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Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)

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In Mormonism, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Quorum of the Twelve, the Council of the Twelve, or the Twelve) is one of the governing bodies of church hierarchy in many Latter Day Saint denominations. Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are considered apostles, with a special calling to be evangelical ambassadors and witnesses to Jesus Christ.

The Quorum was organized in 1835 and designated as a body of "traveling councilors" with jurisdiction outside areas where the church was formally organized, equal in authority to the First Presidency as well as to the Seventy, the standing Presiding High Council, and the High Councils of the various Stakes (Doctrine & Covenants 107:25-27, 36-37). The jurisdiction of the Twelve was originally limited to areas of the world outside of Zion or its Stakes. After the Apostles returned from England, Joseph Smith altered the responsibilities of the Quorum. They were given charge of the affairs of the church, under direction of the First Presidency.

After the assassination of Joseph Smith, Jr. on June 27, 1844, permanent schisms formed in the Latter Day Saint movement. The largest body, under the leadership of Brigham Young, retained the name of the church as it was at the time, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and moved westward to Utah. Other groups scattered across the country, with the largest remaining in the midwest.

Members of the Original Quorum, Prior to 1844

This is a list of members of the quorum prior to the succession crisis of 1844. Ten of the eighteen followed Brigham Young to Utah and remained part of the Quorum in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (indicated below as "LDS after 1844") Thomas B. Marsh and Luke S. Johnson later rejoined the saints in Utah, but did not resume their former places in the Quorum. Three of these apostles went on to be apostles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite). One, John E. Page, went on to be an apostle in the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) or "Hedrickite" church. Another, William Smith, later asserted his claim to head his own "Williamite" church organization before ultimately joining what is now the Community of Christ (where he did not resume his place in the Quorum). Lyman Wight, likewise, organized his own branch of the church. William E. McLellin joined with multiple post-1844 church organizations in succession, each of which recognized his apostleship.

The list includes the dates when each apostle was ordained. In some cases, the date of the calling is used when the actual date of ordination is unclear.

Quorum in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles claims a leadership role second only to that of the First Presidency. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was Brigham Young. Assuming control of the church, Young emphasized Joseph Smith's authorization that the Quorum of the Twelve should be the church's central governing body under the First Presidency. To date, there has never been a conflict between the Presidency, the Seventy, and the Quorum of the Twelve. Each has their separate responsibilities, and church policy decisions are made unanimously with consultation among the organizations. The Savior emphasized that the church should be unified in all things, and a great deal of effort is made to ensure that the organizations are united in purpose and policy.

Each member of the Quorum is sustained as an Apostle, as well as a "Prophet, Seer, and Revelator." Thus, each Apostle is considered to hold the rights ("keys of the Priesthood") to use all powers granted by God to the Church. Individually and collectively, the Twelve hold the keys and have confirmed the authority to exercise all of the keys upon the president of the Church, the one man who is to preside over the Church. Thus, as outlined in the Doctrine and Covenants, only the President of the Church is entitled to receive revelation or dictate policy for the entire Church.

A major role of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is to appoint a successor when the president of the Church passes away. When the prophet passes away, the apostles meet in a room of the Salt Lake temple to appoint as successor. Invariably this has been the most senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with seniority determined by the longest duration of service. The Apostles lay their hands on his head and ordain him and set him apart as president of the Church. The president then chooses two counselors, who are high priests (usually Apostles). The second most senior member of the quorum becomes the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In cases when he is simultaneously called to be a counselor in the First Presidency, an acting president of the quorum is called in his stead to temporarily fill the position. This has invariably been the most senior member of the quorum who is not a member of the First Presidency.

As vacancies arise within the Quorum, the Twelve and First Presidency meet to pray and come to a unanimous decision as to whom will be called to fill the vacancy. The chosen man is generally ordained an Apostle by the President of the Church, Counselor in the First Presidency or President of the Twelve. Depending on circumstances, this may occur before or after a sustaining vote is held at a General Conference of the Church, which is traditionally the occasion for the new Apostle to be publicly announced and sustained by Church members. Any faithful Melchizedek priesthood holder is eligible to be called as an apostle. Generally, new apostles have considerable experience in church government and have served faithfully in positions as bishops, stake presidents, or seventies.

As a matter of policy, apostles are asked to retire from their professional careers and devote themselves to full-time church service. Even members of boards and professional organizations are asked to resign those positions. The calling of an apostle is typically a lifetime calling.

Current members

Presently, the members of the quorum are as follows:

Note that the current First Presidency has three apostles as its members. While they are not part of the Quorum of the Twelve, they still maintain their seniority.

