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The Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) is a priesthood calling with church-wide authority. The Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood, although most of the work in this area is delegated to the church's Young Men general presidency.
The primary duties [1] of the Presiding Bishopric are to oversee the temporal affairs (buildings, properties, commercial corporations, etc.) of the church and to oversee the bishoprics of congregations throughout the world. Along with the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Presiding Bishopric is a part of the Council on the Disposition of the Tithes, a group that oversees and authorizes the expenditure of all tithing funds. The Presiding Bishopric is also responsible for overseeing the church's Aaronic priesthood, although most of the work in this area is delegated to the Young Men general presidency.
The Presiding Bishopric holds the power to join with twelve high priests of the church in convening the Common Council of the Church, the only body of the church which may discipline or remove the President of the Church or one of his counselors in the First Presidency. However, the Common Council has only been convened twice in the history of the LDS Church, and only once has it disciplined a First Presidency member, when Sidney Rigdon was excommunicated in absentia, in 1844.
According to Orson Pratt and John Taylor, Vinson Knight was made the Presiding Bishop, with Samuel H. Smith and Shadrach Roundy as assistants, [2] on January 19, 1841. [3] However, the LDS Church does not include Vinson Knight in its list of presiding bishops but considers Knight the "third general bishop of the Church." [2]
| No. | Dates | Presiding Bishop | First Counselor | Second Counselor | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | February 4, 1831 – May 27, 1840 | Edward Partridge ("Bishop") |  | Isaac Morley (June 6, 1831 – May 27, 1840) |  | John Corrill (June 6, 1831 – August 1, 1837) Titus Billings (August 1, 1837 – May 27, 1840) |
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| May 27, 1840 – October 7, 1844 | None sustained | |||||||||
| October 7, 1844 – April 6, 1847 | Newel K. Whitney ("First Bishop of the Church") |  | Reynolds Cahoon (1832–?) [4] : 35 George Miller ("Second Bishop of the Church") (October 7, 1844 – latter end of 1846) [5] |
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| 2 | April 6, 1847 – September 23, 1850 | Newel K. Whitney ("Presiding Bishop") | None | |||||||
| 3 | April 7, 1851 – October 16, 1883 | Edward Hunter |  | Leonard W. Hardy (October 6, 1856 – October 16, 1883) |  | Jesse C. Little (October 6, 1856 – Summer 1874) Robert T. Burton (October 9, 1874 – October 16, 1883) |
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| 4 | April 6, 1884 – December 4, 1907 | William B. Preston |  | Leonard W. Hardy (April 6, 1884 – July 31, 1884) Robert T. Burton (October 5, 1884 – November 11, 1907) |
| Robert T. Burton (April 6, 1884 – October 5, 1884) John Q. Cannon (October 5, 1884 – September 5, 1886) John R. Winder (April 8, 1887 – October 17, 1901) Orrin P. Miller (October 24, 1901 – December 4, 1907) |
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| 5 | December 4, 1907 – May 28, 1925 | Charles W. Nibley |  | Orrin P. Miller (December 4, 1907 – July 7, 1918) David A. Smith (July 18, 1918 – May 28, 1925) |
| David A. Smith (December 4, 1907 – July 7, 1918) John Wells (July 18, 1918 – May 28, 1925) |
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| 6 | June 4, 1925 – April 6, 1938 | Sylvester Q. Cannon |  | David A. Smith |  | John Wells |  | |||
| 7 | April 6, 1938 – April 6, 1952 | LeGrand Richards |  | Marvin O. Ashton (April 6, 1938 – October 7, 1946) Joseph L. Wirthlin (December 12, 1946 – April 6, 1952) |
| Joseph L. Wirthlin (April 6, 1938 – October 7, 1946) Thorpe B. Isaacson (December 12, 1946 – April 6, 1952) |
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| 8 | April 6, 1952 – September 30, 1961 | Joseph L. Wirthlin |  | Thorpe B. Isaacson |  | Carl W. Buehner |  | |||
| 9 | September 30, 1961 – April 6, 1972 | John H. Vandenberg |  | Robert L. Simpson |  | Victor L. Brown |  | |||
| 10 | April 6, 1972 – April 6, 1985 | Victor L. Brown | | H. Burke Peterson | Vaughn J Featherstone (April 6, 1972 – October 1, 1976) J. Richard Clarke (October 1, 1976 – April 6, 1985) | |||||
| 11 | April 6, 1985 – April 2, 1994 | Robert D. Hales | Henry B. Eyring (April 6, 1985 – October 3, 1992) H. David Burton (October 3, 1992 – April 2, 1994) |
| Glenn L. Pace (April 6, 1985 – October 3, 1992) Richard C. Edgley (October 3, 1992 – April 2, 1994) | |||||
| 12 | April 2, 1994 – December 27, 1995 | Merrill J. Bateman | H. David Burton | Richard C. Edgley | ||||||
| 13 | December 27, 1995 – March 31, 2012 | H. David Burton | Richard C. Edgley | Keith B. McMullin | ||||||
| 14 | March 31, 2012 – October 9, 2015 | Gary E. Stevenson |  | Gérald Caussé | Dean M. Davies | |||||
| 15 | October 9, 2015 – present | Gérald Caussé [6] | Dean M. Davies (October 9, 2015 – October 3, 2020) W. Christopher Waddell (October 3, 2020 – present) | W. Christopher Waddell (October 9, 2015 – October 3, 2020) L. Todd Budge (October 3, 2020 – present) | ||||||
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.
