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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has several unique teachings aboutJudaism and theHouse of Israel. The largest denomination in theLatter Day Saint movement, the LDS Church teaches the belief that theJewish people areGod's chosen people and it also teaches the belief that its members share a common and literal Israelite ancestry with the Jewish people.
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Jewish theology is strictlymonotheistic:God is an absolutely singular, indivisible, incorporeal, and incomparablebeing who is the ultimate cause of all existence.[1] TheHebrew Bible presents God as the creator of the universe and the power controlling reality. The God of the Israelites commands them to worship no other gods but him: the God who brought them out of Egypt.[2][3] TheBabylonian Talmud references other, "foreign gods" as non-existent entities to whom humans mistakenly ascribe reality and power.[4]
The theology of thelargest Latter-day Saint denomination (headquartered in Salt Lake City) maintains thatGod the Father (Heavenly Father),Jesus (his son), and theHoly Ghost are three separate and distinct beings in personhood and substance, yet one in purpose.[5]James E. Faust expounded the church's doctrine when he said,
TheFirst Vision confirms the fact there are three separate Gods: God the Father—Elohim, to whom we address our prayers; Jesus the Christ—Jehovah; and the Holy Ghost—the Comforter, through whose spirit we may know the truth of all things.[6]
Together, the three Gods comprise the Mormon conception of theGodhead, unified in purpose and heart[further explanation needed], which differs starkly from the JewishGodhead. Mormon theology asserts that God the Father and Jesus have tangible, perfected bodies of flesh and bone. In contrast, the God of Judaism and the Hebrew Bible is strictlyincorporeal and not anthropomorphic in any way.[7][8] Humans are thought to be the literal spirit children of the Father in Mormonism, and through theatonement of Jesus, they can return to him upon dying andbecome gods.[9] In hisKing Follet discourse,Joseph Smith said:
God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted Man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens. That is the great secret .... It is the first principle of theGospel to know for a certainty the character of God and to know ... that he was once a man like us. Here, then, iseternal life—to know that only wise and true God, and you have got to learn how to become Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you. ... God himself, the father of us all dwelt on an earth the same as Jesus Christ.[10]
Furthermore, there are gods in the Mormon pantheon besides the Godhead's members, including theHeavenly Mother. Latter-day Saint theology also holds that, through the process ofexaltation, humans can ascend to godhood. WithinLDS theology, God the Father and Jesus were once mortal men who became exalted. However, how they came to obtain godhood is poorly characterized and doctrinally different from the process of exaltation humans are believed to undergo. In other words, God the Father and Jesus became divine beings much differently than the path through exaltation LDS members believe they will take to reach the same status.[11][12][13] This differs from theCommunity of Christ's theology, which aligns more closely withNicaean Christianity—in that it istrinitarian rather thannontrinitarian—than the LDS Church. In addition, there are other Latter Day Saint sects, such as theChurch of Christ With the Elijah Message, that hold to the unity of God, expressing a form ofmodalism. TheBook of Mormon also lends itself to modalistic interpretations of the Mormon Godhead.[14][13]
Jesus is not a component of mainstream Judaism or a figure in the Hebrew Bible; Jews do not believe Jesus fulfilled thecriteria for messiahship. With regard to the divinity of Jesus, a basic tenet of Judaism is thatGod is one in both substance and personhood; therefore, both the Christian doctrine of theTrinity and the Mormon doctrine of three separate Gods "united in purpose" are summarily rejected by Judaism. Jews do not believe that God has or can have a body. Therefore, the idea that God might have physical, "begotten" children is not possible and is consideredheresy.
According to the LDS Church, Jesus was theonly-begotten son ofGod the Father.Latter-day Saints identify Jesus with the Hebrew Bible'sJehovah, not with God the Father, indicating that theMosaic covenant with Jehovah was actually with Jesus. Mormons believe that, due to Jesus's suffering, death, and resurrection, humanity is saved from death and will rise again and receive a perfected physical body. Furthermore, they believe that Jesus's crucifixionsatisfied the divine justice supposedly required for human sins; salvation is extended to all who accept Jesus as theirpersonal savior and become lifelong disciples of Christianity. Latter-day Saints also believe that there is only one God to whom prayer is offered: God the Father. Latter-day Saints do not pray to Jesus, though historically, this was not always the case.
Latter-day Saints believe that the atonement of Jesus goes so far as to cover everyone who is doing their best to be good (including non-Christians). Eventually, it will even rescue almost all of the spirits of the wicked from the "telestial kingdom".[citation needed] Thetype of reward they receive, however, depends on the level of their acceptance and obedience of Jesus.
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Normative Jewish tradition has held the view thatprophecy ceased after the death ofMalachi and that prophecy will be restored during theMessianic era.[15] Latter-day Saints believe thatrevelation was present during thedispensation of Jesus and that throughJoseph Smith, prophecy was restored from the age ofapostasy; Mormons believe that Smith and his successors were and areprophets. Additionally, Smith reported that, during the dedication of theKirtland Temple, Jesus,Moses,Elijah, and Elias appeared to him andOliver Cowdery, giving them authority to gather Israel (i.e., the Jews) from the four parts of the earth, lead theTen Lost Tribes from the north[where?], administer the keys of the Abrahamic dispensation[further explanation needed], and the keys of sealing powers[further explanation needed] (Doctrine and Covenants 110:3–4, 7).
Solomon's Temple held theArk of the Covenant in a room of the temple referred to as theHoly of Holies. The presiding high priest would enter this room, said to contain theShekhinah (the presence of God), once annually onYom Kippur.
