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Mormon fundamentalism most often describes splinter movements of Mormonism that believe or practice what its adherents consider the fundamental aspects of Mormonism. In general, Mormon fundamentalism represents a break from the dominant brand of Mormonism practiced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and a return to Mormon doctrines and practices taught by early Mormon leaders which adherents believe the LDS Church has wrongly abandoned, such as plural marriage, the Law of Consecration, the Adam-God theory, the Patriarchal Priesthood, elements of the Mormon Endowment ritual, and often the exclusion of Blacks from the priesthood. Mormon fundamentalists have formed numerous sects, many of which have established small, cohesive, and isolated communities in areas of the Western United States, as well as Canada and Mexico.
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. They have stated there is no such thing as a "Mormon fundamentalist," nor are there "Mormon sects." They conclude that a correct term to describe these polygamist groups is "polygamist sects." [1]
Another interpretation of the term "Mormon Fundamentalist" is the way a member of the Mormon (or, more accurately, Latter-day Saint) church interprets holy writ such as the Bible and the Book of Mormon (held as sacred writings by the LDS Church). In that case, a Mormon Fundamentalist is any member of the LDS church who holds a strict (even extreme in some cases) interpretation of sacred writings or divine revelation as understood by the LDS church leadership.
Polygamous Mormon Fundamentalism
Polygamous Mormon Fundamentalists are Mormon fundamentalist groups who continue to practice plural marriage (a form of polygamy), even though that practice has been abandoned by the larger mainstream denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. Many polygamous Mormon fundamentalists belong to sects that have separated themselves from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which officially abandoned the practice by 1890 Manifesto. Almost invariably, the practice of plural marriage in these sects consists of polygamy, where men are married to multiple women simultaneously, which is what they believe is after the manner of Joseph Smith, the church's restorer and prophet, though some groups practice polyandry as well. According to one source, there are as many as 37,000 Fundamentalist Mormons, with less than half of them living in polygamous households.
In some of these sects, it is considered acceptable for a much older man to marry underage girls as young as 13-15 years of age. This practice, which apart from polygamy, itself, is illegal in most states, has generated recent 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 ([1]). However, the majority of Fundamentalists do not condone this practice.
History
The mainstream LDS church began prohibiting polygamy within the U.S. in 1890 after a decree (the first manifesto) by the then president of the church, Wilford Woodruff, but allowed the practice to continue underground in the U.S. and openly in Mormon colonies set up in Alberta and in northern Mexico. Likewise, many Utah families who were polygamous before the 1890 decree continued to practice polygamy, with the tacit approval of Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, and Joseph F. Smith. There were also new polygamous marriages performed with the sanction of church leaders after 1890. [2] [3]. Some fundamentalists have suggested that the 1890 Manifesto was not a real revelation in the spirit or kind given by the Lord to Joseph Smith, but was rather a politically expedient document that was intended to be a temporary measure--in place until Utah gained statehood, after which it would have the authority to enact its own laws with respect to marriage, rather than be bound by U.S. territorial laws which prohibited polygamy. However, before statehood could be granted in 1896, the federal government would require Utah to include a provision in its state constitution stating that "polygamous or plural marriages are forever prohibited"[4].
With the election of Latter-day Saint Reed Smoot to the U.S. Senate in 1903, national attention was again focused on the continuation of polygamy practices in Utah, which culminated in the Reed Smoot hearings. In 1904, Joseph F. Smith issued a "second manifesto" after which it became LDS policy to excommunicate those church members entering into new polygamous marriages. [5]
Today, the LDS Church will excommunicate any of its members who advocate or practice plural marriage, or that actively support fundamentalist groups. Although there continues to be a very small minority of LDS Church members who believe in the doctrine without practicing it, the LDS Church prevents any of its members who sympathize with Mormon fundamentalists from attending its temples.
