Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), is an American-based Christian denomination that claims as its mission "to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace,"^[1] and reports approximately 250,000 members in 50 nations. Community of Christ membership and field organization is governed by the scriptures resolutions and Bylaws of the Community of Christ and administered by the First Presidency

Community of Christ is part of the Latter Day Saint movement begun by Joseph Smith Jr. It also adheres to the Restorationism traditions. Please see the talk page for this article and the "See also" list before adding content or adding a hyphen to Latter Day Saint For other usages see Restoration (general disambiguation Apokatastasis (universal restoration Christian Zionism (restoration of Israel and Although in some respects it is theologically innovative, it nevertheless considers itself congruent with mainline Protestant Christian attitudes. for other uses see Mainline (disambiguation The mainline (also sometimes called Mainstream) or mainline Protestant denominations

Community of Christ follows a largely non-liturgical tradition based loosely on the revised common lectionary. A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group according to their particular traditions A Lectionary is a book or listing that contains a collection of Scripture readings appointed for Christian or Judaic worship on a given day or occasion ^[2] From its headquarters in Independence, Missouri, the church offers special focus on evangelism, peace and justice ministries, spirituality and wholeness, youth ministries and outreach ministries. Independence is a city in Jackson County in the US state of Missouri, and the fourth largest city in the state Evangelism is the Christian practice of proselytisation. The intention of most evangelism is to effect Eternal salvation to those who do not follow the ^[3] Church teachings emphasize that “all are called” as “persons of worth” to “share the peace of Christ. ”^[4]

Contents 1 Organization 2 Membership 3 History 4 Vision and mission 5 Major beliefs 5.1 God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit 5.2 Peace 5.3 Worth of all persons 5.4 Revelation and prophetic leadership 5.5 Concept of Zion 5.6 All are called 5.7 Priesthood 5.8 Salvation 6 Sacraments 7 Scripture 7.1 Bible 7.2 Book of Mormon 7.3 Book of Doctrine and Covenants 7.4 Lectionary usage 8 Criticism 9 Notes 10 References 11 See also 12 External links

Organization

Community of Christ is led by a First Presidency, consisting of a President and two counselors. The First Presidency of the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the church's highest-ranking priesthood In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church The President is regarded as a prophet. In Religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has encountered the Supernatural or the divine and serves as an intermediary The church's ministry is overseen by a Council of Twelve Apostles and the temporal needs of the church are overseen by the Presiding Bishopric. In the Community of Christ, The Council of Twelve Apostles are disciples who hold the priesthood office of Apostle, and are responsible for the evangelistic witness The Presiding Bishop is an Ecclesiastical position in some denominations of Christianity. Meeting together, these quorums are known as the World Church Leadership Council. The World Church Leadership Council is a leadership body of the Community of Christ.

Other key leadership positions include Presiding Evangelist, Senior President of the Seven Presidents of Seventy, and President of the High Priests Quorum. In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Presiding Patriarch (also called Presiding Evangelist, Patriarch over the Church, Patriarch of the Church Seventy is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of several denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of High priest is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of In the Latter Day Saint movement, a quorum is a group of people ordained or endowed with priesthood authority and organized to act together as a body Every three years (formerly two, until a change made in 2007), delegates from around the world meet together with these leaders to vote on church business in World Conference. World Conference is the highest legislative body in the Community of Christ and is empowered to act for the entire church

Membership

Community of Christ membership enrolled in known locations totaled about 250,000 in 2008. ^[5] As of 2006, this was distributed as 25,000 in Africa, 8,000 in Asia, 8,000 in Canada, 13,000 in the Caribbean, 2,500 in Europe, 10,000 in the Pacific, 3,000 in Central and South America, and 130,000 in the United States. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[6]