The LDS Church'sSalt Lake Temple contains aHoly of Holies wherein the church'spresident—acting as the Presiding High Priest—enters to fulfill the relationship between the High Priest of Israel andGod, in accordance with the LDS Church's theological interpretation of theBook of Exodus.[16][17] Hence, the LDS Church's Holy of Holies is considered by its adherents to be a cognate to the inner sanctuary of theTabernacle andTemple in Jerusalem.
Of the173[note 1]temples operated by the LDS Church today, only the Salt Lake Temple has a Holy of Holies; previous to the completion of the Salt Lake Temple in 1893, theManti Utah Temple housed a Holy of Holies for the use by the president of the Church. While the room itself still exists in the Manti Temple, it was used as asealing room for marriages for some time; since it is such a small room, it is now open only for viewing by temple patrons.[citation needed]
Latter-day Saints believe that Jews will one dayrebuild a temple in Jerusalem and that the Jews will restore the practice of rituals of the Law of Moses within that temple.[21][22]
Judaism holds that descendants ofAaron in the male line areKohanim, or priests, and other descendants ofLevi in the male line areLeviim, members of theHebrew tribe of Levi.Kohanim andLeviim have specific religious rights, duties, and (in the case ofKohanim) restrictions. The daughter of aKohen (abat-Kohen) also has specific rights and restrictions but does not pass on the status ofKohen to her offspring (unless their father is also aKohen). Judaism recognizes no other forms of priesthood.
Rabbis are not necessarilyKohanim; rather, they are Jews who are particularly learned inJewish law. Although not required, it is typical for a congregation to have at least one rabbi. While it is typical for rabbis to act similarly to spiritual leaders in other religions—delivering a weekly sermon, visiting the sick, officiating at weddings and other life events, and so on—a rabbi's most important function in his or her congregation is interpreting and teaching Jewish law.
Training to become a rabbi includes extensive education in Jewish law and practice, and may also include education in Jewish history and philosophy. In general, a congregation will hire a rabbi after reviewing applications and interviewing several candidates—there is no central body that assigns a rabbi to a congregation.
Orthodox Judaism accepts only male rabbis.Reform Judaism ordained its first female rabbi in 1972,Reconstructionist Judaism in 1974, andConservative Judaism in 1985. All three non-Orthodox movements also accept openly gay and lesbian rabbis.[23][24][25][26]Karaite Judaism accepts only maleḥakhamim, although they serve a different purpose than rabbis do inRabbinic Judaism. Conservative Judaism moved to allow individual congregations to choose whether or not to accept both gay and lesbian rabbis and same-sex commitment ceremonies in December 2006.[27] There are no restrictions in any branch of Judaism with regard to race or descent.[28]
The LDS Church allows "literal descendants of Aaron" the legal right to preside asbishop, when so directed by theFirst Presidency.[29] When no worthy descendants of Aaron are available,Melchizedek priesthood holders preside instead.
The orders of thepriesthood are theAaronic, modeled after the priesthood ofAaron the Levite, the first high priest of the Hebrews, and hisdescendants (Kohen); and theMelchizedek priesthood, modeled after the authority of the prophetMelchizedek. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not recognize a patriarchal order of priesthood separate from the Melchizedek priesthood, and considers that both the Patriarchal and Aaronic priesthoods are subsets of the Melchizedek.
Members of the Tribe of Levi are said to have held the Levitical priesthood by right of birth before Jesus, whereas after Jesus, holders of the Aaronic priesthood have received it "by prophecy, and by thelaying on of hands".[30] The Doctrine and Covenants, however, contains an indication that the Aaronic priesthood is only available until the Tribe of Levi again "makes an offering unto the Lord in righteousness" (See D&C 13:1). The Aaronic priesthood is now typically given at the age of twelve.[31]
Just as the priest's and the high priest's lines were subsets of the tribe of Levi, parallels may be drawn between levels of authority within the offices of the Latter-day Saint Aaronic priesthood and offices under the Law:deacons, corresponding to Levites;teachers, corresponding to Kohathites;priests, corresponding to the priestly line; and bishops, corresponding to the Aaronic High Priest's descendants (not to be confused with the High Priesthood of Melchizedek).
All worthy males are eligible to receive the Aaronic Priesthood at age twelve. At age eighteen, worthy members of the Aaronic priesthood are eligible to be ordained aselders in the Melchizedek Priesthood. Depending on the needs of a church, an elder may be ordained ahigh priest,patriarch,seventy, orapostle of the Melchizedek Priesthood.
Black people were prohibited from receiving the priesthood until 1978, at which time the LDS Church announced that its leaders had received a revelation permitting all worthy males to receive the priesthood. SomeMormon fundamentalist sects reject this revelation.
Some break-off groups, including theCommunity of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), have adopted the use of women in clerical roles, which is not accepted by the LDS Church.
The laws ofkashrut ("keeping kosher") are the Jewishdietary laws. Food which is prepared in accordance withhalakha (Jewish law) is termed kosher, and food which is not prepared in accordance with Jewish law is termedtreifah ortreif. Kosher laws address which kinds of animals can be eaten and they also require the separation of milk and meat (disputed), they command that vegetables be thoroughly inspected for insects, they command that animals be ritually slaughtered by certified persons, and they command that many food products be produced under rabbinical supervision. Produce from theLand of Israel is subjected to further restrictions.
Jews are expected or required to drink wine on certain occasions. Wine is typically consumed during the Sabbath evening meal, after the recitation of a special blessing. In addition, the drinking of wine is an important part of the celebration of two major Jewish holidays—Passover andPurim.
