Presiding high council

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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.

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Both presiding high councils function as second presidencies to the church, the apostles overseeing the mission field, and the standing high council overseeing the stakes of Zion (or areas where the church has been organized into sustained units).

Historically, the standing high council had oversight over all other high councils within the stakes of Zion and was equal in authority to the Quorum of the Twelve. Because the standing high council oversaw stake high councils, the Quorum of the Twelve had oversight over the Seventy.

Types of high councils

In the revelations of Joseph Smith, at least three types of high council are mentioned:

The standing presiding high council was intended to be located at the "center place" of Zion, or church headquarters. The center place itself is not considered a stake. Building upon the Book of Isaiah's imagery of Zion as a tent (Isaiah 54:2), the church leadership is found at the center pole of the tent, with the stakes of Zion providing support and balance to the center place.

The standing presiding high council in Zion acts with the First Presidency as a second presidency to the church. The traveling presiding high council acts to govern the church outside of the organized stakes. One of Smith's revelations states that "the high council in Zion form a quorum equal in authority in the affairs of the church, in all their decisions, to the councils of the Twelve at the stakes of Zion." [1]

The two presiding high councils, when combined, are equal in authority to the First Presidency. At the same time, both are subject to the First Presidency, which has undivided authority over all the church.

In addition to these two presiding councils, each of the several standing high councils in the stakes of Zion, when combined, are deemed to be equal in authority to standing high council in Zion. [2] As such, the combined stake high councils potentially form a third-tier presidency of the church.

History

On February 17, 1834, Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, created the church's first high council at church headquarters in Kirtland, Ohio. [3] This body consisted of twelve men and were under the direction of the First Presidency. This high council took on the role of chief judicial and legislative body of the church, except in areas where the church was not organized, and handled such things as excommunication trials and approval of all church spending. When church headquarters moved to Jackson County, Missouri, the newly formed Missouri high council took on a presiding role as the high council of Zion, and the Kirtland high council became subordinate. Later, when other high councils were established in newly formed stakes of the church, the high council of Zion took on the role of "presiding" over the lesser high councils. For example, cases tried in the high councils of outlying stakes were regularly appealed to the presiding high council. The president of this high council was the President of the Church, who at all relevant times was Smith. [4]

Originally, the standing high council, under the direction of the First Presidency, was in a de facto supervisory role over the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which was a traveling high council with jurisdiction only outside of Zion or its stakes. For example, in 1838, when vacancies arose in the traveling high council, it was the standing high council at Far West, Missouri, that voted on and filled the vacancies. Later, as the traveling high council evolved and began to be known as the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, it acquired equal status with the standing high council. When the standing high council was dissolved after church members were expelled from Missouri, the high council organized at the new church headquarters in Nauvoo, Illinois, where it continued to function as the presiding high council of the church, overseeing appeals from high councils in outlying stakes.

The original members of the standing high council in Kirtland were: [5]

History in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

In 1841, still during Smith's lifetime, the role of Traveling Presiding High Council of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was elevated, apparently above that of the Standing Presiding High Council. [6] [7] Meanwhile, after the 1844 succession crisis, high councils developed differently in the various denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement, with its role often decreasing. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was composed of those who recognized Brigham Young and the apostles as the rightful successor to Smith, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gained ascendancy and the standing high council diminished in authority, eventually disappearing completely. Post-exodus to Utah, the standing high council was established in a limited capacity as part of the central Salt Lake Stake, but it only served as a ratifying body for priesthood quorums in other stakes. An LDS Church Sunday School manual from 1980 states: “The Salt Lake Stake functioned more or less as a center stake that gave direction and guidance and had jurisdiction over other stakes. When quorum leaders in outlying areas needed new officers they sent a list of nominees to the Salt Lake Stake.” [8] Of this arrangement, the manual states that “the function of stake organizations … had not been adequately defined for the maximum strength of the overall Church organization.” [8]

Toward the end of his life, Brigham Young began an extensive reformation of the various priesthood quorums, standardizing their jurisdiction and function. [9] Minutes from an October 19, 1876 Bishops Meeting quote Young as saying, "So with the High Councils, their jurisdiction extends only to the Stakes in which they are organized. Some have entertained the idea that the High Council in this Stake of Zion had jurisdiction over all other stakes. This is not so. The High Council of Weber Co[unty], or of any other stake would have just as much right to call in question the decisions of the High Council of this Stake of Zion, as this High council theirs, both are equal in authority." [10]