The church is officially established in the following countries and territories: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Congo-Kinshasa, Congo-Brazzaville, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Guam, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Liberia, Malawi, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan (Republic of China), Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld The Cayman Islands are a British overseas territory located in the western Caribbean Sea, comprising the islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (République démocratique du Congo often referred to as DR Congo, DRC or RDC, and formerly known or referred to The Republic of the Congo (République du Congo Kongo: Repubilika ya Kongo; Lingala: Republiki ya Kongó) also known as Congo-Brazzaville Côte d'Ivoire (ˌkoʊt divˈwɑː(r ' in English, kot diˈvwaʀ in French) or Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with El Salvador ( República de El Salvador,) is a country in Central America. Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. French Polynesia ( French: Polynésie française, Tahitian: Pōrīnetia Farāni) is a French Overseas collectivity in the Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Guam ( Chamorro: cha Guåhån) officially the Territory of Guam, is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated Guatemala (República de Guatemala) is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west the Pacific Ocean to the southwest Haiti ( English: ˈheɪ·tiː or haɪ·ˈjiː·tiː French Haïti a·i·ti Haitian Creole: Honduras in Spanish, República de Honduras) is a democratic republic in Central America. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire The Republic of Malawi (məˈlɑːwi or; formerly Nyasaland) is in southern Africa. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands For the former North American fur-trading district see New Caledonia (Canada, and for the Scottish colony in Panama see Darien scheme. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Papua New Guinea (or ˈpæpjuːə in Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini) officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the The Republic of Zambia (ˈzæmbɪə is a Landlocked country in Southern Africa. See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election ^[7]

It is estimated that more than half the active members of the church speak a primary language other than English. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States ^[8] The church translates resources into French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Telugu, Kwi, Sora, Tahitian, Chewa, Chibemba, Efik, Lingala and Swahili. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages The Tuu or Taa-ǃKwi ( Taa-ǃUi, ǃUi-Taa, Kwi) languages are a Language family consisting of two language clusters spoken Sora (also Saora Saonras Shabari Sabar Saura Savara Sawaria Swara Sabara is a Munda language of India, spoken by some 288000 native speakers (1997 This article is about the African ethnic group for the language see Chichewa language The Chewa are a people of Central / Southern This article refers to the Bemba language For other uses see Bemba (disambiguation. The Efik people are a branch of the Ibibio, who in the early 1600s migrated down the Cross River from Cameroon and founded numerous settlements in Swahili (called Kiswahili in the language itself is the First language of the Swahili people (Waswahili who inhabit several large stretches ^[9]

History

Main article: History of the Community of Christ

Formerly known as Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, this denomination regards itself a reorganization of the church organized in 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr., and regards Joseph Smith III, the eldest surviving son of Smith Jr. The history of the Community of Christ, formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints covers a period of approximately 200 years Joseph Smith III ( November 6, 1832 – December 10, 1914) was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith Jr , to have been his sole legitimate successor. Indeed the church lists their establishment as "legally organized on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York"^[10]. The formal reorganization occurred on April 6, 1860 in Amboy, Illinois as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, adding the word Reorganized to the church name in 1872, and as a reorganization the church has roots in the Restorationism movement and the Latter Day Saint movement. Amboy is a city in Lee County, Illinois, along the Green River. For other usages see Restoration (general disambiguation Apokatastasis (universal restoration Christian Zionism (restoration of Israel and Please see the talk page for this article and the "See also" list before adding content or adding a hyphen to Latter Day Saint Community of Christ today considers the period from 1830 to 1844 to be a part of its early history and from 1844 to 1860 to be a period of disorganization. The Latter Day Saint movement is a religious movement within Christian Restorationism, beginning in the early 19th century that led to the set of doctrines The doctrine and practices of Community of Christ have evolved separately since 1844 from the other denominations sharing origins in the Latter Day Saint movement. ^[11] Within the past several decades, the church has moved in the direction of emphasizing greater tolerance and its role as a peace and justice church. Some changes included the ordination of women to priesthood, open communion, and changing the church's commonly-used name from Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to the current name in April 2001. See also Priesthood (Latter Day Saints In the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints priesthood is Open communion is the practice of Christian churches that allow individuals other than members of that church to receive communion (also called the Eucharist ^[12]

