Summary
In the Community of Christ, the Council of Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy. They are disciples who hold the priesthood office of apostle, and are responsible for the evangelistic witness of the church. Apostles are also high priests in the Melchizedek priesthood of the church.
Calling edit
As with all priesthood in the Community of Christ, members of the Council of Twelve are considered to be "called by God." The Prophet-President "receives" the call, and after consultation with the other two members of the First Presidency, "presents" the call to the candidate. If the candidate accepts, the candidates name is presented to the World Conference and the call is sustained by majority vote. New apostles are ordained in a special worship service held during the World Conference. Prior to the Presidency of W. Grant McMurray, the call of apostles and other members of presiding quorums of the church were named in an "inspired document" that was added to the scriptures of the church in the Doctrine and Covenants. McMurray and others believed that the lengthy passages related to priesthood calls reduced the readability of the Doctrine and Covenants. Since that time, these priesthood calls have been presented in a separate document that is not included in the Doctrine and Covenants. Most appointee ministers live in the Independence, Missouri, area, however, the current trend is to base apostles in the field. Each apostle has an office in the Independence Temple and they share administrative staff.
Responsibilities edit
Individual apostles may be assigned to various responsibilities of church leadership, including field administration. Together with the First Presidency and the Presiding Bishopric, this council is a part of the "World Church Leadership Council." Each of the apostles is called to serve as a "special witness of the gospel", and each is appointed by the First Presidency to oversee one or more of the church's mission fields. In recent years, some members of the Council are also given responsibility for certain areas of program ministry. If for any reason the First Presidency is dissolved or otherwise unable to preside over the World Conference, the Council of Twelve Apostles presides over the conference until such time as the First Presidency resumes functioning or is reorganized. Assigned by the First Presidency, they carry major responsibility for church expansion, and serve as administrative supervisors of field jurisdictions. The Council of Twelve Apostles elects one of its members to serve as President of the Council of Twelve and another member to serve as Secretary of the Council of Twelve. Members of the Council of Twelve Apostles are normally full-time paid ministers, called "Appointee Ministers" in the Community of Christ.
Members of the Council of Twelve Apostles directly supervise Mission Center Presidents and missionaries holding the priesthood office of Seventy. They have the authority to call Mission Center Conferences and frequently preside over certain portions of the various conferences. Apostles usually initiate calls to the offices of high priest and evangelist, often in consultation or at the behest of Mission Center Presidents. Apostles usually hold annual or semi-annual meetings of the appointee ministers and key staff members in their fields. Apostles have the authority to organize or dissolve congregations and ministry groups. If a Mission Center President takes over operation of a congregation (usually only in situations of extreme dissent), an appeal of this decision may be made to the apostle that supervises that field. Apostles typically travel to missionary fields around the world, even when they have fields entirely within the United States. This international missionary experience is believed to enrich both the recipients of the ministry as well as the experience of the apostles' themselves. Most jurisdictions of the Community of Christ hold summertime family camps called "reunions." Apostles usually spend much of their summer attending various reunions.
Progressive influence edit
The Council of Twelve Apostles has long been regarded as the primary advocates for the growing international presence of the church and its international witness of Jesus Christ. In addition, the Council has frequently strived to lead the church towards progressive stances on issues such as homosexuality, women in the priesthood, open communion, ecumenism, interfaith dialogue, environmentalism, peace and justice ministries. Former apostle Charles D. Neff (1958–1984) led the Council of Twelve in developing relativistic viewpoints towards both ritual and doctrine in order to make the gospel relevant across cultures. Presently, the Council contains five female apostles, an African, a Polynesian and a Honduran.
Current members edit
The current members of the Council, their specific assignments, and year they joined the Council are as follows:[1]
- David H. M. Nii – South Central USA Mission Field (2019)
- Bunda C. Chibwe – Central and West Africa Mission Field; South-Central Asia Mission Field (2000)
- Catherine C. Mambwe – West, South, and East Africa Mission Field (2019)
- Carlos Enrique Mejia – Central and South America Mission Field (2007)
- Mareva M. Arnaud Tchong – President, Pacifikasia Mission Field (2013)[2]
- Richard C. N. James – Eurasia Mission Field (2013)
- Arthur E. Smith – Canada Mission Field; Caribbean and Mexico-Texas Field (2013)[2]
- Janné C. Grover – Central USA Mission Field (2016)
- Robin K. Linkhart – North Central USA Mission Field (2016)
- Lachlan E. Mackay – Northeast USA Mission Field (2016)
- Shandra Karine Newcom - (2023)
- Angela Alt. Ramirez de Hernandez - (2023)
1844 to present edit
This is a list of the members of the Council in the Community of Christ, (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) ordained after 1844. The dates are the years they served as a member of the Council of Twelve.
