Temple (Latter Day Saints)
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In the Latter Day Saint movement (also known as Mormonism), a temple is a building dedicated to be a house of God and is reserved for special forms of worship. A temple differs from a church meetinghouse, which is used for weekly worship services. Temples have been a significant part of the Latter Day Saint movement since its inception. Today, temples are operated by several Latter Day Saint denominations. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints operates over 120 temples worldwide to perform Endowment ceremonies, marriages, and other rituals for both the living and by proxy in behalf of dead ancestors. The Community of Christ operates two temples in the United States, which are open to the public and are used for worship services, performances, and historical education. Some Latter Day Saint groups, like the Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite), do not use temples and only worship in church branches or missions.
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[edit] History
The Latter Day Saint movement was conceived as a restoration of practices believed to have been lost in a Great Apostasy from the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Temple worship played a prominent role in the Bible's Old Testament, and in the Book of Mormon.
On December 27, 1832 — two years after the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ — the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., reported receiving a revelation that called upon church members to restore the practice of temple worship. The Latter Day Saints in Kirtland, Ohio were commanded to:
- "Establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God." (Doctrine and Covenants 1835 VII:36, LDS 88:119, RLDS 85:36b)
More importantly, Latter Day Saints see temples as the fulfillment of a prophecy found in Malachi 3:1 (KJV):
- "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts."
This is believed to emphasize that when the Lord comes again, he will come "to his temple".
As plans were drawn up to construct a temple in Kirtland, the decision was made to simultaneously begin work on a second temple at the church's colony in Jackson County Missouri. Surviving plans indicate that both temples would have the same dimensions and approximately the same appearance and both were to be at the "centerplaces" of cities designed according to Smith's plan for the City of Zion.
Conflict in Missouri led to the expulsion of the Mormons from Jackson County, obviating any possibility of building a temple there, but work on the temple in Kirtland continued. At great cost and after great sacrifice, the Latter Day Saints finished the Kirtland Temple in early 1836. On March 17, they held a lengthy dedication ceremony and numerous spiritual experiences and visitations were reported.
Conflict relating to the failure of the church's Kirtland Safety Society bank, caused the church presidency to leave Kirtland and move the church's headquarters to the Mormon settlement of Far West, Missouri. Far West was also platted along the lines of the City of Zion plan and in 1838 the church began construction of a new, larger temple in the center of the town. They may also have dedicated a temple site in the neighboring Mormon settlement of Adam-ondi-Ahman. The events of the 1838 Mormon War and the expulsion of the Mormons from Missouri left these attempts at temple-building no further progressed than excavating foundations.
In 1839, the Mormons regrouped at a new headquarters in Nauvoo, Illinois. They were again commanded to build a "House of the Lord" — this one even larger and greater than those that went before. Plans for the temple in Nauvoo followed the earlier models in Kirtland and Independence with lower and upper courts, but the scale was much increased.
New conflicts arose that caused Joseph Smith, the Prophet and President of the Church, to be murdered, along with his brother Hyrum the Patriarch, at Carthage Jail on June 27,1844. The Nauvoo Temple stood only half finished. Eventually, this temple was finished and dedicated. Some temple ordinances were performed before most of the saints followed Brigham Young west across the Mississippi River.
Joseph Smith's martyrdom resulted in a succession crisis which divided the movement into different sects. The concept of temple worship evolved separately in many of these sects and only the LDS church continued to build temples until April 1990 when the Community of Christ, then known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), began to construct their first temple, which was officially dedicated in 1994. The Community of Christ still owns the Kirtland Temple, which is open to visitors and is used for worship services or special events by various Latter Day Saint denominations.
[edit] Purposes
Temples have held numerous purposes in the Latter Day Saint movement, both historically and their differing expressions today. These purposes include:
- A House of the Lord — Joseph Smith, Jr. reported a revelation in 1836 explaining that the recently-dedicated Kirtland Temple was built "that the Son of Man might have a place to manifest himself to his people." (Doctrine and Covenants LDS 109:5). All Latter Day Saint denominations with temples still consider temples to be special houses of the Lord.
- A House of Learning — The Kirtland Temple housed the "School of the Prophets."
