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Temple Lds ChurchEdit

Temples in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often referred to by scholars and adherents as the LDS Church) are distinct from the everyday meetinghouses used for weekly worship. They function as sacred spaces where members undertake rites that, in Latter-day Saint theology, connect the living with the divine and with families across generations. Access to temple ordinances is restricted to members who hold a current temple recommend and who are in good standing with local church leadership. The architecture, ritual content, and governance of temples reflect a long-standing belief in eternal family bonds, divine law, and the progression of individuals toward exaltation.

Unlike regular chapels that host weekly services and community activities, temples are closed to the public and operate under strict disclosure and interviewer guidelines. Inside, temple rites include instructions and covenants that church leaders describe as essential for exaltation, the sealing of families, and the performance of ordinances on behalf of the dead. The church emphasizes the eternal nature of families, temple covenants, and the belief that temple worship augments personal faith, humanitarian service, and missionary effort. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Endowment (LDS temple) provide the doctrinal framing for these practices, while Baptisms for the dead and Sealings (LDS Church) describe specific rites performed within temple settings.

Around the world, temples operate within a framework of daily life that prioritizes family, service, and personal devotion. Temples are complemented by more numerous meetinghouses and stakes that support weekly worship, youth activities, and community outreach. The global temple program has grown from a handful of early structures in the United States to a sizable network across continents, with each temple serving a local population as well as adherents from nearby areas. Temples such as the Salt Lake Temple in Utah and others worldwide anchor the church’s broader program of religious education, genealogical research, and lay leadership, which is coordinated through regional offices and the General Authorities.

This article surveys the temple program in historical and contemporary terms, mindful of periods of controversy and debate that have surrounded temple worship, race relations, and sexuality within the church. The discussion focuses on how temple practice has evolved and how it is understood by adherents and critics alike, without taking sides in ideological disputes beyond describing the positions and counter-positions that have emerged.

Beliefs and practices related to temples

  • Sacred purpose and rites: Temples are described as places where adherents participate in rites that, in theology, bind families for eternity. The rites performed inside temples include the endowment ceremony and sealing ordinances, and, in some temples, baptisms for the dead. For more on the doctrinal framing, see Endowment (LDS temple) and Sealings (LDS Church).

  • Access and preparation: Entrance to temples requires a temple recommend, which is reviewed by local church leaders to determine readiness to participate in temple rites. Members preparing for temple rites typically receive instruction, engage in personal and family worship, and maintain personal conduct consistent with church teachings. See Temple recommend for a fuller description.

  • Architecture and design: Temples share a common symbolic framework in their interior layout, which includes spaces for instruction, ordinances, and family sealing rooms. While the exterior and interior design varies by location, the overarching aims remain consistent with church teaching on sacred space. See Temple architecture and Temple Square for related topics.

  • Relationship to broader church life: Temples operate alongside chapels and other church facilities that host weekly worship, missionary activity, youth programs, and humanitarian work. In many communities, temple construction is paired with local growth in the church’s membership and congregational organization. See Missionary work and Genealogy (family history) for related themes.

History

  • Origins in the 19th century: The church’s temple theology emerged in the 1830s and 1840s under leaders such as Joseph Smith and his successors. The first temple built by the church was the Kirtland Temple, which embodied an early interpretation of temple worship, followed by the Nauvoo Temple in Illinois. The experiences of these early temples shaped later temple-building and ritual practices. See Kirtland Temple and Nauvoo Temple.

  • Migration west and expansion: After the church’s establishment in the western United States, temple construction intensified in Utah and surrounding regions. The completion of the Salt Lake Temple in the late 19th century became a landmark of temple architecture and religious life, symbolizing institutional stability and doctrinal consistency for adherents across North America and beyond. See Salt Lake Temple.

  • 20th‑ and 21st‑century expansion: The church gradually expanded its temple program to international locations, reflecting growth in membership and local leadership capable of stewarding temple worship. This expansion included considerations of accessibility, indigenous and local contexts, and the global reach of genealogical research associated with temple rites. See Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more context on global distribution.

  • Controversies and turning points: The temple program has intersected with broader social debates, including the church’s historical era of polygamy and the evolution of priesthood and race policies in the 19th and 20th centuries. The church ended the practice of polygamy in the 1890s with formal declarations, and it later addressed race-related policy changes concerning priesthood and temple access in the late 20th century. See Polygamy in the Latter Day Saint movement and Race and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for fuller discussions.

Architecture, sites, and accessibility

  • Notable temples: The church operates many temples worldwide, each tied to its local community yet connected through a shared doctrinal framework. Prominent examples include the Salt Lake Temple and other breakpoints in the temple network that serve diverse populations. See Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a broader list and history.

  • Open houses and dedication: New temples typically undergo an open house period before dedication, allowing the general public to tour the facilities. After dedication, access is reserved for members with temple recommends. The open house process is part of how temples become integrated into local religious life while preserving sacred rites for adherents in good standing.

  • Cultural and genealogical work: The temple program is closely linked to genealogical research and family history work, which supports temple rites and long-term family-centered devotion. See Genealogy (family history) for more on this broader aspect of LDS religious practice.

See also