Changes in official church policy did not prevent some church members from continuing the practice of polygamy. In particular, in the 1920s, a dissenter named Lorin C. Woolley claimed a separate line of authority from the mainstream LDS hierarchy, effectively setting in motion the development of the range of Mormon fundamentalist splinter groups extant today. [6]. Most of the Mormon polygamous groups can trace their roots to Woolley's legacy. [7]
For the most part, in Utah, the government has left the Fundamentalists to themselves unless their practices interfere with state or federal law in some major way (aside, of course from the prohibition of bigamy). There have recently been court cases brought against men who belong to Fundamentalist groups for marrying underage girls, and in one recent, highly publicized, case a man and one of his polygamist wives lost custody of all but one of their children (through this particular wife) 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, which became known as the Short Creek Raid (now known as Colorado City, Arizona). It is considered a disaster, both for the way it was carried out and for the damage that it caused among the Mormon Fundamentalists whom it targeted.
Mormon Fundamentalist Sects
The Apostolic United Brethren
The Apostolic United Brethren, commonly called AUB, is estimated to have about 5,000 to 9,000 members throughout Utah, Montana, Arizona, Wyoming, Missouri, Mexico, and elsewhere. Several of its towns are organized into United Orders, has a temple in Mexico and Endowment House in Utah, and operates several schools.
During the 1950s their leader, Joseph W. Musser ordained Rulon C. Allred as an Apostle and Councilor, which led to a split between Mormon Fundamentalists in Salt Lake City and those in Short Creek, Arizona. They are 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 AUB does not arrange marriages nor 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, commonly called the FLDS, is estimated at around 6,000 to 8,000 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. In 2004, the church started construction on a temple near Eldorado, Texas. The FLDS tend to be very conservative in dress and lifestyle.
Latter-day Church of Christ (Kingston clan)
The Kingston clan, also known as the Latter-day Church of Christ, includes approximately 1,200 members. The very secretive group runs several businesses including pawnshops, restaurant supply stores, and a coalmine. The Kingston clan is one of the clans that have allowed the marriage of 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 100-200 people, most of whom live in Modena, Utah, west of Cedar City. The Righteous Branch Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized on April 6, 1978 by Gerald Peterson Sr., who claimed that, after Rulon C. Allred (leader of the Apostolic United Brethren from 1954-77) was murdered, he appeared to him to pass on the presiding keys of the priesthood. They have subsequently 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 women under 18 to be sealed into plural marriages. Mormon Fundamentalist Tom Green was a member of this church for a short time.[citation needed]
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, often called 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
About 1,500 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 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 Colorado City/FLDS group. They do, however, like the FLDS, practice a form of arranged marriage. They dress in modern, modest attire.
They 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 often travel to Centennial Park every month to help in building the community. This group, in common with the A.U.B. (mentioned above), is led by a Priesthood council.
Neilson / Naylor Group
Around 200 members trace their authority through Alma Del Timpson, and Frank Naylor who had been a member of his Priesthood council. They are based in the Salt Lake Valley, where they have about 200 members (most - if not all - of whom were previously associated with the Centennial Park or Colorado City groups).
Other Groups
There are many hundreds of small polygynous clans, with membership in the tens or hundreds, located in many parts of the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Independent Polygamous Mormon Fundamentalists
There is also a large movement of Independent Polygynous Mormon Fundamentalists. Independents do not belong to organized fundamentalist groups, and do not generally recognize any man or men as their "prophet" or leaders. Because Independents are not one cohesive group, they are very diverse in their beliefs and interpretations of Mormonism; therefore, their practices vary from one Independent to another. Many Independents come from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while others come from Christian backgrounds, and still others from Fundamentalist or polygynous backgrounds (both Independents and group fundamentalists). The LDS Church excommunicates any member for practicing polygyny.
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. According to a recent estimate, there may be as many as 15,000.[2] 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.
Bill Henrickson, the fictional character in HBO's 2006 series Big Love, is probably one of these independents.
References
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". Retrieved May 31, 2006.
- Utah Attorney General's Office and Arizona Attorney General's Office. "The Primer, Helping Victims of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse in Polygamous Communities" (pdf). Retrieved May 31, 2006.
{{cite web}}: line feed character in|title=at position 4 (help) - Shield and Refuge: A Christian ministry to Mormon fundamentalists
- True Mormonism- An overview of Mormon Fundamentalist doctrine written by members of the movement
- Polygamists' children rally for their families
- Journal of a Mormon Fundamentalist woman - excerpts on marriage and plural marriage
See also
- Ervil LeBaron
- Fundamentalist publications such as Truth magazine and Messenger magazine
- Big Love HBO series about an independent polygamous Mormon fundamentalist family