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The history of the Community of Christ covers a period of approximately 200 years. The church's early history traces to the "grove experience" of a young boy named Joseph Smith, Jr., who prayed in the woods near his home in Manchester Township, New York in the early 1800's. Several accounts of this experience have surfaced over the years. Most of the accounts share a common narrative indicating that when he went to the woods to pray, he experienced a period of encountering evil or despair, but then experienced an epiphany or vision in which he came to know and understand God's goodness. Many years later he founded a Christian church on April 6, 1830.
Early history
The early history of Community of Christ is shared with other denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement, which originated in upstate New York under the leadership of Joseph Smith, Jr. With the assistance of Oliver Cowdery and John Whitmer, Smith dictated and published works of scripture believed by followers to be inspired, and formed a new Church of Christ. This church grew rapidly, especially after the conversion of Sidney Rigdon and many of the Campbellites in the Kirtland area. Their strong beliefs, including a revealing God and their close community often seemed peculiar or even threatening to outsiders. Regularly meeting opposition from their neighbors, the early Latter Day Saints established and were driven from several gathering places including Kirtland, Ohio, Independence, Missouri, Far West, Missouri and finally Nauvoo, Illinois. See History of the Latter Day Saint movement.
The history of the two largest Latter Day Saint denominations began to diverge with the murder of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith Jr. on June 27, 1844 in Carthage, Illinois and have led to a number of doctrinal differences between the LDS and Community of Christ.
Period of disorganization
After Smith was killed in a jail at Carthage, Illinois, the movement fell into confusion and disorganization over the question of succession. Several leaders emerged with claims to the church's presidency and this led to the formation of several Latter Day Saint factions. The largest group of Mormons followed Brigham Young, who led them to the Great Basin area (in what is now Utah) as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (See History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) Other factional leaders included: Sidney Rigdon, James J. Strang, Lyman Wight, Alpheus Cutler, William Smith, and David Whitmer. In the aftermath of the disorganization of the church the term "Mormon" gradually came to be used primarily in reference to those persons who joined with (and currently belong to) the group that followed Brigham Young to Utah.
Reorganization of the church
Many Latter Day Saints believed that Smith had designated his eldest son, Joseph Smith III, as successor and some of these waited for young Joseph to take up his father's mantle. However, young Joseph was only 11 years old at the time of his father's death — his mother Emma Hale Smith and their family remained in Nauvoo, rather than moving to join any of the departing groups.
In the 1850s, groups of Midwestern Latter Day Saints who were unaffiliated with other Latter Day Saint factions (or who had left such affiliations) began to come together. Leaders including Jason W. Briggs and Zenos H. Gurley, Sr. began to call for the creation of a New Organization of the Latter Day Saint movement. They invited young Joseph III to lead their New Organization and he accepted only after he believed he received a personal spiritual confirmation that this was the appropriate course of action. At a conference on April 6, 1860 at Amboy, Illinois, Joseph III formally accepted the leadership of what became known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. William Marks, former Stake President of Nauvoo served as Joseph III's counselor in the reorganized First Presidency.
Presidency of Joseph Smith III
Initially, Joseph III continued to live in Nauvoo, but over time he determined its relative isolation hampered his administrative duties. He moved to Plano, Illinois, where the church's print house was established and this served as the headquarters of the church. Joseph III and his brothers, Frederick G. W., Alexander Hale, and David Hyrum served many missions for the church, gathering old Latter Day Saints into the Reorganization.
As the church grew, many members were eager to gather together and live some of the teachings of the early church. Although Joseph III avoided calling for a new gathering place, he supported the efforts of members who founded a town called Lamoni in southern Iowa. Smith III eventually relocated to Lamoni, which became the headquarters of the church.
During the late 19th century, Smith III and the church were involved in the Kirtland Temple Suit, which attempted to gain clear title for the church over Mormonism's original temple. In 1880, an Ohio court ruled that the Reorganized church was the legal successor to the original Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but title of the temple was gained by means of adverse possession. Smith III and the church also were involved in the Temple Lot Suit, which eventually resulted in clearing the title to a portion of the original Independence temple lot for another Latter Day Saint denomination, the Church of Christ (Temple Lot).
Late in life, Smith III moved to Independence, Missouri, which his father had designated as the "centerplace" for the City of Zion. He died on December 10, 1914, having led the Reorganized church for 54 years.
Presidencies of Frederick M. Smith and Israel A. Smith
Joseph Smith III's son, Frederick Madison Smith, was accepted in 1915 as his successor as president. During Frederick M.'s presidency, the faith moved its headquarters to Independence, Missouri. Frederick M's bold vision for the growing church included the construction of a massive World Headquarters building, known as the Auditorium. Frederick M. also attempted to impose a greater degree of centralization on the church's administration by issuing the controversial doctrine of Supreme Directional Control, which led some members to leave the church and join the Church of Christ (Temple Lot).