1844 to present

Main article: List of Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (Latter-day Saint)

This is a list of the members of the Quorum in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ordained after 1844, listed with the date of their ordinations. In some cases, the date of the calling is used instead as the actual date of ordination is unclear.

Council of Twelve Apostles in the Community of Christ

In the Community of Christ, the second largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement, this body is named the "Council of Twelve Apostles." As in the early Latter Day Saint church (prior to the Apostles' change in responsibilities and the ensuing succession crisis), the Council is responsible primarily for the church's missionary work. Each of the apostles is called to serve as a "special missionary witness" for the gospel, and each oversees one the church's Mission Fields. Also in keeping with the practices of the early church, the Community of Christ's apostles are a separate body from its First Presidency; it is the second of three Presidencies of the Church (the third being the Quorums of Seventy).

The Community of Christ has ordained women to the priesthood since 1985, and the church maintains that it has always ordained persons of African heritage. Presently, the Council contains four female apostles and one native African.

Current members

The current members of the Council and the Mission Fields and other assignments they oversee, are as follows:

  • James E. Slauter — President, Council of Twelve (2005-Present), Director of Field Ministries, Young Adult and Campus Ministries (1996)
  • Linda L. Booth — Secretary, Council of Twelve, Southern USA Mission Field; Church Planting Ministries, Contemporary Christian Ministries (1998)
  • David R. Brock — Pacific Mission Field; Hispanic American Ministries; Native American Ministries (1992)
  • Bunda C. Chibwe — Africa Mission Field (2000)
  • Stassi D. Cramm — Michigan USA Mission Field, African-American Ministries, Director of Mission Support Ministries (2005)
  • Mary Jacks Dynes — Canada/North Central (USA) Mission Field; (2002)
  • Ronald D. Harmon Jr. — East Central USA Mission Field, Director of Leadership Development Ministries, Spectacular and IYF, Urban Ministries (2005)
  • John P. Kirkpatrick — Asia Mission Field, Director of WorldService Corps (1988)
  • Dale E. Luffman — Central USA Mission Field, Singles Ministries; Theological Education Ministries (1994)
  • Rick W. Maupin — Latin American/Caribbean Mission Field (2005)
  • Susan D. Skoor — Western USA Mission Field (2005)
  • Leonard M. Young — North Atlantic (Europe/USA) Mission Field (2000)

1844 to present

This is a list of the members of the Council in the Community of Christ ordained after 1844. The dates are the years they served as a member of the Council of Twelve.

