The Mormons - Their View of Family

Kollár, Beáta (2000) The Mormons - Their View of Family. Masters, Szegedi Tudományegyetem.

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Abstract

The object of this study is to demonstrate the family policy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, commonly referred to as the Mormon Church. The Mormon Church was organized in 1830, in the USA by its first president, Joseph Smith. Although this religion is not as old as Christianity, it spread quite rapidly due to organized missionary work within and outside the USA. In the first part of this study the reader can learn about who the Mormons are, how the Church was founded, then persecuted through the continent until they finaly could settle down in today's Utah founding Salt Lake City. It also explaines how the Book of Mormon, their "Bible", came into existence and some basic characteristics and doctrines of the Church. All these are necessary to understand these people why family-life is in the center of their thoughts. One reason for their persecution was their practicing the institution of plural marriage. The second part examines the 19 th century Mormon family types (based on monogamous or polygamous marriages) and their importance, how the hostility around the Mormons forced them to give up polygamy. In 1890, the current president, Wilford Woodruff made it clear for everybody that in one of his revelations God asked the Church members not to practice polygamy any longer. Nevertheless, some fundamentalists disagreed with the divine origin of the Manifesto so they continued this and so do they today. It also shows the effect this had on the Mormon family of the 19`" century. In the third part the Mormon family is examined in the 20` h century. In 1995 a proclamation was issued by the LDS Church that deals with the significance of the family and the duties of its members. The Mormons took part in two World CongressesofFamilies, however, not in majority. The Mormons and all the participants completely shared the views of family and discussed some arising problems concerning the role of the family. The end of the study gives examples how the LDS Church helps its members to build up strong families, where children and young adults can live in safety and prepare for the highly responsible parental time, furthermore for the eternal life after death. Although the Mormons gave up practicing polygamous marriage in the 19thcentury, they still became stronger and bigger. At the beginning they held that in a family based on polygamous marriages the saving of souls, the main aim of the LDS Church, is more effective since in these families more children are born and raised up in religious bacground. After 1890, the end of supporting polygamy in the Church, they still followed the large family ideal and did, do today, everything for encouraging these smaller units. The LDS Church is stronger than ever. One reason for this is that they regard family as the most important unit that directs the next generation to live according to God's rules. They realized that the strengthening families help the strengthening of the Church.

Institution

Szegedi Tudományegyetem

Faculty

Gyula Juhász Teacher Training College

Department

Angol Tanszék

Discipline

Teacher Training

Specialization

angol

Supervisor(s)

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	05. Social sciences > 05.03. Educational sciences
Depositing User:	Szerkesztő JGYPK
Date Deposited:	2019. Jun. 04. 07:43
Last Modified:	2019. Jun. 04. 13:55
URI:	https://diploma.bibl.u-szeged.hu/id/eprint/76828

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