Teens From Polygamous Families protested on August 19, 2006 In Salt Lake City
'Mormon fundamentalism' (also called 'fundamentalist Mormonism') is a belief in the validity of selected
fundamental aspects of
Mormonism as taught and practiced in the
nineteenth century, usually during the administration of
Brigham Young as
president of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Mormon fundamentalism is distinct from Mormonism as it practiced today by the LDS Church. Fundamentalist issues may include
plural marriage, the
law of consecration, the
Adam–God theory, the principle of
blood atonement, and the
exclusion of black men from the
priesthood.
Individuals and groups which continue to adhere to any or all of these principles and doctrines are generally referred to as Mormon fundamentalists. They believe these principles to have been wrongly abandoned or changed by the LDS Church. However, there is no church or central religious authority which includes all groups or adherants to these beliefs, and the viewpoint and practices of individual groups vary widely. Fundamentalists have formed numerous small
sects, often within cohesive and isolated communities in areas of the
Western United States,
Western Canada and northern
Mexico. According to one source, there are as many as 37,000 Mormon fundamentalists, with fewer than half of them living in polygamous households.
Mormon fundamentalism is not associated with the LDS Church and most adherents maintain no formal connection to it. Those fundamentalists who were members of the LDS Church at one time in their lives have often been
excommunicated from it because of their practices.
History
The LDS Church began prohibiting plural marriage within the
United States in
1890 after a
decree by the president of the church,
Wilford Woodruff, but allowed the practice to continue underground in the U.S. and openly in Mormon
colonies in northern Mexico and southern
Alberta. Likewise, many polygamous
Utah families continued to practice polygamy with the tacit approval of church presidents Wilford Woodruff,
Lorenzo Snow and
Joseph F. Smith.
[D. Michael Quinn, "Plural Marriage and Mormon Fundamentalisms," , Volume 31, Number 2, Summer 1998, Accessed 08 June 2007][1] Some fundamentalists have suggested that the 1890 Manifesto was not a real
revelation of the kind given by God to
Joseph Smith, Jr., but rather was a politically expedient document intended by Woodruff to be a temporary measure until
Utah Territory gained
statehood. After joining the Union, Utah would have the authority to enact its own laws with respect to marriage rather than being bound by U.S. territorial laws that prohibited polygamy. Before statehood could be granted in
1896, however, the federal government required Utah to include a provision in its
state constitution stating that "polygamous or plural marriages are forever prohibited".
[2]
With the selection of
Latter-day Saint Reed Smoot to be one of Utah's representatives to the
U.S. Senate in
1903, national attention was again focused on the continuation of polygamy in Utah, which culminated in the
Reed Smoot hearings. In
1904, church president
Joseph F. Smith issued a "
Second Manifesto," after which time it became LDS Church policy to excommunicate those church members who entered into or solemnized new polygamous marriages.
[3]
Today the LDS Church will
excommunicate members who advocate plural marriage, enter into or solemnize plural marriages, or actively support Mormon fundamentalist groups. Although some LDS Church members continue to ''believe'' in the doctrine of plural marriage without ''practicing'' it, the LDS Church prevents any of its members who sympathize with Mormon fundamentalists from entering its
temples.
Changes in official church policy did not prevent some LDS Church members from continuing the practice of polygamy. During the
1920s, a dissenter named
Lorin C. Woolley claimed a separate line of authority from the mainstream LDS Church hierarchy, effectively setting in motion the development Mormon fundamentalism.
[4] Most of the Mormon polygamous groups can trace their roots to Woolley's legacy.
[5]
For the most part, the Utah state government has left the Mormon fundamentalists to themselves unless their practices violate laws other than those prohibiting
bigamy. For example, there have been recent prosecutions of men who belong to fundamentalist groups for marrying underage girls, and in one highly publicized case, a man and one of his polygamist wives lost custody of all but one of their children until the wife separated herself from her husband. The largest government effort to crack down on the practices of fundamentalist Mormons was carried out in
1953 in what is today
Colorado City, Arizona, which became known as the
Short Creek Raid.
Distinctive doctrines and practices
Mormon fundamentalists embrace the term ''Fundamentalist'' (usually capitalized).
[ As with other fundamentalism movements, Mormon fundamentalists see religious authority as inerrant and unchanging. One of the most basic beliefs is that of plural marriage, which they view as essential for obtaining the highest degree of exaltation in the celestial kingdom. They dislike the term ''polygamy'', however, and also view ''polygyny'' as an outsider term.][ They also refer to plural marriage as "the Principle", "celestial marriage",[6] "the New and Everlasting Covenant", or "the Priesthood Work".]
