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In theLatter Day Saint movement, thePresiding Patriarch (also calledPresiding Evangelist,Patriarch over the Church,Patriarch of the Church, orPatriarch to the Church) is a church-wide leadership office within thepriesthood. Among the duties of the Presiding Patriarch are to preside in council meetings, ordain otherpatriarchs, and administerpatriarchal blessings.
Originally, the office of Presiding Patriarch was one of the highest and most important offices of the church's priesthood. The role was equated byJoseph Smith withBiblicalpatriarchs fromAdam toAbraham,Isaac, andJacob, and it was expected that the office would descend throughlineal succession from father to son. This precedent was set whenHyrum Smith, Joseph's brother, became the second Presiding Patriarch because he was the eldest surviving son of the first Presiding Patriarch,Joseph Smith Sr. When the office was given to Hyrum, he was given "keys of the patriarchal priesthood over the kingdom of God on earth, even the Church of the Latter Day Saints."[1] Thus, some have argued that Presiding Patriarch is an office of thePatriarchal Priesthood. However, the existence and meaning of the Patriarchal Priesthood is controversial and uncertain.
| Date | Presiding Patriarchs/Evangelist | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 18 December 1833 – 14 September 1840 | Joseph Smith Sr. | Father ofJoseph Smith |
 | 14 September 1840 - 27 June 1844 | Hyrum Smith | Oldest surviving son ofJoseph Smith Sr. |
 | 24 May 1845 – 19 October 1845 | William Smith | Oldest surviving son ofJoseph Smith Sr. William Smith was patriarch to the church until his name and positions were read at the 19 October 1845general conference. Those attenders unanimously voted against Smith being retained as both an apostle and the patriarch.[2] He then lost both offices and was disfellowshipped from the church.[2][3] William Smith would also be referred to as "Petitioner for RLDS Patriarchate" from April 6, 1872 – November 13, 1893 by the Community of Christ (RLDS).[4] |
(Petitioner) April 6, 1872 – November 13, 1893 | |||
 | April 1897 – 12 August 1909 | Alexander H. Smith | Brother ofJoseph Smith III |
 | 12 August 1909 – 20 April 1913 | Joseph R. Lambert | Acting Presiding Patriarch |
 | 20 April 1913 – 10 April 1938 | Frederick A. Smith | Son of Alexander H. Smith. |
 | 10 April 1938 – 4 February 1958 | Elbert A. Smith | Grandson of Joseph Smith, Son ofDavid Hyrum Smith |
| 4 February 1958 – 4 April 1974[5] | Roy A. Cheville | Left his professorial career at Graceland College to accept ordination. In 1974 he became "Patriarch Emeritus".[5] First person to serve in that office who was not a direct descendant of Joseph Smith Sr. | |
| 4 April 1974[5] - 29 March 1982[6] | Reed M. Holmes | ||
| 29 March 1982[6] – 5 April 1992[7] | Duane E. Couey | ||
| 5 April 1992[7] – 5 April 1994[8] | Paul W. Booth | "Presiding Evangelist" became preferred title.[4] | |
| 5 April 1994[8] – 2000 | Everett S. Graffeo | ||
| 2000 – 6 March 2006[9] | Danny A. Belrose | ||
| 1 May 2006[9] – 27 March 2007[10] | Richard E. Kohlman | Acting Presiding Evangelist | |
| 26 March 2007[10] – 31 March 2016[11] | David R. Brock | ||
| 31 March 2016[11] – | Jane M. Gardner | First female presiding evangelist |
When a Presiding Patriarch has existed,The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has sustained the person as aprophet, seer, and revelator.[12] In the church's history, there have been eight Presiding Patriarchs, three Acting Presiding Patriarchs, and onePatriarch Emeritus.
The LDS Church effectively discontinued the office of Presiding Patriarch in 1979, indicating enough local patriarchs existed so that the church-wide position was no longer needed. However, E. Gary Smith, the eldest son of the final patriarch,Eldred G. Smith, rejected this explanation, suggesting instead that the dissolution of the office was the inevitable result of longstanding tensions rising from the incompatibility of a hereditary position with the broader church hierarchy based in "office charisma," consistent withthe Weberian model of bureaucracy.[13] Until that time, the role and duties of the office had varied.[13] The Presiding Patriarch sometimes appointed localpatriarchs in the church'sstakes and presided over them as a loose "Quorum of Patriarchs." Like the local patriarchs, the Presiding Patriarch was also empowered to givepatriarchal blessings.
| Dates | Presiding Patriarch | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 December 1833 – 14 September 1840 | Joseph Smith Sr. | Father ofJoseph Smith |
| 14 September 1840 – 27 June 1844 | Hyrum Smith | Oldest surviving son ofJoseph Smith Sr. |
| 24 May 1845 – 6 October 1845 | William Smith | Oldest surviving son ofJoseph Smith Sr. William Smith was patriarch to the church until his name and positions were read at the 6 October 1845general conference. Those attenders unanimously voted against Smith being retained as both an apostle and the patriarch.[2] He then lost both offices and was disfellowshipped from the church.[2][3] |
.jpg) | 1 January 1849 – 23 May 1854 | John Smith | "Uncle John"; brother ofJoseph Smith Sr. |
1895.JPG) | 18 February 1855 – 6 November 1911 | John Smith | Son ofHyrum Smith |
 | 9 May 1912 – 4 February 1932 | Hyrum G. Smith | Grandson of his predecessorJohn Smith; great-grandson ofHyrum Smith |
 | 4 February 1932 – 1934 | Nicholas G. Smith (de facto Acting Presiding Patriarch) | Son of apostleJohn Henry Smith; grandson of apostleGeorge A. Smith; great-grandson of former presiding patriarch "Uncle"John Smith; was never officially called, set apart, or sustained as the Acting Presiding Patriarch, but carried out the functions of the office |
 | 1934 – October 8, 1937 | Frank B. Woodbury (de facto Acting Presiding Patriarch) | Unrelated to Smith family; was never officially called, set apart, or sustained as the Acting Presiding Patriarch, but carried out the functions of the office |
 | October 8, 1937 – 8 October 1942 | George F. Richards (Acting Presiding Patriarch) | Unrelated to Smith family; unlikeNicholas G. Smith andFrank B. Woodbury, was officially called, set apart, and sustained as the Acting Presiding Patriarch |
.jpg) | 8 October 1942 – 6 October 1946 | Joseph Fielding Smith[14] | Great-grandson ofHyrum Smith; not a descendant of previous presiding patriarchHyrum G. Smith; ordained as "Patriarch to the Church" rather than "Presiding Patriarch," a change in title that was accompanied by a reduction in the scope of the office, as Smith was not permitted to ordain or formally supervise local patriarchs.[13] Released by church president George Albert Smith amid reports of homosexual activity.[15]: 369 [16]: 111–117 [17] Restored to "priesthood status" in 1957. |
 | 10 April 1947 – 4 October 1979 | Eldred G. Smith | Son of former Presiding PatriarchHyrum G. Smith; great-great-grandson ofHyrum Smith.Patriarch emeritus from 4 October 1979 to his death on 4 April 2013. No longer sustained as "prophet, seer, and revelator" following designation as patriarch emeritus.[18] |
Position abolished | |||
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