In 1877, the First Presidency, with Brigham Young as President, sent out a letter to the church for the purpose of "setting in order the quorums of priesthood"; [8] regarding the situation of the Salt Lake Stake having a "center place" supervisory role, the letter stated that “under the direction of the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles the presidency of the various Stakes will have the general supervision of all matters pertaining to the church within the limits of their Stakes." [8] With that, any remaining vestiges of a separate standing presiding high council within the LDS Church disappeared, its role subsumed into the functions of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

History in the Community of Christ

Community of Christ, formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church), has a functioning standing high council. Composed of twelve members, it retains some (but not all) of the duties detailed in Smith's original priesthood structure. One major difference is that its members are not general officers that are equal to the Council of Twelve Apostles. As such, the standing high council is not part of the World Church Leadership Council. The high council does, however, functions in an advisory role for the First Presidency. Its decisions may be overturned only through action of a World Conference. Major advisory decisions include its 1982 statement on homosexuality. [11]

The Church Administrator's Handbook 2005 states:

The Standing High Council meets at the request of the First Presidency to consider questions of moral and ethical significance, to provide general advice and counsel to the First Presidency, and to consider appeals from courts of field jurisdictions. The Standing High Council may also advice the Presiding Bishopric when requested by the First Presidency. [12]

The members of the Standing High Council as of 2012[ needs update ] were: [13]

Related Research Articles

Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Community of Christ, Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church) Governing body of LDS church

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy. Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are apostles, with the calling to be prophets, seers, and revelators, evangelical ambassadors, and special witnesses of Jesus Christ.

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.

A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in certain denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. The name "stake" derives from the Book of Isaiah: "enlarge the place of thy tent; stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes". A stake is sometimes referred to as a stake of Zion.

Seventy is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of several denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Traditionally, a Latter Day Saint 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. Latter Day Saints teach 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".

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 October 2017, there are 109 general authorities.

William Marks (Latter Day Saints)

William Marks was a leader in the early days of the Latter Day Saint movement and was a member of the First Presidency in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Marks is mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants in sections 117 and 124 of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints edition and in section 115 of the Community of Christ edition.

In the Latter Day Saint movement, patriarch is an office of the priesthood. It is considered to be either an office of the patriarchal priesthood or the Melchizedek priesthood.

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.

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

In Mormonism, a high council is one of several different governing bodies that have existed in the church hierarchy on many Latter Day Saint movement denominations. Most often, the term refers to a stake high council in a local stake, but other high councils include the standing Presiding High Council in Zion, and the "travelling high council", better-known today as the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

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 most denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement, a high priest is an office of the priesthood within the Melchizedek priesthood. High priests are typically more experienced leaders within the priesthood. The term derives in part from the Epistle to the Hebrews, which describes Jesus as "a high priest after the order of Melchizedek". Movement founder Joseph Smith ordained the first high priests on June 3, 1831.

First Presidency (LDS Church)

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 Latter Day Saint movement, the Quorum of the Twelve is one of the governing bodies or (quorums) of the church hierarchy organized by the movement's founder Joseph Smith and patterned after the Apostles of Jesus. Members are called Apostles, with a special calling to be evangelistic ambassadors to the world.

A district of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative unit composed of a number of congregations called branches.

Setting apart is a ritual or priesthood action in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where a person is formally blessed to carry out a specific calling or responsibility in the church.

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.

President of the Church (LDS Church) Highest office of the LDS church

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 President of the LDS Church is the church's leader and the head of the First Presidency, the church's 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.

References

  1. ↑ Doctrine and Covenants 107:37 (LDS Church ed.).
  2. ↑ D&C 107:36 (LDS Church ed.).
  3. ↑ D&C 102 (LDS Church ed.).
  4. ↑ D&C 102:9 (LDS Church ed.).
  5. ↑ Doctrine and Covenants 102:3 (LDS Church ed.).
  6. ↑ ""Times and Seasons, volume 2, 1 September 1841: 521–22"" (PDF).
  7. ↑ ""Special Conference of the Church, Minutes, Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL, 16 Aug. 1841; handwriting of Elias Smith; two pages; Historian's Office, General Church Minutes, Church History Library"".
  8. 1 2 3 4 My Kingdom Shall Roll Forth (Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church, 1980) pp. 40–45.
  9. ↑ Hartley, William G. (1980). "The Priesthood Reorganization of 1877: Brigham Young's Last Achievement". BYU Studies. 20 (1).
  10. ↑ "Presiding Bishopric bishops meeting minutes, 1851-1884, Church History Library".
  11. ↑ "Homosexuality (1982)". Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
  12. ↑ "Community of Christ Administrator's Handbook 2005," found online at , page 24. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
  13. ↑ General Councils, Quorums, and Orders of Community of Christ. "Directory: Councils, Quorums, and Orders". Archived from the original on 2012-08-01. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
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