Frederick M. Smith devoted much energy to the "Cause of Zion", calling for a "bureau of research and service" to effect the gathering of RLDS Church members to the Kansas City area, as well to conceptualize and implement an "order of economic development." Frederick M. and several presiding bishops that served during his administration advocated the development of cooperative employee-owned enterprises as a key part of the RLDS Church's economic development strategy for the Centerplace. Advocacy of Frederick M.'s positions on "zionic development" continued after his passing in 1946. The late Raymond Zinser, the late James Christenson and Wilford Winholtz of Harvest Hills, an RLDS cooperative community, are of note among RLDS advocates of zionic development of a cooperative social economy for the Kansas City region.
After Frederick Smith's death in 1946 he was succeeded by his brother Israel A. Smith, who presided over an optimistic era of post-War growth.
Presidencies of W. Wallace Smith and Wallace B. Smith
After Israel A. Smith's unexpected death in 1958, he was succeeded by his brother W. Wallace Smith, the third son of Joseph III to become church president. Soon after coming into office, W. Wallace appointed Graceland University professor Roy Cheville to be Presiding Patriarch of the church. This move was controversial because the office had previously been held within the Smith family according to the doctrine of Lineal Succession. The church expanded internationally during the presidency of W. Wallace Smith. Attempts to apply Christian beliefs in other cultures led to changes in church practices.
In 1976, W. Wallace Smith designated his son Wallace B. Smith as his successor. Wallace B. assumed the presidency in 1978 after a two-year "internship." W. Wallace then retired and became the church's first "president emeritus" until his death in 1989. Wallace B. introduced a program of church growth called "Faith to Grow." This program identified seven commissions to be implemented in most congregations (leadership, stewardship, worship, Christian education, pastoral care, Zionic relations and missionary).
In 1984, Wallace B. presented an inspired document, now Section 156 of the Doctrine and Covenants, which called on the church to extended priesthood ordination to women for the first time. The revelatory document also called upon the church to build a temple, dedicated to "peace, reconciliation and healing of the spirit" in Independence. When the temple was completed and dedicated on 17 April 1994, the headquarters of the church was transferred there from the Auditorium.
Some groups perceived these changes as a departure from the teachings of their scriptures, and questioned whether these changes are in accordance with God's will. Many members refused to accept the changes and joined Restoration Branches. (See RLDS Restoration Branches ).
Presidency of W. Grant McMurray
Although the previous pattern had been lineal succession to the presidency through the Smith patriarchal line, Wallace B. Smith designated W. Grant McMurray as his successor. (See Lineal Succession.) McMurray had served in the Church's historical department since he was 26 years old, until his call as Church secretary in 1982. McMurray became the church's prophet/president in 1996 and Wallace B. became "president emeritus."
At a World Conference in 2000, the church approved its leader's proposal to change its name from the "Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" to the "Community of Christ", which more clearly defines the purpose of the church. This change occurred on April 6, 2001. They retained ownership of the name "Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" for legal reasons.
On November 29, 2004, W. Grant McMurray resigned as Prophet-President, stating that he had made "inappropriate choices" and under the circumstances it would not be appropriate for him to designate a successor. The details of the reasons for his decision were said to be personal and the governing bodies of the church determined to keep them confidential. A spokesperson for the church said that the resignation was not for misappropriation of church funds or other church-related issues, but of a personal matter. The two remaining members of the First Presidency, President Kenneth N. Robinson and President Peter A. Judd, continued to function in their council's leadership role.
Presidency of Stephen M. Veazey
Presidents Robinson and Judd announced that the Council of Twelve Apostles, in conjunction with the church's other leadership quorums, would prayerfully consider who should succeed McMurray. On March 7 2005, the Twelve announced their conviction that Stephen M. Veazey is called by God to be the next prophet-president of Community of Christ. A special World Conference that was convened in June 2005 sustained this call of Stephen M. Veazey to be president of the High Priesthood, prophet, and president of the church. On June 3 2005 he was ordained to this office and submitted a letter of council to the church regarding the leading quorums, orders, and councils of the church. On 4 June 2005 after the approval of the calls of Ken Robinson and David Schaal to the First Presidency and counselors to the President, the First Presidency was reorganized by their ordinations to this office.
Stephen M. Veazey's first conference sermon as President called the church to be active disciples and to share the fullness of the peace of Christ. He also offered his apologies and apologies on behalf of the church as a whole to all those who have been hurt by the actions of the church or members of it. He called on the membership to stop being divisive and calling each other names. He encouraged members to embrace their differences and call each other, no matter how different in theological and moral views and understandings, sisters and brothers in Christ.
References
- Richard P. Howard, The Church Through the Years, Herald House: 1992. Volume 1: Beginnings to 1860: ISBN 0830905561 Volume 2: ISBN 0830906290
- Roger D. Launius, Joseph III: Pragmatic Prophet, University of Illinois Press: 1995. ISBN 0252065158
- Inez Smith Davis, The Story of the Church: A History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and of Its Legal Successor, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 12th edition, Herald House: 1981. ISBN 0830901884
"Community of Christ History"