Latter-Day Saints believe that theWord of Wisdom is a modern revelation which is similar to the laws ofkashrut. The revelation, which is found in theD&C 89,[32] contains three parts; a list of substances such aswine, strong drink, andtobacco that should not be used, but with exceptions ( 89:1–9), a list of foods that should be used, sometimes with certain limitations ( 89:10–17), and a promise to those who follow the guidelines ( 89:18–21).
Among the substances which should not be used according to the revelation, the first substance is "wine or strong drink", which the revelation says should not be drunk except for wine, which may be used as part ofsacraments (for example, weddings,[33][34] and the Latter-Day Saintcommunion). As a further precaution, the revelation states that if wine is used, it should be pure wine and it should be "of your own make" or it should be made by fellow church members. The LDS Church has done away with wine altogether, with water replacing wine in the sacrament.[35] Another revelation, D&C 27, gives similar instruction: that wine should only be used if it is made by church members. While section 27 does not instruct the use of water (indeed, after receiving this revelation Joseph Smith understood it to mean that he should make his own wine - see History of the Church 1:108), it is used as justification for the change.
The revelation also advises against the use of tobacco and "hot drinks" (which was explained by Joseph Smith and his associates as meaning coffee, tea, hot chocolate, hot soup, and other hot liquids[36]). Tobacco is believed to be "not for the body, neither for the belly, and it is not good for man, but it is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill."
The list of foods and substances that the revelation encourages the consumption of includes wholesome herbs, and fruits; however, meat is to be eaten sparingly and ideally, it should only be eaten in the winter, duringfamines, or during periods of "excess hunger". Other references (1 Timothy 4:1–4 andSection 49:18–19,21) expand on meat and flesh. The revelation also encourages the use of grains, particularly wheat. The use of barley is also encouraged, particularly for the making of "mild drinks".
Shabbat, lasting from sunset Friday night to the appearance of three stars on Saturday night, celebrates God's creation with a day of rest that commemorates God's day of rest upon the completion of creation. It plays an important role in Jewish practice and is the subject of a large body of religious law. The most notable law with regard to observation of Jewish Sabbath is the requirement to abstain from creative work of any kind (the most widely known implication of this being the prohibition against kindling a fire). Observant Jews will prepare food ahead of time to avoid having to cook on Sabbath, and observant Orthodox Jews will avoid turning on electric lights (which "creates" an electric circuit) or driving.
While almost all work is forbidden on Sabbath, acts of leisure and pleasure are appropriate, as long as they do not violate any proscription with regard to doing work. A special meal is eaten (including wine and meat, if possible, even if the household cannot afford these luxuries the rest of the week). Married couples are encouraged to engage in sexual relations.[37]
The Sabbath for Latter-day Saints is whichever day is being kept as a Sabbath by the larger surrounding community. Thus, in most predominately Christian nations the Latter-day Saints keep Sunday as the Sabbath and have adopted Christian ideas about it. This is explained in the ChurchBible Dictionary as: "After the ascension of Christ, the members of the Church, whether Jews or gentiles, kept holy the first day of the week (the Lord's day) as a weekly commemoration of our Lord's resurrection (Acts 20: 7; 1 Cor. 16: 2; Rev. 1: 10); and by degrees the observance of the seventh day was discontinued." However, inIsrael and some Arab countries, Latter-day Saints celebrate Sabbath on Saturday or on Friday, according to the local customs.[38]
The focus of Sabbath for Latter-day Saints is as a day of rest from worldly concerns and endeavors and to concentrate on spiritual matters such as attending church meetings, scripture study, visiting the sick and infirm, and family activities. Members are further encouraged not to make any purchases on the Sabbath, unless an emergency demands otherwise. Members are also invited tofast on the first Sabbath of the month and abstain from two meals over a 24-hour period, which often corresponds to not eating breakfast or lunch on that day. This period of fasting is used to pray and reflect on their own relationship with God. The money that would have been spent on the two missed meals is usually donated as afast offering to the church. These fast offerings are dedicated to feed the poor and the needy.
Judaism's most holy book is theTorah. Virtually all Jewish congregations own at least onesefer Torah (copy of the Torah, hand-calligraphed on parchment) of which a portion is read aloud every week. The Torah, theNevi'im (the Prophets) andKetuvim (the Writings), make up theTanakh.
The Tanakh is explained and supplemented by theTalmud, which is made up of two parts: theMishnah (Oral Torah) and theGemara (rabbinic commentaries and analysis). More recent work explaining Jewish law includes theShulkhan Arukh, which was written in the 16th century. Traditionally, Jews believe that the Torah was given to Moses at Mount Sinai, to be passed on to the Jewish people. Scrolls of the Torah are copied by hand by specially trained scribes.
Joseph Smith said, "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." Thus, the study of The Book of Mormon is emphasized by Church leaders and teachers, but they also encourage the study of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible and believe in literal fulfillment of Biblical prophecies and covenants, including theAbrahamic covenant. The eighthArticle of Faith states, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God." In addition to these two books, in keeping with the meaning of the ninth Article of Faith, the Doctrine and Covenants andPearl of Great Price are also consideredcanonical scripture.
According to Latter-Day Saint doctrine, the Book of Mormon was originally written inreformed Egyptian by a group of the House of Israel who had migrated from the area of Jerusalem. The book was translated by Joseph Smith "by the gift and power of God". The Book of Mormon is in a style that closely resembles the language used in the King James Version of the Bible.
Jewish beliefs with regard to an afterlife are highly variable. Physicalresurrection of the dead at the time of theMashiach is a traditional belief (with some European Jews being buried facing Jerusalem, so they would be ready on that day). Other Jewish sages promoted the idea of a purely spiritual resurrection. Adherents ofReform Judaism andReconstructionist Judaism are more likely to believe in a generalMessianic Age than in a physical Moshiach, with or without resurrection. There is also the possibility ofreincarnation in some cases.[citation needed]
In general, religious Jews believe that thesoul undergoes a period of reflection and penance after death, before moving on to whatever comes next. This period does not exceed 12 months, and Jewish mourners will say specialprayers for the dead during this time, to ease the departed soul's passage. (SeeKaddish).
