Family Latter Day SaintsEdit
Family Latter Day Saints describes the stream within the Latter Day Saint movement that centers on the family as the fundamental unit of society and salvation. In this tradition, the family is not merely a social convenience but a divinely ordered institution designed to bind individuals to one another across mortal life and beyond. Core beliefs include lifelong marriage between a man and a woman, parental responsibility in raising children, and the pursuit of genealogical work and temple ordinances that link generations together. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with its associated communities, has long promoted a model of family life that emphasizes faith, self-reliance, service, and moral formation in the home.
In practice, families are encouraged to structure daily life around religious study, family prayer, and shared values. Institutions and programs run by the church, such as family home evenings, seminary for youth, and organized youth programs, reinforce these goals and provide a framework for intergenerational continuity. The family is also seen as a bridge to the eternal dimension of existence, with temple rites such as sealing understood to bind spouses and families together beyond this life. The Proclamation on the Family (The Family: A Proclamation to the World) stands as a formal articulation of this view, outlining the church’s expectations for marriage, parenting, and family responsibilities within a framework of religious liberty and social order. The Family: A Proclamation to the World temple sealing genealogy Plan of Salvation.
Foundations and Doctrine
The emphasis on family has roots in early revelations and teachings within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the broader Latter Day Saints tradition. Central ideas include the belief that families can be sealed together for eternity through temple rites, that male priesthood leadership and female nurturing roles are complementary within a household, and that childrearing is both a personal and communal responsibility supported by church programs. Doctrine about eternal families, the plan of salvation, and temple ordinances provides a metaphysical framework for family life that seeks to orient daily decisions toward long-term spiritual objectives. Key sources include the writings and revelations received by founders such as Joseph Smith and subsequent general authorities, as well as canonical statements like The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Joseph Smith Plan of Salvation The Family: A Proclamation to the World.
In this view, the home is the primary site of religious formation and moral instruction, with the church supplying resources and guidance rather than substituting for parental leadership. Ancillary activities—such as genealogical work to identify ancestors and connect generations—are presented as outward expressions of the inward commitment to families and to the broader community of faith. Genealogy Family Home Evening Seminary.
Family Structure and Roles
A traditionalist perspective within this tradition tends to emphasize complementary gender roles within the family. Fathers are often described as spiritual leaders and primary providers who hold the priesthood, while mothers are described as spiritual nurturers who guide the daily moral and religious development of children. The aim is to create stable, righteous homes that form the backbone of a thriving neighborhood and society. The church maintains that strong fatherhood and motherhood, combined with shared parental involvement in education and worship, produces citizens who are prepared to contribute to social stability and civic life. Priesthood Gender roles Family Marriage.
In addition to parental roles, the church supports children and youth through programs designed to cultivate virtue, responsibility, and service. These programs emphasize personal accountability, service to others, and adherence to a moral code. The home, school, and church work in concert to transmit values deemed essential for personal success and communal harmony. Young Women Aaronic Priesthood Seminary.
Marriage and Procreation
Within this framework, marriage between a man and a woman is regarded as the foundational institution for family life, with procreation framed as a central purpose of marriage. The church teaches that such unions are eternal in nature when sealed in the temple, offering the possibility of family unity across death. Public statements and doctrinal reflections emphasize the importance of marital fidelity, parent-child relationships, and the nurturing of children in a faith-centered environment. The Family: A Proclamation to the World is a reference point for official teachings on marriage, family structure, and the responsibilities of parents. The Family: A Proclamation to the World Marriage Eternal marriage Same-sex marriage.
Contemporary discussions within and around the church address how to balance traditional marriage norms with compassion for individuals navigating differing circumstances. The institution emphasizes that religious liberty and conscience are important in public life, while maintaining its doctrinal stance on marriage. Religious freedom Marriage.
Parenting, Education, and Moral Formation
Parents are urged to take primary responsibility for teaching faith, character, and everyday ethics in the home, with the church providing supplementary resources and guidance. This includes routines such as family prayer, scripture study, and shared worship, as well as organized programs for youth development and spiritual formation. Schools and curricula, as well as church-sponsored activities, are viewed as support systems designed to reinforce parental influence and to prepare children to lead virtuous lives. Family Home Evening Seminary Genealogy.
Parents are also encouraged to prepare children for the modern world by fostering self-reliance, prudent financial habits, and civic-mindedness, while maintaining fidelity to religious principles. The church has historically supported charitable works and family welfare initiatives that reach beyond the household, reflecting a belief that strong families contribute to a stable society. Welfare Relief Society.
Temple and Sacred Practices
A distinctive feature of this tradition is the emphasis on temple worship and temple rites that symbolize and actualize the eternal nature of families. Sealing ceremonies bind spouses and their descendants, fostering the sense that family ties transcend mortality. Other temple ordinances, such as baptisms for the dead, are presented as acts of family reverence and genealogical diligence, linking individuals to their ancestors and to the ongoing work of the living church community. Temple Sealing Baptism for the dead Genealogy.
Controversies and Debates
Like any major religious tradition that operates within a pluralistic society, Family Latter Day Saints has faced debates and criticisms, many of which revolve around how doctrine translates into social policy and personal conduct.
Historical polygamy: The early practice of plural marriage remains a sensitive topic. The church officially discontinued the practice with a series of revelations and statements culminating in the 1890 Manifesto, and today advocates emphasize that it is a historical episode that does not reflect current doctrine. Debates continue about how to interpret this history in terms of religious liberty and cultural memory. Polygamy in the Latter-day Saint movement Manifesto (1890).
Race and priesthood: The church’s past restrictions on priesthood and temple access for black members are a focal point of historical controversy. The church now teaches that such policies were altered by revelation in 1978, and it emphasizes ongoing efforts toward inclusivity and racial reconciliation, even as it defends the enduring importance of doctrinal principles. This topic remains a point of discussion about how religious institutions evolve and how communities address past injustices. Priesthood Race and the Priesthood.
LGBT issues and religious liberty: The church’s stance on same-sex marriage and related family questions has drawn significant public attention. Advocates of traditional family structures argue that religious liberty protects parents and faith communities as they teach and practice their beliefs, while critics contend with questions about equal rights and anti-discrimination norms. The discussion is ongoing in both public policy and church life, with proponents asserting that families formed through biological or legal bonds deserve recognition and support within the bounds of faith commitments. Same-sex marriage Religious freedom.
Cultural integration vs. social change: Critics sometimes describe the church’s family teachings as resisting changes in family life, while supporters argue that preserving long-standing norms helps maintain social stability, character development, and intergenerational continuity. The balance between upholding core doctrines and engaging constructively with a changing society is a live debate within and beyond the faith community. Family Society.
From the perspective of an emphasis on orderly family life and religious liberty, advocates contend that the family model described by the tradition promotes resilience, civic responsibility, and moral formation without surrendering essential freedoms or charitable commitments. Critics may frame these views as exclusionary or outdated, but supporters argue that the family remains the most enduring social institution for fostering virtue and continuity in a fast-changing world. The Family: A Proclamation to the World Religious freedom Social policy.