redemption narratives, culminating in personal vows and the bestowal of temple garments as reminders of covenants. Sealings unite couples and families eternally, performed only in temples, extending marital bonds beyond death if participants remain faithful; proxy sealings extend this to the deceased through genealogical research and vicarious work. These practices, rooted in Doctrine and Covenants revelations, emphasize eternal progression and familial unity as causal mechanisms for divine inheritance. Temples, regarded as literal houses of the Lord, facilitate these exclusive ordinances, with entry restricted to endowed members holding a valid temple recommend obtained after interviews affirming faith, tithing payment, chastity, and Church law observance. The first temple, in Kirtland, Ohio, was dedicated in 1836 for initial endowments and visions; subsequent ones, like Nauvoo in 1846 and Salt Lake in 1893, expanded proxy baptisms for the dead, enabling salvation for ancestors unable to receive ordinances in life. As of October 2025, the Church operates 210 dedicated temples worldwide, with 62 under construction and 110 announced, reflecting accelerated building since 2018 under President Russell M. Nelson to accommodate growing membership. Temple work, including over 100 million ordinances performed annually, underscores a theology prioritizing universal access to salvation through authorized proxies, though critics question the empirical basis for such vicarious efficacy.

Daily Worship and Lifestyle Codes

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are instructed to incorporate daily personal and family prayer into their routines, typically conducted morning and evening to seek guidance, express gratitude, and align with divine will. Family scripture study complements this, involving collective reading and discussion of texts such as the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, aimed at fostering spiritual growth and family unity. Weekly Family Home Evening, held on a designated evening such as Monday, dedicates time to gospel lessons, activities, prayer, and refreshments, reinforcing parental responsibility for religious education. Sabbath observance on Sunday emphasizes worship through church attendance, including sacrament meetings for partaking of bread and water in remembrance of Jesus Christ, alongside rest from secular labor and avoidance of commerce or recreation that distracts from spiritual focus. This practice, rooted in Exodus 20:8, extends to family-centered activities like shared meals and service, prohibiting routine work or shopping to prioritize renewal and covenant-keeping. Lifestyle codes derive from revelations such as the Word of Wisdom in Doctrine and Covenants 89, mandating abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee, and illicit drugs while promoting wholesome grains, fruits, vegetables, and moderate meat consumption for physical and spiritual health. Adherence is required for temple worthiness, with empirical correlations noted between compliance and lower rates of substance-related issues, though individual observance varies. Tithing, defined as 10 percent of annual income donated to the church, supports ecclesiastical operations and is presented as a faith-promoting principle with promised blessings. The law of chastity prohibits sexual relations outside heterosexual marriage, encompassing premarital abstinence, fidelity within marriage, and avoidance of pornography or other behaviors undermining purity, enforced through self-regulation and ecclesiastical counseling. Additional standards include honest dealings, modest dress, selective media consumption, and missionary service for eligible youth, all framed as conducive to personal discipline and eternal progression.

Family and Community Emphasis

The doctrine of eternal families holds that familial relationships can persist beyond mortality through temple ordinances, particularly celestial marriage, which seals spouses and children together for eternity, as revealed in LDS scriptures and teachings. This belief positions the family as the fundamental unit of God's plan of salvation, with parents bearing primary responsibility for nurturing children in righteousness. In 1995, the Church's First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," affirming that marriage consists of one man and one woman, essential to divine progression, and that "children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity." LDS families emphasize structured religious practices to foster unity, including Family Home Evening, a weekly gathering—typically on Monday evenings—dedicated to prayer, scripture study, gospel lessons, and shared activities to build testimonies and bonds. This practice, encouraged since the early 20th century and formalized Church-wide in 1915, aims to prioritize family over external distractions. Empirical data indicate adherence correlates with larger family sizes: U.S. Latter-day Saints aged 40-59 report an average of 3.4 children per couple, compared to 2.1 for the national average, though recent surveys show a median of 2.42 children amid broader fertility declines. Community emphasis manifests through the ward system, wherein local congregations of 300-600 members function as geographic units led by an unpaid bishop who oversees spiritual and temporal welfare, fostering mutual aid akin to an extended family. Members contribute fast offerings—funds from skipping two meals monthly—to support the bishop's storehouse network, providing commodities like food and clothing for temporary relief, with the goal of promoting self-reliance over dependency. Established during the Great Depression in 1936, this system has expanded globally, emphasizing employment services, addiction recovery, and family counseling to address needs without government reliance where possible.