| Name | Began Service | Ended Service | Cause of Departure | Other Positions | Nationality & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason W. Briggs | 1853 | 1885 | Not sustained as Apostle at the 1885 conference. | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles | American. Withdrew from the church sometime after 1885 conference |
| Zenas H. Gurley, Sr. | 1853 | 1871 | Ordained Joseph Smith III as president in 1860. | ||
| Henry Harrison Deam | 1853 | 1854 | |||
| Reuben Newkirk | 1853 | 1873 | |||
| John Cunningham | 1853 | 1855 | |||
| George White | 1853 | 1859 | |||
| Daniel B. Rasey | 1853 | 1873 | |||
| Samuel Powers | 1855 | 1873 | |||
| David Newkirk | 1855 | 1865 | |||
| William W. Blair | 1858 | 10 April 1873 | Called to First Presidency | First counselor in the First Presidency | American. Served as first counselor until his death on 18 April 1896 |
| John Shippy | 1860 | 1868 | |||
| James Blakeslee | 1860 | 1866 | |||
| Edmund C. Briggs | October 1860 | 18 April 1902 | Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch. | President of the Seventy | American |
| Josiah Ells | 1865 | 1885 | |||
| Charles Derry | 1865 | 1870 | |||
| William H. Kelley | 1873 | 1913 | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles (1897– ) | ||
| Thomas Wood Smith | 1873 | 1894 | |||
| James Caffall | 1873 | 1902 | |||
| John H. Lake | 1873 | 1902 | |||
| Alexander Hale Smith | 10 April 1873 | 12 April 1897 | Ordained a Presiding Patriarchs/Evangelist. | Counselor to Joseph Smith III President of the Council of Twelve Apostles (1890–97) |
American. Third surviving son of Joseph and Emma Smith. |
| Zenas H. Gurley, Jr. | 1874 | 1885 | |||
| Joseph R. Lambert | 1873 | 1902 | |||
| James W. Gillen | 11 April 1887[3] | 1899 | |||
| Heman C. Smith | 11 April 1887[3] | 1909 | Church Historian | ||
| Joseph Luff | 11 April 1887[3] | 1909 | Canadian | ||
| Gomer T. Griffiths | 11 April 1887[3] | 1922 | |||
| Isaac N. White | 12 April 1897[4] | 1913 | |||
| John W. Wight | 12 April 1897[4] | 1913 | |||
| R. C. Evans | 12 April 1897[4] | 1902 | Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency | Counselor in the First Presidency Bishop (With specific jurisdiction over the church in Canada) |
Canadian. Broke with the church in 1918 and formed the Church of the Christian Brotherhood |
| Peter Andersen | 1901 | 1920 | |||
| Frederick A. Smith | 1902 | 1913 | |||
| Francis M. Sheehy | 1902 | 1920 | |||
| Ulysses W. Greene | 1902 | 1922 | |||
| Cornelius A. Butterworth | 1901 | 1922 | |||
| John W. Rushton | 1902 | 1947 | |||
| James F. Curtis | 1909 | 7 April 1938 | Honorably released | ||
| Robert C. Russell | 1909 | 1922 | |||
| James E. Kelley | 1913 | 1917 | |||
| William Murray Aylor | 1913 | 1922 | |||
| Paul M. Hanson | 1913 | 8 October 1958[5] | |||
| James A. Gillen | 1913 | 1934 | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles (1922– ) | ||
| Thomas W. Williams | 1920 | 1925 | |||
| Myron A. McConley | 1920 | 1948 | |||
| Clyde F. Ellis | 1923 | 1945 | |||
| John F. Garver | 13 October 1922 | 9 April 1946 | Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency | Counselor in the First Presidency | American. Was president of the Board of Trustees for Graceland College |
| Daniel T. Williams | 1922 | 8 October 1958[5] | Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist | ||
| F. Henry Edwards | 13 October 1922 | 9 April 1946 | Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency | Secretary of the Council of Twelve Apostles | English. Honorably released from First Presidency on 18 April 1966, |
| Edmund J. Gleazer | 1922 | 8 October 1958[5] | Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist | ||
| Roy S. Budd | 1922 | 1936 | |||
| George G. Lewis | 1932 | 1948 | |||
| George C. Mesley | 7 April 1938 | 1954 | |||
| Arthur Alma Oakman | 7 April 1938 | 1964 | Ordained an Evangelist | Evangelist | English |
| Charles R. Hield | 7 April 1938 | 6 April 1964[6] | Honorably released | ||
| D. Blair Jensen | 1946 | 18 April 1966[7] | Honorably released | ||
| Roscoe E. Davey | 1947 | 6 April 1964[6] | Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist | ||
| Maurice L. Draper | 1947 | 8 October 1958[5] | Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency | ||
| W. Wallace Smith | 1947 | 1950 | Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency | Prophet-President | |
| Percy E. Farrow | 1948 | 18 April 1966[7] | Honorably released | ||
| Reed M. Holmes | 1948 | 1 April 1974.[8] | Ordained as Presiding Patriarch/Evangelist | ||
