Priesthood (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
The priesthood of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the power and authority to act in the name of God. The Church of Jesus Christ attributes this authority through its founder Joseph Smith directly to John the Baptist and the apostles Peter , James and John .
In order for a member of the Church to hold the priesthood, an authorized priesthood holder must confer the priesthood and ordain him to an office therein. The Church only ordains men.
For male members of the Church of Jesus Christ, the conferment of the Melchizedek priesthood is a requirement for exaltation in the celestial kingdom . The priesthood is conferred on every man if he meets required standards of moral worthiness and church activity.
Classification and offices
A distinction is made between the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods.
The Aaronic priesthood is also known as the preparatory priesthood. It can be transmitted to boys in January of the year they turn 12, 14, or 16 years old. Ordinations usually take place during January. The offices in it are, in ascending order:
- deacon
- Teacher
- priest
- bishop
When men are baptized in adulthood, they are usually conferred the Aaronic priesthood after baptism and are ordained to the office of priest.
The Melchizedek priesthood is also known as the higher or presiding priesthood. It can be given to men over the age of 18. The offices in it are:
- Oldest
- High priest
- Seventies
- apostle
- Patriarch (special position outside the other hierarchy)
With the exception of apostles and some of the seventies, all offices are held voluntarily for an indefinite period.
The English term "Elder" for elder is used as a title and salutation for elders or high priests in the service of full-time missionaries, for seventies and apostles also in German.
The organization of the priesthood
The priesthood quorums
A priestly quorum is an organized group of men who hold the same priesthood. Each priesthood holder is a member of a priesthood quorum. It is presided over by a priesthood holder from within. The current involvement in a quorum is just as necessary as the historical connection to Jesus Christ through the chain of consecration.
Aaronic priesthood quorums and elders quorums are organized at the ward level, and high priest quorums are organized at the stake level. Quorums of the Seventy are organized at the overall Church level. There are five quorums of the seventies and basically one apostles quorum. The highest quorum is that of the First Presidency.
The number of members of each college, with the exception of the college of high priests, has an upper limit, so that if the limit is exceeded it is divided into a congregation.
Priesthood conferral is required for male members of the Church to enter the temple .
The deacons quorum
The office of deacon is part of the Aaronic priesthood. A deacons quorum has a maximum of 12 boys between the ages of 11 and 13 years. Their tasks include distributing the Lord's Supper, stewardship in the Lord's Supper meeting and when requested to do so in other meetings, collecting the fast offering, and serving the bishop when requested.
The college presidency consists of a president and two counselors. They are advised by a counselor from the bishop.
The teaching staff
The office of teacher is part of the Aaronic priesthood. A maximum of 24 boys aged 13 to 15 are organized in a teaching staff. They can do all of the duties of a deacon. In addition, they are mandated to work with a Melchizedek Priesthood holder as a counselor - each family in the ward should be regularly visited by their carers at home if possible. Your role in worship is to prepare for the sacrament. They are also called to exhort members of the Church to pray and perform their duties. In theory, an Aaronic priesthood teacher could lead the service in the absence of a Melchizedek priesthood holder.
The college presidency consists of a president and two counselors. They are advised by a counselor from the bishop.
The quorum of priests
The office of priest is part of the Aaronic priesthood. A maximum of 48 young men between the ages of 15 and 18 are organized in a priestly quorum. You can do all of the tasks of a teacher. In addition, they have the responsibility to bless the sacrament, baptize, and ordain someone in the Aaronic priesthood.
The president of the quorum is the bishop. Two assistants from the ranks of the priests are at his side.
The elders quorum
The office of elder is an office in the Melchizedek priesthood and is the highest office bestowed on every worthy man in the Church. A maximum of 96 men aged 18 and over are organized in a college of elders. They can exercise all of the Aaronic priesthood duties. In addition, they have authority to bestow (confirm) the gift of the Holy Ghost, bless the sick, give blessings of comfort and strength, bless children, and perform other blessing ordinances.
