Church organization/structure

[Heavenguard]

Howdy folks,

I was wondering if someone could explain to me the overall church organization and structure. I have so far, from reading snippets here and there, surmised that there is a structure similar to that of the RC Church, where there is something of a "hierarchy" or sorts (perhaps something like Priest, Bishop, Cardinal, Pope), and something like a geographic structure of sorts (like parish, diocese, archdiocese, etc.), but clearly not by the names I've put in brackets.

I might not be putting it quite right (since I don't quite get/know it), but I think you can understand what I'm trying to ask :) I think it'd make observing stuff a lot easier if I knew who was a what

Thanks!

[Hemidakota]

Start at this simplest form LDS.org - Topic Definition - Church Administration

Additional information:

LDS.org - Search - Church organization

[Moksha]

I am sure there are a lot of charts up at Church Headquarters but they probably have been classified as sacred. :)

[Brother Dorsey]

Howdy folks,

I was wondering if someone could explain to me the overall church organization and structure. I have so far, from reading snippets here and there, surmised that there is a structure similar to that of the RC Church, where there is something of a "hierarchy" or sorts (perhaps something like Priest, Bishop, Cardinal, Pope), and something like a geographic structure of sorts (like parish, diocese, archdiocese, etc.), but clearly not by the names I've put in brackets.

I might not be putting it quite right (since I don't quite get/know it), but I think you can understand what I'm trying to ask :) I think it'd make observing stuff a lot easier if I knew who was a what

Thanks!

Well, we have as head of the church Jesus Christ, who directs His church through revelation given to the Prophet or President of the church, he has two councilors, followed by the quorum of the 12 Apostles, the first and second quorums of the Seventy who act as area Presidents. Missions (geographical areas) which include a Mission President, Within each Mission are Stakes which each have a Stake President, 2 councilors and 12 High councilors, Wards which make up the Stakes, each Ward has a Bishop with 2 councilors and many different auxillaries...ie: Sunday School, Primary, Relief Society (which BTW is the largest womens organization in the world), Young Mens and Young Womans groups...each of these has a President and 2 councelors...then there are all the teachers etc. and other callings. A true lay ministry! General Authorities (Mission Presidents and up to Prophet do receive living expenses however as their calling requires them to be in the Lords service 24/7). Most all General Authorities are retired from their jobs and many give the living expenses back to the church because they don't need it.

As far as priesthood authority goes any worthy male can receive the Priesthood. A male can receive the Aaronic priesthood and be ordained to the office of Deacon at age 12 with limited priesthood duties, at age 14 he can become a Teacher and then at 16 a Priest...all with limited duties. When a worthy male reaches adulthood He may receive the Higher Priesthood or the Melchesidak Priesthood with the offices of Elder and High Priest. All General Authorities are High Priests, all males with a Stake calling are High Priests, any male serving in a Bishopric is a High Priest.

Whewwww....I hope that helps and I hope I got it right.

[tubaloth]

I was wondering if someone could explain to me the overall church organization and structure

Really is kind of like this

Heavenly Father

Jesus Christ (and I guess Holy Ghost in here somewhere)

Prophet (President of the Church)

First Presidency

Twelve Apostles

(then it starts to spread out over the world).

I guess next would be the Presidency of the Seventy (there are 7 of these).

First two Quorum of Seventy. (there is a presideing Bishopric too, that handles more of the service needs of the church).

Then there has been added another 6 Qurums of Seventy (I'm not really sure if each Quroum actually has Seventy in it)

So now it starts to get more to different areas of the world

Each Seventy covers some part of the world (with counselors)

Then it goes down to Stake President (if you are in a stake) or Mission Priesdent (If you are in a District)

Then would be Bishops, or Branch Presidents

Then it kind of follows two lines (one for the Melchizedek priesthood, and one fallows the Aaronic Priesthood).

for Melchizedek it goes from Stake Prisedent to High Priest (and I guess Elders)

for Aaronic it goes from Bishop, to Priest (boys 16-18), Teachers (14-16) and Deacons (12-14).

Then to Home Teacher.

There are woman organizations kind of at each level to some extent,

There is like a Relief Socity Priesdent over all Woman in the church, then there is one on the stake level, and at the ward level.

I'm sure that is way more detailed then you wanted. It kind of is compliacted trying to type it up. Seeing a picture would do more.

[Heavenguard]

Hmmm, this has been helpful much and interesting.

I think I have more questions about this, but I don't know what they are yet, hahaha. Let me think about it first and Ill get to it later.

Much appreciated :) :) :)

[Heavenguard]

I wanted to ask what is the... not exactly the role... but uh... I guess the best way I can ask this is in familiar terms for me. How would you compare the Prophet (to Mormonism) and the Pope (to Catholicism)?