Heaven andHell as they are understood in Christian theology are roughly analogous to the JewishOlam habah andGehenna, with certain major differences. Jewish faiths generally agree that reward in the afterlife orworld to come, whatever its form, is not exclusive to Jews, and that punishment in the afterlife is not eternal but corrective.[citation needed]
The Latter-Day Saint movement teaches of a physicalresurrection for some beginning with the resurrection of Christ. At the time of thesecond coming of Christ there will be a general resurrection of the dead. It is held by the LDS Church that between the time of an individual's death and resurrection, the individual inhabits an intermediary afterlife in theSpirit world. The nature of this afterlife depends on the individual. Deceased persons who lived good lives and repented during their life of any major sins they had committed are said to inhabit Paradise. However, spirits inhabiting spirit paradise may also receive an assignment to do "missionary work" to other souls in paradise or to the souls inspirit prison, the condition in which Latter-Day Saints believe the spirits of the "rebellious and ungodly" reside. The term "spirit prison" is sometimes used to describe the condition of any spirit who is awaiting being taught the gospel or having the opportunity to accept ordinances that allow them to progress in gaining further knowledge during their time in the spirit world. Latter-Day Saints hold that missionary work in the spirit world was started by Christ during the days between his death and resurrection (Doctrine and Covenants 138).
As Smith's personal writings and Latter-Day Saint scriptures indicate, it is also possible that if one follows the commandments, then one may be worthy of becoming a literal god and assist the Father in "bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).Gospel Principles, an official book of the LDS Church, states that God the Father was a mortal on another earth the same as Jesus Christ was, and like Jesus was resurrected. Following that example, Latter-day Saints hope to attain same godhood status, while eternally worshiping the Father and the Son (Gospel Principles, chapter 47). In 1977, church presidentSpencer W. Kimball said, concerning this doctrine ofexaltation: "We remember the numerous scriptures which, concentrated in a single line, were said by a former prophet, Lorenzo Snow: 'As man is, God once was; and as God is, man may become.' This is a power available to us as we reach perfection and receive the experience and power to create, to organize, to control native elements. How limited we are now! We have no power to force the grass to grow, the plants to emerge, the seeds to develop.[39][40]
The Latter-Day Saint movement teaches the existence of three "degrees of glory." As well, for the most evil of people there isouter darkness, a "kingdom of no glory". Outer darkness is considered to be the second death or spiritual death, for those few souls who know a fullness of truth and openly rebel and fight against God. The other three degrees of glory have been labeled thetelestial kingdom, theterrestrial kingdom, and thecelestial kingdom, with the celestial kingdom itself consisting of "three heavens or degrees" (seeDoctrine and Covenants 131). This afterlife is what Latter-Day Saints believe comes after an individual's resurrection and judgment. Some individuals will be resurrected before or at the second coming of Jesus, while others will be resurrected years later.
Members of the LDS Church believe all three kingdoms, celestial, terrestrial and telestial, are kingdoms of glory. They are all places of glory suitable to the individuals that will reside in them, based on the desires of their hearts. The church further teaches thatbaptism performed by the proper authority is required to enter the celestial kingdom.
As a general rule, Jews refrain from activeproselytizing, and someJewish denominations discourageconversion. In Judaism, conversion is not a requirement nor is it a prerequisite for goodness or salvation, and if persons truly wish to convert to Judaism, they will seek out communities and rabbis which they feel comfortable with and begin the process there. Conversion to Judaism involves extensive instruction in Jewish law, the renunciation of other religious affiliations, immersion in amikveh, and, for males,circumcision. If the potential male convert is already circumcised, a procedure which is known ashatafat dam brit is performed, in which blood is drawn from his penis.Orthodox Judaism also requires acceptance of the entire code of Jewish Law.
The LDS Church operates a widespread proselytizing program, and its missionaries are encouraged to invite others to repent and be baptized. Baptism not only carries membership in the church, it also, according to Latter-Day Saint beliefs, carries the blessings of the covenants which were given to the House of Israel. In order to be baptized, individuals must agree to abide by the Word of Wisdom and thelaw of chastity, agree to pay tithes, attend church meetings, and declare that they have repented of their sins. Like most Christian churches, the Latter Day Saint movement does not require circumcision because circumcision was done away with when Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses. By being baptized, members are covenanting with God in order to be "circumcised of heart", which means that they are covenanting to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit in order to live in accordance with the gospel.[41]
Doctrine and Covenants instructs the elders to teach the gospel to all nations, but it instructs them to go to the Gentiles first, and then, it instructs them to go to the Jews.[42] There has not been much proselytizing among the Jews, partially because of the teachings about the destiny of the Jews.[43]: 186 Early LDS prophets, such as Brigham Young[44]: 144 and Wildord Woodruff,[45] taught the belief that Jewish people could not be truly converted because of the curse which resulted fromJewish deicide.[46]: 205–206 However, after the establishment of the state of Israel, many LDS members felt that the Jewish people should join the LDS Church. During the 1950s, the LDS Church established several missions which specifically targeted Jewish people in several cities in the United States.[44]: 149
To achieve a state of ritual purification, observant Jews immerse in aMikveh. Certain kinds of utensils and other objects are also immersed (this practice should not be confused with the physical cleaning required forkashrut).
