Inthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), atemple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord. Temples are considered by church members to be the most sacred structures on earth.
Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time (an "open house"). During the open house, the church conducts tours of the temple withmissionaries and members from the local area serving as tour guides, and all rooms of the temple are open to the public. The temple is then dedicated as a "House of the Lord", after which only members who are deemed "temple-worthy" by their congregational leaders are permitted entrance.[1]
Temples are not churches ormeetinghouses designated for public weekly worship services, but rather are places of worship open only to the faithful where certainrites of the church must be performed.[2]
The LDS Church has 382 temples in various phases, which includes 210dedicated temples (203 operating, 7undergoing renovations[3]), 4with dedications scheduled, 58under construction, 1with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled, and 109 othersannounced (not yet under construction).[4] There are temples in many U.S. states, as well as in many countries across the world. Several temples are at historical sites of the LDS Church, such asNauvoo, Illinois,Palmyra, New York, andSalt Lake City, Utah. The importance of temples is often emphasized in weekly meetings, and regular participation in "temple work" is strongly encouraged for all Latter-day Saints (LDS).
Within temples, members of the church makecovenants, receive instructions, and perform sacred ceremonies andordinances, such asbaptism for the dead,washing and anointing (or "initiatory" ordinances), theendowment, andeternal marriagesealings. Ordinances are a vital part of the theology of the church, which teaches that they were practiced by the Lord's covenant people in alldispensations.
Latter-day Saints cite variousOld Testament references to temple ordinances such as those found inExodus 29:4–9,Exodus 28:2–43 andLeviticus 8:6–13. The words "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" can be found on LDS temples as referenced inExodus 28:36.[7]
Likewise theTabernacle was considered a "portable temple" by the children of Israel in the Old Testament.[8][clarification needed]
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The first Latter-day Saint temple ceremonies were performed inKirtland, Ohio, but differed significantly from the endowment performed on the second floor ofJoseph Smith'sRed Brick Store in Nauvoo, Illinois, and theNauvoo Temple. Kirtland ordinances included washings and anointings (differing in many ways from the modern portion) and the washing of the feet ordinance. For nearly four years, beginning in 1842, Smith's Red Brick Store functioned as a de facto temple—the site of the first washings, anointings, endowments, and sealings. In contrast, the grand edifice known as the Nauvoo Temple was in operation for only two months before the Latter Day Saints left Illinois for the West.
Preparations to initiate the first members of Smith'sQuorum of the Anointed,[9] or Holy Order, as it was also known, were made on May 3, 1842. The walls of the second level of the Red Brick Store were painted with garden-themed murals, the rooms fitted with carpets, potted plants, and a veil hung from the ceiling. All the while, the ground level continued to operate as Smith's general mercantile.
After the early events of thesuccession crisis,Brigham Young assumed control of the church's headquarters at Nauvoo, Illinois. While he and the rest of theQuorum of the Twelve made contingency plans for abandoning the city, he may have hoped that it would not prove necessary. For example, in early 1845, Young convened a conference at the Norwegian colony atNorway, Illinois, and announced a plan to build a Latter-day Saint town there with a temple for the use of the Norwegian Latter Day Saints.[10]
Meanwhile, Young urged the Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo to redouble their efforts to finish the temple. By the end of 1845, the building was sufficiently finished to allowtemple ordinances to be performed. Ordinances continued to be performed in early 1846 as the Mormons were forced to abandon the city. A small crew remained in the city and continued to work on the temple until April 30, 1846, when it was formally dedicated in a private ceremony[11] byJoseph Young,[12] the senior of the Seven Presidents of theSeventy. It was used for three months, then abandoned in late summer 1846. The completed temple was eventually destroyed by fire, and the remaining structure was later demolished by awhirlwind.[13]
Upon reaching theGreat Basin, Brigham Young began to build settlements based on the City of Zion plan and designated four of these to contain temples:Salt Lake City (1847),St. George (1871),Manti (1875), andLogan (1877). TheSt. George Temple was the first to be completed in 1877, followed byLogan (1884) andManti (1888). TheSalt Lake Temple took 40 years to complete because of various setbacks and delays. It was dedicated in 1893.
In the late 1880s and in 1890, a desire to continue the ordinance work in temples was a significant consideration preceding Wilford Woodruff's decision (announced in hisManifesto of September 1890) that the church would discontinueits practice of polygamy. In 1887 the US Congress passed theEdmunds–Tucker Act, which disincorporated the church and directed federal officials to begin seizing its assets, potentially including its temples. After a conversation with Woodruff, Logan Temple presidentMarriner W. Merrill stated that the contemplated public announcement prohibiting additional polygamist unions was "the only way to retain the possession of our temples and continue the ordinance work for the living and dead which was considered of more importance than continuing the practice of plural marriage for the present."[14]
Latter-day Saint temple building halted until the presidency ofJoseph F. Smith, who announced two additional temples:Cardston, Alberta (1913), andLāʻie, Hawaiʻi (1915). Cardston became the first Latter-day Saint temple dedicated outside of the United States. Smith broke with the previous tradition (established since Kirtland) of building temples with upper and lower courts. Temples previously had been ever larger, but the Laie Hawaii Temple was smaller than the Nauvoo Temple had been.