  • Jason W. Briggs (1853–1886)
  • Zenas H. Gurley, Sr. (1853–1871)
  • Henry Harrison Deam (1853–1854)
  • Reuben Newkirk (1853–1873)
  • John Cunningham (1853–1855)
  • George White (1853–1863)
  • Daniel B. Rasey (1853–1873)
  • Samuel Powers (1855–1873)
  • David Newkirk (1855–1865)
  • William W. Blair (1858–1873)
  • John Shippy (1860–1868)
  • James Blakeslee (1860–1866)
  • Edmund C. Briggs (1860–1902)
  • Josiah Ells (1865–1885)
  • Charles Derry (1865–1870)
  • William H. Kelley (1873–1913)
  • Thomas Wood Smith (1873–1894)
  • James Caffall (1873–1902)
  • John H. Lake (1873–1902)
  • Alexander Hale Smith (1873–1897)
  • Zenas H. Gurley, Jr. (1873–1886)
  • Joseph R. Lambert (1873–1902)
  • James W. Gillen (1887–1900)
  • Heman C. Smith (1888–1909)
  • Joseph Luff (1887–1909)
  • Gomer T. Griffiths (1887–1922)
  • Isaac N. White (1897–1913)
  • John W. Wight (1897–1913)
  • Richard C. Evans (1897–1902)
  • Peter Andersen (1901–1920)
  • Frederick A. Smith (1902–1913)
  • Francis Sheehy (1902–1920)
  • Ulysses W. Greene (1902–1922)
  • Cornelius A. Butterworth (1902–1922)
  • John W. Rushton (1902–1947)
  • James F. Curtis (1909–1938)
  • Robert C. Russell (1909–1922)
  • James E. Kelley (1913–1917)
  • William Murray Aylor (1913–1922)
  • Paul M. Hanson (1913–1958)
  • James A. Gillen (1913–1934)
  • Thomas W. Williams (1920–1925)
  • Myron A. McConley (1920–1948)
  • Clyde F. Ellis (1922–1945)
  • John F. Garver (1922–1946)
  • Daniel T. Williams (1922–1958)
  • F. Henry Edwards (1922–1946)
  • Edmund J. Gleazer (1922–1958)
  • Roy S. Budd (1922–1936)
  • George G. Lewis (1932–1948)
  • George C. Mesley (1938–1954)
  • Arthur Alma Oakman (1938–1964)
  • Charles R. Hield (1938–1964)
  • Blair D. Jensen (1946–1966)
  • Roscoe E. Davey (1947–1964)
  • Maurice L. Draper (1947–1958)
  • W. Wallace Smith (1947–1950)
  • Percy E. Farrow (1948–1966)
  • Reed M. Holmes (1948–1974)
  • Donald O. Chesworth (1950–1972)
  • Donald Victor Lents (1954–1980)
  • Charles D. Neff (1958–1984)
  • Clifford A. Cole (1958–1980)
  • Cecil R. Ettinger (1960–1974)
  • Duane E. Couey (1960–1966)
  • Russell F. Ralston (1964–1976)
  • William E. Timms (1964–1978)
  • Earl T. Higdon (1966–1974)
  • Alan D. Tyree (1966–1982)
  • Aleah G. Koury (1966–1980)
  • Howard S. Sheehy. Jr. (1968–1978)
  • John C. Stuart (1972–1982)
  • William T. Higdon (1974–2005)
  • Lloyd B. Hurshman (1974–1988)
  • Paul W. Booth (1974–1992)
  • Eugene C. Austin (1976–1994)
  • Roy H. Schaefer (1978–1988)
  • Phillip M. Caswell (1978–2000)
  • Kisuke Sekine (1980–1994)
  • Everett S. Graffeo (1980–1994)
  • Kenneth N. Robinson (1980–1996)
  • Joe A. Serig (1982–2005)
  • James C. Cable (1982–1996)
  • Geoffrey F. Spencer (1984–1994)
  • A. Alex Kahtava (1988–2002)
  • John P. Kirkpatrick (1988–present)
  • David R. Brock (1992–present)
  • Stephen M. Veazey (1992–2005)
  • Lawrence W. Tyree (1992–2002)
  • Danny E. Belrose (1994–2000)
  • Dale E. Luffman (1994–present)
  • Kenneth L. McLaughlin (1994–2005)
  • Peter A. Judd (1996–2000)
  • James E. Slauter (1996–present)
  • Gail E. Mengel (1998–2005)
  • Linda L. Booth (1998–present)
  • Leonard M. Young (2000–present)
  • Bunda C. Chibwe (2000–present)
  • Mary Jacks Dynes (2002–present)
  • David D. Schaal (2002–2005)
  • Ronald D. Harmon, Jr. (2005–present)
  • Rick W. Maupin (2005–present)
  • Susan D. Skoor (2005–present)

Councils/Quorums of Twelve Apostles in other Latter Day Saint denomintions

In addition to the largest two, many smaller Latter Day Saint denominations also have Councils or Quorums of Twelve Apostles.

Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)

The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) is often cited as the third largest denomination that resulted from the 1844 succession crisis. In this church, the "Quorum of Twelve Apostles" are the chief governing officers. However, the president of the church and his two counselors are not separated from the quorum, as the total number of apostles in the quorum never exceeds twelve. Currently, the church president is Paul Palmieri (ordained, 1986), the first counselor is Thomas M. Liberto (1995) and the second counselor is Peter Scolaro (1997). In addition to the presidency of the church there is also a president and vice president of the quorum of twelve apostles. The current president of the quorum is Joseph Calabrese (1989) and the vice president is Isaac Smith (1997). Other members of the quorum are Paul J. Benyola (1989), John R. Griffith (2003), Richard Christman (2003), Paul Liberto (2005) and Philip Jackson (2005). Apostles in this church are strictly volunteers and are not given any compensation for their ministry. There are currently two vacancies in the quorum due to the recent passing of two apostles: Dominic Thomas (1964 - former president of the church) and Joseph Lovalvo (1939 - former president of the quorum of twelve).

Church of Christ (Temple Lot)

The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) has a Council of Twelve Apostles who serve as the head of the church. This church has no First Presidency, because it feels that such presidencies are doctrinally inconsistent with the practice of the early Christian church described in the New Testament.

Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has an Apostolic Quorum that is, as yet, incomplete by design. As the Remnant church seeks to "renew" the branch of the Latter Day Saint movement resulting from the 1860 Reorganization, it is attempting to follow the exact pattern of that prior reorganization. As such, there are presently five vacancies in the Quorum — as was the case in the Council of Twelve of what is now the Community of Christ in the early 1860s. The First Presidency of the Remnant church is not drawn from the Apostles. Instead, the prophet/president of the church is chosen by lineal descent from the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr. The current members of the Quorum are: Casper Kaat, Gary Argotsinger, Jim Rogers, Lee Killpack, Bob Ostrander, Steve Church, and Leland Collins.

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