Denominations and Groups

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) is the largest denomination within the Latter Day Saint movement, claiming to be the restored original church of Jesus Christ through divine revelations to Joseph Smith. It was formally organized on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York, with six initial members, following Smith's reported First Vision in 1820 and the publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830. After persecution in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, including the killing of Smith in 1844, Brigham Young succeeded him as leader of the majority faction and directed a mass exodus to the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, where the church established its enduring headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. The church's governance follows a hierarchical structure centered on priesthood authority, with the President of the Church—considered a living prophet, seer, and revelator—heading the First Presidency, comprising the president and two counselors selected from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Leadership succession occurs automatically upon the president's death, with the senior apostle assuming the role after a brief period of organization; this process has ensured continuity without schisms in the main body since Young's era. As of October 2025, Dallin H. Oaks, aged 93 and formerly a Utah Supreme Court justice, serves as the 18th president, having been ordained on October 14, 2025, succeeding Russell M. Nelson, who died on September 27, 2025. The church employs a lay ministry, with adult male members holding priesthood offices organized into local wards (congregations) grouped into stakes, overseen by area authorities and the central Quorums in Salt Lake City. Administrative operations are based in the 28-story Church Office Building in downtown Salt Lake City, which houses support staff for global activities including missionary work, welfare programs, and temple construction, though the building itself is not open to the public. The church officially ended the practice of plural marriage in 1890 through the Manifesto issued by President Wilford Woodruff, positioning itself as distinct from fundamentalist groups that continue polygamy; adherence to this policy is required for full fellowship and temple recommends. Worldwide membership stood at 17,509,781 as of December 31, 2024, with 308,682 convert baptisms and 91,617 children of record added that year, reflecting operations in over 160 nations through more than 3,500 stakes and 31,000 congregations. The church emphasizes self-reliance, tithing, and missionary service, funding its expansion via member contributions rather than external investments, while maintaining a centralized authority that directs doctrine and policy through prophetic revelation.

Fundamentalist Movements

Mormon fundamentalist movements consist of splinter groups that diverged from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) primarily over the discontinuation of plural marriage, which they regard as a core divine commandment revealed to Joseph Smith in the 1830s and essential for achieving the highest degree of celestial exaltation. These groups emerged in the early 20th century, with organized efforts coalescing in the 1930s when seven prominent polygamists formed a loose alliance known as the Council of Friends to preserve the practice amid increasing legal and ecclesiastical pressure from the LDS Church, which had issued the 1890 Manifesto formally ending new plural marriages to facilitate Utah's statehood. Fundamentalists typically reject the LDS Church's prophetic succession after John Taylor (d. 1887), viewing later leaders as having apostatized by capitulating to government demands, and they emphasize adherence to what they term the "principle" of celestial or plural marriage as outlined in Doctrine and Covenants Section 132. Estimates place the total fundamentalist population at 30,000 to 50,000 adherents worldwide, concentrated in Utah, Arizona, and parts of Mexico, though precise figures are elusive due to the decentralized and often insular nature of these communities. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), one of the largest and most publicized groups, traces its roots to the Short Creek Community established in 1913 along the Utah-Arizona border and solidified under leaders like John Y. Barlow in the 1930s–1940s. The FLDS mandates plural marriage for men in leadership, enforces strict dress codes and isolation from outsiders, and has faced repeated legal scrutiny, including a 1953 raid by Arizona authorities that displaced over 300 children and a 2008 Texas raid on the Yearning for Zion Ranch resulting in the temporary removal of 400 children amid allegations of abuse. Under Warren Jeffs, who assumed presidency in 2002 and was convicted in 2011 of felony child sexual assault for arranging marriages of underage girls, the group implemented policies like expelling young men to maintain a surplus of women for polygynous unions, contributing to internal fractures and membership declines estimated from 10,000 in the early 2000s to fewer than 5,000 today. Jeffs, sentenced to life imprisonment, continues to exert influence from prison, with ongoing schisms producing subgroups like the Centennial Park community. Other significant fundamentalist organizations include the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB), founded in 1954 by Rulon C. Allred after his excommunication from an earlier fundamentalist council, which emphasizes plural marriage alongside mainstream Mormon doctrines but permits greater individual choice in family structure compared to the FLDS. The AUB, headquartered near Bluffdale, Utah, claims 5,000 to 10,000 members and has been led since 2009 by Lynn Thompson, focusing on self-sufficiency and business enterprises while discouraging underage marriages, though it has encountered internal dissent and legal challenges over polygamy-related welfare fraud cases in the 1980s–1990s. The Latter Day Church of Christ, commonly known as the Kingston Clan or Davis County Cooperative Society, originated in the 1930s under Charles W. Kingston and operates as a theocratic cooperative with extensive business holdings in construction, waste management, and ranching, enforcing endogamous plural marriages that have led to documented genetic disorders from inbreeding, such as fumarase deficiency affecting over 75% of some extended families. Under Paul Elden Kingston since the 2010s, the group faces accusations of child labor, sexual abuse, and human trafficking, including a 2022 lawsuit alleging indoctrination and unpaid labor extracting millions from members, with law enforcement raids in 2016 uncovering evidence of incestuous unions involving minors. These movements collectively sustain a theology rooted in 19th-century Mormonism, including belief in ongoing revelation through a presiding prophet and the Adam-God doctrine in some factions, but they diverge from the LDS Church by rejecting its temple ordinances as corrupted and maintaining communal isolation to evade prosecution under U.S. anti-bigamy laws like the 1862 Morrill Act. While fundamentalists view their practices as fulfilling scriptural mandates, critics, including former members and legal authorities, highlight patterns of authoritarian control, gender imbalance, and welfare dependency, with documented cases of underage pregnancies and expulsions exacerbating social dysfunction. The LDS Church explicitly denounces these groups as unauthorized and not representative of its teachings, emphasizing monogamy since 1904.