The church owns two temples, the Kirtland Temple dedicated in 1836 in Kirtland, Ohio, (operated in part as a historic site as part of its educational ministry), and the relatively new Independence Temple which serves as the church's headquarters in Independence. The Kirtland Temple is a registered National Historic Landmark in Kirtland Ohio, USA, on the eastern edge of the Cleveland metropolitan area For other places with the same name see Kirtland Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The Temple in Independence Missouri is a house of worship and education "dedicated to the pursuit of peace" The church sponsors Graceland University with a campus in Lamoni, Iowa, and another in Independence, where the Community of Christ Seminary is based. Graceland University is a private liberal arts university of about 2300 students and 150 faculty with campuses in Lamoni Iowa and Independence Missouri. Lamoni is a city in Decatur County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2444 at the 2000 census Independence is a city in and the County seat of Buchanan County, Iowa, United States. The Community of Christ Seminary at the Independence Campus of Graceland University is the official and only Seminary of the Community of Christ. These structures are not closed to the public but are used for education and gatherings. The church also owns and operates some Latter Day Saint historic sites in Far West, Missouri; Lamoni, Iowa; and Plano and Nauvoo, Illinois. Far West Missouri, was a Latter Day Saint ( Mormon) settlement in Caldwell County Missouri. Plano is a city in Kendall County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5633 at the 2000 census There is also a Nauvoo Alabama, and a Nauvoo Pennsylvania Nauvoo ( is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois The Auditorium in Independence, Missouri, houses the Children's Peace Pavilion and is the site of the major legislative assembly of Community of Christ, known as World Conference. The Auditorium (formerly the RLDS Auditorium) is a house of worship and office building located on the greater Temple Lot in Independence Missouri. The Children's Peace Pavilion located at the Community of Christ Auditorium in Independence Missouri, was established in 1995 to pursue its mission of

Vision and mission

The current vision and mission statements of Community of Christ were initially adopted in 1996 by the leading quorums of the church's leadership and reflect the peace and justice centered ministries of the denomination. In the mission statement, the church declares that "We proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love and peace. " The vision statement states that "We will become a worldwide church dedicated to the pursuit of peace, reconciliation, and healing of the spirit. "^[13]

Major beliefs

Community of Christ states that it recognizes that "perception of truth is always qualified by human nature and experience" and therefore has not adopted an official religious creed. Nevertheless, Community of Christ offers a number of the commonly held beliefs of its members and leaders as the "generally accepted beliefs of the church. "^[14] As Stephen M. Veazey, current president of the church puts it, "Community of Christ is a church that provides light for the way as well as space for the personal faith journey. Stephen Mark Veazey (born May 3, 1957) is the current Prophet-President of the Community of Christ, headquartered in Independence, "^[15]

Community of Christ generally accepts the doctrine of the Trinity and other commonly held Christian beliefs. Doctrine (Latin doctrina) is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachings quot or "instructions" taught principles or positions as the SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных The concept of Zion as both a present reality of Christian living and a hoped for community of the future is a rather strongly held belief in Community of Christ and ties closely to the peace and justice emphasis of the denomination. Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote a Utopian association of the righteous The movement also differs from most other Christian faiths in its belief in prophetic leadership and an open canon of scripture recorded in its version of the Doctrine and Covenants which is regularly appended. The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the

God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit

Community of Christ states that the "one eternal living God is triune. . . " and acknowledges God as Creator and Source of love, life, and truth. They state that "God alone is worthy of worship. " Jesus Christ is described as both Savior and as a living expression of God and is acknowledged as having lived, died, and been resurrected. As the name of the denomination implies, Jesus Christ is central to their study and worship. Community of Christ's Theology Task Force states that "Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh, both fully human and fully divine. "^[16] The Holy Spirit is described as the "continuing presence of God in the world" and as the source of divine inspiration. ^[14]

Peace

The Independence and Kirtland Temples are places of education and worship for all people. In keeping with Community of Christ's role as a "peace and justice church," the Independence Temple was "dedicated to the pursuit of peace". The Temple in Independence Missouri is a house of worship and education "dedicated to the pursuit of peace" Peace, in the modern usage is a concept defined by the ideal state of relationship as absence of hostility at the international level that of a War. ^[17] Each day of the year at 1:00 pm Central Standard Time/Central Daylight Time a Daily Prayer for Peace is held in the sanctuary of the Independence Temple. The Central Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time ( UTC−6) and five hours during Daylight saving The Daily Prayer for Peace is a spiritual discipline unique to the Community of Christ and practiced at the Independence Temple in the church's headquarters campus Sanctuary has multiple meanings A sanctuary is the consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar Each Friday at Noon Eastern Time a Friday Prayer for Peace is held at the Community of Christ Spiritual Formation Center portion of the Kirtland Temple Complex. In addition, the Community of Christ International Peace Award has been bestowed annually since 1993 (except 1996). The Community of Christ International Peace Award was established to honor and bring attention to the work of Peacemaking and peacemakers in the world The call to "peace, reconciliation, and healing of the spirit" is a recurring theme in Community of Christ and is reflected in its official vision statement. Doctrinal statements by the church suggest that "because of our commitment to Christ and belief in the worth of all people and the value of community building, we dedicate our lives to the pursuit of peace and justice for all people. "^[14] The church maintains a Peace and Justice Ministries Office at its headquarters which is designed to provide resources, education and networking. The Peace Colloquy is a major conference on peace held annually at Community of Christ headquarters. Community of Christ promotes the Young Peacemakers Club as a means of teaching and promoting peace among children all over the world. Young Peacemakers Club began in 1992 with an all volunteer staff and seven children in Sioux City IA