- Center of the City of Zion — Latter Day Saints often view temples as central to the establishment of Zionic communities. Examples include: the Kirtland Temple, the original (unfinished) Independence Temple, the (unfinished) Far West Temple, the (unfinished) Adam-ondi-Ahman Temple, the original Nauvoo Temple, the Salt Lake Temple, the St. George Utah Temple, the Mesa Arizona Temple, the Lā‘ie Hawai‘i Temple, and others.
- Headquarters of the church — the Kirtland Temple served as the headquarters of the early church from its completion in 1836 through the end of 1837.
- Sacred spaces for special ordinances — Beginning in Nauvoo, temples were spaces in which to perform special ordinances such as the endowment and baptism for the dead — see Ordinance (Mormonism).
[edit] Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also called the LDS Church) is by far the most prolific builder of temples. Currently there are 125 operating temples, 9 under construction, and 6 announced (not yet under construction). Additionally the LDS Church uses temples for special purposes, rather than for Sunday worship services which are held in meetinghouses. Instead, temples are special houses of worship where ordinances and sealings (most frequently thought of as marriages) are performed. Occasionally meetings are held within temples (such as the weekly meeting of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles), but not all temples have facilities for such meetings. Temples and their associated ordinances are a vital part of the theology of the LDS church. Their importance is often emphasized in weekly meetings, and regular participation in temple work is strongly encouraged of all Latter-day Saints (LDS).
[edit] History
The first Latter-day Saint temple ceremonies were performed in Kirtland, Ohio, but differed significantly from the endowment performed on the second floor of Joseph Smith’s Red Brick Store in Nauvoo, Illinois and the Nauvoo Temple. Kirtland ordinances included washings and anointings (differing in many ways from the modern portion) and the washing of the feet ordinance. For nearly four years beginning in 1842, the prophet’s modest mercantile functioned as a de facto temple—the site of the first washings, anointings, endowments, and sealings. In contrast, the grand edifice known as the Nauvoo Temple was in operation for only two months before the Saints left Illinois for the West.
Preparations to initiate the first members of Joseph Smith’s Quorum of the Anointed,[1] or Holy Order, as it was also known, were made on May 3, 1842. The walls of the second level of the Red Brick Store were painted with garden-themed murals, the rooms fitted with carpets, potted plants, and a veil hung from the ceiling. All the while, the ground level continued to operate as Joseph Smith’s general mercantile.
After the early events of the succession crisis, Brigham Young assumed control of the church's headquarters at Nauvoo, Illinois. While he and the rest of the Quorum of the Twelve made contingency plans for abandoning the city, he may have hoped that it would not prove necessary. For example, in early 1845 he held a conference at the Norwegian colony at Norway, Illinois and announced a plan to build a Latter-day Saint town there with a temple for the use of the Norwegian Saints.
Meanwhile Young urged the Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo to redouble their efforts to finish the temple. By the end of 1845, the building was sufficiently finished to allow temple ordinances to be performed. Ordinances continued to be performed in early 1846 as the Mormons were forced to abandon the city. A small crew remained in the city and continued to work on the temple until April 30, 1846, when it was finally abandoned.
Upon reaching the Great Basin, Brigham Young began to build settlements based on the City of Zion plan and designated four of these to contain temples: Salt Lake City (1847), St. George (1871), Manti (1875), and Logan (1877). The St. George Temple was the first to be completed in 1877, followed by Logan (1884) and Manti (1888). The Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to complete because of various setbacks and delays. It was dedicated in 1893.
Latter-day Saint temple building halted until the presidency of Joseph F. Smith who announced two additional temples: Cardston, Alberta (1913) and Lā‘ie, Hawai‘i (1915). Cardston became the first Latter-day Saint temple dedicated outside of the United States. Smith broke with the previous tradition (established since Kirtland) of building temples with upper and lower courts. Temples previously had been ever larger, but the Laie, Hawaii temple was smaller than the Nauvoo Temple had been.
Both Cardston and Laie were dedicated under church president Heber J. Grant as was a temple in Mesa, Arizona. George Albert Smith dedicated the next temple in Idaho Falls, Idaho. David O. McKay dedicated five additional temples including one in Bern, Switzerland — which was the first temple dedicated in Europe and the first temple to use film recording of the endowment rather than live actors. Joseph Fielding Smith dedicated a temple in Ogden, Utah and Harold B. Lee dedicated its twin in Provo, Utah.
