Symbols of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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Statue of the angel Moroni on the Bern temple

Symbols of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) are valued by Mormons. They are important to represent the spirituality of belief and the connection of believers with God.

Everyday symbols

Copy of Bertel Thorvaldsen's statue of Christ in the Temple Square Visitor Center in Salt Lake City

Because of the central role played by the angel Moroni in the Restoration of the Gospel, images of the angel blowing the trumpet are used as an unofficial symbol of the Church. Moroni is usually identified by Mormons as the angel mentioned in ( Rev 14 : 6  EU ). Moroni appears on the front of some editions of the Book of Mormon , on tombstones, statues of him standing on the top of almost all temples . In 2007, the LDS Church claimed that images of the angel on an advertising panel violated the Church's Registered Trade Mark .

Former President of the Church , Howard W. Hunter , encouraged members by saying: ". Look at the temple ... as a great symbol of your membership" images of temples, especially the Salt Lake Temple are in the media of the LDS -Church used very often as a symbol of faith. Church leaders also encourage members to post pictures of temples on the walls of their homes. This has become a cultural phenomenon even among children.

Bertel Thorvaldsen's statue of Christ has been well received by members, and a three-foot-high copy stands in Temple Square in Salt Lake City . Copies of this statue can be found in many Church visitor centers, including the Mesa Arizona Temple , Los Angeles California Temple, and Washington DC Temple .

A CTR (Choose the Right) ring is an everyday symbol of the Church

Members can have a Choose the Right ring wear (in German : "Choose righteousness") to be reminded to live righteously. Another symbol is the tree of life .

When asked for the search, said the former President of the Church , Gordon B. Hinckley , that the members are the best symbols themselves.

Sacred symbols

All symbolic elements in the temple are very sacred. Particularly sacred are:

  • The Temple Robe : Members entering the temple are required to put on these clothing. It symbolizes "purity and holiness before the Lord".

Examples

image Symbol name description
Salt Lake Temple East Side Center Spire Top Detail Eye of providence Appears on the exterior of the Salt Lake Temple and other early buildings.
Angel Moroni Bern Tempel.JPG Angel Moroni Summarized the various parts of the later Book of Mormon and is the person who shared the location of the gold plates in Cumorah Joseph Smith with Hill .
Beehive House South Temple Street.jpg Beehive From the Book of Mormon ; refers to Deseret , which translates as " honey bee ". Appears on the flag and seal of Utah , Brigham Young's Apiary, Salt Lake Temple, and many more.
Hermandad - friendship.jpg Shaking hands Appears on the outside of the Salt Lake Temple . A modern adaptation is the “Helping hands” logo, which is worn on members' t-shirts when they are doing community service.
Crossing the Mississippi on the Ice by CCA Christensen.png Pioneer car An emblem often seen to celebrate Pioneer Day ; recalls the achievements of the pioneers . There are also variants with handcarts .
Sego lily cm.jpg Flower : lat. Calochortus nuttallii , Eng. Sego Lily Images of the flower can be found in several temples because of the importance of onions as food for the early Church pioneers. This flower is also depicted on the flag of Utah and is the official flower of the US state .
Nauvoo Temple Sunstone 2003.jpg Sunstone Appeared on the original Nauvoo Temple ; symbolizes the Celestial Realm as the highest realm of glory .
HCP Nephi's Vision.PNG Vision of the tree of life Symbolic element that is featured in the beginning of the Book of Mormon . Symbolizes the love of God .

restrictions

In church parishes, images and icons are prohibited in the meeting room in which the Lord's Supper is served and the sermon service takes place every week. This guideline is intended to prevent individual images from being viewed as central objects of worship and thus distracting from the actual worship of God. However, pictures of Jesus, other biblical events and church leaders as well as temples are permitted in all other parts of the building.

The LDS Church does not use crosses , crucifixes, and fish as symbols of faith. For Mormons, the symbols of the crucifixion emphasize Jesus' death too much. Instead, they prefer symbols of his life and resurrection. The early LDS Church still accepted the symbol of the cross, but since the beginning of the 20th century there has been an increasing aversion to this symbol as a central identification mark in Mormon culture. In 1957, then President of the Church, David O. McKay , responded to the heightened discomfort with the cross by declaring it a "Catholic form of worship" and advising members not to wear it as an ornament.

The LDS Church teaches that the body is a temple of God, so members are advised not to get tattooed . Equally is of piercings discouraged, even if they contain symbols that are otherwise acceptable.

Web links

Commons : Latter-day Saint Symbols  - collection of images, videos, and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Andrew Adams, “Angel Moroni at the Center of Controversial Ad Campaign,” KSL Radio, March 23, 2007.
  2. ↑ Howard W. Hunter : Exceeding Great and Precious Promises . November 1994.
  3. ^ Thomas S. Monson : The Holy Temple — a Beacon to the World . May 2011.
  4. ^ Russell M. Nelson : Prepare for Blessings of the Temple . March 2002.
  5. ^ Howard W. Hunter : A Temple-Motivated People . February 1995.
  6. ↑ Shari Pingel: A Picture of the Temple . April 2013.
  7. ^ Places to Visit: Visitors' Centers . LDS Church. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  8. ^ Places to Visit: Visitors' Centers . LDS Church. Archived from the original on December 27, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  9. ^ Places to Visit: Visitors' Centers . LDS Church. Archived from the original on January 24, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  10. ^ Places to Visit: Visitors' Centers . LDS Church. Archived from the original on January 13, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  11. ^ Gordon B. Hinckley : The Symbol of Our Faith . April 2005.
  12. ^ Gospel Topics . LDS Church. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  13. ↑ 21.2 Policies on Using Church Buildings and Other Property . LDS Church. 2010.
  14. ^ Gospel Topics . LDS Church.
  15. ^ Alonzo L. Gaskill: Michael G. Reed's Banishing the Cross: The Emergence of a Mormon Taboo [Book Review ] . 2013 .: "What Reed shows, rather convincingly, is that Mormonism has not always been uncomfortable utilizing the cross as one of its symbols ..."
  16. ↑ Michael Reed: Banishing the Cross: The Emergence of a Mormon Taboo . John Whitmer Books , Independence, Missouri 2012, ISBN 978-1934901359 , pp. 67, 122, OCLC 844370293 .
  17. ^ Gospel Topics . LDS Church.
  18. ↑ There is an exception for "one modest pair of earnings" for female members; see: True to the Faith . LDS Church. 2004.