Worth of all persons

The doctrine of human worth or "worth of all persons" in Community of Christ is a well established belief. Community of Christ states that "God loves each of us equally and unconditionally. All persons have great worth and should be respected as creations of God with basic human rights. The willingness to love and accept others is essential to faithfulness to the gospel of Christ. "^[14] Recognizing that scripture has sometimes been used to marginalize and oppress classes of persons, the church accepted this statement into the Doctrine and Covenants in 2007: "It is not pleasing to God when any passage of scripture is used to oppress races, genders, or classes of human beings. Much violence has been done to some of God's beloved children through the misuse of scripture. The church is called to confess and repent of such attitudes and practices. "^[18]

Revelation and prophetic leadership

The belief in continuing divine revelation is a distinctive aspect of the church. Community of Christ states that "The process through which God reveals divine will and love is called revelation. God continues to reveal today as in the past. God is revealed to us through scripture, the faith community, prayer, nature, and in human history. "^[14]

The president of Community of Christ is sometimes referred to by the title of Prophet or Prophet-President. The president of the church acts as a prophet when bringing occasional inspired counsel or inspired documents to the church. These are usually brief passages of text which bring encouragement, counsel and direction to the church. When an inspired document is presented to the World Conference by the president of the church, an elaborate review process takes place. Each quorum of the church and several caucuses review the document and vote upon it. The quorums typically vote heavily in favor of the documents and sometimes unanimously. Debate is allowed, however, and the body has been known to refer the inspired document back to the president for further reflection or clarification. When the document comes to the floor of the World Conference for debate, the president retires from the room to allow for more impartial consideration. The World Conference may vote to include the document as a new section of the Doctrine and Covenants, which is regarded as scripture by the denomination. If the delegates at the World Conference do approve an inspired document, it is the custom of the Church to then have a courtesy vote, which is opened to all non-delegates attending the conference. This is the only time non-delegates are permitted to vote on World Conference business. Through this action, the Prophet of the Church can be assured that a large representation of the Church membership support the inspired document.

Concept of Zion

The concept of Zion in the Community of Christ relates a theology of the "kingdom of God. " As a doctrine, it is therefore closely founded upon the kingdom parables of Jesus as recorded in the four gospels. Based on references in the Bible to Mt. Zion or simply Zion, it was initially regarded as a city, sometimes called the New Jerusalem. Prior to 1920, most members of Community of Christ identified Independence, Missouri as Zion or the New Jerusalem. As New Testament understandings of basileia, as the realm or domain of God, have gradually taken root among members of the denomination, Zion is now understood more as a cause, a way of living or a state of existence, and is usually not regarded as having its foundation in a specific place. Officially, the denomination states that "The 'cause of Zion' expresses our commitment to pursuing God's kingdom through the establishment of Christ-centered communities in families, congregations, neighborhoods, cities, and throughout the world. "^[14] While the Concept of Zion is rarely associated with the Jewish concept of Zionism, some members of Community of Christ from Maine intrigued by the doctrine of Zion established a refugee center near Tel Aviv during the initial return of the Jewish diaspora to Israel in the early 1900s.

All are called

Community of Christ commonly attests that "all are called according to the gifts of God unto them" (D&C 119:8b). Published statements of belief proclaim that "All men, women, youth, and children are given gifts and abilities to enhance life and to become involved in Christ's mission. Some are called to particular responsibility as ordained ministers (priesthood) in the church. The church provides for a wide range of priesthood ministries through calling and ordination of both men and women. "^[14]

Priesthood

Nearly 1 in 10 members hold priesthood office. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs maintains many cemeteries specifically devoted to veterans See also Priesthood (Latter Day Saints In the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints priesthood is These are primarily unpaid bi-vocational ministers. The church does maintain a relatively small group of professional ministers who typically serve as administrators, financial officers or missionaries. Priesthood members are called to teach and preach the gospel or "good news" of Jesus Christ. The ministry of the church at the congregational level is lead by the priesthood members (ordained ministers) and carried out by all priesthood and laity. In most congregations the pastor(s) and other elected and appointed leadership positions are unpaid positions. Upheld by a church conference vote in 1984, women were given the right to hold the priesthood^[19] as the church sought to embrace what they felt was the will of God.