Spencer W. Kimball began a plan to build many more smaller temples according to standardized plans. Twenty-one temples were dedicated during his presidency, including the tiny Papeete Tahiti Temple — which was less than 10,000 square feet (900 m²). This trend has continued. Nine additional temples were dedicated in the presidency of Ezra Taft Benson and two in the brief presidency of Howard W. Hunter.
Under church president Gordon B. Hinckley, the church dedicated seventy-seven temples. Most of these are according to smaller, standard plans, but one particularly noteworthy achievement was the rebuilding of a temple in Nauvoo, Illinois, known as the Nauvoo Illinois Temple. One temple has been dedicated under current church president Thomas S. Monson. Currently there are 125 operating temples, 9 under construction, and 6 announced (not yet under construction).
[edit] Purposes
Temples have a different purpose from LDS meetinghouses. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today, temples serve two main purposes: (1) Temples are locations in which worthy Latter-day Saints can perform sacred ordinances on behalf of themselves, their deceased ancestors, or unrelated deceased persons whose names are compiled from historical records through the church's Family Record Extraction Program. (2) Temples are considered to be a Houses of Holiness where members can go to commune with God.
Ezra Taft Benson, a former president of the Church, taught:
- "When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. These answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways." (Ensign, August 1985, page 8).
Such personal revelation can be received as needed, but many feel that it is easier to receive such revelation when one is in a place as peaceful and apart from the world as temples are.
Nearly everything in the temple is symbolic, from the clothing worn (those who attend the temple dress in white, a symbol of purity), to the building and rooms, to the ceremonies themselves.
[edit] Symbolism in temple architecture
Latter-day Saint temples are constructed with several symbolic elements meant to represent their religious theology. Each temple has the words "Holiness to the Lord" inscribed on it, representing the same inscription on the Old Testament Temple of Solomon. Most temples are built facing East, pointing the direction from which Jesus Christ is prophesied to return. The spires and towers on the East side of the temple are elevated higher than spires and towers on the West side for this same reason, and to represent the Melchizedek, or Higher Priesthood. Some temples, like Salt Lake, Chicago, and Washington D.C. have triple spires on each side of the temple representing the three different offices in the both the Melchizedek Priesthood and the Aaronic Priesthood. Stones carved with sun, moon, and earth or star designs are placed in ascending order around the temple facade to represent the Latter-day Saint belief in a Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial Kingdom, or Three Degrees of Glory in the afterlife. The statue of the Angel Moroni, placed on most temples built after the Salt Lake Temple, was designed in 1891 by Cyrus Dallin. The statue design represents the Latter-day Saint belief that Moroni was the angel spoken of in Revelations 14.[2]
[edit] Temple ordinances
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints make covenants and perform special rituals and ordinances within temples. Some of these include:
- Baptism and Confirmation on behalf of the dead
- Priesthood Ordination on behalf of the dead
- Washing and anointing (or "Initiatory" ordinances)
- The Endowment
- Eternal marriage or Sealing, and time-only marriages[3]
These ordinances may be performed either on behalf of the participant or by "proxy" on behalf of the dead. Some of these ordinances are normally performed outside of temples for the living, but when performed on behalf of the dead they are performed exclusively in temples. This includes baptism, confirmation, and ordination to the priesthood. The ordinances of Washing and anointing, the Endowment and the ceremony of Eternal marriage are performed only within a temple.
Latter-day Saints perform these proxy ordinances because they believe deceased non-Mormons are in a condition commonly referred to as "spirit prison." They believe that Christ went to the righteous spirits and organized a great missionary force to teach the gospel to others of the dead who, in turn, may be baptized by proxy in a temple. It is believed that the dead may accept or reject the other ordinances done by proxy on their behalf prior to the Final judgment.
[edit] Requirements for entering LDS Church temples
An LDS Church manual called Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple explains that Latter-day Saints "do not discuss the temple ordinances outside the temples." Further, the manual states:
- "It was never intended that knowledge of these temple ceremonies would be limited to a select few who would be obliged to ensure that others never learn of them. It is quite the opposite, in fact. With great effort the church urges every soul to qualify and prepare for the temple experience."
