Mormonism

==Theological divisions==

Mormon theology includes three main movements. By far the largest of these is "mainstream Mormonism", defined by the leadership of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church). The two broad movements outside mainstream Mormonism are [[Mormon fundamentalism]], and liberal reformist Mormonism.

===Mainstream Mormon theology===
{{See also|Beliefs and practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints}}

Mainstream Mormonism is defined by the leadership of the LDS Church which identifies itself as Christian.<ref name = aremormonschristian/> Members of the LDS Church consider their top leaders to be prophets and [[Apostle (Latter Day Saints)|apostle]]s, and are encouraged to accept their positions on matters of theology, while seeking confirmation of them through personal study of the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Personal prayer is encouraged as well. The LDS Church is by far the largest branch of Mormonism. It has continuously existed since the [[Succession crisis (Latter Day Saints)|succession crisis]] of 1844 that split the Latter Day Saint movement after the death of founder Joseph Smith, Jr.

The LDS Church seeks to distance itself from other branches of Mormonism, particularly those that practice polygamy.<ref>The LDS Church encourages journalists not to use the word ''Mormon'' in reference to organizations or people that practice polygamy {{cite web |url=https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/style-guide |title=Style Guide—LDS Newsroom |date= April 9, 2010|access-date=November 11, 2011}}; The church repudiates polygamist groups and excommunicates their members if discovered {{Harvtxt|Bushman|2008|p=91}}; {{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/25396937 |title=Mormons seek distance from polygamous sects |year=2008 |publisher=NBC News}}</ref>
The church maintains a degree of orthodoxy by excommunicating or disciplining its members who take positions or engage in practices viewed as apostasy. For example, the LDS Church excommunicates members who practice polygamy or who adopt the beliefs and practices of Mormon fundamentalism.

===Mormon fundamentalism===
{{Main|Mormon fundamentalism}}
{{more citations needed section|find=FLDS|find2=differences with mainstream LDS|date=October 2022}}

One way Mormon fundamentalism distinguishes itself from mainstream Mormonism is through the practice of [[plural marriage]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hardy |first=B. Carmon |date=December 1, 2011 |title=The Persistence of Mormon Plural Marriage |url=https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/uip/dial/article/44/4/43/248891/The-Persistence-of-Mormon-Plural-Marriage |access-date=September 15, 2022 |journal=Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought|volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=43–106 |doi=10.5406/dialjmormthou.44.4.0043 |s2cid=172005470 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Fundamentalists initially broke from the LDS Church after that doctrine was discontinued around the beginning of the 20th century. Mormon fundamentalism teaches that plural marriage is a requirement for [[Exaltation (Latter Day Saints)|exaltation]] (the highest degree of salvation), which will allow them to live as gods and goddesses in the afterlife. Mainstream Mormons, by contrast, believe that a single [[Celestial marriage]] is necessary for exaltation.

In distinction with the LDS Church, Mormon fundamentalists also often believe in a number of other doctrines taught and practiced by [[Brigham Young]] in the 19th century, which the LDS Church has either abandoned, repudiated, or put in abeyance. These include:
*the [[law of consecration]] also known as the [[United Order]] (put in abeyance by the LDS Church in the 19th century);
*the [[Adam–God theory|Adam–God teachings]] taught by Brigham Young and other early leaders of the LDS Church (repudiated by the LDS Church in the mid-20th century);
*the principle of [[blood atonement]] (repudiated by the LDS Church in the mid-19th century); and
*the [[Black people and Mormonism|exclusion of black men]] from the [[Priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|priesthood]] (abandoned by the LDS Church in 1978).

Mormon fundamentalists believe that these principles were wrongly abandoned or changed by the LDS Church, in large part due to the desire of its leadership and members to assimilate into mainstream American society and avoid the persecutions and conflict that had characterized the church throughout its early years. Others believe that it was a necessity at some point for "a restoration of all things"{{quote without source|date=July 2022}} to be a truly restored Church.

===Liberal reformist theology===
{{see also|Bickertonite}}

Some LDS Church members have worked towards a more liberal reform of the church. Others have left the LDS Church and still consider themselves to be [[cultural Mormon]]s. Others have formed new religions (many of them now defunct). For instance the [[Godbeites]] broke away from the LDS Church in the late 19th century, on the basis of both political and religious liberalism, and in 1985 the [[Restoration Church of Jesus Christ]] broke away from the LDS Church as an [[LGBT-friendly]] denomination, which was formally dissolved in 2010.