Other Splinter Groups

The death of Joseph Smith on June 27, 1844, precipitated a succession crisis within the Latter Day Saint movement, leading to the formation of numerous independent denominations beyond the Brighamite church that became The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the later fundamentalist groups adhering to plural marriage. These other splinters generally reject Brigham Young's leadership and emphasize alternative claims to authority, often tracing legitimacy to early church figures or visions while varying in adherence to Smith's original teachings. Over 100 such groups have emerged historically, though most remain small and localized, with doctrines diverging on issues like temple ordinances, priesthood succession, and scriptural additions. The Community of Christ, originally organized as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on April 6, 1860, in Amboy, Illinois, under Joseph Smith III, represents the second-largest denomination in the movement. It asserts lineal succession through Smith's family and explicitly denounces polygamy as a post-Smith innovation, positioning itself as a restoration of the pre-1844 church. Beliefs include acceptance of the Book of Mormon alongside the Bible, but the group has progressively aligned with mainline Protestant practices, such as open communion, ordination of women since 1984, and affirmation of same-sex marriage since 2013, marking a shift from strict restorationism toward broader Christian inclusivity. As of 2024, it reports over 250,000 members in about 1,100 congregations across 60 countries. The Church of Christ (Temple Lot), founded in 1863 by Granville Hedrick following a reported vision directing him to Independence, Missouri, claims fidelity to the unaltered doctrines of the 1830 Church of Christ organized by Smith. It owns approximately 2.5 acres of the historic Temple Lot, a site Smith designated in 1831 for a central temple, and rejects both polygamy and the deification of Smith, emphasizing baptism by immersion and foot washing as essential ordinances without temple exclusivity. Leadership consists of apostles and elders selected by revelation, with no paid clergy. Membership stands at around 7,300, primarily in the United States with small branches in 11 countries. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), established in 1844 by James J. Strang—who produced metallic plates he translated as the Book of the Law of the Lord and claimed angelic ordination as Smith's successor—maintains a distinct remnant in Voree, Wisconsin. Strang governed until his assassination on July 16, 1856, introducing practices like Saturday Sabbath observance and limited women's priesthood roles, such as the office of teacher. The group accepts Smith's early revelations but incorporates Strang's additions, rejecting Young's westward migration and temple-focused endowments. Current active membership numbers about 130, concentrated in Wisconsin and New Mexico branches. Other notable groups include The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonites), organized in 1862 by William Bickerton in Pennsylvania after dissociating from Brighamite influences; it stresses spiritual gifts, evangelism among Native Americans, and rejection of paid ministry, with approximately 26,000 members worldwide, mostly outside the U.S. The Church of Christ with the Elijah Message, established in 1929 by Otto Fetting based on 30 alleged angelic messages from John the Baptist, split into factions emphasizing restored priesthood keys; its main body claims fewer than 500 members, focused on Independence, Missouri. These and smaller entities, such as Rigdonite remnants or Cutlerite isolates, collectively represent a fragmented adherence to restorationist ideals, often prioritizing direct revelation over institutional hierarchy.