Salvation

Community of Christ Theology Task Force offers theological statements on the principle of salvation for consideration of members, but the denomination does not expect strict doctrinal adherence on such matters of belief. The task force presents the view that salvation and eternal life are gifts and that by baptism and discipleship lived as response to the gospel, individuals become new people. ^[20]

Sacraments

Members commonly believe that Sacraments (or ordinances) express the abiding presence of God in the life of the church, its members and priesthood. Sacraments are metaphorical acts designed to create and renew spiritual relationship with God. Sacraments are viewed as covenants with God in response to God's grace. Community of Christ practices eight sacraments;^[21] Baptism, Confirmation, Blessing of Children, The Lord's Supper, Marriage, Administration to the Sick, Ordination, and "Evangelist's Blessing". The sacraments are viewed as vital ministries in the Community of Christ for both individual and community spiritual development In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies In the Latter Day Saint movement, a patriarchal blessing (also called an evangelist's blessing) is a blessing or ordinance given by a patriarch "Laying on of hands" is used in confirmation, ordination, blessing of children, administration and Evangelist's blessing.

Scripture

Community of Christ points to Jesus Christ as the living Word of God^[22] and affirms the Bible, along with the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants as scripture for the church. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the The Community of Christ view of scripture is that it should be "reasonably interpreted and faithfully applied. " Scripture references provided for congregational worship generally follow the Revised Common Lectionary. The Revised Common Lectionary is a Lectionary of readings or Pericopes from the Bible for use in Christian Worship making provision for the Liturgical year The church views the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants as "additional witnesses of Christ's ministry and God's love. " Community of Christ understands scripture as an inspired record of God's activity with humanity. While it recognizes scripture as the revelation of God, its members would not typically suggest that scriptures constitute the literal "words of God. Revelation is the act of revealing or disclosing (see etymology or in the theological perception making something obvious and clearly understood through active or passive communication "^[23] In words of counsel to the church brought by President Stephen M. Veazey in 2007 and now included in Section 163:7a-b of the Doctrine and Covenants, it is suggested that "Scripture is an indispensable witness to the Eternal Source of light and truth, which cannot be contained in any finite vessel or language. Stephen Mark Veazey (born May 3, 1957) is the current Prophet-President of the Community of Christ, headquartered in Independence, The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Scripture has been written and shaped by human authors through experiences of revelation and ongoing inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the midst of time and culture. Scripture is not to be worshipped or idolized. Only God, the Eternal One of whom scripture testifies, is worthy of worship. God's nature, as revealed in Jesus Christ and affirmed by the Holy Spirit, provides the ultimate standard by which any portion of scripture should be interpreted and applied. "^[24]

Bible

In unity with Christianity, Community of Christ upholds the Bible as scripture. Both the Hebrew Old Testament and the Christian New Testament are utilized in public worship as well as private study. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. The church encourages prayerful meditation upon the meaning and importance of Bible passages. "If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting. . . " (James 1:5-6) is an oft quoted passage from the New Testament (for the reason that it was the scripture that Joseph Smith II read when he was trying, as a boy, to figure out what church to join. His experience following his reading of this scripture resulted in the (eventual) organization of the church).

Community of Christ does not prescribe a single translation of the Bible. Although Joseph Smith, Jr. began a project to re-translate or revise the King James Version of the Bible during his lifetime, the liturgy of the church today is usually based on more recent translations of the Bible. Upon Smith's death, the working manuscript of his translation was retained by his family and came into the possession of Community of Christ. The work was edited and is published by the church as the Inspired Version of the Bible. The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST, also called the Inspired Version of the Bible (I Since it largely relies on the now-difficult-to-read language of the King James Version, most official publications of Community of Christ quote scripture from newer versions such as the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). The New Revised Standard Version ( NRSV) of the Bible, released in 1989, is a thorough revision of the Revised Standard Version (RSV Community of Christ does not view scripture, including the Bible, as inerrant. Members are encouraged to understand the historical and literary context of Bible passages and not to interpret all of the language literally. ^[25]

Book of Mormon

Community of Christ views the Book of Mormon as an additional witness of Jesus Christ and publishes two versions of the book through its official publishing arm, Herald House. The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. Herald House or Herald Publishing House is the publishing division of the Community of Christ in Independence Missouri. The Authorized Edition is based on the original printer's manuscript and the 1837 Second Edition (or Kirtland Edition) of the Book of Mormon. Its content is similar to the Book of Mormon published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the versification is different. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known Community of Christ also publishes a 1966 "Revised Authorized Edition" which attempts to modernize some of the language.