This office is a prerequisite for men to participate in pre-ordinances, endowment, and temple sealing, and to serve as missionaries.
The college presidency consists of a president and two counselors.
The college of high priests
The office of high priest is an office in the Melchizedek priesthood that is no longer bestowed on all worthy men, but only on selected persons. His authority is the same as that of the elder, with the difference that certain offices and vocations must be filled by high priests. This includes the office of bishop (community leader). Above all, high priests are to preside and direct. Since April 2018, all high priests have been assigned to the elders quorum in their ward. The local groups of high priests with a group leader that existed until then were disbanded.
The quorum presidency consists of the stake president and his two counselors.
The Quorums of the Seventy
The office of the seventy is an office in the Melchizedek Priesthood. In the First Quorum of the Seventy, men are called for life who retire at age 70. In the Second Quorum of the Seventy, men are called for five years. These two quorums are among the General Authorities of the Church. They assume overall responsibility for subjects around the world and are often appointed as area presidents or their advisors. They exercise their function full-time, i.e. give up their previous occupation when they are appointed.
The third through fifth quorums are called area authorities who are called to serve as high-level leaders in their home area. They, too, usually serve for five years and are often called to serve as counselors in area presidencies. They exercise their function on a voluntary basis.
A maximum of 70 men are organized in each quorum of seventy; if this number is exceeded, there is also a division. Up to 7 colleges of seventy are possible.
A common presidency of seven seventies presides over all of the seventy quorums.
The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
The second highest governing body in the Church of Jesus Christ is the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles . The Twelve Apostles perform important administrative functions under the direction of the First Presidency; they ensure that the worldwide Church is strengthened. Their calling is "to be special witnesses for Jesus Christ". Latter-day Saints view the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles as prophets who received divine revelation and inspiration to lead the Church. The members of this college are called to serve for life. They hold the same powers and keys as the President of the Church but do not exercise them.
The first presidency
The highest governing body in the Church is the First Presidency . It consists of the President and his (usually) two advisers or advisers. This body, usually with three members, oversees the work of the entire Church in terms of guidelines, organization, and administration in all matters.
As of January 14, 2018, the First Presidency consists of President Russell M. Nelson , First Counselor Dallin H. Oaks, and Second Counselor Henry B. Eyring .
The authority and keys of the priesthood
The Church of Jesus Christ distinguishes between the authority of the priesthood and the keys of the priesthood. Only those who have priesthood authority may exercise certain offices in the Church and perform ordinances. The basis for this is the 5th Article of Faith formulated by Joseph Smith:
"We believe that through prophecy and the laying on of hands of those who have authority, one must be called of God to preach the gospel and perform his ordinances."
An authorized priesthood holder must follow Church guidelines and the instructions that they receive from their superior priesthood holders. Priesthood authority is exercised in the Church under the direction of those who hold the keys of the priesthood. Those who hold the keys of the priesthood have the right to preside over and lead the Church in a specific area of responsibility. For example, the bishop has the priesthood keys that allow him to preside over his ward.
The keys of the Aaronic priesthood are held by the bishops. They determine when, under what circumstances, and by whom the ordinances of the Aaronic priesthood are performed. These are essentially the services related to the sacrament, baptism, and ordinations in the Aaronic priesthood.
The keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood are held by the stake presidents, who delegate some of them to the bishops and presidents of the elders quorums. They are responsible for coordinating pastoral care and ordinances in the Melchizedek Priesthood. Melchizedek Priesthood holders may perform certain ordinances, such as blessing the sick, on their own initiative and without instruction.
The Church believes that Jesus Christ holds all the keys of the priesthood. He gave his apostles the keys necessary to govern the Church. Only the senior apostle, the President of the Church, is allowed to use these keys and rule the whole Church or instruct someone else to do so. The President of the Church gives other priesthood leaders priesthood keys that enable them to preside in their areas of responsibility.
