"For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light..."

LDS Church History

joseph smith

Founding/New York Period
1820 - 1831

Ohio, Missouri, and Nauvoo Periods
1831 - 1844

Exodus and Early Utah Period
1844 - 1877

Late Pioneer Utah
Period
1878 - 1898

Transitions/Early 20th Century Period
1898 - 1945

Worldwide Church Period
1945 - 2013

Historical Sites
Tour the sites of historical importance to Latter-day Saints from mormon history and Christianity in general.
Key People in Church History
Biographies of some of the more eminent people in Church history.

Articles on Church History

 

History of the Church Worldwide

Meaning, Source, and History of Doctrine
Scripturally, then, the term "doctrine" means the core message of Jesus Christ—that Jesus is the Messiah, the Redeemer. All other teachings are subordinate to those by which all people "know how to come unto Christ and be saved"—that is, to the "points of doctrine," such as faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Economic History of the Church
From their beginnings Latter-day Saints have regarded economic welfare as an indispensable part of religion.

Intellectual History
The Church encourages its members to be learned in gospel principles and in every edifying branch of knowledge that supports a life of Christian service. Latter-day Saints value intellectual activity because it can develop and enrich life and faith, beautify the earth and ameliorate mankind's temporal suffering, and further the growth of the kingdom of God on earth.

Legal and Judicial History
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has usually relied upon the law for protection and has honored its judgments in principle and practice. The one significant exception was its resistance to antipolygamy laws before plural marriage was discontinued in 1890.

Political History
A brief overview of LDS political history in the United States.

Social and Cultural History
As a people, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have over time taken on distinctive qualities as their beliefs and historical experience have given shape and force to their society.

Significance of History of Latter-day Saints
History plays a vital role in LDS thought, where it joins with theology and practical religion to answer many of life's questions and to make daily life meaningful, intelligible, and worthwhile.

Black Mormons
Overview of black membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including priesthood authority in 1978.

Plural Marriage
Latter-day Saints can presently be married to only one woman at a time. However, during the nineteenth-century, LDS men were allowed to marry more than one wife under certain conditions.

Building Program
Throughout its history the Church has faced the challenge of providing adequate buildings to serve its growing membership for worship and for cultural, educational, and recreational activities.

Humor
Although LDS doctrines, practices, and experiences have in some circles evoked a measure of scoffing and laughter over the years, only since the 1970s has a body of published humor dealing with the Mormon experience appeared. Institutionalized LDS humor divides roughly into an early period when the Church was the object of outsiders' jokes and a modern period when members have become able to laugh at themselves

 

 

[canada | europe | hawaii | mexico | middle east | south america | australia | africa | asia ]

Membership Distribution
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has congregations spread throughout the world.

The Church in the British Isles
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to the British Isles when seven LDS missionaries landed at Liverpool, England, on July 19, 1837

Gathering and Colonization
A series of articles about the gathering of Israel and past colonization efforts.

Community
For Latter-day Saints, community is an essential and eternal part of life in this world and in the world to come. From the time the Church was established (1830), its teachings have placed emphasis on principles of unity, cooperation, mutual assistance, and beautification of one's surroundings. The community of believers envisioned by the Prophet Joseph Smith continues today, based essentially on the principles he established.

 

Related Church History Sites:

History.LDS.org

Joseph Smith Papers

BYU Studies