Latter Day Saints
Also known as Mormon, Latter-Day Saints, Mormons, LDS
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the Second Great Awakening. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several groups following different leaders; the majority followed Brigham Young, while smaller groups followed Sidney Rigdon and James Strang. Many who did not follow Young eventually merged into the Community of Christ, led by Smith’s son, Joseph Smith III. The term Mormon typically refers to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sa
Key facts
- Religious group.religions
- Mormonism
- Religious group.group
- Latter-day Saints or Mormons
- Religious group.image
- Joseph Smith Preaching to the Indians by William Armitage.png
- Religious group.caption
- Joseph Smith preaching to the Sac and Fox Indians who visited Nauvoo, Illinois on August 12, 1841
- Religious group.population
- 17,255,394
- Religious group.region1
- United States
- Religious group.pop1
- 6,868,793
- Religious group.region2
- Mexico
- Religious group.pop2
- 1,516,406
- Religious group.region3
- Brazil
- Religious group.pop3
- 1,494,571
- Religious group.region4
Article
18 sectionsContents
- Terminology
- History
- Beginnings
- Pioneer era
- Modern times
- Culture and practices
- Groups within Mormonism
- Latter-day Saints ("LDS")
- Fundamentalist Mormons
- Liberal Mormons
- Cultural Mormons
- Beliefs
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Sources
- Further reading
- External links
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the Second Great Awakening. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several groups following different leaders; the majority followed Brigham Young, while smaller groups followed Sidney Rigdon and James Strang. Many who did not follow Young eventually merged into the Community of Christ, led by Smith’s son, Joseph Smith III. The term Mormon typically refers to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the largest branch, which followed Brigham Young. People who identify as Mormons may also be independently religious, secular, and non-practicing or belong to other denominations.
Since 2018, the LDS Church has expressed the desire that its followers be referred to as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or just members, if the identity of the church is made clear previously in the context, as the term Mormon has derogatory origins.