Ordination to a priesthood office
Direction to delegate the priesthood and ordain an office therein is given by the holding the appropriate keys. In a personal interview he is convinced of the worthiness of the person concerned. They are then proposed for approval at a priesthood meeting and approved by the priesthood holders. For the Aaronic priesthood, this is the bishop or branch president. In the case of a young person, if he holds the appropriate priesthood (priest in the Aaronic priesthood or an office in the Melchisdek priesthood) the young person's father will perform the ordinance by laying on of his hands, usually together with other priesthood holders.
For offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood, specifically elders and high priests, this is the stake president.
Seventies are proposed and ordained by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. They are validated by all church membership in general conference. Apostles are proposed by the First Presidency, first sustained by the Quorum of the Twelve, jointly ordained by the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency, and then presented to all membership in general conference for confirmation.
The Church teaches that those who hold the keys can get inspiration from God as to whether or not to confer or ordain the priesthood. Votes against ordinations rarely occur within the Church.
The Restoration and History of the Priesthood
According to the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the priesthood as practiced in the Church today is the restoration of the ancient priesthood, as gradually brought to the Church's founder Joseph Smith by heavenly messengers.
The first to appear on May 15, 1829 at Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, was John the Baptist and conferred the Aaronic priesthood on Joseph Smith and his collaborator Oliver Cowdery , which, according to the Gospel of Luke , John was given by his father, the temple priest Zacharias, and ultimately by his ancestor Aaron had inherited.
A few weeks later - the exact date has not been recorded - Peter, James, and John appeared and conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood to Joseph Smith, which they had received personally from Jesus Christ.
The Prophet received additional keys in the presence of his counselor Sidney Rigdon on April 3, 1836 in the temple in Kirtland, Ohio, from Moses , Elias and Elijah (Elias and Elijah are two different people according to the teaching of the Church).
Black members were ordained to the priesthood of the Church under the first President of the Church of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith . The most famous priesthood holder of African descent was Elijah Abel , who was an elder and later seventy. After Smith's death and Brigham Young's inauguration , men of black African ancestry were not ordained to the priesthood until 1978. From today's understanding, this most likely corresponded to the racist attitudes generally prevailing in the USA at the time. No official explanation is known as to why Brigham Young imposed the restriction. In 1978 President Spencer W. Kimball lifted that priesthood ban. Since then, every worthy man, regardless of race or origin, has received the priesthood.
The Importance of the Priesthood in Theology
According to the theology of the Church, the priesthood is the power of God that is given in part to man. This is the power by which the church is run. If the priesthood is lost, there is no authority to act in the name of God.
In contrast to other Christian communities, the execution of sacred acts is necessarily linked to the fact that the executor holds the necessary priesthood office. The crucial question about the legitimacy of ordinances is whether the person or the church they represent has that priesthood authority.
The Church of Jesus Christ teaches that the apostolic authority through which every priesthood holder ultimately receives his priesthood was lost in the course of the confusion of faith between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD. Therefore, this authority did not exist until the renewed restoration by Peter, James and John in 1829. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints thus stands in contradiction to the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches, which take the position that apostolic authority over the bishops has been passed on uninterrupted to the present day ( Apostolic Succession ). The Church of Jesus Christ also contradicts most evangelical churches, which teach that such apostolic authority is unnecessary or found in all believers, in emphasizing the need for priesthood authority which is directly attributable to Jesus Christ .
The importance attached to the correct, authorized teaching of the priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is shown in what is known as the “line of ordination” enjoyed by every priesthood holder. This is intended to trace the authority granted over the person who ordained him and the person who ordained him etc. up to Joseph Smith and over him to Peter, James and John, who were chosen and ordained by Jesus Christ himself around 2000 years ago to let.
From this attitude towards authority it follows that ordinances (sacraments) of other churches are not recognized as binding before God.
Women and the priesthood
Women are not ordained to the priesthood in the Church of Jesus Christ.