Papal infallacy is something I take quite an issue with. If you don't know what that is, it's the teaching that the Pope speaks the absolute truth and is prevented by God from being wrong. It has more modernly been updated to being infallible only pertaining to faith matters. (Otherwise it puts the Pope in a very Godly position.)

Is the Prophet similarly seen as infallible, at least in matters pertaining to faith/doctrine? (If so, how far does this extend down the lines of "authority" or structure?) What of a situation where a later Prophet reveals something contradictory or otherwise different than a teaching of an earlier Prophet? I always thought of it as an "Oops, White-Out please" from the RC side of things.

Also, I wanted to ask how the next Prophet is chosen/revealed. Is he succeeded by a councilor/Apostle/other?

Told you I'd get back to this later

[Vanhin]

I wanted to ask what is the... not exactly the role... but uh... I guess the best way I can ask this is in familiar terms for me. How would you compare the Prophet (to Mormonism) and the Pope (to Catholicism)?

Papal infallacy is something I take quite an issue with. If you don't know what that is, it's the teaching that the Pope speaks the absolute truth and is prevented by God from being wrong. It has more modernly been updated to being infallible only pertaining to faith matters. (Otherwise it puts the Pope in a very Godly position.)

Is the Prophet similarly seen as infallible, at least in matters pertaining to faith/doctrine? (If so, how far does this extend down the lines of "authority" or structure?) What of a situation where a later Prophet reveals something contradictory or otherwise different than a teaching of an earlier Prophet? I always thought of it as an "Oops, White-Out please" from the RC side of things.

Hey Heavenguard!

In short, we follow the living prophet. But this statement by the Church might be helpful in answering gist of your questions concerning continuing revelation.

LDS Newsroom - Approaching Mormon Doctrine

From the link above, the doctrine that we consider official and binding for the whole Church "...resides in the four “standard works” of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price), official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith."

There is a specific process that doctrine must go through before it becomes official, and at that point it becomes a part of our canon.

Also, I wanted to ask how the next Prophet is chosen/revealed. Is he succeeded by a councilor/Apostle/other?

Told you I'd get back to this later

Jesus Christ lives, and is at the head of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is His Church, and His priesthood. Christ leads his Church by way of revelation through the prophets and apostles.

There is a Quorum of Twelve Apostles, who collectively hold all the keys (rights/authority) to direct the work and affairs of the Church by way of revelation. These are the same keys committed to Peter, who was the senior apostle in the ancient Church (Matt. 16:19).

The senior most apostle (in time served, not age) becomes the President of the Church, and he chooses two counselors from among the remaining apostles, and forms the First Presidency of the Church. The President becomes the only person authorized to exercise and direct the use of all the keys of the kingdom on earth.

New apostles are called by prophecy and ordained to fill the vacancies, and the next apostle in seniority becomes the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The members of the First Presidency, and the Twelve Apostles are sustained by the general membership of the Church as prophets, seers, and revelators.

When we refer to the "prophet" we mean the President of the Church. When the prophet dies, the First Presidency is dissolved and his counselors return to their place of seniority in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Without exception, since the days of Brigham Young, the senior most apostle left has become the next President of the Church, and the process I described above is repeated.

The process is described in detail in this statement from the Church -> LDS Newsroom - Succession in the Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Regards,

Vanhin

[Heavenguard]

Ah, okay. Thanks a lot, Vanhin! I was looking around the LDS site, but I don't know where specific ideas/ things are categorized under. (I looked under Prophet, and it contained more info about his role than how one is called to be the prophet, for example.)

Oh, oh, I have another question.

It seems from this that the line of succession from one prophet to the next is pretty continuous, with Joseph Smith as the first of them all. Is there a (known) reason why so long between the time of Mormon and Joseph Smith?

Edited June 18, 2008 by Heavenguard

[Vanhin]

Ah, okay. Thanks a lot, Vanhin! I was looking around the LDS site, but I don't know where specific ideas/ things are categorized under. (I looked under Prophet, and it contained more info about his role than how one is called to be the prophet, for example.)

Oh, oh, I have another question.

It seems from this that the line of succession from one prophet to the next is pretty continuous, with Joseph Smith as the first of them all. Is there a (known) reason why so long between the time of Mormon and Joseph Smith?

You are welcome.

Let me give you some background first. When Christ was on the earth he called twelve apostles and established his Church. He gave Peter and the apostles the keys to direct the affairs of his Church by revelation after he was gone to heaven. This was The Church of Jesus Christ, and revelation and the keys of the priesthood were necessary features of the true Church.

We believe that not long after the ascension of Christ into heaven, the Church was persecuted and the apostles killed, and even many members of the Church became corrupt and fell into apostasy. They were not able to call and ordain new apostles because of various circumstance, and when the apostles were gone, so were the keys. Thus the Church fell into apostasy.