The practice of plural marriage usually differs little from the manner in which it was practiced int he nineteenth century. However, in some fundamentalist sects, it is considered acceptable for a much older man to marry underage girls as young as 13 years old. This practice, which apart from polygamy, itself, is illegal in most states, has generated public controversy. Examples include the Elizabeth Smart case, the Tom Green case, and the case in which a man from the Kingston clan married his 15-year-old cousin, who was also his aunt.[7] However, the majority of fundamentalists do not condone this practice.
Relationship with the LDS Church
The LDS Church considers the word "Mormon" to apply only to its members, not to members of other sects of the Latter Day Saint movement. The LDS Church therefore claims that there is no such thing as a "Mormon fundamentalist," nor are there any "Mormon sects." The LDS Church suggests that the correct term to describe these splinter groups is "polygamist sects." [8]
Mormon fundamentalist sects
The majority of Mormon fundamentalists belong to sects that have separated themselves from the LDS Church.
Apostolic United Brethren
The Apostolic United Brethren (AUB) is estimated to have about 5000 to 9000 members throughout Utah, Montana, Arizona, Wyoming, Missouri, and Mexico. Several of its towns are organized into United Orders; the church has established a temple in Mexico and an Endowment House in Utah and operates several schools.
The AUB emerged when their leader, Joseph W. Musser ordained Rulon C. Allred as an apostle and counselor, which led to a split between Mormon fundamentalists in Salt Lake City and those in Short Creek, Arizona. The AUB is currently headed by J. Lamoine Jenson and a priesthood council of seven men.
The AUB is one of the more liberal of the Mormon groups practicing plural marriage. The leaders of the AUB do not arrange marriages nor do they authorize plural marriages for people under 18 or for those who are closely related.
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS Church) is estimated to consist of 6000 to 8000 members. A succession crisis has been brewing in the church since 2002, when Warren Jeffs became president of the church. There has been extensive litigation regarding the church for some time, as property rights of disaffected members are weighed against the decisions of church leaders who hold trust to the land their homes are built upon. A large concentration of members lives in the twin cities of Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah, as well as in Bountiful, British Columbia. The church has built a temple near Eldorado, Texas. The members of the FLDS Church tend to be very conservative in dress and lifestyle.
Latter Day Church of Christ (Kingston clan)
The Kingston clan, officially known as the Latter Day Church of Christ, includes approximately 1200 members. This secretive group runs several businesses including pawnshops, restaurant supply stores, and a coal mine. The Kingston clan is one of the fundamentalist groups that have allowed marriage to underage girls.
Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a small group of about 100 to 200 people, most live near Modena, Utah or Tonopah, Nevada. The Righteous Branch was organized in 1978 by Gerald Peterson, Sr., who claimed that, after AUB leader Rulon C. Allred was murdered, he appeared to him as an angel to pass on the presiding keys of the priesthood. This church has built a pyramid-shaped temple and Gerald Peterson, Jr. is their current leader. Like the AUB they are modern in their dress and do not allow girls under 18 to be married.
True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days
The True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days (TLC) is headquartered in Manti, Utah. Membership is estimated at 300 to 500. Organized in 1994, the TLC was a new "restoration" for the "very last days" before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. While the church initially grew rapidly, it has since stagnated and declined in numbers and converts since it ceased missionary efforts in 2000.
Centennial Park group
A community event in Centennial Park
About 1500 people are members of a group located in Centennial Park, Arizona, called The Work of Jesus Christ. In the early 1980s, there was a conflict of leadership in the FLDS Church. Some of the members were very unhappy with the changes being made by various influential men in the community. When the FLDS Church abandoned leadership by council and instituted a "one-man rule" doctrine, those who wanted to maintain leadership by a priesthood council founded Centennial Park in 1986, just south of the twin communities of Colorado City, AZ and Hildale, UT.
The name "Centennial Park" is a reference to the 1886 events surrounding Lorin C. Woolley, which serve as the basis for fundamentalist claims of priesthood authority. Members of this group (referred to by members as "The Work") denounce all violence and abuse, do not permit marriage of young girls, and disavow the extreme practices of the FLDS Church. They do, however, like the FLDS Church, practice a form of arranged marriage. They dress in modern, modest attire.
