Church of Jesus Christ in Zion

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The Church of Jesus Christ in Zion is a small church in the Latter Day Saint movement based on the teachings of "latter day prophet" Kenneth Asay. [1] The church is based on early teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[ citation needed ]

Contents

History

The Church of Jesus Christ in Zion was established in 1984. Asay died in 1985, [1] after which the church was taken over by Roger Billings. Billings incorporated the church in Missouri in 1989. [2] As of 2004, the church was based in Independence, Missouri. [3]

Doctrine

According to Church doctrines, there was not to be a formal Church organization but rather individual families were to be the organizational units, presided over by a father or a family patriarch. The Church of Jesus Christ does not consider itself to be a Church organization as is the conventional model of our day. Rather, the Church claims to be a concept or a life plan by which individual families may find encouragement and support in their religious practice.[ citation needed ]

The Church adopted all of the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, including the teaching that any person who can "bear testimony of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost" is a prophet.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Community of Christ</span> Faith in the Latter Day Saint movement

Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), is an American-based international church, and is the second-largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement. The church reports approximately 250,000 members in 1,100 congregations in 59 countries. The church traces its origins to Joseph Smith's establishment of the Church of Christ on April 6, 1830. His eldest son Joseph Smith III formally accepted leadership of the church on April 6, 1860 in the aftermath of the 1844 death of Joseph Smith.

In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. It was the office held by Joseph Smith, founder of the movement, and the office assumed by many of Smith's claimed successors, such as Brigham Young, Joseph Smith III, Sidney Rigdon, and James Strang. Several other titles have been associated with this office, including First Elder of the church, Presiding High Priest, President of the High Priesthood, Trustee-in-Trust for the church, Prophet, Seer, Revelator, and Translator. Joseph Smith was known by all of these titles in his lifetime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Christ (Temple Lot)</span> Latter Day Saint movement denomination

The Church of Christ, informally called Hedrickites and the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement headquartered in Independence, Missouri, on what is known as the Temple Lot. The nickname for members of the church comes from the surname of Granville Hedrick, who was ordained as the church's leader in July 1863. Unlike the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and Community of Christ, the Temple Lot church rejects the office of prophet or president, being instead led by its Quorum of Twelve Apostles. The church also rejects the doctrines of baptism for the dead and celestial marriage promulgated by the Utah-based LDS Church, as well as the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. While once avidly engaged in dialogue with other Latter Day Saint factions, the church no longer has any official contact with any other organization. It is notable for its sole ownership of the Temple Lot, which it has held for nearly 150 years. As of 2013, membership is 7,310 members in 11 countries. Most of the members live in the United States, but there are parishes in Canada, Mexico, Honduras, Nigeria, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Tanzania, India, Ethiopia, and the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)</span> Christian religious denomination

The Church of Jesus Christ is an international Christian religious denomination headquartered in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, United States. Organized at Green Oak, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. in the year 1862. The church is a Christian Restorationist church and accepts the Book of Mormon as scripture. The church considers itself the gospel restored, or the original church and good news as established by Jesus Christ in the New Testament, restored upon the earth. It also claims to be the spiritual successor to the Church of Christ, organized by Joseph Smith on April 6, 1830. The church sees Sidney Rigdon as Smith's rightful successor following the assassination of Smith because Rigdon was Smith's first counselor in the First Presidency. The church is not officially affiliated with any other church, organization or denomination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latter Day Saint movement</span> Religious movement

The Latter Day Saint movement is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by Joseph Smith in the late 1820s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)</span> Original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith in the 1820s

The Church of Christ was the original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith. Organized informally in 1829 in upstate New York and then formally on April 6, 1830, it was the first organization to implement the principles found in Smith's newly published Book of Mormon, and thus its establishment represents the formal beginning of the Latter Day Saint movement. Later names for this organization included the Church of the Latter Day Saints, the Church of Jesus Christ, the Church of God, the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Latter Day Saint movement</span>

The Latter Day Saint movement is a religious movement within Christianity that arose during the Second Great Awakening in the early 19th century and that led to the set of doctrines, practices, and cultures called Mormonism, and to the existence of numerous Latter Day Saint churches. Its history is characterized by intense controversy and persecution in reaction to some of the movement's doctrines and practices and their relationship to mainstream Christianity. The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the different groups, beliefs, and denominations that began with the influence of Joseph Smith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Smith III</span> Son of Joseph Smith Jr and leader of RLDS Church (1832–1914)

Joseph Smith III was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith and Emma Hale Smith. Joseph Smith III was the Prophet-President of what became the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, renamed Community of Christ in 2001, which considers itself a continuation of the church established by Smith's father in 1830. For fifty-four years until his own death, Smith presided over the church. Smith's moderate ideas and nature set much of the tone for the church's development, earning him the sobriquet of "the pragmatic prophet".