The most common use of the Mikveh is the practice of immersion aftermenstruation,miscarriage, orchildbirth. This immersion marks the end of a period of sexual separation, and the woman's rejoining with her husband. It is also required that a woman immerse before her wedding. Some men use the Mikvah regularly, either daily, weekly, or beforeYom Kippur. This is especially true inHasidic circles. It is also required for Conversion into Orthodox Judaism for both sexes.
Jewish laws with regard to Mikveh are extensive. The most notable aspect of these laws is that a Mikveh must be filled with "living water," namely, water that has come directly from the earth in the form of caught rainwater or spring water (water flowing in a river or stream is also acceptable in some cases). Once water has been carried in a vessel or run through a pipe, it is no longer considered "living." Additionally, immersion must be complete (including the head and hair), and there can be nothing between the water and the person immersing—not only clothing, but also makeup and jewelry are removed. The common practice is to wash thoroughly before immersion (to remove any dirt or dead skin on the body), and to enter the Mikveh while still wet (to avoid any air bubbles that might be trapped on the skin or in the hair).
Unlike baptism, immersion is a private event—unless a physical handicap makes it impossible, the person undergoing immersion enters the Mikveh alone, and says any appropriate prayers themselves. When performed as part of Conversion to Orthodox Judaism, the act of immersion needs to be witnessed by a Beth-din of three Rabbis; however, the person immerses him/herself.
"Symbolic" immersions, where only drops of water are applied, where "carried" water is used, or where the immerser wears any kind of clothing or underclothing, are not considered valid immersions under Jewish law. Jews do not practice or recognize any kind of "Proxy" immersion, where one person immerses in the place of another person (living or dead).
Baptism is a water purification ritual where one is immersed in water. The practice of purification via immersion exists in many cultures. The wordbaptize derives from theGreek word βάπτειν (the infinitive; also listed as the 1st person singular present active indicative βαπτίζω, which loosely means "to dip, bathe, or wash").
The Christian ritual of baptism traces back to thebaptism of Jesus byJohn the Baptist, who the Bible says baptized Jesus in theJordan River. Latter-Day Saint belief holds that baptisms were performed in Adam and Eve's day.[47]
Baptism is a required ordinance and ritual cleansing process when joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and is considered to be a purification process in one's conversion. In the event of one's excommunication or adoption of another faith, individuals are required to berebaptized when returning to the church.[48] Baptism is also seen as symbolic of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ with the water representing the grave. After the one being baptized is determined to be worthy through an interview with their priesthood leader, he is dressed in white clothing, symbolizing the purification of the baptism. The ordinance is performed by a priest of the Aaronic priesthood or any holder of the Melchizedek priesthood. Latter-Day Saint children are not baptized until they turn eight years old, which is considered to be the age of accountability.
In the past, it was common for Latter Day Saints to be re-baptized for health, or as a re-affirmation of belief. This practice slowly diminished and is no longer practiced by any of the mainstream denominations.
In the Latter-Day Saint movement,washing and anointing is anordinance that symbolizes ritual cleansing and anointing to be a king or queen in heaven. In the LDS Church, the ritual is performed in temples. The ordinance of washing and anointing symbolizes the ritual cleansing of priests that took place at Israel's Tabernacle, the temple of Solomon, and later temples in Jerusalem (see Exod. 28:40–42, 29:4–9, 29:20–21, 29:29–30, 30:18–21).
The Hebrew Bible recounts several cases of polygamy among the ancient Hebrews. One source of polygamy was the practice oflevirate marriage, wherein a man was required to marry and support his brother's widow.
Ashkenazi Jewry has not practiced polygamy sinceRabbenu Gershom's ban in the 11th century.[49] SomeSephardi andMizrahi groups, in particular those from Yemen and Iran (where polygamy is the cultural norm), only discontinued polygamy much more recently, for non-religious reasons. When these groups immigrated to theState of Israel after its 1948 creation, existing polygamous families were "grandfathered" in. Polygamous marriage is banned in the State of Israel, however, and no new polygamous marriages are permitted among those groups.[50]
Early in itshistory, the LDS Church practicedpolygamy and referred to it as "plural marriage". The practice of polygamy was introduced by Joseph Smith and it was canonized in scripture as being from "the Lord thy God ... the Alpha and Omega" (Doctrine and Covenants 132:1, 2, 66). It was publicly acknowledged by the church in 1852. The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now known as the Community of Christ, rejectedpolygamy and in 1860, they established an independent church under the leadership ofJoseph Smith III, the eldest son of the founding leader.
The practice of polygamy led to opposition to the LDS Church and it also led to the enactment of anti-polygamy laws in the United States. (TheU.S. Congress made the practice illegal in U.S. territories in 1862.) Many members of the church fled toCanada orMexico in an attempt to set up communities which would be free from prosecution. Although Latter-day Saints believed that plural marriage was protected as a religious practice by theUnited States Constitution, opponents used it to delay Utah's statehood until 1896. Increasingly harsh anti-polygamy legislation stripped church members of their rights as citizens, revoked the right to vote for female members of the church, disincorporated the church, and permitted the seizure of church property until the church formally discontinued the practice with the1890 Manifesto.
National attention in the United States focused on polygamy in the church in the early-20th century during the House hearings on Representative-electB. H. Roberts and Senate hearings on Senator-electReed Smoot (theSmoot Hearings). This caused church presidentJoseph F. Smith to issue the "Second Manifesto" against polygamy in 1904. Since that time, it has been church policy to excommunicate any member either practicing or openly advocating the practice of polygamy.
