Exaltation (Mormonism) Members of the LDS Church believe that human beings can grow and progress spiritually until, through the mercy and grace of Christ, they can inherit and possess all that the Father has—they can become gods.[5][6] As the primary source for this doctrine, Mormons look largely to the teachings of their modern (or what they refer to as "latter-day") prophets.[7][8] When discussing the Mormons' belief in eternal progression, various Mormon and non-LDS scholars[5] generally refer to a couplet written by Lorenzo Snow, the fifth president of the LDS Church, which states as follows: As man now is, God once was; As God now is, man may be.[5][9] Because of this alleged misunderstanding, several LDS scholars (and occasionally LDS authorities and theologians) have sought to clarify the beliefs of Mormonism regarding the subject of exaltation.
Latter-day Saints do not believe that human beings will ever be independent of God, or that they will ever cease to be subordinate to God. St. Mormonism and polygamy. Polygamy (called plural marriage by Mormons in the 19th century or the Principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy) was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for more than half of the 19th century,[1] and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890 by a minority of Latter-day Saint families (between 20 percent and 30 percent).[2][3] For over 40 years, the LDS Church and the United States were at odds over the issue: the church defended the practice as a matter of religious freedom, while the federal government aggressively sought to eradicate it, consistent with prevailing public opinion.
Polygamy was probably a significant factor in the Utah War of 1857 and 1858, given the Republican attempts to paint Democratic President James Buchanan as weak in his opposition to both polygamy and slavery. Origin[edit] At the time, the practice was kept secret from non-members and most church members. However, John C. Joseph Smith[edit] Celestial marriage. Celestial marriage (also called the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage, Eternal Marriage, Temple Marriage or The Principle) is a doctrine of Mormonism, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and branches of Mormon fundamentalism.
In particular, one is expected to promise to be obedient to all the Lord's commandments including living a clean chaste life, abstaining oneself from any impure thing, willing to sacrifice and consecrate all that one has for the Lord. In the marriage ceremony a man and a woman make covenants to God and to each other and are said to be sealed as husband and wife for time and all eternity. Mormonism distinguishes itself on this point, citing Matthew 16:19 and Matthew 18:18, from some other religious traditions by emphasizing that marriage relationships and covenants made in this life in the Temple will continue to be valid in the next life if they abide by these covenants. [not verified in body] Sealing[edit] Swedenborg[edit] God in Mormonism. In the Mormon theology adhered to by most of Mormon communities (including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), "God" means Elohim (the Father),[citation needed] whereas "Godhead" means a council of three distinct divine beings; Elohim, Jehovah (the Son, or Jesus), and the Holy Spirit.
The Father and Son have perfected, glorified, physical bodies, while the Holy Spirit is a spirit and does not have a physical body. This conception differs from the traditional Christian Trinity; within Mormonism, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are not said to be one in substance or essence; instead, they remain three separate beings, or personages, completely united in will and purpose as one God. This description of God represents the orthodoxy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), established early in the 19th century. However, the Mormon concept of God has expanded since the faith's founding in the late 1820s. Early Latter Day Saint concepts[edit]