Presiding Patriarch
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Presiding Patriarch (also called Presiding Evangelist, Patriarch over the Church, Patriarch of the Church, or Patriarch to the Church) is a church-wide leadership office within the priesthood. Among the duties of the Presiding Patriarch are to preside in council meetings, ordain other patriarchs, and administer patriarchal blessings.
Originally, the office of Presiding Patriarch was one of the highest and most important offices of the church's priesthood. The role was equated by
Community of Christ
Chronology of the Presiding Patriarchs/Evangelist of Community of Christ
Date | Presiding Patriarchs/Evangelist | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
18 December 1833 – 14 September 1840 | Joseph Smith Sr. | Father of Joseph Smith | |
14 September 1840 - 27 June 1844 | Hyrum Smith | Oldest surviving son of Joseph Smith Sr. | |
24 May 1845 – 19 October 1845 | William Smith | Oldest surviving son of Joseph Smith Sr. William Smith was patriarch to the church until his name and positions were read at the 19 October 1845 general conference. Those attenders unanimously voted against Smith being retained as both an apostle and the patriarch.[2] He then lost both offices and was disfellowshipped from the church.[2][3] William Smith would also be referred to as "Petitioner for RLDS Patriarchate" from April 6, 1872 – November 13, 1893 by the Community of Christ (RLDS).[4] | |
(Petitioner) April 6, 1872 – November 13, 1893
| |||
April 1897 – 12 August 1909 | Alexander H. Smith | Brother of Joseph Smith III | |
12 August 1909 – 20 April 1913 | Joseph R. Lambert | Acting Presiding Patriarch | |
20 April 1913 – 10 April 1938 | Frederick A. Smith | Son of Alexander H. Smith. | |
10 April 1938 – 4 February 1958 | Elbert A. Smith | Grandson of Joseph Smith, Son of David Hyrum Smith | |
4 February 1958 – 4 April 1974[5] | Roy A. Cheville | Left his professorial career at Graceland College to accept ordination. In 1974 he became "Patriarch Emeritus".[5] First person to serve in that office who was not a direct descendant of Joseph Smith Sr. | |
4 April 1974[5] - 29 March 1982[6] | Reed M. Holmes | ||
29 March 1982[6] – 5 April 1992[7] | Duane E. Couey | ||
5 April 1992[7] – 5 April 1994[8] | Paul W. Booth | "Presiding Evangelist" became preferred title.[4] | |
5 April 1994[8] – 2000 | Everett S. Graffeo | ||
2000 – 6 March 2006[9] | Danny A. Belrose | ||
1 May 2006[9] – 27 March 2007[10] | Richard E. Kohlman | Acting Presiding Evangelist | |
26 March 2007[10] – 31 March 2016[11] | David R. Brock | ||
31 March 2016[11] – | Jane M. Gardner | First female presiding evangelist |
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
When a Presiding Patriarch has existed,
The LDS Church effectively discontinued the office of Presiding Patriarch in 1979, indicating enough local patriarchs existed so that the church-wide position was no longer needed. However, E. Gary Smith, the eldest son of the final patriarch,
Chronology of the Presiding Patriarchs of the LDS Church
Dates | Presiding Patriarch | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
18 December 1833 – 14 September 1840 | Joseph Smith Sr. | Father of Joseph Smith | |
14 September 1840 – 27 June 1844 | Hyrum Smith | Oldest surviving son of Joseph Smith Sr. | |
24 May 1845 – 6 October 1845 | William Smith | Oldest surviving son of Joseph Smith Sr. William Smith was patriarch to the church until his name and positions were read at the 6 October 1845 general conference. Those attenders unanimously voted against Smith being retained as both an apostle and the patriarch.[2] He then lost both offices and was disfellowshipped from the church.[2][3] | |
1 January 1849 – 23 May 1854 | John Smith | "Uncle John"; brother of Joseph Smith Sr. | |
18 February 1855 – 6 November 1911 | John Smith | Son of Hyrum Smith | |
9 May 1912 – 4 February 1932 | Hyrum G. Smith
