have any lds apostles been divorced

1. He called 12 apostles and gave them all The prospect of polyandrous plural marriages seems particularly problematic. Furthermore, if she had been learning about the Churchs polygamous history in the youth Sunday School programs, she would have had a better foundation on which to stand. Most of these people, however, are just trying to find a way to react to something that is so contrary to accepted marriage patterns. Dr. Swinton says, Love them. Anti-Mormon literature has portrayed Smith as sneaking around behind unsuspecting husbands backs and seducing willing women. Pay attention to the children who are going through a really bad time. In preparation for this essay, I conducted an unscientific online survey of attitudes about plural marriage among current and former members of the LDS Church. In spite of their migration out of the mainstream Church, discomfort within the Church persisted and intensified over time. One divorcee noted, Friends outside church did not treat me like a sinner for getting a divorce. "When she tried to find the train, the train was gone with her four children in there.". Our Father in Heaven loves His children. It should be noted that while most of the sanctioned post-Manifesto plural marriages were performed outside of the United States, some were performed within U.S. borders. By the 1950s Mormons had become thoroughly Americanized and tended to display a split opinion about polygamy. Beyond an overall dislike for plural marriage expressed by those who had negative views, there were several factors that seemed to particularly distress them. For example, television talk show host Bill Maher explained that Mormonism is a religion founded on the idea of polygamy. Elder Baxter later served two years as a missionary in theScotland Edinburgh Mission and served as abishop, counselor in a stake presidency, stake president, counselor in a mission presidency, and as an Area Seventy. The midwestern United States also had a good representation, as did Canada (especially western Canada). They make up most of the adult LDS membership. So why do Elder Oaks remarried after the passing of his wife. Elder Ruseel M. Nelson also remarrried after his first wife passed away. And, later, the priesthood/Relief Society lesson about Doctrine and Covenants section 132 discussed celestial marriage but did not mention plural marriage. For example, this topic is probably not as important to African or Asian Saints as it is to those living along the Wasatch Front. You'll also like: What (and What Not) to Say to the Recently Divorced, Dr. Swinton agrees. No we didn't see President Hinckley remarry. I know of no specific policy that forbids a divorced and remarried man from serving in any leadership capacity. Clement is the only Father who reports that Paul was married; many of them expressly deny it; e.g. Discovering the details of his polygamous practices was particularly distressing (polyandry, 14-year-old-wives, etc.). As interesting as the survey statistics were, the most fascinating parts of the survey data were the respondent comments. The Church, of course, has no jurisdiction whatever in this matter.26, LDS Apostle M. Russell Ballard stated in a Semiannual General Conference session, Let me state clearly that no polygamist group, including those calling themselves Fundamentalist Mormons or other derivatives of our name, have any affiliation whatsoever with The Church of Jesus Christ [Page 56]of Latter-day Saints.27 LDS Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland was even more outspoken in referencing the fundamentalists, We havent practiced polygamy for over a centuryand its a little frustrating to have these fundamentalist groups resurface.28, Discomfort about the Churchs polygamous past is particularly noticeable in Church-produced literature and at Church-owned historical sites. Almost any discussion of the subject seems to be discouraged through a lack of mention in the manuals and public presentations. To his knowledgge this policy came from the Area Seventy. At the age of 11, President Uchtdorf watched as his family split up, each taking separate routes to Frankfurt until only he and his mother remained. I can't imagine a Seventy giving instruction that was inconsistent with Church policy. Although a strong marriage is the ideal, some marriages unfortunately end in divorce. A number of years later I was organizing a visit of some dignitaries to Salt Lake City. Comments ranged from the positive to the negative and for some people, the discovery of the Churchs polygamous past was devastating. PBS Indeed, in the minds of [Page 75]many people, 19th-century Mormon polygamy defines western polygamy.69 Accepting that the twain are inseparable does not mean the Church must acquiesce to the negative stereotyping used by its critics. WebFor Latter-day Saint children of divorce, questions like this can add to the sadness and uncertainty that divorce brings. Church policy, however, does have a preference to married men as bishops. I never expected it, but it happened, and I accept it. Then it should be emphasized that we no longer practice plural marriage. He married his wife,Dianne Marie Lewars, and has four children. Was the Apostle Paul Married? Yes, He Ok, just confirmed. Unfortunately, such an outcome is not the case for Latter-day Saints and their polygamous history. However, it wasn't until years after Elder Bednar's mission and after he was married that his he received an answer to the question he had been asking his father all those years when his father called him to ask, "What are you doing this Saturday? I would think not.60, Not surprisingly, the ambivalence among even active, faithful