The ban on polygamy resulted in aschism within the LDS Church, with variousMormon fundamentalist groups leaving the church and continuing to practice polygamy. Collectively, such groups now comprise less than three tenths of one percent of the total membership of the Latter-Day Saint Movement. Among these groups, polygamy currently persists in Utah and neighboring states, and it is also practiced by isolated individuals with no organized church affiliation. The largest church which supports polygamy is theFundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and it is believed to have about 10,000 members. According to one source, there are as many as 37,000 Mormon fundamentalists, and less than half of them live in polygamous households.[citation needed] Most of the polygamy is believed to be restricted to about a dozen extended groups of polygamous Mormon fundamentalists.[citation needed]
Judaism encompasses a spectrum of observance with several recognized branches:Hasidic Judaism,Haredi Judaism (often referred to as "ultra-Orthodox"),Orthodox Judaism,Conservative Judaism,Reform Judaism,Reconstructionist Judaism,Karaite Judaism, andHumanistic Judaism. Further divisions exist within the divisions.
Approximately 98 percent of Latter Day Saint adherents are members of the LDS Church; however, there are several other groups, such as the Community of Christ and numerous smaller churches withinMormon fundamentalism. The second largest group, the Community of Christ, refer to themselves as Latter Day Saints but not as Mormons, though they do continue to use theBook of Mormon as scripture. The doctrine of the Community of Christ doctrine has changed markedly since their reorganization by Joseph Smith III. Two major changes have been the acceptance of thetrinitarian concept of God and ordaining women to the priesthood. Fundamentalist Mormons, in contrast, claim adherence to traditional beliefs and practices that have been rejected or changed by the LDS Church.
The LDS Church includes among its traditionalsymbols theStar of David, which has been the symbol of Judaism since at least the 13th century.[51] For the LDS Church, it represents the divine Israelitecovenant, Israelite regathering, and affinity with Judaism; a Star of David is prominently depicted in astained glass window in the landmarkSalt Lake Assembly Hall.
Not long after LDS Church members reached the Salt Lake Valley, adherents of Judaism also arrived in the area.Alexander Neibaur, a Jewish convert to the LDS Church, arrived in 1848. The first permanent Jewish family in Utah is thought to be Julius Gerson Brooks and his wife, Isabell.[52][53] The first Jewish cemetery inSalt Lake City,Utah, was on land donated by Brigham Young in 1869,[54][55] and the firstReformsynagogue in Salt Lake was funded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[56] Inspired by theJewishback-to-the-land movement, Eastern European Jewish immigrants from Philadelphia and New York established theClarion colony inSanpete County in 1910. The colony was organized by the Jewish Agricultural and Colonial Association, and with approximately 200 individuals at its height, was one of the largest Jewish farming colony initiatives of its era.[citation needed]
Simon Bamberger, the fourthGovernor of Utah (1917–1921) was Jewish;antisemitic publications targeting Bamberger were denounced by most Utahns.[57]B. H. Roberts, a politician and church leader, supported Bamberger's campaign by nominating him for the governor.[58]
A longtime practice of the LDS Church has been tovicariously baptize their relatives, stemming from the belief that all individuals must receive allsaving ordinances to achieve exaltation. Under church theology, vicarious performance of the ordinance of baptism and other temple ordinances does not automatically make a deceased individual a Latter-day Saint, but rather allows the person (believed by Latter-day Saints to be alive in the afterlife) the option of freely accepting or rejecting the ordinances performed on their behalf. Latter-day Saints do not claim the power to compel acceptance of vicarious ordinances or change a deceased person's religious affiliation against his will.[citation needed]
From time to time, and contrary to church policy, Latter-day Saintgenealogists have submitted the names of other prominent individuals, including at one-point victims ofthe Holocaust. Official policy states that church members submit the names of their own relatives for these type of ordinances, and requires that permission of the closest living relative be obtained for any baptism that is to be performed for deceased individuals born within the last 95 years.[59] Regardless, some baptisms were performed on behalf of Holocaust victims. When this information became public, it generated vocal criticism of the Church from Jewish groups, who found this ritual to be insulting and insensitive. In 1995, in part as a result of public pressure, church leaders promised to put new policies into place that would help stop the practice, unless specifically requested or approved by the surviving spouse, children or parents of the victims.[60]
In late 2002, information surfaced that members of the church had not stopped the practice of baptizing Jewish Holocaust victims despite directives from the church leadership. Criticism once again arose from Jewish groups. The Los Angeles-basedSimon Wiesenthal Center is on record as opposing the vicarious baptism of Holocaust victims. RabbiMarvin Hier of the center stated, "If these people did not contact the Latter-Day Saints themselves, the adage should be: Don't call me, I'll call you. With the greatest of respect to them, we do not think they are the exclusive arbitrators of who is saved." Recently, church leaders have agreed to meet with leaders of theWorld Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors.[citation needed]
In December 2002, independent researcherHelen Radkey published a report showing that the church's 1995 promise to remove Jewish Nazi victims from itsInternational Genealogical Index (IGI) was not sufficient; her research of the church's database uncovered the names of about 19,000 who had a 40 to 50 percent chance of having "the potential to be Holocaust victims ... in Russia, Poland, France, and Austria."
GenealogistBernard Kouchel conducted a search of the IGI and discovered that many well-known Jewish people have been vicariously baptized, includingRashi,Maimonides,Albert Einstein,Menachem Begin,Irving Berlin,Marc Chagall, andGilda Radner. Some permissions may have been obtained, but there is currently no system in place to verify that these permissions were obtained, which has angered many in various religious and cultural communities.
In 2004, Schelly Talalay Dardashti, Jewish genealogy columnist forThe Jerusalem Post, noted that some Jews, even those with no Latter-Day Saint descendants, are being rebaptized after being removed from the rolls. In an interview,D. Todd Christofferson, a church official, toldThe New York Times that it was not feasible for the church to continuously monitor the archives to ensure that no new Jewish names appear.