Demographics and Sociology

Membership Statistics

As of December 31, 2024, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported a total worldwide membership of 17,509,781, reflecting an increase of 254,387 from the 17,255,394 members recorded at the end of 2023. This net growth rate of approximately 1.47% continues a trend of decelerating expansion, with annual increases falling below 2% since 2013 after peaking near 6% in the early 1990s. In 2024, the church recorded 308,682 convert baptisms and 91,617 children of record added through natural growth or parental affiliation, for a gross addition of 400,299 new members before accounting for deaths and other removals. These figures encompass all individuals baptized and not subsequently removed from church records at their request or through formal disciplinary action, a methodology that includes nominal members who may not actively participate. Smaller denominations within the broader Latter Day Saint movement account for a minor fraction of total adherents. The Community of Christ, tracing its origins to Joseph Smith's family, reports around 250,000 members across approximately 1,100 congregations in 59 countries, though demographic analyses indicate ongoing decline due to aging membership and reduced financial support. Fundamentalist groups, which reject the mainstream church's abandonment of polygamy, collectively number between 20,000 and 60,000, with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints estimated at 6,000 to 10,000 members concentrated in isolated communities.

Geographic Distribution

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reports a global membership of 17,509,781 as of December 31, 2024, with the United States containing the largest share, estimated at around 6.9 million adherents, representing approximately 40% of the total. This concentration is most pronounced in the Intermountain West, particularly Utah, where church records indicate Latter-day Saints comprise over 60% of the state's 3.4 million residents, though self-identification surveys suggest active affiliation closer to 42-55% due to varying activity levels. Neighboring states like Idaho and Arizona also host significant populations, forming what is known as the Mormon Corridor, a historical legacy of 19th-century pioneer migrations. Internationally, membership is expanding, particularly in Latin America and Africa, where convert baptisms drive growth despite lower retention rates compared to the U.S. Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines, and Peru rank among the top non-U.S. countries by membership size, with Brazil reporting over 280 stakes—second only to the U.S.'s 1,709—as of late 2024. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria have seen rapid increases, with net membership gains of 19,040 and 17,687 respectively in 2024, reflecting missionary efforts in sub-Saharan Africa. Europe and Asia maintain smaller footprints, with limited presence in countries restricting proselytizing, such as those in the Middle East. Smaller Mormon denominations exhibit more localized distributions, primarily within the United States. The Community of Christ, with around 250,000 members, is headquartered in Independence, Missouri, and maintains congregations mainly in the Midwest and Canada. Fundamentalist groups, rejecting the mainstream church's abandonment of polygamy, number in the tens of thousands and cluster in rural enclaves of Utah, Arizona, and northern Mexico, often forming insular communities.

