Grant Hart Palmer (August 17, 1940 - September 25, 2017) was an American educator best known for his controversial work, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, which ostensibly led to his disfellowshipment in 2004 from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
|
|
Such a council might have resulted in Murphy's disfellowshipment or excommunication from the church. Murphy's situation received widespread media attention and generated protest actions from some Mormon intellectual groups. On December 7, 2002, less than 24 hours before the scheduled meeting time, Latimer indefinitely postponed Murphy's disciplinary council. Finally, on February 23, 2003, Latimer informed Murphy that all disciplinary action was placed on permanent hold.
|
|
Several members of the Third Convention were temporarily excommunicated by the LDS Church during the period in which it was active, although most of these were changed to the lesser punishment of disfellowshipment by President George Albert Smith in 1946, signaling a compromise. Rapprochement continued with President Smith's visit to Mexico that year, resulting in most Third Conventionists returning to the fellowship of the LDS Church.
|
|
This action temporarily restricts or suspends a member's privileges of church membership in the way specified by the council. Possible actions could include suspending the right to partake of the sacrament, hold a church calling, exercise the priesthood, or enter the temple. #Formal membership restrictions (formerly known as "disfellowshipment"). A person who has formal membership restrictions is still a member of the Church but is no longer in good standing.
|
|
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) are considered by church leadership to engage in apostasy when they publicly teach or espouse opinions and doctrines contrary to the teachings of the church, or act in clear and deliberate public opposition to the LDS Church, its doctrines and policies, or its leaders. In such circumstances the church will frequently subject the non-conforming member to a disciplinary council which may result in disfellowshipment (a temporary loss of church participation privileges) or excommunication (a semi- permanent loss of church membership).
|
|
Palmer argues also that the 'Mormon Jesus' is very different to the current Christian Jesus due to the modern practices of the LDS Church such as tithing, avoidance of alcoholic beverages and use of special clothing. At the time of his disfellowshipment, Palmer stated that he still loved the church, and was pleased he was not excommunicated. He also stated that he no longer attended church meetings specifically to avoid offending other members with his opinions as well as due to his rejection of standard LDS beliefs. In 2010, Palmer resigned his membership in the LDS Church.
|
|
Critics of the LDS Church, and Palmer himself, have compared the disfellowshipment of Grant Palmer to the trial of Galileo Galilei by the Roman Catholic Church. In May 2006, a four-part interview of Grant Palmer was featured on John Dehlin's podcast Mormon Stories. This interview was followed in January 2007 with a five-part interview of Richard Bushman, historian and author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, with Bushman's LDS-believing views presented in contrast to Palmer's skeptical take on Mormon origins. Palmer and Bushman were also among the wide range of people interviewed in the 2007 PBS documentary The Mormons.
|
|
Early Latter-day Saints were taught to consider ex-Mormons as stronger candidates for eternal damnation based on their former devotion to Mormonism, since those who were never adherents will be judged more lightly. The LDS Church taught "When individuals or groups of people turn away from the principles of the gospel, they are in a state of apostasy." In addition, one who goes so far as to deny the Holy Spirit could become a son of perdition and be cast into outer darkness. Outright apostasy of members will lead to a church disciplinary council, which may result in disfellowshipment or excommunication.
|
|
Seniority in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is important, as the senior apostle presides over the Quorum and usually becomes the president of the church after the current president's death. Specific rules have been applied to unusual situations that have arisen over time, including a member being removed from the quorum by disfellowshipment or excommunication and later being restored to the quorum. It was decided that, the removed apostle then loses his seniority in the quorum. For example, Brigham Young decided that John Taylor was to be President of the Twelve and Wilford Woodruff would follow him in seniority because of the readmission to the quorum of Orson Hyde, who had been disfellowshipped in 1846, and Orson Pratt, who had been excommunicated in 1842.
|
|
Church members who commit what are considered serious violations of the standards of the church (defined as, without limitation, "attempted murder, rape, sexual abuse, spouse abuse, intentional serious physical injury of others, adultery, fornication, homosexual relations, deliberate abandonment of family responsibilities, robbery, burglary, theft, embezzlement, sale of illegal drugs, fraud, perjury, and false swearing")Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1: Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics (2006), p. 110. may be subject to church disciplinary action, including disfellowshipment or excommunication. Such individuals are encouraged to continue attending church services, but are not permitted to hold church responsibilities or offer public prayer or sermons at any church meeting (although personal prayer is encouraged); excommunicated members are also prohibited from paying tithing or fast offerings. Such matters are generally kept private and other members are therefore frequently unaware of the status of such individuals.
|
|
A person is typically called to be a general authority or general officer by a member of the First Presidency or the Quorum of the Twelve. The president of the church and members of the Quorum of the Twelve are typically called for life, although there have been more than a dozen instances when an apostle has been released from his service in the Quorum of the Twelve due to disfellowshipment, excommunication, or resignation.. As with any calling in the church, general authorities and general officers serve "until they are released". In current church practice, men called to the First Quorum of the Seventy typically remain general authorities for life, but are granted emeritus status in the October following their 70th birthday.This practice had become more flexible for a period of time when Gordon B. Hinckley was church president.
|
|