The succession crisis in the Latter Day Saint movement occurred after the killing of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, on June 27, 1844.

Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote an association of the righteous. This association would practice a form of communitarian economics, called the United Order, which were meant to ensure that all members maintained an acceptable quality of life, class distinctions were minimized, and group unity achieved.

Church of Jesus Christ may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Community of Christ</span>

The history of Community of Christ, formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, covers a period of approximately 200 years. The church's early history traces to the "grove experience" of Joseph Smith, who prayed in the woods near his home in Palmyra, New York, in the early-19th century. Several accounts of this experience have surfaced over the years. Most of the accounts share a common narrative indicating that when he went to the woods to pray, he experienced a period of encountering evil or despair, but then experienced an epiphany or vision in which he came to know and understand God's goodness. Later, as an adult, Smith founded the Church of Christ on April 6, 1830.

Elias Higbee was an associate of Joseph Smith, a prominent Danite, and an official historian and recorder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) is part of the Latter Day Saint movement. When Joseph Smith, the founder of the movement, died there was a dispute regarding who should lead the church as his successor. The Quorum of the Twelve, led by Brigham Young, argued that they should have the right to lead the church while the First Counselor of the First Presidency, Sidney Rigdon, argued that he should act as protector of the church until a permanent leader was chosen. Those who followed Rigdon formed the "Church of Christ" with its center being Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After an attempt to start a communitarian society, Church of Christ broke apart by 1847. William Bickerton associated himself for two years with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and later left them behind refusing to accept some of their beliefs, including polygamy. In the 1850s Bickerton's preaching led to the formation of a new church in Eastern Pennsylvania. Over the following years Bickerton's church faced two schisms related to doctrinal issues. Its current official name, The Church of Jesus Christ, was adopted by 1941.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Jesus Christ (Zion's Branch)</span> Branch of the Latter-day Saint Movement

The Church of Jesus Christ (Zion's Branch) is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement headquartered in Independence, Missouri. It was formed on April 6, 1985 by individuals who had separated from the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now the Community of Christ, due to certain doctrinal changes which took place in this organization during the 1970s and 80s, culminating in the adoption of Section 156 of the RLDS Doctrine and Covenants, which allowed women to be ordained to the priesthood. Unable to accept this or other doctrinal changes, a group of elders and members led by A.J. Cato, Robert Hall, Dennis Cato, Noel Goldsmith, Roger E Billings and Lloyd Cunningham, among others, formed Zion's Branch as a separate church. This organization no longer maintains a website, but despite this, many still claim to be proud members of the group. The meetinghouse was sold in April 2019 and is currently being repurposed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Joseph Smith</span> Overview of and topical guide to Joseph Smith

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the life and influence of Joseph Smith:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian fellowships of "the Remnants" movement</span> American Mormon denomination (2013-)

Remnant fellowships are a loosely organized branch of the Latter Day Saint movement formed by individuals who accept alleged divine revelations received by Denver Snuffer Jr.. The Remnant Fellowships generally feel called to personal and social renewal preparatory to Christ's eventual second coming. According to movement beliefs, participants anticipate a coming time when remnants remain within the full restored covenant with Jesus Christ: an allusion to a belief that "The Bible, Book of Mormon, and modern revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith, prophesy that the gospel of Jesus Christ would shift from the Gentile stewards of the gospel back to Israel in the last days." The movement places a renewed focus on individual communion with God, gifts of the spirit, tangible expressions of faith, and the eventual establishment of Zion. While the movement has no official name, the term "Snufferite" has been used to denote followers. Other designations include covenant of Christ movement and Denver Snuffer movement. Participants sometimes reference each other as "covenant Brother," "covenant Sister".

References

  1. 1 2 Greenhalgh, Spencer P. (2023-04-01). "The Correct [Domain] Name of the Church: Technology, Naming, and Legitimacy in the Latter-day Saint Tradition". Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought . 56 (1): 1–26. doi:10.5406/15549399.56.1.01. ISSN   0012-2157.
  2. Stack, Peggy Fletcher (2023-04-16). "How the LDS Church worked and worked — and paid and paid — to get its name 'right' on the internet". The Salt Lake Tribune . Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  3. Lawhorn, Chad (2004-04-27). "Cloud of controversy follows 'Dr. Hydrogen'". Lawrence Journal-World . Retrieved 2024-09-12.