Regardless of this, women take on leadership functions within the church structures (Relief Society, Org. Young Women, Primary Association), are represented on numerous council bodies of the church, provide missionary service, are active in pastoral care and teach in Sunday services and at national conferences. The Church believes that when women assume an office, role, or calling within the Church, they also receive priesthood authority in their assigned area.
The Church also teaches that men and women who make covenants in the temple are endowed with the same power of the priesthood. Thus, by virtue of the covenant, those who receive the endowment in the temple receive the power of God's priesthood as a gift. For this reason, women also wear the ceremonial or priesthood robes for temple ordinances and perform certain ordinances as officials in their own area.
In the early days of the Church of Jesus Christ, it was common for women to lay hands on other people to offer blessings. Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ, told the women of the Church that it was not a sin to do so by someone who has faith. He also instructed that everyone should hold their tongues in check and let it happen if the sisters have faith that they can heal the sick. At the beginning of the 20th century, this practice gradually faded into the background as the church authorities increasingly pointed out that it was preferable to follow the instruction in the New Testament to call the elders. Current Church directives state that only Melchizedek Priesthood holders may bless the sick or afflicted.
Former Church President Gordon B. Hinckley said in a 1997 interview that he believed it might be possible that women might be ordained to the priesthood in the future, but that there was no agitation in this regard.
Several feminist groups and movements have been founded in the past few decades to highlight inequalities in the church and to encourage women to exercise greater influence within the church. In 2014, Kate Kelly, co-founder of the most famous feminist organization Ordain Women, was expelled from the church.
See also
swell
- ↑ Church of Jesus Christ press page: Changes in age limits for advancement and ordination of youth announced. Retrieved July 28, 2019 .
- Jump up ↑ Doctrine and Covenants 107: 85
- Jump up ↑ Doctrine and Covenants 107: 86
- ↑ Doctrine and Covenants 107: 87-88
- Jump up ↑ Doctrine and Covenants 107: 89
- ↑ Doctrine and Covenants 107: 34
- ↑ Doctrine and Covenants 13 . Joseph Smith History 1: 68–73
- Jump up ↑ Doctrine and Covenants 110
- ^ Church of Jesus Christ press page: Race and the Church: All Are Alike Unto God. Retrieved July 28, 2019 .
- ^ Doctrine and Covenants, Official Declaration 2
- Jump up ↑ Church of Jesus Christ: Race and Priesthood. Retrieved July 28, 2019 .
- ↑ Elder Dallin H. Oaks, The Keys and Powers of the Priesthood. IV. Church of Jesus Christ, accessed August 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Elder M. Russell Ballard, Men and Women in the Lord's Work. Retrieved August 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Elder Russell M. Nelson, Spiritual Treasures. Church of Jesus Christ, October 5, 2019, accessed November 3, 2019 .
- ↑ Joseph Smith's Teachings on the Priesthood, the Temple, and the Role of Women. Church of Jesus Christ, accessed August 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Nauvoo Relief Society Minutes, April 28, 1842. Retrieved April 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Joseph Smith's Teachings on the Priesthood, the Temple, and the Role of Women. Church of Jesus Christ, accessed August 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Handbook 2, Priesthood Ordinances and Priesthood Blessings. 20.6.1. Retrieved August 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Interview with President Gordon B. Hinckley (Interview by David Ransom; ABC; Compass (Television broadcast); November 9, 1997): [...] DR: Is it possible that the rules (= women receive the priesthood) could change in the future as the rules are on blacks? GBH: He could change them yes. If He were to change them that's the only way it would happen. DR: So you'd have to get a revelation? GBH: Yes. But there's no agitation for that. We don't find it. Our women are happy. They're satisfied. These bright, able, wonderful women who administer their own organization are very happy. Ask them. Ask my wife. [...]
- ↑ Mormon Expel Founder of Group Seeking Priesthood for Women. NY Times, accessed August 15, 2019 .