Latter-day Saints

The Latter-day Saint Faith

The Latter-day Saint faith is the faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized in New York in 1830 by Joseph Smith. Its members hold that Jesus Christ's church was restored through Smith, and they read the Book of Mormon as scripture beside the Bible. The church reported 17,887,212 members of record at the end of 2025.

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What do Latter-day Saints believe?

Latter-day Saints believe in God the Father, his Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, who together make up the Godhead.1 The church teaches that these are three separate beings who are one in purpose, and that the Father and the Son have bodies of flesh and bones while the Holy Ghost is a spirit.1 Members pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. The church says they acknowledge the Father as the ultimate object of their worship1 and the Son as Lord and Redeemer1.1

The church teaches that God's plan of salvation carries every person through a life before birth, mortal life, death, the spirit world, and resurrection.2 It teaches that Jesus Christ's Atonement and Resurrection make immortality and eternal life possible, and that he leads the church today through living prophets and apostles.23 The Beliefs page answers the same six questions the site asks of every faith.

How did the Latter-day Saint faith begin?

The faith began in western New York in the 1820s, and the church was organized in New York in 1830.4 The church's account of the faith's beginning and historians' accounts differ.5 Smith wrote or dictated four accounts of the First Vision, the earliest in 1832. The church's essay says they tell a consistent story that differs in emphasis and detail, and scholars read the differences in different ways.67

The tradition's account

The church teaches, on Joseph Smith's accounts, that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in a grove near his home in the spring of 1820.64 In 1823, it teaches, an angel named Moroni told him of a record written on gold plates and buried in a nearby hill.8 Smith said he received the plates in 1827. The church's essay on the translation says he repeated that it was done by the gift and power of God8. It names Oliver Cowdery as chief scribe for most of the text.8 The church was organized on April 6, 1830.4

Scholars' views

Klaus Hansen, in an encyclopedia entry with no date on the page, places the beginnings in western New York in the 1820s. He writes that Smith's family moved there in 1816, to a region that came to be known for its intense religious revivals.5 He writes that modern scholars have rejected the charge that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized and concluded that Smith was its author.5 Terryl Givens, a Latter-day Saint scholar, said in a 2006 interview that literary patterns such as chiasmus, a reversal of terms across parallel phrases, seem to point to an ancient origin.910 He added that some problems remain unresolved.9

In the church's account, Brigham Young proposed after Smith's death in 1844 that the Twelve Apostles lead the church, and in 1847 he guided an advance company to the Salt Lake Valley.11 The History page tells both accounts in full, and the Branches page tells how other churches formed.

What are the Latter-day Saint scriptures?

The standard works are four volumes: the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.12 The church describes the Book of Mormon as a record of God's dealings with ancient inhabitants of the Americas.13 It teaches that the book is a second witness of Jesus Christ beside the Bible.3 The church holds that God also continues to reveal his word through living prophets.14 The Sacred Texts page covers how the canon grew.

How do Latter-day Saints worship?

As the church described it in 2007 and 2009, Latter-day Saints attend church on Sunday in meetinghouses. The main room, the chapel, is used for worship, and services are open to all. They sing hymns, hear talks from members, and take the sacrament, which is similar to communion.151617 The church has no paid professional clergy: unsalaried members lead its congregations.1618

The church describes temples as houses of the Lord, where members make covenants, are sealed in marriage for eternity, and are baptized on behalf of people who have died. It sets temple worship aside for members who observe the faith's basic principles. Members receive a temple recommend, which allows entry, after interviews with local leaders.1916 Members hold Easter services and observe Christmas, and the church holds a general conference twice a year, in April and October.202122 The Practices page covers the church year.

What does the church ask to be called?

The church asks to be called by its full name, which it teaches was given by revelation to Joseph Smith in 1838, and its members to be called Latter-day Saints.23 It asks that nicknames and abbreviations not stand in for its name.23 The church's president announced this emphasis in August 2018.24 Pew notes that for years the church used the nickname too.25 In October 2018 the church renamed the Mormon Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.26

What other churches trace their origins to Joseph Smith?

