| Restoration Branches Movement | |
| Imagewidth: | 250px |
| Main Classification: | Latter Day Saint movement |
| Orientation: | Latter Day Saints |
| Theology: | Trinitarianism |
| Polity: | Local congregations are self-governing |
| Founder: | Various local leaders from the RLDS Church |
| Founded Date: | 1984 |
| Founded Place: | Independence, Missouri |
| Separated From: | Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (1984) |
| Leader Title: | Leaders |
| Leader Name: | Various Restoration leaders |
| Separations: | Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (2000) |
| Area: | United States |
| Members: | c. 10,000 as of 2011 |
Restoration Branches movement is a Christian/Latter Day Saint religious sect which was formed in the 1980s by members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS, now the Community of Christ) in a reaction against the events of the RLDS 1984 world conference. The movement holds in the traditional RLDS theology of the 19th and early-to-mid 20th centuries and hold that events leading up to and surrounding the 1980s and decades since have introduced sweeping, fundamental changes into RLDS doctrine and practice which are illegitimate because they contradict the long-standing RLDS theological tradition this sect holds as true. It is also a part of the Mormon religion.
The movement is centered on Independence, Missouri which followers believe, as Joseph Smith, Jr and Joseph Smith III taught,[1] is the centerplace of Zion.
Traditionally, the "branch" is a local congregational unit in the RLDS church. The term "Restoration" was added as a result of the schism to denote a branch's separation from the organizational hierarchy and inferring what participants see as loyalty to the original principles of the Restoration of Joseph Smith and the Reorganization of Joseph Smith III in stark contrast to the liberal theology embraced by the Community of Christ.
Organizers of the Restoration Branches movement considered the official RLDS church organization to have become corrupt or to have fallen into apostasy, so that the church is now "in an unorganized state" paralleling church affairs following the death of Joseph Smith, Jr in 1844.[2] Their primary disagreement with the Community of Christ, as the official RLDS church organization renamed itself in 2001, was nominally over the church's decision to ordain women to the priesthood. Restoration Branches continue to assert that only men have priesthood authority; however, other religious and doctrinal issues were and are also disputed.[3]
No universally recognized central organization exists currently within the Restoration Branches movement, so any figures concerning membership numbers are difficult to ascertain. The Joint Conference of Restoration Branches was reported as having 6,000 to 7,000 registered members as of 2010.[4] However, all persons baptized by authoritative RLDS priesthood are regarded as "church members" by the conference regardless of formal registration, conference affiliation (or lack thereof) including non-affiliated branches, members of the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and even some Community of Christ members (depending on the circumstances of their baptism, given the movement's stance against women in the priesthood) therefor what fraction of the total recognized membership are registered with the conference is unknown but it is likely much higher than the registered number.
Basic Restoration Branches movement beliefs reaffirm the original RLDS doctrines. The RLDS church holds that Joseph Smith was succeeded by Joseph Smith III and not by Brigham Young.
The "Epitome of Faith" by Joseph Smith is often cited as a statement of faith[5] and Restoration Branches missionaries typically use the "Go Ye and Teach" slide series, a missionary program developed in the 1960s and endorsed by the Presidents of the Seventy in 1969 before being denounced as "too doctrinal" by the Council of Twelve Apostles.[6]
The "six fundamental principles of the Restored gospel" are often cited as the foundation of traditional RLDS belief. They are found in the sixth chapter of Hebrews in the Bible. They are:
The works of 20th-century RLDS ministers Arthur A. Oakman and Evan Fry are significant influences on contemporary 21st-century Restoration Branches movement thought. Fry's radio program "Hear Ye Him", representing the church's views in the 1950s,[7] continue to be referred to as a source of theology by contemporary mainstream Restoration Branches.[8] [9]
In the RLDS church, there are Prophets (Presidents of the RLDS church), Apostles, High Priests, Bishops, Patriarchs, seventy, Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons. Although some members of the higher priesthood offices (such as High Priests, Seventy and Patriarchs) still survive within the Restoration Branches movement, for many years, the sect was only able to ordain elders, priests, teachers, and deacons due to the scattered conditions they perceived in their Church.[10]
There are many divisions within the Restoration Movement today: At the October 2008 United States National Conference (Joint Conference of Restoration Branches)[11] several individuals were ordained to the office of Seventy. These are the first new ordinations to that office recognized by any Restoration Branches group in over 20 years. Others have been since called and ordained to the office of Seventy, and at the 2011 conference, several individuals were ordained to the office of High Priest. However, there is still debate within the Restoration Branches movement as to whether or not the ordinations were legitimate. This group would be known among the Restoration as JCRB supporters. Many of the Restoration Branches do not accept JCRB ordinations to date.[12]
The Conference of Restoration Elders (CRE) represents the body of the Restoration Branches that to date only are authorized to "approve priesthood calls and ordain men limited to the offices of elder, priest, teacher, and deacon."[13] The CRE's aim, as stated in the 1999 document "A Proclamation and Invitation to the Faithful," is to seek "divine guidance toward further reorganization."[14]
Ordinances in the Restoration Branch movement are seen as sacred covenants between the individual or married couple and God. Restoration Branch members believe that only male individuals with lines of priesthood ordinations that can be traced back to the original RLDS church can perform legitimate ordinances today. These ordinances include:[15]
Performed by two elders per a commandment that all members bring their children to be blessed, child blessings are performed with the purpose of dedicating the child to God. The parents are recognizing as taking upon them the responsibility of raising the child to maturity and that they will do their best to raise the child, teaching him or her the ways of Christ and the church. This ordinance is not considered a baptism and is viewed as different from the christenings and infant baptisms performed in other denominations.
