Family LdsEdit

The concept of family within the Latter-day Saint tradition treats the family as a divinely ordained institution that shapes individual character, social stability, and spiritual progress. Central teachings hold that families can be sealed for eternity in temple ordinances, and that ancestors and descendants are linked through time and eternity. This perspective informs daily life, education, work, and civic engagement by stressing personal responsibility, perseverance, and service to others. A long-standing emphasis on family life complements free-market principles and local community institutions, producing social cohesion and a culture of accountability that supporters argue reduces crime, dependency, and social strain.

In the religious landscape, the family serves as a practical and theological unit. Scripture—including the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—outlines a plan of salvation in which families play a central role. Temples enable sealing ordinances that bind families across generations, reinforcing the belief that relationships here inform relationships in the next life. This doctrine of eternal families is paired with a strong emphasis on personal virtues, self-reliance, and ongoing family education, which many adherents see as foundational to both individual welfare and community stability. The Family: A Proclamation to the World (1995) is frequently cited as a contemporary synthesis of these ideas, articulating the Church’s counsel on marriage, parenting, and the duties of fathers and mothers within the family.

Origins and doctrinal foundations

The LDS view of the family grows out of a broader theological framework that combines scripture, revelation, and continuing revelation through church leadership. The plan of salvation presents mortality as a probationary period in which families can be united beyond this life through temple ordinances and covenants.
The family is regarded as a center for moral formation, education, and spiritual growth, with parents bearing primary responsibility for teaching faith, discipline, and service to others.
Family history and genealogical work are linked to the church’s spiritual program. By researching ancestors and performing temple work on their behalf, members connect personal lineage with temple covenants, reinforcing the belief that individuals belong to a larger, eternal family network. See Family history and Genealogy for related topics.
The Proclamation to the World on the Family sets forth a framework for marital roles, parenting, and the safeguarding of family life against cultural pressures that might undermine stability. See The Family: A Proclamation to the World.

The family in doctrine, practice, and daily life

Marriage is described as a union between a man and a woman, established to support mutual support, procreation, and the nurturing of rising generations. This is reaffirmed in church teaching and practice, with a particular emphasis on building homes that are hospitable to faith, work, education, and service.
Parenting emphasizes responsibility, hope, and discipline, with a strong focus on instilling faith, work ethic, and service toward others. The family is often framed as the primary sphere for character formation and lifelong education, before and beyond formal schooling.
Temples and temple covenants are a distinctive feature of LDS practice. Sealings bind husbands and wives, and families together for eternity, thereby linking present-day family life with a transcendent purpose. See Temple and Sealing for related topics.

Marriage, gender, and family roles

The church teaches complementary roles within marriage. In traditional readings, husbands are encouraged to bear primary responsibility for providing and leading in ways consistent with spiritual principles, while wives are encouraged to nurture, sustain a home, and support family members’ spiritual growth. The aim is mutual counsel and partnership rather than hierarchy alone.
Women hold significant leadership within church organizations, such as the Relief Society, which emphasizes teaching, service, and community welfare. However, the priesthood, as currently exercised by church leaders, is held by men in the church’s structure. Critics argue this creates gender-based limitations, while supporters contend the arrangement reflects a divinely ordered pattern that emphasizes distinct yet complementary callings. See Women in the Latter Day Saint movement and Priesthood (LDS Church) for related topics.
Debates surrounding gender roles are common. Proponents argue that clear, biblically informed roles provide stability and allow families to function efficiently in a complex modern society. Critics, including proponents of broader religious and civic gender equality, contend that religious institutions should adapt to changing expectations about leadership and participation. The church has often framed these debates as matters of doctrine, faith, and long-standing tradition rather than mere social fashion.

Family history, lineage, and social impact

Genealogy and family history are long-standing practices within the LDS tradition. Many members engage in researching ancestors and performing proxy temple ordinances, actions believed to bind families across generations and to strengthen spiritual ties. See Genealogy and Family history.
A family-centric worldview aligns with broader social expectations in many contemporary societies: stability at the domestic level, responsibility in work and education, and a commitment to community service. The church frequently emphasizes self-reliance, charitable giving, and welfare programs as expressions of faith in daily life.
Historical episodes, such as the practice of plural marriage in the 19th century, are acknowledged in light of subsequent official changes. The church’s 1890 Manifesto ended the practice, and the modern era emphasizes family integrity and adherence to current doctrine in a way that supporters say strengthens social cohesion. See Polygamy and Manifesto (LDS Church) for related topics.

Controversies and debates

Same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ issues remain a central area of public contention. The church teaches that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman, and it does not sanction same-sex marriages. At the same time, church members are urged to treat individuals with kindness and respect. Critics contend that church teachings discriminate against LGBTQ+ people; supporters argue that the church is upholding long-standing religious doctrines about marriage while advocating compassion for individuals.
The historic priesthood ban, which barred black men from priesthood ordination in the United States until 1978, is widely acknowledged as a regrettable episode in church history. The church’s current position rejects racial barriers in priesthood eligibility and emphasizes equality before God, while some observers argue that the process and timing of the change reveal complexities in interpreting revelation. See Black people and the priesthood and Prophecy and revelation in the Latter Day Saint movement for context.
Polygamy is a historical facet of the church’s past but is no longer practiced by the mainstream church. Critics see the past practice as a stain on the church’s record, while supporters emphasize the movement toward unity and doctrinal clarity. See Polygamy for historical background.
Critics from broader cultural movements sometimes describe religious views of family as out of step with contemporary norms. Proponents counter that the church’s family doctrine protects children, preserves civil institutions, and maintains religious liberty—an argument they say is undermined by what they view as aggressive social experimentation. In discussing these debates, supporters of the church frame concerns as legitimate political and cultural disputes rather than outright religious dogma, and they defend religious liberty as essential to pluralism.