In 2001, Community of Christ President W. Grant McMurray reflected on increasing questions about the Book of Mormon: "The proper use of the Book of Mormon as sacred scripture has been under wide discussion in the 1970s and beyond, in part because of long-standing questions about its historicity and in part because of perceived theological inadequacies, including matters of race and ethnicity. "^[26] While these comments are noteworthy, they could easily be mistaken as representative of some sort of official stance or prevailing opinion. It is therefore important to note that his comments, as quoted, were in fact a summation of his own personal opinion on the subject, and were not part of any official discourse.

At the 2007 Community of Christ World Conference, President Stephen M. Veazey ruled a resolution to "reaffirm the Book of Mormon as a divinely inspired record" out of order. In so doing he stated that "while the Church affirms the Book of Mormon as scripture, and makes it available for study and use in various languages, we do not attempt to mandate the degree of belief or use. This position is in keeping with our longstanding tradition that belief in the Book of Mormon is not to be used as a test of fellowship or membership in the church. "^[27]

Book of Doctrine and Covenants

Community of Christ edition of the Doctrine and Covenants is a growing work of scripture containing inspired documents given through the prophet-presidents recognized by Community of Christ. The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church The Doctrine and Covenants contains inspirational Christian messages such as this passage shared by former President, W. Grant McMurray as inspired counsel: "Open your hearts and feel the yearnings of your brothers and sisters who are lonely, despised, fearful, neglected, unloved. William Grant McMurray (born July 12, 1947) was Prophet-President of the Community of Christ from 1996 until 2004 Reach out in understanding, clasp their hands, and invite all to share in the blessings of community created in the name of the One who suffered on behalf of all. " (Doctrine and Covenants 161:3a)

Current President Stephen Veazey presented the most recent words of counsel to the church, which was accepted as scripture on March 30, 2007. Events 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. This document, now officially Section 163[1] of the Doctrine and Covenants, further challenges the membership of the Community of Christ to engage in ministries that foster peace, and are specifically charged to “pursue peace” and to “strive to be faithful to Christ’s vision of the peaceable Kingdom of God on earth”.

Lectionary usage

Community of Christ employs a three year lectionary cycle based upon the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) used by other Christian traditions. The Revised Common Lectionary is a Lectionary of readings or Pericopes from the Bible for use in Christian Worship making provision for the Liturgical year The readings from the biblical canon are those of the RCL except where the Inspired Version differs in versification from other biblical canons. The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST, also called the Inspired Version of the Bible (I In these instances verses from the RCL are given along with the corresponding verses of the Inspired Version. In addition, the church has added readings from the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. Worship helps based on the lectionary are published by the Herald House as well as posted on the official denominational website and include sample orders of worship with recommended hymns from the official denominational hymnal, Hymns of the Saints, as well as official supplements to the hymnal and other song books. This article refers to the religious act For the album by Michael W Herald House or Herald Publishing House is the publishing division of the Community of Christ in Independence Missouri. Hymns of the Saints, published in Independence Missouri by Herald House in 1981, is the official English language Hymnal

Criticism

The church has been criticized for various changes in policy and leadership. In 1978 W. Wallace Smith became the first church president to resign rather than serve until death, becoming President Emeritus, similar to the circumstances facing his son Wallace B. Smith two decades later. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) William Wallace Smith (1900—1989 born November 18 1900 in Lamoni Iowa Wallace Bunnell Smith (born July 29, 1929) was Prophet-President of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now Community ^[28] Similarly President W. Grant McMurray stepped down as church president on November 29, 2004 due to "family issues" and "inappropriate choices" in his personal life. William Grant McMurray (born July 12, 1947) was Prophet-President of the Community of Christ from 1996 until 2004 Events 1777 - San Jose California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " ^[29][30][31] McMurray also did not name a successor, marking the first time the succession decision had been left to the leadership of the denomination. ^[30][28] Additionally, although he had been designated as successor by the previous prophet-president, McMurray's church leadership was questioned due to the fact that he was the first church president who was not a direct descendant of Joseph Smith, Jr. , which was considered a distinguishing trait from other denominations of the LDS movement. Please see the talk page for this article and the "See also" list before adding content or adding a hyphen to Latter Day Saint ^[30]