Both Cardston and Laie were dedicated under church presidentHeber J. Grant, as was a temple inMesa, Arizona.George Albert Smith dedicated the next temple inIdaho Falls, Idaho.David O. McKay dedicated five additional temples including one inBern, Switzerland—which was the first temple dedicated in Europe and the first temple to use film recording of the endowment rather than live actors.Joseph Fielding Smith dedicated a temple inOgden, Utah, andHarold B. Lee dedicated its twin inProvo, Utah.
Spencer W. Kimball began a plan to build many more smaller temples according to standardized plans. Twenty-one temples were dedicated during his presidency, including the tinyPapeete Tahiti Temple—which has a floorspace of less than 10,000 square feet (900 m2). This trend has continued. Nine additional temples were dedicated in the presidency ofEzra Taft Benson and two in the brief presidency ofHoward W. Hunter.
Under church presidentGordon B. Hinckley, the church dedicated 77 temples. In 1997, Hinckley introduced a standardized, smaller temple plan designed to bring temple services to smaller or remote congregations at a reduced cost. The first of this new generation of temples was completed in 1998 with theMonticello Utah Temple. The original plan called for 6,800 square feet (630 m2), later increased to 10,700 square feet (990 m2). Subsequent revisions to the standard design further increased the size and complexity of the temples. The majority of the temples dedicated under Hinckley's tenure were of the smaller design. During Hinckley's administration, the temple inNauvoo, Illinois was rebuilt, and is known as theNauvoo Illinois Temple.
Hinckely's successor,Thomas S. Monson, dedicated 26 temples during his time as church president. His counselors in the First Presidency also dedicated a number of temples during Monson's administration.
As of October 2018, Monson's successor,Russell M. Nelson, has dedicated theConcepción Chile Temple. The LDS Church has 382 temples in various phases, which includes 210dedicated temples (203 operating, 7undergoing renovations[15]), 4with dedications scheduled, 58under construction, 1with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled, and 109 othersannounced (not yet under construction).[16] It has been suggested that recent temple construction represents an attempt by church leadership to “re-energize” congregations in the face of flat numerical growth.[17]
Most temples are built facing east, the direction from which Jesus Christ is prophesied to return.[18][19] The spires and towers on the east end of multi-spired temples are elevated higher than spires and towers on the west side for this same reason, and to represent the Melchizedek, or higher, priesthood.
Some temples, such asSalt Lake,Chicago, andWashington D.C., have triple spires on each side of the temple representing three different offices in both theMelchizedek andAaronic priesthood.[20]
A statue of theAngel Moroni stands atop many temples built after the Salt Lake Temple. The statue design represents the Latter-day Saint belief that Moroni was the angel spoken of in Revelation 14.[21]
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LDS Church members perform rituals (termedordinances) within temples. They are taught that temple ordinances are essential to achieving the condition ofexaltation after thefinal judgment. They are also taught that a vast number of dead souls exist in a condition termed asspirit prison, and that a dead individual upon whom the temple ordinances are completed will have a chance to be freed of this imprisoning condition. In this framework ordinances are said to be completed on behalf of either the participant, or a dead individual the same sex as the participant ("on behalf of the dead" or "by proxy").
Ordinances performed in the temple include:
Most ordinances are performed by proxy only on participants who have already completed the ordinance. Similarly, most ordinances are completed only one time for a participant in a lifetime and all subsequent temple ordinance participation is seen as acting for a dead individual. Baptism, confirmation, and priesthood ordination are usually performed in temples only when on behalf of the dead. The initiatory, endowment, and sealing ceremonies are today performed only within a temple.