On April 11, 2005, Jewish and church officials met and created a joint Jewish/Mormon committee with the goal of preventing future issues. The committee met intermittently over the next few years. On September 1, 2010, Jewish and leaders from the LDS Church issued a joint statement "acknowledging that concerns between members of both groups over [the] sensitive doctrinal issue have been eliminated."[61] However, in February 2012, the issue re-emerged after it was found that the parents of Holocaust survivor and Jewish rights advocateSimon Wiesenthal were added to the FamilyTree genealogical database.[62]
According toArmand Mauss, most LDS members simultaneously hold beliefs that encourage them to show a feeling of religious affinity for the Jews along with beliefs that encourage them to show a feeling of religious hostility towards Jews, beliefs that are in line with orthodox LDS teachings. Most LDS members believe that Jews are God's chosen people and they also believe that LDS Church members and Jews share a common and literal Israelite ancestry, an ancestry which was associated with an affinity for Jews. However, most LDS members also believe that God is perpetually punishing Jews for their part in thecrucifixion of Jesus Christ and they will not be forgiven until they are converted.[43]
Latter-Day Saints consider themselves to be the descendants of thebiblical patriarchsAbraham,Isaac, andJacob (also known as "Israel") or they consider themselves to be adoptees into the House of Israel, and contemporary Latter-Day Saints use the terms "House of Israel" and "House of Joseph" when they refer to themselves.
TheBook of Mormon states that the family of theTribe of Manasseh and the family of theTribe of Ephraim migrated fromJerusalem to an unknown location in theAmericas. According toMormon doctrine, this migration fulfilled the prophecy of Jacob on his son, Joseph: "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall" (Genesis 49:22). The Book of Mormon also states that members of theTribe of Judah came to the Americas after they were defeated by Babylon in around 600 BCE.
Additionally, Alma 16:13 of the Book of Mormon specifically contains the Greek word "synagogues"':
"And Alma andAmulek went forth preaching repentance to the people in their temples, and in their sanctuaries, and also in their synagogues, which were built after the manner of the Jews."[63]
The official position of the LDS Church is that those who have accepted the teachings of the church or those who are members of theLatter Day Saint movement are primarily from the House of Joseph, either by blood lineage or by adoption, when the recipient is not a literal descendant ofJacob, who is also known as Israel. Individual church members are told about their tribal affiliation through apatriarchal blessing. The LDS Church teaches the belief that all of the tribes exist within their numbers, but it does not teach the belief that members of every tribe live in every country. By far, Ephraim and Manasseh are the two largest tribes in the LDS Church.
Tribal affiliation is usually not discussed in everyday church life, and all church members worship together, regardless of tribal affiliation. Usually, the knowledge of one's tribal affiliation is only shared with one's immediate family.
In modernJewish culture, by contrast, knowledge of individual tribal affiliation has been lost since antiquity, except in the case of Levites and Cohens, where such knowledge is relevant to religious practice. However, some Jewish families hold family traditions of descent from other tribes. TheSephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel has recognized theBeta Israel of Ethiopia as the Tribe of Dan, and he has also recognized theBene Menashe of India as the Tribe of Menasseh. TheBene Israel of India and theLemba people of Africa claim descent fromKohanim—according to a government report, these claims are supported byDNA analysis.[64]
The position of those who consider themselves Jewish with regard to Latter-Day Saints is similar to their feelings about other Christian groups—while peaceful coexistence is strongly desired, attempts at conversion are considered inappropriate and unwanted.[65]
Some Jewish groups likeJews for Judaism reject wholesale the claims of the LDS Church that the conversion to the church reveals a familial connection between the convert and ethnic Jews. They base their position on Judaism's interpretation of Hebrew scriptures and advances in biological science, saying, "No amount of genetic testing or DNA sampling will show the Jewish people and the Latter-day Saints to be of the same ancestry. The Latter-day Saints are simply not of Israelite origins.... For all their assertions and genealogical research, the Latter-day Saints are not descendants of Joseph and can never join Judah in fulfillment of a nonexistent prophecy."[66]
On similar grounds they reject claims from the LDS Church that Native Americans have Hebrew origins.[67] They also critique church scripture for, in their view, an erroneous use of the word "Jew", saying "If the American Indians are descendants of Manasseh that would make them Israelites but not specifically Jews. The term 'Jews' is associated with the tribe of Judah and those of Israelite descent who practice Judaism. ... [I]n the Book of Mormon the inhabitants of what are now the Americas are referred to as descendants of Jews although the dominant group supposedly stems from Manasseh. Thus, Nephi is alleged to have written, 'And thus shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us, how that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are descendants of the Jews' (2 Nephi 30:4)."[67]
Despite this objection, the Biblical use of the term 'Jew' while associated with the tribe of Judah, is not synonymous with the tribe of Judah. Rather, the term 'Jew' means someone who is from the Southern Kingdom of Judah (as opposed to the Northern Kingdom of Israel). For example, Mordechi and Esther were 'Jews', despite being from the tribe of Benjamin. Esther 2:5 reads, "Now in Shushan, the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite:" Lehi and his family were inhabitants of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and as such were 'Jews'.
The LDS Church is officially neutral when it comes to the Arab–Israeli conflict. Latter-Day Saints, as well as many Jews, are also in favor of peaceful coexistence between Jews and Arabs in the Holy Land.[citation needed] The church recognizes Jews and Arabs as children ofAbraham.
