An estimated over 400 denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement (sometimes collectively referred to as Mormonism) have sprung from founder Joseph Smith's original movement, according to Benjamin Park. Mormon is an informal term used especially when referring to the largest Latter Day Saint denomination, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and other offshoots in the movement. Some groups opposed to the use of the term Mormon consider it to be connected to the polygamy once practiced by the Utah church, or to pejoratives used against early adherents of the movement.
The Latter Day Saint movement includes: The original church within this movement, founded in April 1830 in New York by Joseph Smith, was the Church of Christ. It was later named the "Church of the Latter Day Saints". It was renamed the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" in 1838 (stylized as the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" in the United Kingdom),See, for example, A collection of sacred hymns for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Europe. which remained its official name until Smith's death in 1844. This organization subsequently splintered into several different denominations, each of which claims to be the legitimate continuation of this original church. Most of these dispute the right of other denominations within the movement to claim this distinction. The largest denomination within the contemporary movement is the LDS Church, with over 17 million members."2022 Statistical Report for 2023 April Conference", Newsroom, April 1, 2023. It is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. The second-largest denomination is the Community of Christ, based in Missouri. This denomination has some 250,000 members and was formally organized in 1860. They were called the "Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" until 2001. Although members of this church have traditionally been called Latter Day Saints (without the hyphen), the Community of Christ has stated since at least 2013 it disapproves of the term Saints as a designation for its members in any official reference or publication.Herald House Style Guide, an official publication of the Community of Christ. See under entry "Saints". The largest groups of Mormon fundamentalism include the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), Centennial Park Group (The Work), Apostolic United Brethren (AUB or Allred Group), and Latter Day Church of Christ (DCCS or Kingston Group). Other denominations within the movement either formed around various would-be successors to Smith, or else broke from denominations that did. These, together with the denominations listed above, are detailed in the table of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement below.
Although a few small factions broke with Smith's organization during his lifetime, he retained the allegiance of the majority of Latter Day Saints until his death in June 1844. Following Smith's death, the movement underwent a leadership crisis which led to a schism within the church. The largest group followed Brigham Young and settled in what became the Utah Territory and is now the Utah-based LDS Church. The second-largest faction, Community of Christ, coalesced around Joseph Smith III, eldest son of Joseph Smith. Other would-be leaders included the senior surviving member of the First Presidency, Sidney Rigdon; the newly baptized James Strang from Wisconsin; and Alpheus Cutler, one of the Council of Fifty. Each of these men still retains a following —however tiny it may be in some cases—and all of their organizations have undergone further schisms. Other claimants, such as Granville Hedrick, William Bickerton, and Charles B. Thompson, later emerged to start still other factions, some of which have further subdivided.
Categorizing the churches
Given the large number of Latter Day Saint churches and their differing backgrounds, categorizing them can be difficult. In the field of Mormon studies, terms such as Rocky Mountain Saints are sometimes used for those denominations headquartered in the American West and Prairie Saints for those denominations that formed in and around Nauvoo, Illinois; Voree, Wisconsin; Independence, Missouri; and other locations in the Midwest and East. These terms do not necessarily relate the current geographical locations of all denominations within those two groupings, but rather the original location of their respective parent organizations, which may be seen in the table below.
Another method uses provenance: for instance, all denominations that ultimately trace their history back to the LDS Church based in Utah, are organized as one factional group. Divergent Paths of the Restoration—a reference work on this subject—follows this approach.
In such studies, and in general Latter Day Saint parlance, the -ite-suffixed terms Josephite and Brighamite have been used for the Missouri-based Community of Christ and the Utah-based LDS Church, respectively; these terms have sometimes been used to distinguish groups of denominations as well. Those denominations within each group share a common ancestry and basic beliefs that are different from groups sharing other provenances. The present article, in a similar fashion, distinguishes among groups of denominations by use of commonly understood names such as Mormon fundamentalist or else by short descriptions that often reference a founder of the first church within a factional group—for example, Joseph Smith III in reference to Community of Christ as well as various churches and factions that trace their origin to it.
List of Latter Day Saint movement churches
Era of Joseph Smith Joseph Smith's original church, and those bodies which broke with him during his lifetime.
Original church within movement The original organization, founded by Joseph Smith in 1830, later called the Church of the Latter-Day Saints and then The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.Manuscript History of the Church, LDS Church Archives, book A-1, p. 37; reproduced in Dean C. Jessee (comp.) (1989). The Papers of Joseph Smith: Autobiographical and Historical Writings (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book) 1:302–303.H. Michael Marquardt and Wesley P. Walters (1994). Inventing Mormonism: Tradition and the Historical Record (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books) p. 160. + Name Organized by Date Current statusNotes Church of Christ Joseph Smith April 6, 1830 Smith's original organization; multiple denominations currently claim to be its true successor In 1834, official name changed to "Church of the Latter Day Saints". In 1838, official name changed again to "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints". Unofficial names included Church of God and Church of Jesus Christ.see footnote 12
Churches that separated from Smith's organization prior to 1844 Other small churches formed on the basis of disagreements with Smith prior to his murder in 1844 (including church established by William Law within 1844), all of which are now defunct.
+ Church name Organized byDateSplit fromCurrent statusNotes Pure Church of Christ 1831 Church of Christ Defunct First schismatic denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement. Independent Church 1832 Church of Christ Defunct Little is known about this second schismatic denomination apart from the date of establishment, the surname of its founder, and that Hoton denounced Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Church of Christ 1836 Church of the Latter Day Saints Defunct Taught that Joseph Smith was not a prophet, and the Book of Mormon was not scripture. Church of Christ. 1837 Church of the Latter Day Saints Defunct Also referred to as the Church of Christ (Parrishite). Believed that Smith was a "fallen prophet". Rejected the Book of Mormon and parts of the Bible. Alston Church 1839 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Defunct Taught that the Latter Day Saints should remain in Missouri, and not emigrate to Illinois. Church of Christ Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Defunct Established with the special mission of ministering to African Americans. Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride, the Lamb's Wife 1840 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Defunct Taught that Smith was not a prophet, and the Book of Mormon was not scripture. Church of Christ 1842 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Defunct Little is known concerning this denomination, except that its founder was one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's golden plates True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1844 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Defunct Opposed plural marriage; published the Nauvoo Expositor. Charges levied against Smith over the destruction of this periodical led to his assassination.
Lineage of Brigham Young
Sometimes called "Rocky Mountain Saints", "Brighamites", or "Mormons", tracing their leadership or influence through Brigham Young.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The LDS Church is by far the largest and most well-known Latter Day Saint church. It is colloquially referred to as the "Mormon Church". The church prefers to be called by its full title or by the shorthand "Church of Jesus Christ" to emphasize its worship of Jesus Christ and to distance itself from the phrase "Mormon", which has derogatory origins. + Name Organized byDate Continuation of\split from Current status Notes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Brigham YoungandQuorum of the Twelve 1844(trust reorganized);1851(incorporated) Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 16.8 million members The largest Latter Day Saint denomination. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Often colloquially referred to as the Mormon Church. Adherents are popularly called Mormons or Latter-day Saints. Resulted from Latter Day Saints that followed Joseph Smith. Practiced plural marriage until it was discontinued in 1890. Disincorporated in 1877 by the Edmunds–Tucker Act, reorganized in 1923 as the Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Churches upholding polygamy after the Manifesto of 1890
Churches that believe they are strictly following the revelations and teachings of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, including the practice of plural marriage, which was discontinued by the LDS Church in the late-19th century after the Manifesto.