Other churches also trace their origins to Joseph Smith. Pew notes smaller churches with historic connections to Smith, such as Community of Christ.25 Community of Christ calls Smith its founder and reports 250,000 members in more than 60 nations on its undated website.2728 The Branches page describes the other churches and how they divided.

How many Latter-day Saints are there?

The Latter-day Saint church reported 17,887,212 members at the end of 2025, up from 14,131,467 at the end of 2010.2930 These are membership records. The church explained in 2007 and 2008 that it creates a record when a person is baptized, and also for a child with the parents' consent. It said it does not remove names because of inactivity. Current practice may differ.3132 In Pew Research Center's 2023 to 2024 Religious Landscape Study, 2 percent of US adults identified as Latter-day Saints.33

Pew counts everyone who identifies as Christian, and its 2011 report on Christianity named Latter-day Saints among the smaller Christian groups it counts.3435 That is a counting rule; the section below gives both answers on whether the faith is Christian. The Today page explains why records and surveys differ.

Is the Latter-day Saint faith Christian?

Some churches and the Latter-day Saint church answer this question differently.

The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in America, which hold to the Nicene Creed, and the United Methodist Church hold that Christian faith centers on one God in three persons, and they regard Latter-day Saint teaching about God as outside that faith.363738394041 As the Associated Press reported, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Southern Baptist Convention have issued similar assessments.41 In 2001 the Catholic Church ruled Latter-day Saint baptism invalid, mainly on two grounds, as Luis Ladaria explained: its teaching about God, and its understanding of Christ, who instituted baptism.39 The Orthodox Church in America's 2023 clergy guidelines say converts from the Latter-day Saint faith must be baptized.40 In 2000, as the Associated Press reported, the United Methodist Church said that the Latter-day Saint church by self-definition, does not fit within the bounds of the historic, apostolic tradition of the Christian faith.41

Latter-day Saints hold that they are Christians. Their church teaches that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world, who made an atoning sacrifice and rose from the dead.4213 Members worship God the Father in the name of Jesus.43 They speak of the Godhead: God the Father, his Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. The church teaches that the Father is an embodied being, a truth it holds was lost when early theology merged with Greek philosophy and restored through Joseph Smith. So it does not accept the creeds written after the New Testament.43 As the Associated Press reported in 2000, the church baptizes all new members, whatever their previous faith, and it teaches that baptism requires priesthood authority.4144

The Christianity guide, the comparison page, and the series page go further.

Common questions

What do Latter-day Saints believe?

Latter-day Saints believe in God the Father, his Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, three separate beings who are one in purpose. The Latter-day Saint church teaches that every person lived before birth, that Jesus Christ's Atonement and Resurrection make eternal life possible, and that he leads the church today through living prophets and apostles. The Beliefs page answers the same six questions the site asks of every faith, including what happens after death.

When and where did the Latter-day Saint faith begin?

The Latter-day Saint church teaches that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in western New York in the spring of 1820, and the church was organized on April 6, 1830. Klaus Hansen, in an encyclopedia entry with no date on the page, places the beginnings in western New York in the 1820s, a region of intense religious revivals. Scholars differ on how to read the Book of Mormon's origin. The History page gives both accounts.

What is the Book of Mormon?

The Book of Mormon is a volume of scripture that the Latter-day Saint church describes as a record of God's dealings with ancient inhabitants of the Americas. Latter-day Saints hold that Joseph Smith translated it from gold plates through God's gift and power, and they read it beside the Bible as a second witness of Jesus Christ. Scholars differ on its origin. The Sacred Texts page gives their views.

Is the Latter-day Saint faith Christian?

Churches answer differently. The Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church in America, and the United Methodist Church hold that Christian faith centers on one God in three persons. They regard Latter-day Saint teaching about God as outside that faith, and none accepts its baptism. Latter-day Saints hold that they are Christians. They worship God the Father in the name of Jesus, whom they teach is the Son of God and Redeemer. They hold that their church restores Jesus's church.

Are Latter-day Saints the same as Mormons?

