About this site

About us

Our beliefs

Is this your first visit?

Contact us

External links

Good books

Visitor essays

Our forum

New essays

Other site features

Buy a CD of this site

Vital notes

World religions

BUDDHISM

CHRISTIANITY

Who is a Christian?

Shared beliefs

Handling change

Bible topics

Bible inerrancy

Bible harmony

Interpret Bible

Persons

Beliefs, creeds

Da Vinci code

Revelation, 666

HINDUISM

ISLAM

JUDAISM

WICCA / WITCHCRAFT

Other religions

Cults and NRMs

Comparing religions

Non-theistic...

Atheism

Agnosticism

Humanism

Other

About all religions

Important topics

Basic information

Gods & Goddesses

Handling change

Doubt/security

Quotes

Movies

Confusing terms

Glossary

End of the world

One true religion?

Seasonal topics

Science v. Religion

More info.

Spirituality and ethics

Spirituality

Morality and ethics

Absolute truth

Peace and conflict

Attaining peace

Religious tolerance

Religious hatred

Religious conflict

Religious violence

"Hot" topics

Very hot topics

Ten commandments

Abortion access

Assisted suicide

Cloning

Death penalty

Environment

Equal rights -gays/bi's

Same-sex marriage

Nudism

Origins of the species

Sex & gender

Sin

Spanking kids

Stem cells

Women-rights

Other topics

Laws and news

Religious laws

Religious news

Sponsored link

Religious watches by Whimsical Watches

The LDS Restorationist movement, including Mormon Churches

Terms used in the LDS Restorationist movement

Sponsored link.

Background:

There are almost 100 denominations and sects who trace their ancestry back to the original Church of Christ established by Joseph Smith in 1830. Most regard themselves as being the only true successor to Smith's church. Some refer to themselves as "Mormons." Most do not. Some practice polygyny, a form of polygamy. Others do not. The largest of these denominations, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints call themselves Mormons and automatically excommunicate any member who practices polygyny. They refuse to recognize other denominations as being legitimate heirs to Joseph Smith's revelations.

In such an environment, the LDS Restorationist denominations and sects define religious terms very differently. The definitions that we use on this web site are listed below. We recognize that they will be acceptable to some, but not all, believer's in Joseph Smith's message.

Definitions used:

Restorationism: (a.k.a. "Restorationist Movement") This is a group of largely unrelated Christian denominations who share one important belief in common -- that Christianity went terribly astray early in its history. During the Great Apostasy, Christians abandoned many of the original teachings of Yeshua of Nazareth (Jesus Christ), Paul, and other apostles. At least initially, Restorationist faith groups believe that they, and they alone, restored Christianity to its original form. They include denominations as diverse as:

	Christadelphians,
	Christian Church (Disciples of Christ),
	Churches of Christ,
	Community of Christ, formerly: the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)
	The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS),
	Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ,
	International Churches of Christ,
	Jehovah's Witnesses,
	Seventh-day Adventists,
	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons)
	etc.

LDS Restorationism: (a.k.a. "LDS Restorationist Movement") This consists of those Restorationist faith groups who trace their ancestry back to Joseph Smith's original movement, the Church of Christ which he established by in 1830 CE.

These groups believe that:

The true Christian church died out circa 100 CE, when the apostles had died and the surviving religious leaders abandoned many of the original teachings of Jesus Christ, Paul, and the other apostles.

Jesus and God, as separate entities, visited Joseph Smith in 1820 and told him to not join any of the existing Christian denominations because they were all in serious error.

True Christianity was restored to the world only when Smith founded the Church of Christ.

Today, LDS Restorationism includes:

	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a.k.a. Mormons, The Church of Jesus Christ, LDS); this is by far the largest LDS Restorationist denomination with over 12 million members;
	The Community of Christ with about 250,000 members;
	The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonites) with about 10,000 members;
	The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) with about 10,000 members; and
	Many dozens of other faith groups, all small.

The Community of Christ has since abandoned the belief in Restorationism. However, it is frequently cited as a LDS Restorationist denomination because it traces its history to Joseph Smith's original church.

"Prairie Saint" denominations and sects within LDS Restorationism: These are those faith groups who remained in the U.S. mid-west after Joseph Smith's assassination in 1844, and the successors to those groups. Those that still exist today include:

	The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
	The Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
	The Community of Christ
	The Restored Church of Jesus Christ (Eugene O. Walton)
	The Church of Christ (Temple Lot)
	The Church of Christ with the Elijah Message
	The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
	The Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

"Rocky Mountain Saint" denominations and sects within LDS Restorationism: This group consists of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which followed Brigham Young to the Great Salt Lake in Utah, as well as schismatic groups that later split away. They include:

	The Apostolic United Brethren
	The Aaronic Order
	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
	The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
	The Kingston clan
	The New Covenant Church of God
	The Restoration Church of Jesus Christ
	The True & Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days
	Reform Mormonism

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: This is by far the largest denomination within the LDS Restoration movement with over 12 million members. They are referred to as Mormons, The Church of Jesus Christ, LDS, LDS Church, Mormon Church, Latter-day Saints, or the Church. In this web site, we often refer to them as the LDS Church.

Mormons:

	The original use of the term "Mormon" was derived from the Book of Mormon in the early 19th century by other Christians. It was considered a derogatory term.
	Since the 1970s, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has used the term to refer to their own membership. They regard themselves as the only legitimate descendent of Joseph Smith's original Church of Christ, founded in 1830.
	The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints refer to their members as "Original Mormons" or "Fundamentalist Mormons." ₁
	Most of the other denominations and sects in the LDS Restoration movement do not use the term "Mormon."
	Our policy is to use the term "Mormon" only where the faith group being discussed also uses it.

References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

"Latter-day Saint movement," at: http://www.reference.com/
Suzan Mazur, "Seven brides for one brother: Plural marriage is rife in the western United States," Financial Times, 2000, at: http://www.childpro.org/

Site navigation:

Home > Christianity > Christian faith groups > LDS Restorationist > here

Home > Christianity > Denominational families > LDS Restorationist > here

Copyright � 2006 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally posted: 2006-NOV-08
Latest update: 2006-NOV-10
Author: B.A. Robinson

The LDS Restorationist movement, including Mormon Churches

Terms used in the LDS Restorationist movement

Background:

Definitions used:

Sponsored links:

References used:

Go to the previous page, or to the "LDS Restorationist" menu, or choose: