User:Hawstom/LDSvsCofC

This comparison of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Community of Christ was inspired by a comparison Steve Shields did in the 1990s for the Community of Christ.

Essay Format

PLURAL MARRIAGE (POLYGAMY)

Neither the LDS Church nor the Community of Christ currently sanction polygamous marriages. Among converts from cultures that practice polygamy, the Community of Christ recognizes existing polygamous marriages, provided that converts take no additional wives. By contrast, the LDS Church will not baptize persons actively practicing polygamy. In the early church, Joseph Smith Jr. consistently denounced polygamy in his public discourses, but many historians have concluded that he introduced the practice privately among a core group of his followers in Nauvoo, Illinois.

The Community of Christ was re-organized by opponents of the practice of polygamy, including Emma Smith, the legal wife of Joseph Smith Jr. and her son Joseph Smith III. Emma continued her husband's policy of denying polygamy publicly. Joseph Smith III maintained that his father was not involved. In 2005, a formal letter regarding the polygamy issue was published by the First Presidency of the Community of Christ which included:

"Joseph Smith III articulated our position regarding polygamy in his address to the Amboy Conference April 6, 1860.

“'There is but one principle taught by the leaders of any faction of this people that I hold in utter abhorrence; that is a principle taught by Brigham Young and those believing in him. I have been told that my father taught such doctrines. I have never believed it and never can believe it. If such things were done, then I believe they never were done by divine authority.'"

For many years, Community of Christ members believed that Brigham Young had originated polygamy as an article of faith, and some church historians began to revise this view in the 1970s and 1980s. Community of Christ members are encouraged to judge the historical sources for themselves. Some of them view that Joseph Smith Jr. introduced polygamy but realized it was a mistake in the last months of his life. This view is supported by testimony of early members, including William Marks, and modern analysis which shows that Joseph Jr. took no new wives in the last months of his life. The position of the Community of Christ is supported by today's Section 111 of the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) which was published under the leadership of Joseph Smith Jr. as Section 101 in the first edition (Kirtland) of 1835 and which says, in part:

"[Sec 111:4b] Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife; and one woman but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again."

This section of the D&C was designated Sec 109 in the 1844 Nauvoo edition and has been in the Community of Christ D&C since the church was reorganized in 1860 under the leadership of Joseph Smith III. It was first designated as Sec 111 in the first Reorganization Church D&C of the 1864 (Cincinnatti) edition. It remained as Sec 109 in the LDS D&C until the greatly revised edition of 1876 at which time the LDS church replaced that statement on monogamy with today's Section 132 which advocated plural marriage.

Leaders of the LDS Church in the late 1840s included proponents of the practice of polygamy in Nauvoo. After the death of Joseph Jr. in 1844, Brigham Young significantly broadened the practice to include a large proportion of the city's adult population. From 1853–1890, the LDS Church publically pronounced plural marriage as a doctrine essential to achieving the highest degree of exaltation in the afterlife. After 1890, the LDS Church ceased to publically sanction polygamy, it ceased to sanction private practice after 1904, and it began to excommunicate all persons engaging in new polygamous marriages in the 1920s. The LDS Church continues to believe plural marriages will exist in the afterlife. Among members, a widower can be "sealed" to a new wife, suggesting that he will be together with multiple wives in eternity.

TEMPLES

Both the LDS Church and the Community of Christ own and operate temples, a practive derived ultimately from temple in Jerusalem, which has a prominent place in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. For both churches, the temple is an extraordinarily sacred space where humans can commune with their God.

The Community of Christ operates two temples, one in Kirtland, Ohio, and one in Independence, Missouri. The underlying purpose of both stem from a revelation given to Joseph Smith Jr., calling upon the faithful to build a house of the Lord for worship, education, ministry, and church education. The Kirtland Temple was the headquarters of the early church from 1836-37, and the Independence Temple has been the headquarters of the Community of Christ since its dedication in 1994. The Independence Temple also includes ministerial and educational facilities, including the church's Library-Archives. Both temples are open to all visitors, member and non-member alike. A revelation given to Wallace B. Smith in 1984 specified that the Independence Temple would be dedicated to peace and a special prayer for peace is conducted in the temple sanctuary daily (a prayer for peace is likewise held daily at the Kirtland Temple's spiritual formation center). The Community of Christ recognizes that a special "endowment" (or blessing) was poured out among the early Saints in 1830s, but does not recognize or employ ceremonial "endowments" developed in Nauvoo in the 1840s. The Community of Christ likewise does not baptize for the dead and marriages are not performed in either temple.

The LDS Church operates over a hundred temples, including the Salt Lake City, Utah, Temple and a rebuilt temple in Nauvoo, Illinois. The fundamental purpose of the temples is "temple work" --- sacred ceremonial experiences that members do not discuss with outsiders. These ceremonies include baptism for the dead, endowments for the living and the dead, and marriage "sealings" for "time and all eternity." Members believe these ordinances are essential to exaltation --- achieving the highest degrees of glory in the afterlife. Because of their sacredness, the temples are closed to all save worthy members who have received a "recommend" from their presiding priesthood authority. LDS members believe that the Salt Lake City Temple was built in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Although the headquarters of the LDS Church is part the greater Temple Square complex in Salt Lake City, the temple itself is not used for administrative, ministerial, or educational purposes. LDS temples are not dedicated to peace and do not perform daily prayers for peace.