For hundreds of years there was not a church on the earth that was led by revelation through the duly authorized servants of God, the prophets and apostles. There were still many faithful Christians, and the various Christian churches tried to interpret scriptures and live the gospel, but without revelation, they were left to interpret the things of God by the wisdom of man. Man false doctrines and sects were introduced during this time.

The apostasy lasted until 1820 when something very remarkable happened. Fourteen year old Joseph Smith had prepared and had gone to a grove of trees near where he lived in Palmyra, NY, to ask God which of the many Christian churches was the right Church. This is what he said happened:

After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! (JS History 1:15-17)

God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith in answer to his prayer. Joseph was told that none of the Church were right, and that he should join none of them. Joseph Smith was called as a prophet of God, and through him many truths that had been lost due to apostasy were restored. Joseph Smith brough forth new scripture, such as the Book of Mormon. Later the resurrected apostles Peter, James, and John appeared to Joseph Smith and conferred the priesthood on him and ordained him to the office of apostle. Eventually the Church of Jesus Christ was restored as was all the keys of the priesthood and the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Other apostles were called the Church was organized following the ancient pattern. We claim that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true Church of Jesus Christ on the earth.

So, Joseph Smith succeeded Peter, and received the priesthood and the keys of the priesthood directly from Peter, James, and John, who had previously received them directly from the Lord Jesus Christ. Since Joseph Smith, there has been prophets and apostles on the earth again, and they have succeeded in the fashion that I outlined in the previous message. The current prophet is President Thomas S. Monson. Here are some topics for further reading if you are interested:

Guide to the Scriptures: Church of Jesus Christ

Guide to the Scriptures: Church, Signs of the True

Guide to the Scriptures: Priesthood

Guide to the Scriptures: Keys of the Priesthood

Guide to the Scriptures: Apostasy

Guide to the Scriptures: Smith, Joseph, Jr.

Guide to the Scriptures: Restoration of the Gospel

Guide to the Scriptures: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The

Guide to the Scriptures: Apostle

I hope that helps. Feel free to ask more questions if you like. I don't mind.

Sincerely,

Vanhin

Edited June 18, 2008 by Vanhin

[HiJolly]

I wanted to ask what is the... not exactly the role... but uh... I guess the best way I can ask this is in familiar terms for me. How would you compare the Prophet (to Mormonism) and the Pope (to Catholicism)?

Papal infallacy is something I take quite an issue with. If you don't know what that is, it's the teaching that the Pope speaks the absolute truth and is prevented by God from being wrong.

ROFL.

Heavenguard, this brought to my mind a quip by Canadian (now deceased) Marc Schindler:

The Catholics teach that the Pope is infallible;

...but none of them believe it.

The Mormons teach that the Prophet is fallible;

...but none of them believe it.

So true, so true....

HiJolly

[abqfriend]

Speaking as a Roman Catholic (one branch of the Catholic Church), Papal Infallibility is just one part of how the RC Church views infallibility. We do not have a prophet. The Pope-also called the Bishop of Rome works closely with his Cardinals and Bishops in development of doctrine or teaching. Doctrine is something that cannot be changed-teachings can be changed. Priestly Celibacy is an example of a teaching. Believing that Jesus was born of a virgin is considered a doctrine. Doctrines and teachings generally come out of church councils.

In the RC church-we do not have a Quorum of 12, but we do have a College of Cardinals who advise the Pope. Generally doctrines of the RC church come after the College of Cardinals meet in a council with the bishops of the Church--such as Second Vatican Council held during the 60's. After such a council-teachings or doctrines are defined or further clarified. The Pope himself has only once used papal infallibility coming from him directly-and that was in 1950. Papal infallability has only been a doctrine of the RC church since 1870, although the development of such an understanding has much earlier roots

Source: Papal infallibility - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I wanted to ask what is the... not exactly the role... but uh... I guess the best way I can ask this is in familiar terms for me. How would you compare the Prophet (to Mormonism) and the Pope (to Catholicism)?

Papal infallacy is something I take quite an issue with. If you don't know what that is, it's the teaching that the Pope speaks the absolute truth and is prevented by God from being wrong. It has more modernly been updated to being infallible only pertaining to faith matters. (Otherwise it puts the Pope in a very Godly position.)

Is the Prophet similarly seen as infallible, at least in matters pertaining to faith/doctrine? (If so, how far does this extend down the lines of "authority" or structure?) What of a situation where a later Prophet reveals something contradictory or otherwise different than a teaching of an earlier Prophet? I always thought of it as an "Oops, White-Out please" from the RC side of things.

Also, I wanted to ask how the next Prophet is chosen/revealed. Is he succeeded by a councilor/Apostle/other?

Told you I'd get back to this later

[Hemidakota]

Abgfriend, you statement is correct [former Catholic].