| Donald O. Chesworth | 1950 | 14 April 1972.[9] | Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist | ||
| Donald Victor Lents | 1954 | 8 April 1980 [10] | Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch | ||
| Charles D. Neff | 8 October 1958[5] | 5 April 1984[11] | Honorably released | American | |
| Clifford A. Cole | 8 October 1958[5] | 8 April 1980 [10] | Called to ministries of teaching and writing | ||
| Cecil R. Ettinger | 2 April 1960[12] | 1 April 1974[8] | Honorably released | ||
| Duane E. Couey | 2 April 1960[12] | 18 April 1966[7] | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | Presiding Patriarch/Evangelist | American |
| Russell F. Ralston | 6 April 1964[6] | 29 March 1976[13] | |||
| William E. Timms | 6 April 1964[6] | 3 April 1978[14] | Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch | ||
| Earl T. Higdon | 18 April 1966[7] | 1 April 1974[8] | Honorably released | President of Graceland College | |
| Alan D. Tyree | 18 April 1966[7] | 29 March 1982[15] | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | ||
| Aleah G. Koury | 18 April 1966[7] | 8 April 1980 [10] | Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch | Canadian | |
| Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. | 1 April 1968[16] | 1980 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | Counselor in the First Presidency | American. Ordained counselor on 3 April 1978, but remained as a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles until 1980. |
| John C. Stuart | 14 April 1972 [9] | 29 March 1982[15] | Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch | ||
| William T. Higdon | 1 April 1974[8] | 5 April 1992[17] | President of Graceland College | ||
| Lloyd B. Hurshman | 1 April 1974[8] | 14 April 1988[18] | Honorably released | ||
| Paul W. Booth | 1 April 1974[8] | 5 April 1992[17] | Ordained as the Presiding Evangelist | ||
| Eugene C. Austin, Sr. | 29 March 1976[13] | 10 April 1994[19] | Honorably released | ||
| Roy H. Schaefer | 3 April 1978[14] | 14 April 1988[18] | Honorably released | ||
| Phillip M. Caswell | 3 April 1978[14] | 1998 | |||
| Kisuke Sekine | 8 April 1980 [10] | 5 April 1992[17] | Honorably released | Japanese | |
| Everett S. Graffeo | 8 April 1980 [10] | 1994[19] | Ordained as the Presiding Evangelist | ||
| Kenneth N. Robinson | 8 April 1980 [10] | 1996 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | Counselor in the First Presidency | Australian |
| Joe A. Serig | 29 March 1982[15] | 1998 | |||
| James C. Cable | 29 March 1982[15] | 1996 | |||
| Geoffrey F. Spencer | 5 April 1984[11] | 10 April 1994[19] | Honorably released | Australian | |
| A. Alex Kahtava | 14 April 1988[18] | 2002 | Canadian | ||
| John P. Kirkpatrick | 14 April 1988[18] | 2007 | |||
| David R. Brock | 5 April 1992[17] | 27 March 2007 | Ordained as the Presiding Evangelist | President of Seventy Presiding Evangelist |
American |
| Lawrence W. Tyree | 5 April 1992[17] | 2002 | |||
| Stephen M. Veazey | 5 April 1992[17] | 2005 | Ordained as the Prophet-President | President of the Council of Twelve Prophet-President |
American |
| Danny A. Belrose | 10 April 1994[19] | 2000 | Ordained as Presiding Evangelist | Canadian | |
| Dale E. Luffman | 10 April 1994[19] | January 3, 2013[2] | American | ||
| Kenneth L. McLaughlin | 10 April 1994[19] | 2005 | |||
| Peter A. Judd | 1996 | 2000 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | Counselor in the First Presidency | English |
| James E. Slauter | 1996 | May 3, 2011[20] | Early retirement, family health[20] | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles Secretary of the Council of Twelve Apostles |
American |
| Gail E. Mengel | 31 March 1998 | 2005 | Called as Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer | President of Church Women United Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer |
American, along with Linda L. Booth, the first women to be ordained apostles. |
| Linda L. Booth | 1998 | 2019 | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles, Director of Communications | American, along with Gail E. Mengel, the first woman to be ordained apostles. Also first female president of the Council of Twelve. | |
| Leonard M. Young | April 2000 | 2010 | Ordained an Evangelist in 2010 | President of the Quorum of High Priests, President of Michigan Region, Director of Field Resources | American - Served as World Church Parliamentarian from 1988 to 2020 |
| Bunda C. Chibwe | April 2000 | present | President of the Sixth Quorum of Seventy | Zambian | |