Latter-day Saints regarding plural marriage continues. . Would a menace make a good Bishop? On a positive note, the LDS Church has recently taken a more active approach to interpreting and defining its polygamous past. LDS Tertullian, Hilary, Epiphanius, Jerome, &c. The authority of these later Fathers is of course of little account. WebBecause of the beliefs that (1) celestial marriage is required for exaltation, and (2) that Jesus is exalted, some leaders of the LDS Church have hypothesized that Jesus must have been married, possibly to Mary Magdalene, Mary, sister A couple of years ago, I was talking with one of my daughters 16-year-old friends, a descendant of LDS polygamists, and mentioned Joseph Smiths plural wives. FinancialSpecial5787 1 yr. ago. But sexual relations and procreation were only one aspect of plural marriage. It is also important to differentiate a man who was divorced and remarried before he became a Christian from a man who was divorced and remarried after becoming a Christian. The following article originally ran on LDS Living in May 2016. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can get divorced. Excommunication in Mormonism No they can't. When he was 5 years old, Elder Baxter's mother and father divorced. In contrast, Craig L. Foster, David Keller, and Gregory L. Smith use both history and a statistical review of Mormon and non-Mormon marriage practices in Illinois and neighboring Iowa to demonstrate that marriage to teenage women was not uncommon for the place and time in which Joseph Smith lived, nor was it considered pedophilia: The Age of Joseph Smiths Plural Wives in Social and Demographic Context, in The Persistence of Polygamy, 15283. For that matter, it may not even be as important to Saints residing in the eastern parts of Canada and the United States as it is to those residing in the western United States. These included the lying about plural marriage, the apparent polyandrous marriages of [Page 61]Joseph Smith, the teenage wives of Joseph Smith, and the idea that plural marriage will be practiced in the celestial kingdom. LDS For more on this topic, check outFinding Wholeness and Happiness after Divorce. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Third Hour Forum Rules - Please be familiar with these rules before posting. Sam Finley, Duck Football: From One Mission to Another, Eugene Daily News, September 16, 2011, accessed September 16, 2011, http://eugenedailynews.com/2011/09/16/duck-football-from-one-mission-to-another. Such an approach was expressed by this man I counseled: I still have a hard time grasping the concept that Im a divorced man, but I am. 17. Furthermore, the Church must accept that there will always be coat-tail relatives to remind its members of their past. As the children grew in age and understanding, we would explain a little more so that by the time they were teenagers, they had a broad familiarity with Mormon polygamy as a historical reality. ?58, The discussion by e-mail continued back and forth between those who believed that plural marriage was a celestial principle and those who either did not believe or at least questioned whether it was indeed something that would be practiced in the Celestial Kingdom. 22. List of former or dissident Mormons - Wikipedia I told them I would be glad to answer any question they had. Not, Flunking Sainthood, July 5, 2011, accessed August 11, 2011, http://blog.beliefnet.com/flunkingsainthood/2011/07/my-polygamous-heaven-not.html. And while such issues might be of little interest in one stake or ward, members in a neighboring stake or ward might be very interested or have a need for further teaching and explanation. 56. This brings up another matter that needs to be addressed: missionaries at Church historical sites must be taught how to discuss the topic of Mormon polygamy because it is inevitable it will be brought up by curious visitors. I commuted between Provo and Salt Lake City and enjoyed visiting with other regular commuters, [Page 62]all of whom were active members of the Church. Divorced male members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are now required to obtain permission from the First Presidency before being sealed to a Throughout his childhood, Elder Bednar would ask his father several times a week why he was not baptized. When I suggested to a volunteer at Church Hosting that we take the guests to the Beehive House, she immediately said, Oh you dont want to do that., I asked why not and she gave a nervous laugh and said, Well, you know., She gave another nervous laugh and repeated, You know. She continued, They might ask questions.. 42. One survey respondent wrote, Inadvertently finding out the truth about polygamy/polyandry absolutely devastated me.42 Another complained about Joseph Smith shacking up with women for years and then wrote, I am glad I discovered the truth about dirty Joes polyandry. I am much happier as a saved Christian outside the vile, lying Mormon cult.43, Discovery of Joseph Smiths polyandrous marriages can be a traumatic experience. 