Retention and Activity Rates

Retention rates within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest Mormon denomination, have declined over recent decades. A 2023-2024 Pew Research Center survey found that 54% of individuals raised LDS continue to identify as such in adulthood, down from 64% in 2014 and 70% in 2007. Earlier data from the General Social Survey indicate retention of 62.5% for those born between 1965 and 1980, dropping to 46% for cohorts born since 1981. This trend reflects higher disaffiliation among younger generations, often attributed to factors such as doctrinal skepticism, social pressures, and access to historical criticisms of church origins, though church leaders emphasize strengthening faith through education and community. Convert retention remains a challenge, with estimates historically around 50% or lower in high-baptism periods, though church reports from 2023 suggest improvements due to focused follow-up efforts. The church's practice of retaining all baptized individuals on rolls indefinitely—absent formal resignation—contributes to nominal membership figures exceeding active participants, with global membership at 17,509,781 as of December 31, 2024, despite stagnant or slowing net growth. Independent analyses, drawing from attendance proxies like sacrament meeting participation and temple recommend issuance, estimate that only 20-40% of recorded members worldwide engage regularly, varying by region: higher in the U.S. (around 50-60%) and lower in Latin America, Asia, and Africa (25-35%). Activity rates, defined by regular worship attendance and covenant-keeping, are not officially published by the church but can be gauged through surveys. In the U.S., 67% of self-identified LDS adults attended church services at least most weeks from 2021 to 2023, outpacing many Christian denominations but trailing evangelical Protestants. Globally, however, activity is lower, with informal estimates placing weekly attendance at 30% or less when accounting for unreported inactives, as evidenced by disproportionate growth in membership records versus operational metrics like missionary service or welfare usage. These disparities highlight causal factors including geographic isolation, cultural assimilation, and the demands of the church's lay ministry model, which requires significant time commitments from participants. Retention and activity are comparatively stronger than in some faiths like Buddhism (45% retention) but lag behind mainline Protestants (70%), underscoring the church's emphasis on family transmission amid broader secularization pressures.

Cultural and Societal Impact

Contributions to Education and Welfare

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints operates the Church Educational System (CES), which includes universities, seminaries, and institutes emphasizing the integration of secular learning with religious faith. Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, founded in 1875, serves as the flagship institution, providing higher education to Mormon youth with a focus on character development alongside academics. The BYU system, encompassing BYU, BYU-Idaho, and BYU-Hawaii, has nearly doubled in enrollment since 2000, adding over 100,000 students to reach approximately 70,000 across its campuses. BYU alone enrolls about 29,000 full-time undergraduates, while BYU-Idaho and BYU-Hawaii serve around 16,000 and 2,900 students, respectively, with curricula that require religious coursework and adherence to a code of honor. Complementing university education, the CES includes over 300 institutes of religion worldwide, with enrollment growing by more than 57,000 students in the two years prior to 2024, targeting young adults aged 18-30 for scriptural study and leadership training. Seminaries provide daily religious education to over 400,000 high school-aged youth globally, fostering self-reliance through faith-based learning. Initiatives like the Perpetual Education Fund, launched in 2001, offer low-interest loans to church members in developing nations for higher education, enabling repayment through service or employment to support subsequent recipients. The church's welfare program, formalized in 1936 amid the Great Depression as the Church Security Program and renamed the Welfare Plan in 1938, prioritizes self-reliance by assisting members to achieve employment, food production, and financial independence rather than perpetual dependency. Local bishops' storehouses stock essential goods funded by fast offerings—donations from members abstaining from two meals monthly—while employment centers and addiction recovery programs promote work as a core principle. This system operates over 100 farms, canneries, and production facilities, producing commodities valued in millions annually for distribution without government reliance. In recent years, the church's humanitarian efforts have expanded globally, with expenditures exceeding $1.36 billion in 2023 for welfare, self-reliance services, and aid projects benefiting millions, including non-members, accompanied by 6.2 million volunteer hours. By 2024, total spending reached $1.45 billion, supporting initiatives in disaster relief, clean water, and maternal health across 190 countries, often in partnership with secular organizations while maintaining doctrinal emphasis on temporary aid to restore self-sufficiency.