|
Grandson of his predecessor John Smith; great-grandson of Hyrum Smith | |
4 February 1932 – 1934 | Nicholas G. Smith (de facto Acting Presiding Patriarch) |
Son of apostle John Henry Smith; grandson of apostle George A. Smith; great-grandson of former presiding patriarch "Uncle" John Smith; was never officially called, set apart, or sustained as the Acting Presiding Patriarch, but carried out the functions of the office | |
1934 – October 8, 1937 | Frank B. Woodbury (de facto Acting Presiding Patriarch) |
Unrelated to Smith family; was never officially called, set apart, or sustained as the Acting Presiding Patriarch, but carried out the functions of the office | |
October 8, 1937 – 8 October 1942 | George F. Richards (Acting Presiding Patriarch) |
Unrelated to Smith family; unlike Nicholas G. Smith and Frank B. Woodbury, was officially called, set apart, and sustained as the Acting Presiding Patriarch | |
8 October 1942 – 6 October 1946 | Joseph Fielding Smith[14]
|
Great-grandson of Hyrum Smith; not a descendant of previous presiding patriarch Hyrum G. Smith; ordained as "Patriarch to the Church" rather than "Presiding Patriarch," a change in title that was accompanied by a reduction in the scope of the office, as Smith was not permitted to ordain or formally supervise local patriarchs.[13] Released by church president George Albert Smith amid reports of homosexual activity.[15]: 369 [16]: 111–117 [17] Restored to "priesthood status" in 1957. | |
10 April 1947 – 4 October 1979 | Eldred G. Smith | Son of former Presiding Patriarch Patriarch emeritus from 4 October 1979 to his death on 4 April 2013. No longer sustained as "prophet, seer, and revelator" following designation as patriarch emeritus.[18]
| |
Position abolished
|
See also
- Lineal succession (Latter Day Saints)
- Patriarch (Latter Day Saints)
- Patriarchal priesthood
Notes
- ^ Smith, Joseph. Smith, Joseph Fielding (ed.). Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Covenant Communications. p. 36.
- ^ History of the Church7:457–59.
- ^ a b Hosea Stout journal, October 6, 1845.
- ^ a b Howard, Richard P. Lesson 2: A Brief Historical Survey of the Ministry of the Evangelist-Patriarch, page 13. Temple School Course PA 222: Evangelists: Sharing a New World of Blessing, Community of Christ.
- ^ a b c Doctrine and Covenants Sec 151:1a and 151:2
- ^ a b Doctrine and Covenants Sec 155:1a and 155:2a
- ^ a b Doctrine and Covenants Sec 158:2a and 155:2a
- ^ a b Doctrine and Covenants Sec 158:1 and 155:2a
- ^ a b Communication to the Church(Belrose Released): March 6, 2006 Archived May 17, 2008, at archive.today
- ^ a b World Conference 2007: Official Minutes of Business Session
- ^ a b Stephen M. Veazey, "Letter of Counsel about World Church Leadership", cofchrist.org, March 31, 2016.
- ^ Stack, Peggy Fletcher (2013-04-05). "Longest-serving Mormon general authority dies at 106". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
- ^ ISBN 0252021630.
- ^ Not to be confused with his uncle of the same name, Joseph Fielding Smith, who served as church president from 1970 to 1972.
- ISBN 978-0-252-06958-1.
- Journal of Mormon History, 38 (1), Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press
- ^ "Patriarch to the Church: Released from Duties", Improvement Era 49 (November 1946) pp. 685, 708.
- ^ "The Sustaining of Church Officers". ChurchofJesusChrist.org. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
References
- Smith, E. Gary (1988). "The Office of Presiding Patriarch: The Primacy Problem". Journal of Mormon History. 14: 35–48. Archived from the originalon April 14, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2007..
- Bates, Irene M.; Smith, E. Gary (2003) [1996]. Lost Legacy: The Mormon Office of Presiding Patriarch. Urbana, Illinois: OCLC 53077386. Archived from the originalon 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2011-02-18..
- Salt Lake Tribune, December 29, 2006.