List Of Temples Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day SaintsEdit
Temples hold a distinctive place in the theology and practice of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Unlike chapels where weekly worship and community programs occur, temples are regarded as sacred houses where members participate in essential rites believed to seal families for eternity and to advance individual spiritual progress. Access to temples is restricted to members who meet certain standards of worthiness and who hold a temple recommend, a status governed by the church’s guidelines. The calendar of temples—where they exist, how they are being used, and where new ones are planned—is followed closely by adherents and often discussed in broader public conversations about religious freedom, civic development, and cultural heritage. The list of temples therefore functions not only as a practical registry but as a window into the church’s growth, doctrine, and relationship with the broader world.
In the modern era, temple construction began with early structures and evolved into a global network. The earliest temples in the church’s history—the Kirtland Temple in Ohio and the Nauvoo Temple in Illinois—served as pivotal focal points for worship and doctrinal development in the 19th century. After the Saints settled in the american west, temple-building intensified and expanded beyond the United States, leading to an international pattern of temples that reflects the church’s missionary emphasis and its commitment to family-centered ordinances. The contemporary list includes long-standing sites in North America and Europe, as well as a growing number in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. A number of these structures have become recognizable landmarks within their communities, often combining religious symbolism with distinctive architectural styles. See for example Kirtland Temple and Nauvoo Illinois Temple for historical roots, alongside enduring mainstays such as Salt Lake Temple and St. George Utah Temple in the western United States, and international sites like London England Temple, Tokyo Japan Temple, and Sydney Australia Temple.
Historical overview of the temple program
The temple program emerged from a sequence of revelations and religious developments in the 19th century, culminating in a centralized emphasis on temple worship as a distinct form of sacred practice. Early sites such as Kirtland Temple and Nauvoo Illinois Temple played foundational roles in defining the temple enterprise.
The relocation of church life to Utah and the pioneer era contributed to a major expansion of temple construction during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Temples built in Utah and neighboring states became hubs for doctrinal teaching, family sealing ceremonies, and other sacred rites.
The latter half of the 20th century and the early 21st century saw a worldwide expansion, with new temples announced and dedicated in many countries. This expansion coincided with increased attention to temples as a visible sign of religious freedom and community service in many diverse locales. See Los Angeles California Temple and Salt Lake Temple for examples within the United States, and London England Temple for an international landmark.
The temple system continues to evolve as the church responds to growth, population shifts, and changing civic landscapes, while preserving a doctrinal framework that emphasizes eternal families and sacred ordinances. For a sense of the broader doctrinal context, see Temple (Latter Day Saints) (the concept) and the church’s official temple program overview on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Notable temples by region and purpose
United States (historic and ongoing emphasis)
- Salt Lake Temple (Salt Lake City, Utah) – a long-standing symbol of the church’s heartland history and a focal point of temple worship.
- St. George Utah Temple (St. George, Utah) – one of the earliest western temples and a model for subsequent designs.
- Kirtland Temple (Kirtland, Ohio) – a historical temple central to the church’s early development.
- Los Angeles California Temple (Los Angeles, California) – a major mid-20th-century temple reflecting urban expansion.
- Mesa Arizona Temple (Mesa, Arizona) – among the early modern temples in the southwestern United States.
- Nauvoo Illinois Temple (Nauvoo, Illinois) – a 21st-century reconstruction on the historic site, linked to a core chapter of church history.
- Palmyra New York Temple (Palmyra, New York) – part of the church’s presence in the upstate region tied to Restoration sites.
International
- London England Temple (London, England) – a prominent European temple with a long-standing role in outreach and family rites.
- Tokyo Japan Temple (Tokyo, Japan) – an important gateway temple in East Asia’s growing church community.
- Sydney Australia Temple (Sydney, Australia) – a key center in the Oceania region.
- Toronto Ontario Temple (Toronto, Ontario) – a major North American site serving a large international community.
- Salt Lake City Utah Temple status in the overall network continues to guide the global pattern of temple-building outside of core regions.
Notable historic or specialized contexts
- Nauvoo Illinois Temple (Nauvoo, Illinois) demonstrates the church’s efforts to reclaim and honor historical sites within its broader narrative.
- Kirtland Temple represents the earliest architectural and ceremonial model that would influence later designs.
Note on access and purpose: Temples are distinct from meetinghouses or chapels where regular worship and community programs occur. Temple rites—such as endowment and sealing—are presented as sacred ordinances by which adherents seek spiritual progress and eternal family connections. Because temple worship is considered sacred, public access is restricted to those who meet church guidelines and hold authorization. The list of temples therefore functions as a record of where these rites are performed and where the church is investing in spiritual infrastructure across communities.
Controversies, debates, and responses (from a traditional, rights-respecting perspective)
Access and inclusivity
- Contention: Temples are not open to the general public, which some observers interpret as exclusion.
- Perspective: The exclusive, sacred character of temple rites is framed as a doctrinal requirement rather than a social policy. Advocates point to religious liberty and the right of faith communities to govern sacred practices within their own doctrinal boundaries, a matter often defended under protections for religious exercise in constitutional frameworks. See also debates about religious freedom and the role of private associations in public life.
Historical policies and evolution
- Contention: Critics point to past church policies that restricted priesthood or leadership roles for certain groups.
- Perspective: Supporters characterize the church’s history as a narrative of revelation and doctrinal refinement, noting that the church’s leadership has acknowledged past limitations and emphasized that doctrine has continued to develop in light of new understanding. The 1978 shift on priesthood is frequently cited as a turning point that aligned church practice with evolving civil rights norms in a manner believers interpret as guided by divine instruction, while opponents may insist on continued scrutiny of how religious changes unfold.
Global expansion and cultural dynamics
- Contention: Expansion into diverse regions raises questions about cultural integration, local norms, and the pace of temple construction.
- Perspective: Proponents argue that religious freedom allows a faith to establish sacred spaces where adherents can worship and families can be sealed, while also contributing to local economies and community services through schools, humanitarian programs, and construction projects. Critics sometimes frame expansion as cultural influence; defenders contend that religious institutions operate within the same rights and responsibilities that others enjoy in civil society.
Political activity and public discourse
- Contention: Critics sometimes allege that religious groups, including the church, wield disproportionate influence in public policy.
- Perspective: The church maintains that people of faith have a legitimate role in public life and that religious voice should be protected under constitutional protections for religious expression. Supporters emphasize the importance of preserving religious liberty for communities with long-standing traditions, while critics call for stricter separation of church and state or question the use of church resources in political campaigns. The channeling of religion into public debates is a long-running area of public discussion across many faith communities.
Woke critique and doctrinal disagreements
- Contention: Contemporary cultural critiques accuse the church of discrimination or moral rigidity on social issues.
- Perspective: Advocates argue that religious doctrine governs sacred rites and family structures, which they see as matters of faith rather than public policy. They contend that applying secular norms retroactively to religious practice is an improper constraint on religious conscience. Critics of these views contend that religious freedom should be balanced with equal rights and non-discrimination; proponents of the traditional view often push back by stressing that religious liberty protects the right to maintain beliefs and practices even when they diverge from prevailing cultural agreements.