Grid format

Belief or practice	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?	Community of Christ?
Revelation, prophets, and scripture
Continuing revelation is actively practiced, with periodic additions to the canon of scripture of the church.	X	X
Messages presented by the Prophet are confirmed by a vote of the church membership in a conference prior to canonization.	X	X
Messages presented by the Prophet are not subject to a vote of the church membership unless canonization is proposed.	X
The canon of scripture is not usually added to.	X
The church, while confirming the divine calling of the prophetic office, still understands that the person holding that office is human and capable of making mistakes.	X	X
While abhorring the doctrine of Infallibility, church members and leaders believe that the prophet would never lead the church astray.	X
The Church recognizes The Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon,and the Doctrine and Covenants.	X	X
The Church recognizes The Pearl of Great Price as canonized scripture.	X
Priesthood and leadership
The two basic orders of priesthood are the Aaronic and the Melchisidec.	X	X
Most ministers are self-supporting, except for a small group of full time church officers who are supported by the church.	X	X
There is no paid ministry, except for a small group of full time church officers who are supported by the church.	X	X
Persons are called by the spirit of revelation to priesthood offices. And may serve in one office for life.	X	X
Women are ordained		X since 1984
Only male members are ordained, beginning with the office of Deacon at age 12, succeeded by additional ordinations based on age, with ordination to the office of Elder, usually at age 18.	X
Priesthood ordination has never been denied to persons because of race or color.		X
The church denied priesthood to blacks for a period.	X (1852 to 1978)
Salvation
Salvation is made available to all humankind through the grace of Christ. Disciples respond by following Jesus' example and teachings.	X	X
Salvation is not conditioned on priesthood office	X	X
Melchisidec priesthood membership is essential for salvation.
Education and salvation are not options that are terminated by death.	X	X
Those who died without receiving the gospel are saved by the redemption of Christ. There are no sacraments or ordinances to be performed by the church which affect their salvation.		X
Non-LDS persons who have died must be baptized, by proxy, in LDS temples, and receive various other ordinances, also by proxy, in order to be saved.	X
Salvation is based on obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel	X
Salvation must be earned.
Salvation is linked to exaltation. Only those married in LDS temples will be exalted to the highest degree of glory in the kingdom of God.	X
Marriage
Monogamy is the basic belief regarding marriage.	X	X
Monogamy has always been the basic belief regarding marriage.
Although monogamy presently prevails, polygamy is right and was once authorized by God, and will be practiced again at some future point in time.	X
Church members believe that monogamy has always been the basic belief regarding marriage.		X
Priests in the Aaronic priesthood and all members of the Melchisidec priesthood are authorized to perform marriages, subject to local laws.		X
Marriages performed in the temples are valid in this life, as well as the life hereafter.	X
Marriages performed outside the LDS temples are have no eternal permanence.	X	X
The marriage covenant as understood in this life does not continue in the next		X
Marriages are public ceremonies.		X
Only members of the Melchisidec priesthood and generally only those recognized as administrative leaders, are authorized to perform marriages.	X
Temple
Temples are sacred buildings which are restricted to certain LDS members who are judged worthy of participation by obedience to several requirements.	X
The Temple is a sacred building which functions primarily as a place for worship, education and church administration. It is open to all people.		X
The temple is one component of a complex of facilities (including the Auditorium). Its ministries are base on the life and ministry of Jesus.		X
Temples are to help people live out their discipleship in this life.		X
There is need for only one temple as its ministries can be offered anywhere the church is gathered.		X
The temple building is a symbol and focus.	X	X
The temple is a place where living persons are sealed to each other in eternal relationships. Ordinances for the dead are also performed by proxy.	X
Since temple ordinances can only be conducted in the temple, there is a need for an ever increasing number of temple buildings to serve the needs of the church.	X
Tithing, stewardship, and Zion
Tithing is only one part of the broader principle of stewardship	X	X
Tithing is 10% of one's increase-generally that portion remaining after one has provided for the basic needs of life.		X
Tithing is seen as an independent aspect of obedience to commandments.	X
Tithing is 10% of one's income or profit.	X
Tithing is a strict commandment, full observance of and payment of which is required to be a member in good standing and to be eligible to go to the temple and to receive salvation.	X
Other concepts of stewardship are practiced by church members: accountability, free-will offerings, inheritance, surplus, storehouses, etc.	X	X
The creation of a Zionic society in all parts of the world is emphasized. Independence, Missouri is the 'center place"	X	X
Independence, Missouri is the international headquarters of the church		X
The kingdom and God and the idea of "Zionic Community" are closely related.	X	X
The creation of "Zion" is a fulfillment of the prophecies of both the Old Testament and modern scripture.	X	X
Sometime in the future, Zion and the City of New Jerusalem will be established in Jackson County, Missouri.	X	X
Church membership automatically grants a person Zionic citizenship.
The church maintains its international headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.	X
The establishment of Salt Lake City and the building of a temple there is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.	X	}