Mostly yes. Others have long called members Mormons, and the church used the name too, as in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, renamed in 2018. Pew notes that a few people who call themselves Mormon may belong to other churches that trace their origins to Joseph Smith. The church says it is not affiliated with polygamous groups. Since 2018 it has asked that "Mormon" and "LDS" not stand in for its name or its members, and it prefers "Latter-day Saints."

How many Latter-day Saints are there?

The Latter-day Saint church reported 17,887,212 members of record at the end of 2025, up from 14,131,467 at the end of 2010. As the church explained in 2007, it creates a record at baptism, and for a child with the parents' consent, and does not remove names because of inactivity. In Pew Research Center's 2023 to 2024 Religious Landscape Study, 2 percent of US adults identified as Latter-day Saints. The Today page explains why records and surveys differ.

What is the difference between a meetinghouse and a temple?

A meetinghouse is the church building where a congregation meets, and its main room, the chapel, is used for Sunday worship open to all. A temple is set aside for members who keep the faith's basic principles and hold a temple recommend, and the Latter-day Saint church teaches that members make covenants there and are sealed in marriage for eternity. The public may tour a new temple before it is dedicated. The Practices page covers worship.

Are there other churches that come from Joseph Smith's movement?

Yes. Community of Christ calls Joseph Smith the founder of its movement and reports 250,000 members in more than 60 nations on its website. Pew notes other smaller churches with historic connections to Smith. This guide covers the Latter-day Saint church. The Branches page describes the other churches and how they divided.

Sources

  1. Godhead, Topics and Questions. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2023. Accessed 2026-11-04.
  2. Preach My Gospel (2023), Chapter 3, Lesson 2: Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2023, sections: premortal life, mortality, the spirit world, the Resurrection. Accessed 2026-11-03.
  3. Preach My Gospel (2023), Chapter 3, Lesson 1: The Message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2023, sections: The Book of Mormon; Living prophets and apostles today. Accessed 2026-11-03.
  4. The Church in the United States of America, Facts and Statistics. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Newsroom, 2025. Accessed 2026-11-03.
  5. Klaus J. Hansen. Mormonism, Origins of. Encyclopedia of the New American Nation (Gale), via Encyclopedia.com, sections: Mormonism, Origins of; Authorship and Sources of the Book of Mormon. Accessed 2026-11-03.
  6. First Vision Accounts, Gospel Topics Essays. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2016. Accessed 2026-11-03.
  7. Steven C. Harper. Suspicion or Trust: Reading the Accounts of Joseph Smith's First Vision. In No Weapon Shall Prosper: New Light on Sensitive Issues, ed. Robert L. Millet (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2011), 63-75, 2011, 63-75. Accessed 2026-11-03.
  8. Book of Mormon Translation, Gospel Topics Essays. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2016. Accessed 2026-11-03.
  9. Terryl Givens. Interview: Terryl Givens, The Mormons. PBS, American Experience, 2007, section on historical challenges to the Book of Mormon. Accessed 2026-11-03.
  10. chiasmus, dictionary entry. Dictionary.com (American entry from Random House; British entry from Collins English Dictionary). Accessed 2026-11-04.
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  12. Standard Works, Topics and Questions. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2023. Accessed 2026-11-03.
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  15. What You Will Find When You Step Inside a Latter-day Saint Chapel. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Newsroom, 2009. Accessed 2026-11-04.
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  21. Christmas, Topics and Questions. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2023. Accessed 2026-11-03.
  22. Latter-day Saints Gather Twice a Year for General Conference. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Newsroom. Accessed 2026-11-03.
  23. Style Guide, The Name of the Church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Newsroom. Accessed 2026-11-03.
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  28. About Us, Community of Christ. Community of Christ. Accessed 2026-11-03.
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  32. Official Numbers Attract Media Interest. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Newsroom, 2008. Accessed 2026-11-03.
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  40. Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America. Guidelines for Clergy (2023), section on the reception of converts. Orthodox Church in America, 2023, printed p. 16, item 4 under "The Reception of Converts". Accessed 2026-11-04.
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