However, to experience the temple firsthand, one needs to convert to the faith, and then (after a year's membership) obtain a temple recommend to enter. The recommend is obtained from and signed by the member's bishop after passing a one-on-one worthiness interview, in which one's commitment to the gospel is reviewed. The recommend is also signed by the member's stake president after a second one-on-one worthiness interview, and finally by the member themselves. By signing his or her own recommend, the member acknowledges their responsibility to ensure that they remain worthy to hold the recommend. Once issued a recommend remains valid for a period of two years.
A limited-use recommend can be obtained by those who just want to act as proxy in temple baptism and confirmation ceremonies. A member of the church must be twelve years of age (and hold the priesthood if male) and pass a worthiness interview with the member's bishop. Unlike the temple recommend, a limited-use recommend does not require a year's membership nor an interview with a stake president. A limited-use recommend is also not valid for participation in temple ceremonies beyond proxy baptism and confirmation.
To qualify for a temple recommend, one must faithfully affirm a series of questions examining what the church believes are the most important factors indicating one's spiritual worthiness. These questions seek to ensure that the interviewee has a basic belief in key church doctrines, and obeys the most significant church rules, such as the following:
- a belief in God the Father, Jesus as the Savior and redeemer of mankind, and the Holy Spirit;
- belief in the role of Jesus as the Savior;
- belief in the Restoration;
- support for the President of the Church and other general authorities and local church leaders;
- obedience to the "Law of Chastity" (strict celibacy outside of a marriage that is legally recognized by the local government, and that is both monogamous and heterosexual);
- refraining from the abuse of family members;
- no affiliation or agreement with polygamists or other people whom the church considers apostates;
- making a good faith effort to attend church meetings and obey other church rules;
- honesty in dealings with others;
- payment of tithing;
- following the church's interpretation of the Word of Wisdom;
- payment of child support (if applicable);
- keeping the solemn oaths one has previously made in the temple;
- wearing the temple garment "night and day"; and
- confession of all serious sins to Church leaders.
[edit] Controversy
[edit] Exclusive temple weddings
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No individual is allowed into an LDS temple without a temple recommend regardless of church membership - which necessarily excludes all non-Mormons from attending temple weddings. When a couple whose parent(s) do not possess a temple recommend chooses to marry in the temple, the parent may feel resentment.[4] Additionally, the practice of holding a traditional wedding ceremony for the benefit of the non-Mormon friends and family is contrary to established Church policy,[5][6] although ring ceremonies or receptions after the ceremony, held at local churches or other public venues, are common and often quite elaborate. Mormon wedding services (whether or not they take place in a temple) do not include the exchanging of rings, so Mormon couples will often have a small ring ceremony after the temple wedding where all friends and family are welcome. For those couples who prefer a non-temple marriage first, the couple is required to wait at least one year to be sealed.[7]
The church specifies that the sacred nature of the temple ceremony and a desire not to promote any confusion between it and a non-temple marriage[8] as reasoning for this policy. Critics claim that this is simply an intrusive and divisive way to put pressure on non-Mormons to convert.[9] The measure is not imposed upon Mormons in certain European countries where the law requires a civil ceremony in a designated public place outside the temple for a marriage to be legally valid; or in the case where a home country does not recognize a marriage performed within a temple located in another country.[10] (Note, however, that in such countries, a temple sealing must closely follow the civil ceremony, within the space of a few days at most, otherwise the one-year wait is again necessary.) When a marriage ceremony outside of the temple is required by local law, the church also instructs that this ceremony is to be performed before the temple ceremony, to reinforce the idea of the temple marriage being the "final" ceremony, not a preamble to the one required by secular law.
[edit] Other groups with temples
Although the most prolific builder of temples within the Latter Day Saint movement is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, several other denominations have built or attempted to build temples.
The Community of Christ (formerly The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) maintains two temples. Unlike those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, however, these temples are open to the public, and do not involve sacred ordinances, except at certain times for Communion and a daily prayer for peace. The oldest temple maintained by the church is in Kirtland, Ohio. This temple was the first temple built by Latter Day Saints. In its 1994 World Conference, the Community of Christ dedicated a temple in Independence, Missouri.
