SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A former Utah Supreme Court judge is expected to be appointed the next president of the Latter-day Saint Church of Jesus Christ. The death of President Russell M. Nelson On the weekend.
Announces his successor – Darrin H. Oaks – It is primarily formal because the church has a clear leadership hierarchy that has ruled it for decades. Nothing will change to the leadership agency after Nelson’s funeral scheduled for October 7th.
Let’s take a closer look at how the leadership structure is arranged and how new members are selected.
Who leads the church?
The Church of Jesus Christ, a Latter-day Saint, widely known as the Mormon Church, is led by the President and his two top counselors to form what is known as the first president. They usually come from a governing body called the 12 Apostles Quorum, just below the first presidency, and help set church policies while overseeing the business interests of the faith.
Together, all these 15 senior officials are male according to the priesthood of all men in the church.
How is the president chosen?
The longest-held members of the 12 quorum will become new presidents of a tradition established over a century ago, ensuring smooth handovers and preventing lobbying, either internally or publicly.
The succession plan was created in 1889 after nearly two years of debate and politics among the apostles after the death of John Taylor, the third president of the Faith. Since then, plans have been carried out without exception.
Nelson, faith The oldest presidentwho died on Saturday at age 101 per protocol, but his successor will not be officially announced some time after next week’s funeral. His death automatically disbanded the first presidency, and his two counselors rejoined the quorum, bringing that number to 14.
Until the new president is announced, Quorum, currently led by the Oaks, is in charge as Utah-based faith prepares for a double general meeting this weekend in Salt Lake City.
What does the president do?
He is considered a prophet, visionary and revereigner who, together with two top counselors and 12 quorum members, leads the church through God’s revelation. He sets policies, interprets doctrines, and administers church programs.
The president also oversees church businesses, including real estate, farms, publishing, life insurance, nonprofit organizations, universities, the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii, and the luxury open air shopping mall in Salt Lake City.
The Church does not disclose or discuss its finances, but its investment division, Peak Advisors, Inc. The latest submission values a $58 billion portfolio.
How long will the president serve?
The president will serve until his death. Therefore, the length of tenure varies greatly.
The longest was Brigham Young, who worked for nearly 30 years in the mid- to late 1800s. Other long tenures include Heber J. Grant, who had been with him for nearly 27 years from 1918 to 1945, and David O. McKay, who had been with him for nearly 19 years from 1951 to 1970.
His shortest tenure was Howard H. Hunter, serving only nine months from 1994 to 1995. He and three other church presidents served less than five years of service, including an 18-month stint by Harold B. Lee from 1972 to 1973.
Nelson held the position for over seven years. His previous two presidents, Thomas S. Monson and Gordon B. Hinckley, each had relatively long terms of office. Monson had been in the post for nearly ten years, and Hinckley was in the post with nearly 13.
How were the two counselors chosen for the President?
The new president usually chooses a counselor from a quorum of 12 people. Sometimes they are the same men who served the former president. If they are different, the previous counselor will return to the quorum member.
Nelson kept Henry B. Eyring as a counselor and raised the Orcs like the other.
Being a counselor won’t push them forward to become the next president. It is still the members of the longest introduced quorum who will play that role.
The Oaks just happened to be lined up next. The 93-year-old joined the retirement age in May 1984 at about the same time as Nelson.
Jeffrey R. Holland, 84, has the next seniority following the Oaks.
How will new quorum members be selected?
They can come from anywhere. In modern history, most have already served on lower leadership councils.
The apostles tend to be older men who have achieved success in their professions outside the church. The last three selected for the quorum were US State Department officials, accountants for multinational corporations, and board members of charities, schools and corporate institutions.
Under Nelson, the church injected some Diversity To the previous All-White Leadership Panel by selecting the first Latin American Apostle and the first of Asian ancestors. This appointment has sparked excitement for the terms of members who have long been hoping that the best leadership will be representatives of religion.
Once Oaks becomes president and chooses two counselors, the quorum may have left one vacant seat for him to fill.
How about women?
The nine highest ranked women in the church oversee three organizations that run programs for women and girls. These councils are under several layers of leadership groups reserved exclusively for men.
The two counselors who oversee the Relief Society, which runs the activities for the President and Women, are considered female leaders based on the organization’s historic cache.