Political Influence

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains an official policy of political neutrality, stating that it does not endorse, promote, or oppose political parties, candidates, or platforms, nor does it seek to elect officials or take sides in partisan conflicts. This stance encourages individual members to participate in civic affairs, including voting and public service, guided by personal conscience and doctrinal principles on moral issues such as family structure and religious freedom. Despite institutional neutrality, the church has engaged on specific moral matters, such as advocating for traditional marriage definitions in ballot initiatives like California's Proposition 8 in 2008, where members donated significantly to the campaign. Members of the church, comprising about 6.8 million in the United States as of 2023, exhibit strong conservative leanings, with approximately 60% identifying as politically conservative and 70% leaning Republican according to surveys. This alignment stems from doctrinal emphases on traditional family values, limited government, and self-reliance, though voting patterns show historical shifts; early 20th-century members favored Democrats due to Republican opposition to polygamy, but by the late 20th century, they became one of the most reliably Republican religious groups. Recent data indicate a slight decline in strict Republican identification—down to about 60% in 2024 from higher levels previously—but increased support for Donald Trump among members compared to 2016. In swing states like Arizona and Nevada, Latter-day Saints form a key conservative voting bloc, though some younger members have shown openness to Democratic candidates on issues like immigration and environmental policy. In Utah, where about 60% of the population belongs to the church, Latter-day Saints hold disproportionate influence in politics, occupying roughly 80% of state legislative seats despite comprising less than half of registered voters in some analyses. This overrepresentation shapes policy on issues like alcohol regulation, where church preferences for stricter controls have historically prevailed, and land use, often aligning with church-owned developments. All of Utah's congressional delegation has been Latter-day Saint since statehood in 1896, with figures like Senators Mike Lee and Mitt Romney exemplifying conservative stances on fiscal restraint and judicial appointments. Nationally, prominent Latter-day Saint politicians include Republicans such as Senators Mike Crapo of Idaho and former Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, alongside Democrat Harry Reid, who served as Senate Majority Leader from 2007 to 2015. As of the 118th Congress (2023–2025), at least five members of the U.S. House and Senate identify as Latter-day Saints, primarily Republicans focused on Western states. Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential nomination marked the first major-party ticket featuring a Latter-day Saint, highlighting the group's rising visibility, though Romney garnered 78% of Mormon votes amid broader evangelical support. Church leaders have occasionally urged balance against one-party dominance, as in 2023 statements cautioning against blind partisanship.

Family and Social Values

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family unit is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children. This doctrine, articulated in "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" issued by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1995, asserts that gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose, with husbands and wives having distinct but complementary roles in nurturing and protecting their families. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity; successful marriages and families require selflessness, sacrifice, and adherence to divine law. Temple ordinances enable eternal marriage sealings, which the church views as essential for families to be united in the afterlife, distinguishing Latter-day Saint teachings on conjugal relations from those of other Christian denominations. Empirical data indicate that these doctrines correlate with distinct family patterns among church members. In 2015, 66% of U.S. Mormon adults were married, exceeding rates for most other religious groups, though down from 71% in 2007. Latter-day Saints exhibit higher fertility, with a median of 2.42 children per family reported in 2019, approximately 0.7 children above the U.S. average, driven by cultural emphasis on procreation as part of divine purpose. Divorce rates among regularly attending, temple-married members remain lower than national averages, at around 5.4% for men and similar for women, compared to 27.8% for non-temple-married members, though overall rates have approached parity with broader U.S. trends since the 1980s due to factors like delayed marriage and external societal pressures. Social values reinforce family-centric living through strict moral codes. The law of chastity mandates sexual relations exclusively within heterosexual marriage, prohibiting fornication, adultery, and same-sex activity as violations of God's commandments, with church discipline including excommunication for serious infractions. Modesty in dress, speech, and behavior is emphasized to foster virtue and guard against temptation, particularly among youth, with guidelines promoting coverage of shoulders, midriff, and thighs. Tithing, at 10% of income, is presented as a covenantal principle supporting church welfare programs that prioritize family self-reliance and communal assistance, such as employment services and food storage, without reliance on government aid. These practices aim to cultivate honesty, service, and resilience, though critics from secular perspectives argue they impose rigid conformity, a view not endorsed by church leadership.

