RLDS NAMES NON-SMITH SUCCESSOR

The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints broke a 135-year practice in April by naming a prophet-president who is not a descendant of Joseph Smith Jr. At the April conference, W. Grant McMurray was selected to lead the church.

The transition for prophet-president McMurray was eased by resigning leader Wallace B. Smith, who had expressed his preference for McMurray several months before. On April 15, McMurray was voted nearly unanimously into the RLDS church’s top office.

Smith will stay on as president emeritus after spending 18 years as the church’s leader. Under his administration, the church began ordaining women, built its second temple (located next to its headquarters in Independence, Mo.), and expanded membership into 36 countries, claiming 245,000 members.

RLDS conferees also discussed a possible change in the church’s name and debated the issue of homosexuality.

No consensus was reached on the name change. Some delegates strongly endorsed fuller participation of homosexuals within their congregations stating that the church’s position on homosexuality is “just out-of-date [and] old-fashioned.” Others actively opposed it, suggesting that “the next step could result in sanctioning acts such as bestiality and pedophilia.” A task force had been formed last fall at the request of the First Presidency to look into the homosexual issue. However, this task force does not have a time frame, nor is it obligated to report to the World Conference.

—AMG

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