| Mary Jacks Dynes | 2002 | 2010 | Retired | President of the Fifth Quorum of Seventy. | American |
| David D. Schaal | 2002 | 2005 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | President of the Tri Stake Mission Center Counselor in the First Presidency |
American |
| Stassi D. Cramm | 2005[21] | 2016[22] | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency[22] and Presiding Bishop[22] | Counselor to the Presiding Bishop Presiding Bishop Counselor in the First Presidency |
American |
| Ronald D. Harmon Jr. | 2005[21] | 2023 | Ordained to Office of Presiding Bishop | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles | American |
| Rick W. Maupin | 2005[21] | 2019 | American | ||
| Susan D. Oxley | 2005[21] | 2015 | American | ||
| Andrew Bolton | 2007 | 2016[22] | English | ||
| Carlos Enrique Mejia | 2007 | present | Honduran | ||
| Richard C.N. James | 2010 | present | Secretary of the Council of Twelve Apostles (incumbent) | Welsh | |
| K. Scott Murphy | 2010 | 2013[2] | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | Director of Field Ministries (incumbent) President of the Council of Twelve |
American |
| Barbara L. Carter | 2013[2] | 2023 | American | ||
| Mareva Arnaud Tchong | 2013[2] | present | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles | French Polynesian (Tahitian) | |
| Arthur E. Smith | 2013[2] | present | Canadian | ||
| Janné C. Grover | 2016[22] | present | American | ||
| Robin K. Linkhart | 2016[22] | present | American | ||
| Lachlan E. Mackay | 2016[22] | present | American | ||
| Catherine Mambwe | 2019 | present | Zambian | ||
| David Nii | 2019 | present | American | ||
| Shandra Karine Newcom | 2023 | present | American | ||
| Angela Alt. Ramirez de Hernandez | 2023 | present | Dominican |
Notes edit
- ^ "Church Leadership", cofchrist.org, accessed 3 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g Stephen M. Veazey (3 January 2013). "Letter of Counsel Regarding the Presiding Quorums". Coastal Bend Mission Center. Archived from the original on 28 August 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 119". Archived from the original on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
- ^ a b c "Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 124:4A". Archived from the original on 2007-06-07. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
- ^ a b c d e f Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 145:3, 5b, 6b, 6c, & 7
- ^ a b c d Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 147:1, 2 & 4
- ^ a b c d e f Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 148:1 - 4
- ^ a b c d e f Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 151:2 - 7
- ^ a b Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 150:1A & 2A
- ^ a b c d e f Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 154:1 - 3
- ^ a b Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 156:1 & 2
- ^ a b Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 146:1
- ^ a b Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 152:2a & 3
- ^ a b c Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 153:5 - 6
- ^ a b c d Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 155:3 - 5
- ^ Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 149:1
- ^ a b c d e f Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 158:3-6
- ^ a b c d Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 157:1-3
- ^ a b c d e f Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 159:2 - 5
- ^ a b Veazey, Stephen M. (May 3, 2011). "Letter of Counsel Regarding the Presiding Quorums". Cumminty of Christ. Archived from the original on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Official Minutes of Business Session" Archived 2005-06-22 at archive.today, Community of Christ World Conference 2005, 4 June 2005.
- ^ a b c d e f g Stephen M. Veazey, "Letter of Counsel about World Church Leadership" Archived 2016-09-18 at the Wayback Machine, cofchrist.org, March 31, 2016.
References edit
- The Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Containing Revelations Given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet, with Some Additions by his Successors in the Presidency of the Church, Intellectual Reserve: Salt Lake City, UT, 1981.
- Book of Doctrine and Covenants: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God and Given in the Order of their Dates, Herald Publishing House: Independence, MO, 2000.
- Scherer, Mark A. (2016). The Journey of a People: The Era of Worldwide Community, 1945 to 2015. Independence, Missouri: Community of Christ Seminary Press. ISBN 978-0-830-91656-6.