The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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The church has become a strong proponent of the [[nuclear family]] and at times played a prominent role in political matters, including opposition to [[LGM-118 Peacekeeper|MX Peacekeeper missile]] bases in Utah and [[Nevada]],<ref name = "Political Clout">{{cite web |url= https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/responses/mormon-political-clout |title= Mormon Political Clout |publisher= [[Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs]] |agency=[[Georgetown University]] |location=Washington, D.C.|date= August 14, 2018 |access-date= June 9, 2021 |archive-date= June 9, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210609165317/https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/responses/mormon-political-clout |url-status= live }}</ref> the [[Equal Rights Amendment]],<ref name = "Political Clout" /> legalized gambling,<ref name = "Gambling" /> [[same-sex marriage]],<ref name="Gay Rights"/>{{rp|2}} and [[euthanasia|physician-assisted death]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Religious Groups' Views on End-of-Life Issues |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/11/21/religious-groups-views-on-end-of-life-issues/ |publisher=[[Pew Research Center]] |date=November 21, 2013}}</ref>

A number of official changes have taken place to the organization during the modern era. In 1978, the church [[1978 Revelation on Priesthood|reversed its previous policy]] of excluding Black men of African descent from the priesthood, which had been in place since 1852;<ref name="Neither White Nor Black"/>{{rp|70}} members of all races can now be ordained to the priesthood. Also, since the early 1900s, the church has instituted a [[Priesthood Correlation Program]] to centralize church operations and bring them under a hierarchy of priesthood leaders. During the [[Great Depression]], the church also began operating a church welfare system, and it has conducted humanitarian efforts in cooperation with other religious organizations such as [[Catholic Relief Services]], as well as secular organizations like [[Care International]].<ref name=Relief/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.icatholic.org/article/catholic-relief-services-recognizes-church-of-jesus-5673287| publisher=[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City]] |newspaper=Intermountain Catholic|date=June 15, 2007|title=Catholic Relief Services recognizes Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Deus Caritas Est Award|access-date=June 9, 2021|archive-date=June 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609172831/http://www.icatholic.org/article/catholic-relief-services-recognizes-church-of-jesus-5673287|url-status=live}}</ref> The church has supported{{clarify|date=September 2024}} its members [[Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 20th-century warfare|serving in the armed forces]] during World Wars I and II, both in the U.S. and internationally.{{citation needed|date+September 2024}} From 1913 to 2020 the church was a major sponsor of [[Scouting]] programs for boys, particularly in the United States. The LDS Church was the largest [[Boy Scouts of America#Chartered organizations and units|chartered organization]] in the [[Boy Scouts of America]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Eckholm |first=Erik |date=October 18, 2012 |title=As Partners, Mormons and Scouts Turn Boys Into Men |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/18/us/mormons-and-scouts-act-as-partners-in-molding-boys.html |access-date=June 25, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |url-access=limited |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124025336/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/18/us/mormons-and-scouts-act-as-partners-in-molding-boys.html |archive-date=November 24, 2022 |url-status=live |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/05/09/mormon-church-breaks-all-ties-with-boy-scouts-ending-100-year-relationship/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|title=Mormon Church breaks all ties with Boy Scouts, ending 100-year relationship|access-date=January 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109223112/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/05/09/mormon-church-breaks-all-ties-with-boy-scouts-ending-100-year-relationship/|archive-date=January 9, 2020|url-status=live}} (LDS Scouts made up nearly 20 percent of all enrolled Boy Scouts)</ref> but in 2020, the church ended its relationship with the BSA and began an alternate, religion-centered youth program, which replaced all other youth programs.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harkens |first=Paighten |date=May 8, 2018 |title=Mormon church to cut ties with Boy Scouts and start its own gospel-driven youth program |newspaper=[[The Salt Lake Tribune]] |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/05/09/mormon-church-to-cut-ties-with-boy-scouts-and-start-its-own-gospel-driven-youth-program/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307202414/https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/05/09/mormon-church-to-cut-ties-with-boy-scouts-and-start-its-own-gospel-driven-youth-program/ |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

During the second half of the 20th century and early 21st, the church has responded to various challenges to its doctrine and authority. Challenges have included rising [[secularization]],<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Secular Transition: The Worldwide Growth of Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Seventh-day Adventists|journal=[[Association for the Sociology of Religion|Sociology of Religion]]|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |date=April 9, 2010| citeseerx=10.1.1.1024.4345|url= https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1024.4345&rep=rep1&type=pdf|access-date=June 18, 2021|archive-date=June 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624200752/https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1024.4345&rep=rep1&type=pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|work=[[Psychology Today]]|first=Phil|last=Zuckerman|title=Secularization Hits the Mormons|url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-secular-life/201905/secularization-hits-the-mormons|date=May 6, 2019|access-date=June 18, 2021|archive-date=September 24, 2019|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20190924012644/https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the%2Dsecular%2Dlife/201905/secularization%2Dhits%2Dthe%2Dmormons|url-status=live}}</ref> challenges to the correctness of the translation of the [[Book of Abraham]],<ref>{{cite journal|journal=[[Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought|Dialogue]] |date=Winter 1989|first=Karl C.|last=Sandberg|title=Knowing Brother Joseph Again: The Book of Abraham, and Joseph Smith as Translator|volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=17–37 |doi=10.2307/45228258 |jstor=45228258 |s2cid=254389117 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dialoguejournal.com/podcasts/dialogue-topic-pages-5-the-book-of-abraham/ |title=Dialogue Topic Pages #5: The Book of Abraham |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624200242/https://www.dialoguejournal.com/podcasts/dialogue-topic-pages-5-the-book-of-abraham/ |archive-date=June 24, 2021|publisher=[[Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought|Dialogue]]}}</ref> and primary documents forged by [[Mark Hofmann]] purporting to contradict important aspects of official early church history.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lindsey |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Lindsey (journalist) |title=A Gathering of Saints: A True Story of Money, Murder, and Deceit |year=1988 |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |isbn=0-671-65112-9 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/gatheringofsai00lind |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> The church's positions regarding [[Women and Mormonism|women]], [[Black people and Mormonism|Black people]], and [[Homosexuality and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|homosexuality]] have all been publicly criticized during this timeframe.