The Mormon Priesthood

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon Church), the word “priesthood” has a different meaning than in other Christian churches. Latter-day Saints define “priesthood” as the power of God, and the authority to act in His name. Priesthood, then, has always existed and will always exist. From time to time, however, it has been missing from the earth and from among men. The Mormon Church has a “lay clergy.” That is, no one is trained or schooled to lead congregations or groups of congregations, or even the entire church. Men, women, youth, and children are “called” to various positions in local congregations or to larger responsibilities. Most “callings” are temporary. Only the prophet, the twelve apostles, and some seventies are called to serve for the remainder of their lives, and these receive a modest stipend. All other positions are unpaid, and members fill their responsibilities, which can be substantial, while continuing in their paid vocations, and with their family and community responsibilities still in process. All worthy male members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over the age of twelve may hold some office in the priesthood. Power comes with holding the priesthood, and miracles are performed through this power. Some friends of other faiths argue that priesthood ended with Jesus Christ, that He was the final priesthood-holder, but the apostles spoke of the priesthood when referring to the general membership of the Church of Christ. (See 1 Pet. 2:5; 1Peter 2:9.)

Two Priesthoods

There are two priesthoods, and several offices within those two priesthoods. The Aaronic priesthood is the lesser, or preparatory priesthood, concerned with the foundational principles of the gospel – faith, repentance, baptism, and sacrifice. When Moses went up into the mount to converse with the Lord, he was absent from the tribes of Israel for a long period of time. The Lord meant for the children of Israel to “enter into His rest.” This means that God wanted them not only to receive the higher priesthood, but to be sealed up to eternal life in His presence. But the children of Israel refused. They wanted Moses to be their intermediary. The Lord took the higher priesthood, and eventually Moses, away from them, and left them with the lesser priesthood to prepare them to progress and prepare for greater responsibility and thus greater blessings. All of their prophets, however, held the higher priesthood. At age 12, a worthy young man in the LDS Church may receive the office of Deacon in the Aaronic priesthood. The duties of a deacon include watching over the Church and its members. They are also to “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:59). Deacons can also pass the sacrament to the congregation, collect fast offerings, assist the bishopric, serve as messengers, be baptized and confirmed for the dead in the temple, speak in meetings, and care for the meetinghouse and grounds.   Deacons meet in a “quorum” every Sunday, and may serve as officers in their quorum, deliver spiritual messages, etc.

At age 14, worthy young men may be ordained as “Teachers” in the Aaronic priesthood. The duties of teachers are preparing the sacrament, watching over and strengthening the Church as well as seeing that there is “neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking (Doctrine and Covenants 20:53-55).  Teachers may also serve as home teachers, reverently serve as ushers in ward meetings and stake conference, assist the bishopric, and participate in seminary, where available.

At the age of 16, worthy young men can be ordained as “Priests” in the Aaronic priesthood. Priests can bless the sacrament and they can baptize. Other duties include the responsibility to “preach, teach, expound, exhort, … and visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties” (Doctrine and Covenants 47 20:46-47).  Priests do not have the authority to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost to a newly baptized person.

The office of bishop in the LDS faith is actually an Aaronic priesthood calling, and a direct descendent of Aaron may claim the office. A bishop, however, must also hold the Melchizedek priesthood. Men who serve in “bishoprics” (a bishop and his two counselors) are ordained as High Priests.  Every higher office is able to officiate in the duties of lower offices. A bishop is the leader of a congregation, similar to a rabbi or a pastor. This calling requires a huge amount of time and effort, and prayerful leadership.

Once a worthy young man is over 18, he begins to prepare to receive the higher priesthood. The formal name of this priesthood is “The Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God.” To keep from using the name of the Lord casually, this priesthood is called the “Melchizedek priesthood,” after Melchizedek, King of Salem, to whom Abraham paid tithes. The higher priesthood holds all the keys of the kingdom of God on earth. A man who holds the Melchizedek priesthood may give priesthood blessings by the laying on of hands. Such blessings can heal the sick or troubled, can convey messages from God to the person receiving the blessing, and prophesy for the personal benefit of the person being blessed. A Melchizedek priesthood holder can bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost upon a person who has just been baptized, and give a name and a blessing to a newborn infant. “Stewardship” is a very important concept in the LDS Church. A person has stewardship over his own realm of personal responsibility. Thus, a bishop has stewardship over his congregation (called a “ward”) and may receive revelation to help him with that stewardship. A father and mother have stewardship over their family, and may exercise their God-given power over that stewardship. Thus, a priesthood holder should only exercise his priesthood within the realm of his stewardship. A man who holds the Melchizedek priesthood is called an “Elder.” Even the prophet/president of the Church and the apostles are called Elders. Mormon missionaries hold the Melchizedek priesthood and are also called Elders. Within the Melchizedek priesthood there are High Priests, Seventies, Apostles, and Patriarchs. One patriarch is called for each “stake,” a geographical group of congregations. Once in a lifetime, each member is able to receive a prophetic “patriarchal blessing” as a guide for his or her life by the laying on of hands. Patriarchs perform this function.

Blacks and the Mormon Priesthood

In the very early days of the LDS Church, Blacks were given the priesthood. First prophet Joseph Smith was a very committed advocate of equality for Blacks, and this brought upon him a great deal of persecution. When the Mormons were driven from Missouri in 1839 in the midst of winter, one of the main reasons was that Missourians wanted a slave state, and Joseph Smith had even proposed purchasing the freedom of Black slaves and bringing them to the state. For some reason, there was put into effect a ban on Blacks receiving the priesthood after the death of Joseph Smith. Such actions in the Church come about after direct revelation, but a thorough searching of the early records of the Church has failed to discover a reason for the ban. In the mid-1900’s, as racial equality became more and more feasible in the U.S., members and leaders of the Church began to more fervently pray for the priesthood to be extended to people of all races. Finally, during the summer of 1978, the revelation was received, to the joy of the Latter-day Saints. The Church is growing very fast in Africa in recent years.

Women and the Mormon Priesthood

Some women outside and within the Mormon Church feel that women are discriminated against, because they do not “hold” or administer in the priesthood. However, women share the priesthood with their husbands, and may call on that power in dealing with their stewardships. They also administer priesthood ordinances in the holy temples of the Church. They hold many positions of responsibility within the Church and may be extremely busy with family, work, community, and church responsibilities. Married women often help their husbands with their callings, too. Women are also “general authorities” in the Church, leading the Primary (organization for young children), Young Women, and Relief Society organizations. The Relief Society is the largest and oldest women’s organization in the world, at over 5 million members. The Lord’s house is a house of order. With its system of stewardships, priesthood offices, and auxiliary organizations, plus a system (home teaching and visiting teaching) for ministering personally to each and every member, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can assure that everyone has a seat at the table of Christ, that members can receive comfort, assurance, and healing when needed. (Note that Mormons also believe in modern medicine, and the Lord often urges them to seek medical help in priesthood blessings, while providing miraculous relief, guidance, and events along the way.)