The church also came under scrutiny when McMurray allowed the priesthood ordination of practicing homosexuals, something which he acknowledged was already occurring. The church would later renounce this practice, prohibiting the ordination of sexually active gays and lesbians. However, the church allows those who were ordained against policy to continue in priesthood office. ^[32]

Notes

References

• Richard P. Howard, The Church Through the Years, Herald House: 1992. Volume 1: Beginnings to 1860: ISBN 0-8309-0556-1 Volume 2: ISBN 0-8309-0629-0
• Andrew Bolton and Jane Gardner, "The Sacraments: Symbol, Meaning and Discipleship," Herald House, 2005. ISBN 0-8309-1173-1
• Jerry Nieft, ed. , "Walking with Jesus: A Member's Guide in the Community of Christ," Herald House, 2004. ISBN 0-8309-1105-7
• Community of Christ, "The Priesthood Manual, 2004 Edition," Herald House, 2004. ISBN 0-8309-1016-6
• Community of Christ, "Church Administrators' Handbook: 2005 Edition," Herald House, 2005. ISBN 0-8309-1119-7
• Roger D. Launius, Joseph III: Pragmatic Prophet, University of Illinois Press: 1995. ISBN 0-252-06515-8
• Inez Smith Davis, The Story of the Church: A History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and of Its Legal Successor, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 12th edition, Herald House: 1981. ISBN 0-8309-0188-4
• Community of Christ, "World Conference Resolutions: 2002 Edition," Herald House, 2003. ISBN 0-8309-1053-0

See also

• John Whitmer Historical Association
• Mormonism
• Outreach International
• Plano Stone Church
• Restoration Branches

External links

• Community of Christ, official website
• Comunidad de Cristo Pichilemu on Wikia, a wiki about the Community of Christ in Pichilemu (Spanish)
• Official youth ministries website of the Community of Christ
• Community of Christ edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (pdf version - includes appendix)
• Herald House, official publishing arm of the Community of Christ
• Community of Christ Seminary at Graceland University, official site
• Graceland University, university sponsored by the Community of Christ
• Church history and records
• Statement from First Presidency announcing Grant McMurray's resignation
• GALA: Gay and Lesbian Acceptance – group of members, but not sponsored by the church. John Whitmer Historical Association (JWHA is "an independent society composed of scholars students and enthusiasts who share a lively interest in the history of the Latter Day Mormonism is a term used to describe the religious, ideological and cultural elements of certain branches of the Latter Day Saint movement Outreach International is an international Non-governmental organization (NGO based in Independence Missouri United States (USA The Plano Stone Church, also known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was constructed in 1868 to serve as the headquarters for the Reorganized Restoration Branches are the primary organizational and congregational units of the Restorationist movement Wikia (originally Wikicities) is a selective Free web hosting service for Wikis (or Wiki farm) operated by Wikia Inc Pichilemu (in Mapudungun: Small Forest) is a tourist city and commune of the central zone of Chile.
• Outreach International, charity officially endorsed by the Community of Christ
• John Whitmer Historial Association, a scholarly society focused on Community of Christ history
• Who Was Who in RLDS History
• Official Community of Christ site for ministry to active duty military

Please see the talk page for this article and the "See also" list before adding content or adding a hyphen to Latter Day Saint William Bickerton ( January 15, 1815 – February 17, 1905) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement after the 1844 succession The Church of Jesus Christ is a Christian Religious denomination headquartered in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, United States. Sidney Rigdon ( 19 February 1793 – 14 July 1876) was an important figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Rigdonite is a name given to members of the Latter Day Saint movement who accept Sidney Rigdon as the successor in the church presidency to movement founder Granville Hedrick ( September 2, 1814 — August 22, 1881) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement after the 1844 succession The Church of Christ is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement and is headquartered in Independence, Missouri on what is known as the Temple Joseph Smith III ( November 6, 1832 – December 10, 1914) was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith Jr James Jesse Strang (March 21 1813 &ndash July 9 1856 was one of three major contenders for leadership of the Latter Day Saint movement during the 1844 Succession Crisis The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement with more than a thousand members The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known Brigham Young (June 1 1801 &ndash August 29 1877 was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ( FLDS Church) is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of America's largest The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ( FLDS Church) is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of America's largest

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