The Aaronic priesthood is the lesser of the two orders of priesthood recognized in the Latter Day Saint movement. The others are the Melchizedek priesthood and the rarely recognized Patriarchal priesthood. Unlike the Melchizedek priesthood, which is modeled after the authority of Jesus and the Twelve Apostles, or the Patriarchal priesthood, which is modeled after the authority of Abraham, the Aaronic priesthood is modeled after the priesthood of Aaron the Levite, the first high priest of the Hebrews, and his descendants. The Aaronic priesthood is thought to be a lesser or preparatory priesthood and an "appendage" of the more powerful Melchizedek priesthood.
A general authority is a member of the highest levels of leadership within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who has administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church. A general authority's jurisdiction is church-wide, in contrast to the responsibilities of a local authority or an area authority, which relate to a particular area, unit, or department of the church. As a group, the general authorities are often referred to as "the Brethren". As of April 2023, The LDS listed 95 general authorities.
Sacrament meeting is the primary weekly Sunday worship service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In the Latter Day Saint movement, a bishop is the highest office of the Aaronic priesthood. It is almost always held by one who holds the office of high priest in the Melchizedek priesthood. The Latter Day Saint concept of the office differs significantly from the role of bishops in other Christian denominations, being in some respects more analogous to a pastor or parish priest. Each bishop serves with two counselors, who together form a bishopric.
A presiding bishop is an ecclesiastical position in some denominations of Christianity.
Elder is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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. The idea of a quorum was established by Joseph Smith early in the history of the movement, and during his lifetime it has included several church-wide quorums, including the First Presidency, the Presiding High Council, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Anointed Quorum, and the Quorum of the Seventy, as well as numerous local quorums for each congregation. The Council of Fifty, or General Council, was not part of the church, but a quorum-like body designed as a forerunner to establishing a theocratic government.
In Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, priesthood is God's power and authority to minister in the church and to conduct God's business on Earth. Although the church believes that all Christians are called by their gifts and talents to the ministry, priesthood is seen as a particular expression of universal ministry to which all are called. In Community of Christ, both women and men can be ordained to the priesthood. All offices are deemed equal in importance, but the duties and responsibilities of each differ.
In the Latter Day Saint movement, there are two presiding high councils, one said to be "standing," and the other "traveling." The traveling high council is generally known as the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. Both councils, at least in theory, preside over the church, although the apostles have tended to supersede the standing high council in both of the largest Latter Day Saint denominations, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Community of Christ.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a church membership council is an ecclesiastical event during which a church member's status is considered, typically for alleged violations of church standards. If a church member is found to have committed an offense by a membership council, they may have their name removed from church records, or their church membership may be otherwise restricted. Church membership councils are at times referred to unofficially as church courts.
Prophet, seer, and revelator is an ecclesiastical title used in the Latter Day Saint movement. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest denomination of the movement, and it currently applies the terms to the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In the past, it has also been applied to the Presiding Patriarch of the church and the Assistant President of the Church. Other denominations of the movement also use these terms.
The First Presidency, also called the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church or simply the Presidency, is the presiding governing body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of Russell M. Nelson and his two counselors: Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the priesthood is the power and authority to act in the name of God for the salvation of humankind. Male members of the church who meet standards of worthy behavior and church participation are generally ordained to specific offices within the priesthood.
The Young Men is a youth organization and official program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its purpose is to assist the church's Aaronic priesthood-aged young men in their growth and development. The organization serves young men from the year they turn 12 until they are 18.
A solemn assembly is a formal and sacred procedure in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conducted to give added emphasis to the purpose of the occasion. Solemn assemblies are held at the dedications of temples and for specially-called meetings to provide instruction to church leaders. Solemn assemblies are also held for the purpose of sustaining a new church president, who church members consider to be a prophet, seer, and revelator. Such assemblies are held, in particular, to follow the law of common consent. In 1831, a year after Joseph Smith established the Church of Christ, church members believe he was instructed by revelation to "call your solemn assembly, that your fastings and your mourning might come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth." Historically, solemn assemblies were held on special occasions of major religious importance in ancient Israel.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints focuses its doctrine and teaching on Jesus Christ; that he was the Son of God, born of Mary, lived a perfect life, performed miracles, bled from every pore in the Garden of Gethsemane, died on the cross, rose on the third day, appeared again to his disciples, and now resides, authoritatively, on the right hand side of God. In brief, some beliefs are in common with Catholics, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. However, teachings of the LDS Church differ significantly in other ways and encompass a broad set of doctrines, so that the above-mentioned denominations usually place the LDS Church outside the bounds of orthodox Christian teaching as summarized in the Nicene Creed.
Seventy is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Traditionally, a church member holding this priesthood office is a "traveling minister" and an "especial witness" of Jesus Christ, charged with the mission of preaching the gospel to the entire world under the direction of the Twelve Apostles. The church teaches that the office of seventy was anciently conferred upon the seventy disciples mentioned in the Gospel of Luke 10:1-2. Multiple individuals holding the office of seventy are referred to collectively as seventies.
The President of the Church is the highest office of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was the office held by Joseph Smith, the church's founder. The church's president is its leader and the head of the First Presidency, its highest governing body. Latter-day Saints consider the president of the church to be a "prophet, seer, and revelator" and refer to him as "the Prophet", a title that was originally given to Smith. When the name of the president is used by adherents, it is usually prefaced by the title "President". Russell M. Nelson has been the president since January 14, 2018.