Criticisms and Controversies

Historical and Archaeological Evidence

Critics of the historicity of the Book of Mormon, which describes large-scale civilizations in the ancient Americas descending primarily from Israelite migrants around 600 BCE, argue that no archaeological evidence supports its narrative of cities, metallurgy, writing systems, or warfare involving millions. The Smithsonian Institution has explicitly stated that it has never used the Book of Mormon as a scientific guide for archaeology and that its archaeologists see no direct connection between the book's subject matter and New World archaeological findings. Similarly, mainstream archaeologists have identified no sites, artifacts, or inscriptions matching the described "Reformed Egyptian" script or the scale of events like the final Nephite battle at Cumorah, where hundreds of thousands reportedly perished without leaving detectable remains. Numerous textual anachronisms further challenge the book's claimed ancient origins, including references to horses, chariots, steel swords, wheat, barley, silk, and elephants in pre-Columbian Americas, none of which are archaeologically attested before European arrival. For instance, horses (Ether 9:19) and chariots (Alma 18:9) appear in Nephite and Jaredite accounts, but equine remains and wheeled vehicles are absent from Mesoamerican or North American sites until the 16th century CE. Critics contend these reflect 19th-century knowledge rather than authentic ancient records, as Joseph Smith, a rural New Yorker with limited formal education, incorporated elements familiar from the Bible and contemporary sources but incongruent with verified American archaeology. Genetic studies of Native American populations provide additional counter-evidence to the Book of Mormon's assertion that Lehi's group from Jerusalem constituted the "principal ancestors" of American Indians (Introduction to the Book of Mormon, 1981 edition). Mitochondrial and Y-chromosome DNA analyses consistently trace indigenous American lineages to Siberian and East Asian migrations across Beringia around 15,000–20,000 years ago, with no significant Semitic (Middle Eastern) haplogroups present in pre-Columbian samples. While Latter-day Saint apologists propose limited population models or genetic bottlenecks to reconcile this, physical anthropologists and geneticists have found no Hebrew-derived markers supporting Israelite migration as a primary source. The Book of Abraham, presented by Joseph Smith as a translation of Egyptian papyri purchased in 1835 depicting Abraham's life, faces scrutiny from Egyptologists who identify the fragments as standard Ptolemaic-era (circa 200 BCE) funerary texts, including a "breathing permit" for a priest named Hor, unrelated to Abraham or Hebrew patriarchs. Recovered papyri portions, rediscovered in 1967, contain no references to Abraham, creation, or the content Smith produced; instead, they feature invocations to Osiris and Anubis, with Facsimile 1 depicting a sacrificial altar to Osiris, not Abraham's near-sacrifice as Smith interpreted. Non-LDS scholars, including those from the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute, unanimously reject Smith's renderings of the vignettes and hieroglyphs as incompatible with demotic and hieratic Egyptian grammar and iconography. Historical tests of Smith's translation abilities, such as the 1843 Kinderhook plates—a set of forged bell-brass artifacts planted as a hoax—yielded partial "translations" from Smith aligning with the fabricators' fabricated backstory of ancient mounds, suggesting reliance on non-revelatory methods like his seer stone rather than divine insight. Confessions from hoax participants, including Wilbur Fugate and William Weeks, confirmed the plates' modern fabrication using acid-etched characters mimicking Hebrew and Egyptian styles to deceive Smith, undermining claims of infallible discernment for ancient records like the golden plates, whose existence rests solely on testimonial witnesses without physical corroboration or independent verification.

Doctrinal Disagreements

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) teaches a doctrine of the Godhead consisting of three distinct beings—God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost—united in purpose but not in substance, with the Father and Son possessing physical bodies of flesh and bone. This view rejects the orthodox Christian doctrine of the Trinity, which holds that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one eternal God in three persons sharing the same divine essence, as defined at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. Orthodox Christians, including evangelicals and Catholics, regard the LDS position as incompatible with biblical monotheism, interpreting passages like Isaiah 43:10 ("before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me") as precluding separate gods or physical embodiment of deity. LDS doctrine further posits that God the Father was once a man who progressed to divinity through obedience to eternal laws, and that faithful humans can achieve exaltation, becoming gods with the potential to create worlds and have spirit offspring, as articulated in teachings from Joseph Smith in 1844. This doctrine of eternal progression and human deification is rejected by mainstream Christianity as contradicting scriptural assertions of God's unchanging, uncreated nature, such as Malachi 3:6 ("I am the Lord, I change not") and the Nicene Creed's affirmation of the Son as "begotten, not made." Critics from evangelical perspectives argue this introduces a form of polytheism, diverging from the biblical emphasis on worshiping the one true God alone. Additional LDS scriptures, including the Book of Mormon (published 1830), Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, are considered canonical alongside the Bible, with the Bible viewed as translated correctly only insofar as it aligns with these texts. Orthodox Christians maintain the biblical canon closed after the apostolic era, rejecting extra-biblical texts as unauthorized additions that introduce novel doctrines, such as the pre-mortal existence of spirits and baptism for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29 interpreted literally by LDS). Disagreements extend to Christology, with LDS viewing Jesus as the literal spirit brother of all humans and Lucifer, a divine but created being who attained godhood, rather than the eternally co-existent second person of the Trinity. On salvation, LDS doctrine teaches that general salvation including universal resurrection is by grace alone through Christ's atonement, but exaltation in the highest heavenly kingdom requires faith, repentance, baptism by immersion, receiving the Holy Ghost, and ongoing ordinances like temple endowments and celestial marriage alongside enduring obedience, with grace enabling such works. This contrasts with orthodox Protestant and Catholic views of justification by faith alone through Christ's atonement, without mandatory post-mortem rites or degrees of glory in heaven. The LDS acceptance of continuing revelation through living prophets, as in Doctrine and Covenants sections added post-1830, is seen by critics as undermining the sufficiency of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Internal doctrinal disagreements among Latter Day Saint denominations arose after Joseph Smith's death in 1844, leading to schisms over succession and practices like plural marriage, which Brigham Young and his followers (forming the LDS Church in Utah) endorsed as a divine principle until its official discontinuation in 1890 Manifesto. The Community of Christ (formerly Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), led by Smith's son Joseph Smith III, rejected polygamy, theocratic governance, and doctrines like the plurality of gods, adopting a more Trinitarian view closer to mainstream Protestantism while retaining the Book of Mormon. Smaller fundamentalist groups, such as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), continue practicing polygamy as essential doctrine, diverging from the mainstream LDS Church's stance. These fractures highlight ongoing debates over authoritative interpretation of Smith's revelations, with the LDS Church claiming exclusive priesthood keys through Young, a position contested by other branches.

