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Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

(LDS Church)
See also: Quorum of the Twelve


In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Quorum of the Twelve, the Council of the Twelve Apostles, or simply the Twelve) is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy. Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are apostles, with the calling to be prophets, seers, and revelators, evangelical ambassadors, and special witnesses of Jesus Christ.

The quorum was first organized in 1835 and designated as a body of "traveling councilors" with jurisdiction outside areas where the church was formally organized, equal in authority to the First Presidency as well as to the Seventy, the standing Presiding High Council, and the High Councils of the various stakes (Doctrine & Covenants 107:25-27, 36-37). The jurisdiction of the Twelve was originally limited to areas of the world outside of Zion or its stakes. After the Apostles returned from England, Joseph Smith altered the responsibilities of the quorum. They were given charge of the affairs of the church, under direction of the First Presidency.

Role of the quorum in the LDS Church

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles claims a leadership role second only to that of the First Presidency. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was Brigham Young. Assuming control of the church, Young emphasized what he said was Joseph Smith's authorization that the Quorum of the Twelve should be the church's central governing body of the church after Smith's death. Then in 1847, the Twelve reorganized the First Presidency with Young as President, and the Twelve took on a supporting role within a chain of command under the First Presidency, a role that continues to the present.

Church policy decisions are made unanimously, with consultation among the Presidency, the Seventy, and the Quorum of the Twelve, each of which has its own responsibility. A great deal of effort is made to ensure that the organizations are united in purpose and policy.

Each member of the quorum is accepted by the church as an apostle, as well as a "prophet, seer, and revelator." Thus, each apostle is considered to hold the rights ("keys of the Priesthood") to use all powers granted by God to the church. Individually and collectively, the Twelve Apostles hold the keys and have conferred the authority to exercise all of the keys upon the President of the Church, the one man who is to preside over the church. Thus, as outlined in the Doctrine and Covenants, only the President of the Church is entitled to receive revelation or dictate policy for the entire church.

A major role of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is to appoint a successor when the President of the Church dies. Shortly after this occurs, the apostles meet in a room of the Salt Lake Temple to appoint a successor. Invariably this has been the most senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with seniority determined by the longest duration of service. The apostles lay their hands on his head and ordain him and set him apart as President of the Church. The president then chooses two counselors, who are high priests (usually apostles). The second most senior surviving apostle becomes the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In cases when the President of the Quorum is simultaneously called to be a counselor in the First Presidency, an acting president of the quorum is called in his stead to fill the position. This has invariably been the most senior member of the quorum who is not a member of the First Presidency.

As vacancies arise within the quorum, the Twelve and the Presidency meet to pray and come to a unanimous decision as to whom will be called to fill the vacancy. The chosen man is generally ordained an apostle by the President of the Church, a counselor in the First Presidency, or the President of the Twelve. Depending on circumstances, this may occur before or after a sustaining vote is held at a general conference of the church, which is traditionally the occasion for the new apostle to be publicly announced and sustained by church members. Any faithful Melchizedek priesthood holder is eligible to be called as an apostle. Generally, new apostles have considerable experience in church government and have served faithfully in positions as bishops, stake presidents, mission presidents, or seventies.

As a matter of policy, apostles are generally asked to retire from their professional careers and devote themselves to full-time church service. Even members of boards and professional organizations are asked to resign those positions. (Some exceptions have been made to this rule, as when quorum member Ezra Taft Benson was permitted to serve as United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1953 to 1961 and when quorum member Reed Smoot was permitted to serve in the United States Senate from 1903 to 1933.) The calling of an apostle is typically a lifetime calling.

Current members

Presently, the members of the quorum are as follows:

The current members of the First Presidency are apostles, but are not members of the Quorum of the Twelve (though they still maintain their seniority). The current First Counselor in the First Presidency, Thomas S. Monson, holds the title of President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (being, after the President of the Church, the longest serving apostle); but being a counselor in the First Presidency, he does not actively serve in that capacity, and he is not currently a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

The seniority of the apostles (including those in the First Presidency) is as follows:

Members of the original quorum, prior to 1844

This is a list of members of the quorum prior to the succession crisis of 1844. Ten of the eighteen followed Brigham Young to Utah and remained part of the Quorum in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (indicated below as "LDS after 1844") Thomas B. Marsh and Luke S. Johnson later rejoined the saints in Utah, but did not resume their former places in the Quorum. Three of these apostles went on to be apostles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite). One, John E. Page, went on to be an apostle in the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) or "Hedrickite" church. Another, William Smith, later asserted his claim to head his own "Williamite" church organization before ultimately joining what is now the Community of Christ (where he did not resume his place in the quorum). Lyman Wight, likewise, organized his own branch of the church. William E. M'Lellin joined with multiple post-1844 church organizations in succession, each of which recognized his apostleship.

Seniority in the original quorum was determined by age. Since that time, it has been determined by when a person is called to the quorum.

The list includes the dates when each apostle was ordained. In some cases, the date of the calling is used when the actual date of ordination is unclear.

Apostles who were never members of the Quorum of the Twelve

The following men were ordained to the priesthood office of Apostle but were never members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Some, but not all, served in the First Presidency of the LDS Church.

In addition, J. Reuben Clark was only a member of the Quorum of the Twelve for one week in 1945 and six days in 1951, which were periods of time when the First Presidency was dissolved due to the death of the President of the Church.

See also

References

External links


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