The LDS Church has at least[68] three congregations inIsrael: the Jerusalem Branch inJerusalem, a branch inTel Aviv, a branch inBe'er Sheva, (and formerly: the Galilee Branch inTiberias). There are also branches in nearby Amman and Beirut. Latter-day Saints in Israel hold their worship services on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.[69]
"Missionaries are allowed to proselytize, although the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints voluntarily refrains from proselytizing under an agreement with the Government."[70]
Brigham Young University (BYU) has astudy center in Jerusalem that is active in research and cultural activities (e.g.,classical music concerts). Its creation was initially protested byHaredi Jewish groups which claimed, despite reassurances from the church that it would not be a center ofproselytizing activities. BYU was allowed to open the center in Jerusalem only after promising the mayor that no proselytizing would take place and that all students would be foreigners.[71] The courses at the center, attracting students from BYU and other institutions of higher learning in the US who wanted to do credit coursework in Israel, have previously been temporarily suspended due to security concerns.[72]
TheBook of Mormon teaches that Jesus came to the Jews because they were the only nation which was wicked enough to crucify him.[73] The Book of Mormon characterizes the works of the Jews in this manner: "for their works were works of darkness, and their doings were doings of abominations".[74] It also teaches that the Jewish people were punished with death and destruction "according to their iniquities".[75][76][44]: 139, 146 It teaches that God gave the gentiles the power to scatter the Jews[77] and it connects their future gathering to their belief that Jesus is the Christ.[78] According to theDoctrine & Covenants, after Jesus reveals himself to the Jews, they will weep because of their iniquities.[79] It warns that if the Jewish people do not repent, "I [will] come and smite the whole earth with a curse, and all flesh [will] be consumed before me".[80]
On its title page, the Book of Mormon, part of the scripture of Latter-day Saints, states that its purpose is "the convincing of the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ."
TheDoctrine and Covenants, a collection of canonized prophecies ofJoseph Smith and other Latter-Day Saint leaders, contains prophecies regarding the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel:
In addition, it states:
Joseph Smith taught that the generation of Jews that crucified Jesus were corrupt like his generation.[83]
Brigham Young, an early LDS prophet, taught the belief that the Jewish people were in a middle-tier of cursed lineages, belowLamanites (Native Americans) but aboveCain's descendants (Black people), because they had crucified Jesus and the gathering in Jerusalem would be part of their penance for it.[46]: 205–206 As part of the curse, they would not receive the gospel and if anyone converted to the church it would be proof that they were not actually Jewish.[44]: 144 As more Jews began to assimilate into Northern America and Western Europe, church leaders began to soften their stance, saying instead that Lord was gradually withdrawing the curse and the Jews were beginning to believe in Christ, but that it wouldn't fully happen until Jesus returned.[44]: 145–146 The Holocaust and the threats of Nazism were seen as fulfillment of prophecy that the Jews would be punished.[44]: 148 [84] Likewise, the establishment of Israel and the influx of Jewish people were seen as fulfillment of prophecy that they Jewish people would be gathered and the curse lifted.[44]: 148
In 1982,Bruce R. McConkie published a book titledThe Millennial Messiah, which devotes an entire chapter to "The Jews and the Second Coming". It states:
After theLDS Church began to give the priesthood to all males regardless of race and it also began to de-emphasize the importance ofrace, instead, it adopted a more universal emphasis.[44]: 151 This has led to a spectrum of views on how LDS members interpret scripture and previous teachings.[44]: 154 According to research byArmand Mauss, most LDS members believe that God is perpetually punishing Jews for their part in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and they will not be forgiven until they are converted.[43]
The Book of Mormon contains a specific condemnation of antisemitism:
In a May 2, 1976, speech at theSouthern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium,Ezra Taft Benson declared that he cherished his friendship with the Jews of Israel:
Benson called on Mormons to understand, learn from, and befriend the Jewish people:
Benson then criticizes the Crusades' violence: "Some of the most evil of those deeds were perpetrated upon the remaining Jews in Palestine in the name of Christianity during the Crusades. Will Durrant [sic] has correctly written of this sad chapter of human suffering, 'No other people has ever known so long an exile, or so hard a fate.'"[84]
Benson laments the suffering and "ruins of what was the largest Jewish ghetto in Europe in the Jewish section of Warsaw, Poland":
This subject was presented to me since I came to the stand. What was the object of gathering the Jews, or the people of God in any age of the world? ... The main object was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way of salvation; for there are certain ordinances and principles that, when they are taught and practiced, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose.
Most Mormons hold both kinds of beliefs simultaneously (hostility and affinity beliefs), because both are part of a generally orthodox Mormon outlook... The index of religious hostility toward Jews combines responses to the two questions about perpetual Jewish punishment for the Crucifixion and the requirement for their conversion as a condition of forgiveness. The index of religious affinity toward Jews combines responses to the questions about the chosen status of the Jews and their common ancestry with the Mormons.
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)"I prophesy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, anguish and wrath and tribulation, and the withdrawing of the Spirit of God await this generation, until they are visited with utter desolation. This generation is as corrupt as the generation of the Jews that crucified Christ; and if He were here today, and should preach the same doctrine He did then, they would crucify Him"
I have visited some of theconcentration camps, the mass graves, and the crematoriums where, it is estimated, six million of the sons and daughters of Judah lost their lives, reducing their world population from seventeen to eleven million. I have been impressed to tears as I visited some of these wanderers, those persecuted and driven sons of our Heavenly Father, my brethren of Judah. Yes, the prophecies regarding the dispersion and suffering of Judah have been fulfilled.
The following references are based on previous Wikipedia research, and are also found in the supporting articles, where much of the information for producing this article was obtained.
Books on LDS observance for Israelite Feasts
