Orientation Latter Day Saints Region United States President Frederick Niels Larsen Separated from Restoration Branches | Polity Church conference Headquarters Missouri, United States Founded 1830 | |
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Classification Latter Day Saint movement Origin April 6, 2000
Independence, Missouri Similar Community of Christ, The Joseph Smith Pa, Graceland University | ||
The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement. The president of the church is Frederick Niels Larsen, a direct descendant of Joseph Smith.
Contents
History
In the 1970s and 1980s, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now called the Community of Christ) was criticized from within its membership for various changes in policy and leadership. This included including female priesthood, the ending of doctrine of Lineal succession, and the construction of the Independence Temple.
This led to several branches of the RLDS Church to form a group of independent Restoration Branches. In May 1999, several members of this group met as the Conference of Restoration Elders, including Frederick Niels Larsen. They published the "Proclamation and Invitation to the Faithful", which lead to the creation of the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on April 6, 2000.
In April 2002, as a descendant of Joseph Smith, Larsen was chosen to become the President of the High Priesthood of the Remnant Church. Members of the Remnant Church also believe that Larsen is the "One Mighty and Strong", a person of unknown identity who was the subject of an 1832 prophecy by Joseph Smith.
In the Remnant Church published a timeline for the construction of a temple in Jackson County, Missouri. Ground-breaking for the temple is listed as by April 2016, with completion by April 2018. This would make the Remnant Church the eighth Latter Day Saint denomination to have built a temple.
Doctrine
Despite the sect's history with the RLDS Church, the Remnant Church considers itself to be a remnant of the Church of Christ as founded by Joseph Smith in 1830, and not the RLDS Church, thus being the "one true church".
The church has its headquarters near the Temple Lot, across from the Independence Temple and headquarters of the Community of Christ. The Remnant Church maintains belief in a geophysical "Zion", a central belief of the Church during the time of Joseph Smith Jr. The Remnant Church teaches the doctrine of lineal succession, where certain key church positions, such as President of the Church and the Presiding Patriarch, are held by right of lineal inheritance.
Members of this faith believe that the Inspired Version of the Bible, Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants are sacred and holy texts. However, they reject the Pearl of Great Price.