The Centennial Park group have built a meetinghouse for weekly services and a private high school. A charter school was built in 2003 for the town's growing elementary-age population. About 300 members of this group live in the Salt Lake Valley, where they hold meetings monthly. Members living in Salt Lake City often travel to Centennial Park every month to help in building the community. This group is led by a Priesthood council.
The group was profiled on the ABC television program Primetime in a story entitled, ''The Outsiders''.
Neilson / Naylor Group
The Naylor group is comprised of around 200 members who trace their authority through Alma Del Timpson and Frank Naylor. They are based in the Salt Lake Valley, where they have about 200 members. Most—if not all—of the members of this group were previously associated with the Centennial Park or FLDS Church.
United Latter-Day Church of Jesus Christ
The United Latter-Day Church of Jesus Christ is currently led by Steven H. Tucker, who succeeded Heber G. Smith. They claim authority through John Peter Smith, who they believe received authority from Joseph Smith, Jr. This small group is currently based in Davis County, Utah.[9]
Other groups
There are many hundreds of small polygynous clans, with membership in the tens or hundreds, located in many parts of North America.
Independent Mormon fundamentalists
There is a large movement of independent Mormon fundamentalists. Independents do not belong to organized fundamentalist groups and do not generally recognize any man as their "prophet" or leader. Because Independents are not one cohesive group, they are very diverse in their beliefs and interpretations of Mormonism; therefore, their practices vary. Many Independents come from a background in the LDS Church, while others come from other Christian or Mormon fundamentalist backgrounds.
Independents rely upon personal inspiration and revelation to guide them; there is no ecclesiastical structure among the Independents, although Independents often socialize with each other and may meet together for religious services.
Statistically, it is difficult to estimate how many Independents there are, but a recent estimate indicates that there may be more independent fundamentalists than there are in any one of the formally organized polygamous groups and may number as many as 15,000.[10] According to this informal survey, about half of Mormon fundamentalists, both those in groups and those outside of groups, currently practice polygamy. There is a large concentration of Independents in Utah, Arizona, and Missouri.
See also
★ Ervil LeBaron
★ Messenger magazine - a fundamentalist publication
★ ''Big Love'' HBO series about a fictional independent polygamous Mormon fundamentalist family
Notes
1. http://www.mormonfundamentalism.com/NEWFILES/PluralMarriage1835to1904.htm
2. Utah Code -- Constitution -- Article 03 -- Ordinance; as found on the Utah State Legislature website, Accessed 08 June 2007
3. Church History in the Fulness of Times Student Manual, Chapter 36; manual for Institute of Religion 341–343 class, Church Educational System, Accessed 08 June 2007
4. http://www.mormonfundamentalism.com/NEWFILES/LorinCWoolleyBio.htm
5. http://www.mormonfundamentalism.com/
6. In the LDS Church, celestial marriage has a meaning compatible with monogamy.
7. "Man sentenced for marrying his 15-year-old cousin," 26 January 2004, CNN.com, Accessed 08 June 2007
8. "Church Responds to Questions on HBO's Big Love," dated 6 March 2006, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Accessed 08 June 2007.
9. The Official Website of the United Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ accessed 27 Aug 2007
10. Brooke Adams, Fundamentalists: Most espouse polygamy as a tenet, but fewer actually practice it as their lifestyle, Salt Lake Tribune, 11 August 2005, as quoted at principlevoices.org, Accessed 08 June 2007
References
★ .
★ .
Media Presentations
★ ''Lifting the Veil of Polygamy'' A documentary film on Mormon Fundamentalism (Living Hope Ministries; viewable online)
★ ''Banking on Heaven'' A documentary film on the FLDS, the largest Mormon Fundamentalist group (Over the Moon Productions)
External links
★ Recent polygamy-related stories in the ''Salt Lake Tribune''
★ Polygamy Leadership Tree (PDF document)
★ MormonFundamentalism.org - General Overview of Mormon Fundamentalist views
★ Polygamy: Questions and Answers with the Los Angeles Times
★ The Primer, Helping Victims of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse in Polygamous Communities Utah Attorney General's Office and Arizona Attorney General's Office
★ Shield and Refuge: A Christian ministry to Mormon fundamentalists
★ True Mormonism- An overview of Mormon Fundamentalist doctrine written by members of the movement
★ Journal of a Mormon Fundamentalist woman - excerpts on marriage and plural marriage
★ Centennial Park Action Committee
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