The sealing ordinance can be performed on behalf of dead couples; so long as the two living participants are of opposite sex they need not be married. It is also performed on behalf of living couples who wish to be legally married. In this manner, the ordinance is typically performed as acelestial marriage, with the idea the marriage bond lasts after their death, or for "time and all eternity". A "time only" modification can be made to the ordinance, such as when the surviving widow of a celestial marriage wishes to legally remarry.[22]
In addition to the ordinances listed above, 19th-century temples were host to other ordinances that are no longer practiced such as the baptism for health and baptism for renewal of covenants.[23] In 1922,Heber J. Grant discontinued the practice of baptisms for health in the church. Thesecond anointing is a rare, but currently practiced ordinance for live participants,[24][25] and (less commonly) vicariously for deceased individuals,[26] though, it is usually only given in absolute secrecy to a small number of members after a lifetime of service.[27]
The LDS Church booklet "Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple" explains that Latter-day Saints "do not discuss the temple ordinances outside the temples".[28]
To enter the temple, an individual must be baptized, and after one year, may seek atemple recommend, which authorizes admission to the temple. The person is interviewed by theirbishop, during which the candidate is asked a series of questions to determine worthiness to enter the temple. The individual is also interviewed by his or herstake president. The bishop and stake president sign the recommend, indicating their approval of that member's worthiness. The individual also signs the recommend, acknowledging the responsibility to remain eligible to hold the recommend. Most recommends are valid for two years.
Temple ordinances have historically been unavailable to some members. For about 130 years (between 1847 and 1978) all LDS endowment-related temple ordinances were denied to allBlack women and men in a controversialrace-based policy.[29][30]: 164 [31]: 261 As of 2023[update], all temple ordinances are unavailable tolesbian,gay, orbisexual persons who are in asame-sex marriage orhomosexual sexual relationship, and to alltransgender individuals who are transitioning or have transitioned.[32][33][34] These restrictions have also garnered criticism from both outside,[35][36][37] and inside the LDS church.[38][39][40]
To qualify for a temple recommend, an LDS Church member must faithfully answer the following questions which affirm the individual's belief in essential church doctrine, and adherence to essential church practices:[46]
A list of questions were first introduced in 1857 and used to qualify whether an individual could enter theEndowment House, before the first temple in Utah was built. They reflected the context of the times, including questions about one's belief in polygamy, branding an animal that one did not own, and using another person's irrigation water.[47]: 168 [48][49]: 100
Since then, the temple recommend questions have changed significantly, though less so in recent years.[47]: 138
The standardtemple recommend authorizes a member who has been baptized at least one year prior to take part in all temple ordinances and is valid for two years.
Arecommend for living ordinances is given to individuals who are participating in the endowment for the first time, being sealed to a spouse, or anyone being married in the temple for time only. It may only be used in conjunction with a standard temple recommend.[53]
Alimited-use recommend is available to members who have not yet received their endowment or who have not been a member for one year. These may also be issued to a group for a single visit to the temple,[53] to youth 11 and older, or to others for specific cases.
Those without recommends occasionally need to enter temples after dedication during fires, medical emergencies, or building inspections. They are escorted by temple personnel during such visits. Temples may offer introductory tours to new local firefighters and emergency medical technicians during regularly scheduled maintenance periods.[54]
The LDS temple wedding is a process which culminates in the participation by the couple in a ritual called the sealing ordinance; which involves pronouncing the couple as having a permanent marriage bond which persists even beyond death. This ceremony, among others, is taught as being vital to an individual's and family'sexaltation status, following thefinal judgment.
With the sealing ordinance being held inside a temple, only church members in good standing who have a validtemple recommend are permitted to attend the ceremony. In many nations outside the United States, a civil ceremony, where required by the law of the land, has been immediately followed by a temple sealing.[citation needed]
Converts to the church must wait a year after their own confirmation before entering the temple.[55]
Currently some women have received this 'fullness of the priesthood' with their husbands. In the Salt Lake temple, the second anointing still occurs in the 'Holy of Holies' room which James E. Talmage wrote 'is reserved for the higher ordinances in the Priesthood...' The second anointing for both men and women is distinct from ordination to church priesthood offices.
In practice today the second anointing is actually the first of two parts comprising the fullness of the priesthood ceremony.
Nonetheless, occasional instances of present-day anointings have occurred. Vicarious second anointings are also performed, but are less frequent.
The public/open secrecy of temple-work in general stands in contrast to the actual and absolute secrecy of one particular feature of its ritual corpus: the ordinance known variously as the Second Anointing (or Second Anointings), second endowment, or the Fullness of the Priesthood. The blessings of this ordinance are conferred onto only a very small number of Mormons, usually after the better part of a lifetime of faithful and loyal service. ... These rites are a closed, absolute secret. Only those Mormons considered most trustworthy by high Church leadership are invited to participate, and they are expressly instructed not to disclose anything about the ordinance, including their own participation in it, to anyone, including family (only married couples participate in the rite).
'Celestial' or 'temple' marriage is a necessary condition for 'exaltation' ... Without the priesthood, Black men and women ... were denied complete exaltation, the ultimate goal of Mormonism.
[A] current temple recommend [allows one] to participate in temple ordinances. In order to hold a current temple recommend, a person must attest to their ecclesiastical leaders that they maintain faith in the LDS Church, and live according to the standards (including no sexual activity outside of heterosexual marriage and abstaining from coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs).