Social and Ethical Issues

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and essential to His plan for human happiness and salvation, while viewing same-sex marriage as contrary to divine commandments. Same-sex attraction itself is not considered sinful, but acting upon it through homosexual relations or entering a same-sex marriage is prohibited for full fellowship, with members encouraged to remain celibate and adhere to chastity laws applicable to unmarried heterosexuals. In November 2015, church policy classified members in same-sex marriages as apostates subject to disciplinary action and restricted blessings and baptisms for children in such households until they reached age 18 and disavowed their parents' relationship; this was rescinded in April 2019, removing automatic apostasy for same-sex marriage and allowing local leaders to authorize baptisms for such children without prior headquarters approval, though case-by-case evaluation persists for worthiness. Critics, including former members and advocacy groups, argue these policies have contributed to elevated mental health challenges and suicide rates among LGBTQ Latter-day Saints, citing anecdotal reports and surveys from disaffected communities, though church leaders maintain the changes reflect compassionate adaptation while upholding doctrine. On transgender issues, the church's 2024 handbook updates specify that priesthood ordination and temple ordinances are based on biological sex at birth, barring transgender individuals from baptism or certain roles if they pursue medical or social transitions, and requiring reversal of such changes for eligibility in some cases. The church opposes elective abortion except in limited circumstances such as severe health risks to the mother, rape, or incest, framing it as a grave moral wrong while allowing individual conscience under medical and legal guidance. Tithing, defined as 10 percent of income, is presented as a biblical principle and prerequisite for temple worship and full church participation, with leaders testifying it brings spiritual and temporal blessings despite the church's substantial investments exceeding $100 billion in reserves as of 2019 disclosures. Ethical concerns arise from reports of financial strain on low-income members, who face social pressure from local leaders to pay for worthiness interviews and temple access, amid limited transparency on fund allocation beyond general assurances of sacred use for building maintenance, welfare, and missionary work. Lawsuits and whistleblower claims since 2019 have questioned whether amassed wealth justifies continued tithing demands from members in poverty, with a 2025 federal ruling dismissing one challenge but leaving unresolved debates over fiduciary duties to donors. Women's roles emphasize complementary partnership with men in family and church, with organizations like the Relief Society providing leadership in welfare and education, but exclusive priesthood authority for males has drawn criticism for limiting women's formal decision-making in congregations and doctrines. Church defenders argue this structure fosters distinct contributions without oppression, pointing to women's influence in home and auxiliary capacities, while detractors, including feminist groups within and outside the faith, highlight historical suffrage movements and modern surveys showing dissatisfaction with perceived patriarchal constraints on autonomy and ordination. Empirical studies on Latter-day Saint women report higher rates of depression linked to rigid gender expectations in some analyses, though correlated with religiosity rather than causation from doctrine alone.

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