68. Rather than plural marriage being noticeably absent from Church publications, it should be adequately discussed. The missionary told how Brigham Youngs wife would keep house, and I naturally wondered which wife, so I asked. Your previous content has been restored. His first plural wife was Fanny Alger in 18351836 as explained by Bradley, Fanny Alger, in The Persistence of Polygamy, 1458. That makes me sad. Another wrote, In general I was OK with polygamy, thinking it was instituted by Brigham Young. The Church should probably highlight the differences when needed and otherwise ignore Fundamentalist groups like the FLDS as much as possible. Bill Redeker, Beer Maker Finds Polygamy Ads Sell, Good Morning America, February 8, 2011, accessed February 10, 2011, http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=126371&page=1. There are thousands of fundamentalist Mormons throughout the Intermountain West who are a constant reminder of Mormonisms polygamist past. That sounds [Page 52]like The Prime Directive in Star Trek.16 Is there any wonder a 2011 poll undertaken by a California polling company found that almost half of those polled thought Mormons either definitely or probably practice polygamy?17. Interestingly enough, 5 of the respondents were from England, with at least 3 of them identifying themselves as fundamentalist Mormons. However, the couple experienced tragedy about five years after their marriage. After personal reflection and prayer, Elder Scott felt impressed that he should serve a mission and was called to serve inUruguay from 1950 to 1953. Separated but not Divorced: The LDS Churchs Uncomfortable Relationship with its Polygamous Past, Complexities in the English Language of the Book of Mormon 2015, http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2003_Unchanging_Ways_of_Anti-Mormons.html, http://en.fairmormon.org/Joseph_Smith/Polygamy/Polyandry, http://en.fairmormon.org/Joseph_Smith/Polygamy/Marriages_to_young_women, http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=12564307&itype=storyID, http://townhall.com/columnists/stevechapman/2011/07/14/kody_brown_and_his_four_wives, http://www.christianpost.com/news/will-same-sex-marriage-lead-to-legalized-polygamy-57640/, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/getreligion/2011/12/picturing-polygamists/, https://www.deseret.com/2011/10/20/20224517/sarandon-calls-pope-a-nazi-maher-calls-mormonism-ridiculous, http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52568348-78/mormon-mormons-polygamy-percent.html.csp, http://www.fairmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2010-Craig-Foster.pdf, http://eugenedailynews.com/2011/09/16/duck-football-from-one-mission-to-another, http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=126371&page=1, http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/blog-21-7669-idaho-bans-ogdens-five-wives-vodka.html, https://churchofjesuschrist.org/topics/plural-marriage-and-families-in-early-utah?lang=eng, https://churchofjesuschrist.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-importance-of-a-name?lang=eng, http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2011/s3342583.htm, https://churchofjesuschrist.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-and-Church-history-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-31-sealedfor-time-and-for-all-eternity?lang=eng, https://www.deseret.com/2011/8/6/20208124/recent-events-highlight-confusion-of-polygamy, http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/fair-conferences/2011-fair-conference/2011-a-reconciliation-of-polygamy, http://squaretwo.org/Sq2ArticleCasslerPolygamy.html, http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/25/sister-wives-explained-a-fundamentalist-mormon-polygamy-primer/, http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/darwin-eternity/201108/are-people-naturally-polygamous-0, http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2013/06/slippery-slopes, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. What handbook are you referring to? These and other negative claims against early Mormon polygamy have caused understandable mental and spiritual turmoil for members. WebElder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, There are many good Church members who have been divorced and reiterated that unless a divorced Elder Cook also served a mission from 1960 to 1962, serving in the British Mission with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland as one of his companions. For an excellent discussion about this pivotal time period, see Gregory L. Smith, Polygamy, Prophets, and Prevarication: Frequently and Rarely Asked Questions about the Initiation, Practice, and Cessation of Plural Marriage in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FAIR, 2005, accessed January 20, 2014, http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/publications/polygamy-prophets-and-prevarication. (Respondents could select more than one answer.). Most couples tried going to counseling to support orsave their marriage, but perhaps not to the degree we would expect: Note: The definition of what qualified as counseling support is unique for those surveyed and, in the course of the survey, seemed to be open to interpretation. Polygamy. These strenuous denials have continued to the present, in large part because of the negative publicity generated by Warren Jeffs, the FLDS, and other branches of Mormon fundamentalism. The important thing to remember is that Heavenly Father loves all of you and wants the best for you, both now and in eternity. Divorce can be very stressful for years., Few things in life are as difficult as divorce, Dr. Swinton shares. The survey was not random, as people were contacted by e-mail and on Facebook and asked to participate and to spread the word among their LDS family and friends. With the comforting doctrine that we can be sealed to our loved ones for eternity, divorce is a conclusion drawn with heavy hearts. Divine Attributes of Jesus Christ: Meek and Humble, Catching the Vision: All Missions Bring Souls to Christ, Lighting Our Childrens Path with Gospel Standards, Teaching Gospel Standards: One Familys Experience, The Proclamation on the Family: Transcending the Cultural Confusion, Josephine Booth: Sister Missionary to Scotland, Oral Family History Fades in Just Three Generations, He