From time to time, members with physical, mental, or spiritual ailments call on the elders for administration. Two elders are usually present for this ordinance, in which "the elders of the church anoint the head of the sufferer with consecrated oil, lay their hands upon his (or her) head and offer a prayer for healing and blessing."[15]
All Restoration Branches agree that baptism by full immersion in water, symbolizing physical rebirth and remission of sins, is requisite for membership. This ordinance may be performed by an elder or priest, and generally occurs in a baptismal font, when available. However, any body of waist deep water is acceptable for use in this ordinance. Prior to baptism, the recipient is required to receive instruction in church beliefs, generally in the form of a pre-baptismal class. Baptism is viewed as a covenant between the recipient and God. Baptism of water can be performed by an Aaronic priest or the Melchizedek priesthood.
Also referred to as confirmation, this ordinance represents the spiritual rebirth of the recipient and seals the member into a covenant with God. Baptism of fire may occur during the same service as baptism of water, in an evening service following a morning baptism of water, or weeks, months, even years in some extreme cases may lapse between baptism of water and baptism of fire. In this ordinance, two elders participate. Both elders lay their hands on the recipient's head, and one of the elders prays for the receiving of the Holy Ghost by the member, thus completing the member's entry into the church. This baptism must be performed by a member of the Melchizedek priesthood.
The purpose of this ordinance is to remember the Savior and the covenants made by the member at baptism. This ordinance entails adequate preparation by the members in reconciling with each other, a specific prayer of blessing is read over the bread, the participating priesthood is served first, then the priesthood serves the members in attendance. This process is repeated with non-fermented wine (new wine) that has also been made to scriptural specifications. This process is generally adhered to by all members, unless for any reason the emblems cannot be homemade, in which case the bread may be replaced with saltines and the non-fermented wine with grape juice. The Restoration Branches practice "close communion," which means that only baptized members may partake of the emblems.
In the Restoration Branches movement, the chief function of the patriarchal blessing is "to give authoritative, priestly blessing, invoked by a spiritual father representing God and the church...Other chief functions...are to give comfort when needed, or admonition, and especially good counsel as to a godly way of life, to rededicate and to consecrate, to bring a benediction from above, to help one find himself or herself and make an adjustment to life and its problems."[15] Members of the Restoration Branches movement believe that the revealing of lineage may occur during a patriarchal blessing, as may the revealing of future events, but neither of these are main functions of the blessing or the spirit of prophecy that may be present at the blessing.
Each individual marriage service is unique, but members are encouraged to have the service performed by an elder or priest of the church when possible. The whole movement rejects same-sex marriage, defining marriage as between one man and one woman.
In the Restoration Branches movement, priesthood are called by revelation of the Holy Spirit to the presiding elder of a branch and at least one other priesthood member, or if in an isolated area, to the visiting missionaries, and to the member who is being called. In branches, the approval process varies somewhat, but it always culminates in the member being ordained in a service by the laying on of hands of two priesthood members. Requirements for the office of the ordainers varies according to what office the recipient is called to. Examples also exist in church history of individuals being ordained, as in set aside or chosen for a specific task, for purposes other than priesthood office.
The Restoration Branches movement's body of scriptures consists of:
As the Restoration Branches have no universally-recognized central organization, no one organization is able to speak for all of them at this time. However, here is a sampling of some of differences in their beliefs from the Community of Christ:
Each Restoration Branch currently exists as an independent entity. Though all generally follow the traditional doctrines of the RLDS church, many have unique views on specific doctrinal and church government-related issues, and specific standpoints differ from member to member. These include:
Restoration Branch members have diverse opinions on financial issues. Some believe that one's tithes should be 10% of one's increase (defined as income after expenses) but the exact principle(s) are disputed, as is the distribution of funds. The Restoration Branches are mostly independent of each other and each determine how the funds they collect are spent.
Different organizations have formed in the Restoration, attempting to unify the branches.