The Community of Christ has evolved much more than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but it seems that the folks in Salt Lake are very slowly taking some baby steps in the path set by the folks in Independence, Missouri.

NAME OF THE CHURCH: In 2001, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints changed their name to Community of Christ.
TSCC isn’t changing their name, but they’re trying very hard to change what everyone calls them. They are also changing their web site names to emphasize “Jesus Christ.”

THE BOOK OF MORMON: At the 2007 Community of Christ World Conference, church president Stephen M. Veazey ruled as out of order a resolution to "reaffirm the Book of Mormon as a divinely inspired record". In so doing he stated that "while the Church affirms the Book of Mormon as scripture, and makes it available for study and use in various languages, we do not attempt to mandate the degree of belief or use. This position is in keeping with our longstanding tradition that belief in the Book of Mormon is not to be used as a test of fellowship or membership in the church."
TSCC certainly isn’t moving away from the BoM, but there does seem to be some subtle change as far as the way it’s perceived. It seems like they are trying to have it seen as “spiritual” truth, rather than “historical” truth. (see https://wheatandtares.org/2017/09/20/book-of-mormon-can-be-true-without-being-historical/)

ORDINATION OF WOMEN: Community of Christ recognized the right of women to hold the priesthood in 1984, ordained their first female apostles in 1998, and had their first female First Presidency member in 2007.
TSCC now allows a slightly larger role for women (e.g. giving prayers in SM and GC), and each successive change to the temple endowment makes it a little less misogynistic.

LGBT: On April 21, 2013, the National Conference of the Community of Christ (formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) recommended to the First Presidency that the Church in the U.S. extend marriage to gays couples where same-sex marriage is legal. For states which do not have marriage equality, the Conference recommends implementing covenant commitment ceremonies. The same conference recommended allowing priesthood ordinations regardless of sexual orientation so long as the person is either married or in a monogamous, committed, same-sex relationship.
TSCC has occasionally offered lip service to anti-discrimination and anti-bullying measures.

So, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has taken a couple of baby steps on a path that the Community of Christ has been sprinting down for years.

One cautionary note for the leaders in SLC: as I understand it, when the Community of Christ made some of their changes, many of the more zealous, more traditional members left, and the overall membership declined. The LDS church seems to be trying to find their way between a rock and a hard place. Modernize to keep from losing younger members, or stay the same to keep the older tithe-paying members.

CoC is a more loving and tolerant church for sure. It changed its name when it did from the RLDS to CoC to distance itself from the LDS religion.

It considers the BoM to be an "inspired" work, moreso than a replacement theology to the bible. *Yet* it also uses Joseph Smith's translated bible version in place of the KJV bible in its scripture readings.

Many of the more conservative RLDS did leave when the RLDS made possibe for women to receive the priesthood and become pastors in their church. Add that the LGBT community has been welcome there for decades. And yet it is a stagnating population in decline as well.

Whereas the Mormon church is so repressive and regressive I doubt it will ever become as progressive as the CoC at least in our lifetime. It would take a real epiphany for that to happen !

The attempt to disassociate from the word "Mormon" may have several advantages to the church. First, I believe it is an attempt to prevent members from encountering the massive amount of anti information on line associated with the word "Mormon". And secondly, to advance the idea to the public that the church is a Christ centered church rather than a "cult" which I think the word Mormon suggests.

I watched a video of Richard Bushman talking to a small group gathered at someones home and found his comments most interesting regarding the Community of Christ.

Bushman: "The Community of Christ is a very interesting example because they have gone the way of the liberal line, taking all the miraculous stuff out of it, let the Book of Mormon fade into insignificance, emphasize piece, love and - they haven't flourished. They are just fixed. They haven't grown 20% in the last half century or so. And we all know it's the religions that demand belief of some kind that move forward. So do we really - I mean their language is beautiful. When I hear their preachers, I say, yes, that's the gospel I love - but on the other hand it isn't the gospel that has energy or strength so I am not sure. We've got to find another path".

I have heard other second tier church leaders say similar things. They are struggling with expediency vs being more truthful. The mission of the church is to grow it's membership, increase it's influence in the world and protect and grow it's investments. Being truthful takes a back seat.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2019 05:45PM by felix.

The BDSM crowd is the one with the money.

I can attend hundreds of dying liberal Protestant churches if I want what the Community of Christ is peddling. Why would I want the CoC? They are still stuck with Joseph Smith.

The local Community of Christ congregation here has a beautiful building and room for about 50 people to worship. They are lucky to average 15. They have a serious problem: older attendees and no young people.

They are big proponents of social justice. Occasionally there is a reading from D&C but I'm yet to hear (on my twice a year obligation to attend) any mention of Joseph Smith.

OK, while you all only guess what Community of Christ is doing and believing, I actually attend weekly.

While Community of Christ are concerned by numbers, its not enough to prostitute their beliefs. They do believe that God directed them this way and that the millennial world will reflect what they are doing. Its been hard for traditionalists whom stayed (I include myself), but they do think God directed them this way.

Are Mormons, Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, and every other faith SURE they're wrong?