During the life of Joseph Smith, Jr., he dedicated a location in Independence, Missouri for the building of a special temple, which was to be the center of a New Jerusalem. The lot for this temple is owned and maintained by the Church of Christ (Temple Lot). Although the church planned to build a temple on the site in the early 20th century, and even excavated a foundation, efforts were abandoned during the economic woes of the Great Depression and due to a schism which resulted in the establishment of the Church of Christ with the Elijah Message. Today, the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) has no plans to construct a temple of its own. Instead, the church believes it is the steward of the location until the various sects of the Latter Day Saint movement re-unite into a single organization before the Second Coming of Jesus.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) began to construct a temple at their headquarters in Voree, Wisconsin in the mid-1840s. Another temple may have been planned for Beaver Island in Lake Michigan, prior to their expulsion. The church has made no attempt to build temples since the death of their prophet, James J. Strang.
The Apostolic United Brethren has had a temple in Ozumba, Mexico at least by the 1990s, as well as an Endowment house in Utah since sometime in the 1980s.
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) made news in 2004 by embarking on the construction of a temple at their new settlement near Eldorado, Texas. The foundation of the FLDS temple roughly matches that of the original Nauvoo Temple. This is the second time any of the polygamous Mormon fundamentalists sects have attempted to build a temple of their own.
The True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days reportedly believe that when the end time arrives, they will enter the Manti Utah Temple (owned by the LDS church) and assume control of it. At that time all of the wicked outside of the temple will be destroyed and only the righteous, inside the temple will survive.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Joseph Smith's Quorum of the Anointed, 1842-1846: A Documentary History
- ^ "The House of the Lord" - James Talmage
- ^ Time-only marriages are only performed in temples for women who are sealed to a deceased or divorced husband and the woman is re-marrying: see LDS Church (1998). Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1: Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics (Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church) p. 71.
- ^ Changing Mormon views on marriage
- ^ Church Handbook of Instructions, p.70, 1998, "No other marriage ceremony should be performed following a temple marriage"
- ^ Church Handbook of Instruction, p.73, 1998, "A husband and wife who were married outside a temple may be sealed after one full year... Only the First Presidency may grant exceptions to the preceding policies"
- ^ Issue 104 - Salt Lake City Messenger
- ^ Church Handbook of Instruction, pp.69-70
- ^ Changing Mormon views on marriage
- ^ Church Handbook of Instruction, p.71, 1998, "Some areas require..."
[edit] References
- David Burger, "The Mysteries of Godliness: A History of Mormon Temple Worship"; Signature Books; ISBN 1-56085-176-7; (paperback)
- Richard O. Cowan, Temples to Dot the Earth, January 1997, ISBN 1-55517-339-X
- Kimball, Edward L. (1998), “The History of LDS Temple Admission Standards”, Journal of Mormon History 24 (1): 135–176, <http://content.lib.utah.edu/u?/jmh,11342>.
- Laurie Smith Monesees, The Temple: Dedicated to Peace, Herald House: 1993.
- Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple, June 1980, ISBN 0-88494-411-5
- Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple, Intellectual Reserve.
- Elwin C. Robison, The First Mormon Temple: Design, Construction, and Historic Context of the Kirtland Temple, Provo, Utah: BYU Press, 1997. ISBN 0-8425-2333-2
- Speek, Vickie Cleverley. "God Has Made Us a Kingdom" James Strang and the Midwest Mormon. Signature Books.
- James E. Talmage, "The House of the Lord" Signature Books (reprint of the first edition) ISBN 1-56085-114-7; (hardback)
- "The Temple" British Broadcasting BBC, 2005-11-09. Article on Mormon temple worship from BBC Religion & Ethics website, last accessed 2006-09-19.
[edit] External links
- Official LDS Church site on Temples
- LDSChurchTemples.com
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Visitors site
- Topical bibliography + LDS Temple Preparation FAQ
- Inside a Mormon Temple - Rexburg Idaho (YouTube)
- AllAboutMormons.com
- Temple Geography Links
- History of Mormon Temples
- Mormon Temples
- Mormon Temples and Secrecy
- Many Temple photos and prints
- Joseph Smith, Jr. - The Kirtland Temple (Google video)
- Latter-Day Fortresses: The spooky charisma of Mormon temples - article at Slate online