Taught Me the Heavenly Order of Eternity, Latter-day Saint Men and Divorce, Ensign, August 2015, 5861. Survey Reveals What It's Really Like to Be Divorced in Another active Latter-day Saint responded: Are you suggesting that what is making you pleased is the denial of relationships in the Celestial Kingdom? Display as a link instead, Answer. The practice suffered a slow, difficult death as the Church and its members came to terms with the demise of the practice and yet continued their efforts to keep what they regarded as a sacred principle alive. Ironically, Mary Elizabeth Rollins, who was mentioned above, was 16 when she married Adam Lightner, and yet critics have not condemned Lightner for marrying a teenager when he was 25. Claire, e-mail correspondence, October 4, 2011. If someone believe[s] differently is it really worth getting upset over and offended? Dont judge; be supportive., [Give me] spiritual support. With simple explanations, children become aware of this aspect of Church history without being overly burdened by all of the complexities. By the end of these few decades, a number of members had doctrinally and physically separated themselves from the body of the Church because they continued to teach and practice plural marriage. . If Church members dont seem to reach out to you, dont be resentful. Licensed marriage and family therapist Dr. Jonathan Swinton of Salt Lake City, Utah, gives further insight on Latter-day Saint couples that seek counseling: Most respondents said they were active at the time of their divorce: Many continued to attend church after their divorce: Some shared why their participation decreased: The sisters of the ward blamed me for the divorce and told my girls that it was my fault. All content by The Interpreter Foundation, unless otherwise specified, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Upload or insert images from URL. .I apologize. It should be placed within historical and theological context and be available as resource material for Saints with questions or for those who need to respond to questions. 58. Foster, Like Two Crazy Aunts in the Attic.. Most definitely not true. Divorce disqualifies a Priesthood holder from even being a Bishop, let alone a General Authority. applepansy 60. Let's try this: the First Presidency must approve of all people who are called as Bishop. I for one will be getting a civil marriage first, not because of lack of faith or what have you but because it is what God has ordained. Feelings About Plural Marriage. Over 230 of the respondents were born in Utah or the western United States. I worry that discomfort with the situation unnecessarily impacts many from engaging in providing needed support.. 63. For more information showing Josephs Smiths marriages to teenage wives were not out of the cultural and social norm of his time, see Joseph Smith/Polygamy/Marriages to Young Women, FairMormon Answers, accessed February 22, 2014, http://en.fairmormon.org/Joseph_Smith/Polygamy/Marriages_to_young_women. The mother said she divorced her husband, who later re-married. What is your personal anchor belief? The shows first season was set in Utah Valley until the Utah County police began to investigate the family. TRUTH: Scripture shows that God gives permission for divorce. 7. For example, they wanted to focus on home life or to take care of children. These are truly touching and delicate experiences that members of the Church endured as they divorced. There were approximately 400 people who participated in the survey with an almost even mix of men and women.32, In spite of the limited number of respondents, there actually was a good variety of people from different ages and backgrounds in terms of marriage status and activity in the LDS Church. Elders Bednar, Cook + 3 Other Apostles Whose Family Elder Quentin L. Cook said growing up he learned how to trust the Lord from his mother, Bernice Kimball Cook, and how to set and achieve goals from his father, J.Vernon Cook. pete22, DallinH. Oaks, Divorce, Ensign, May 2007, 70. We know that some look back on their divorces with regret at their own partial or predominant fault in the breakup. As she tried to cope with the loss of her sister, Christy Denney found the connection to family she was craving in an unusual placea cherry cheese pie. Those divorcing tended to perceive ward members as a group that was unsupportive, fearful, and judgmental. We are indeed turning a corner finally.57. It was a journey that almost ended in disaster. Learn more at joshlockhart.blogspot.ca. Even more tragically, accidental discovery and/or inadequate teachings about the Churchs history and relationship to plural marriage have caused crises of faith which have alienated members of the Church and, in many cases, led to their eventual departure from the faith. The First Presidency sent a letter last week to stake presidents, bishops and branch presidents advising them of the new policy.The brief letter, dated Feb. 3, was titled "Divorce Clearance Procedure." Joseph engaged in one plural marriage with Fanny Alger in the 1830s. . We should clarify to say CURRENTLY divorced or unmarried priesthood holders cannot be Bishop or a General Authority. Married or widowed are okay. ( But these challenges only worked to strengthen President Uchtdorf's testimony of the gospel and family. LDS 30 In closed-door meetings with local leaders, the First Presidency condemned men who left their wives by using the He explained that he was not troubled by the knowledge as the Church was a restoration of all things. E-mail correspondence, August 11, 2011. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available here.
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