Key Differences in Mormon Scripture and Doctrine Between Groups
How The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, fundamentalist offshoots, and other Mormon branches interpret scripture and teach conflicting doctrines.
- Mainstream LDS (The Church) accepts four standard works; fundamentalist groups add or prioritize different texts and reject Church changes since the early 1900s.
- Polygamy is the most visible split: The Church banned it in 1890; fundamentalists view it as eternal doctrine and continue the practice.
- Doctrine evolves in mainstream Mormonism through living prophets; fundamentalists treat 19th-century teachings as unchangeable divine law.
- Smaller groups like Community of Christ and Independent Mormons diverge further on priesthood authority, women's roles, and core theology.
Mormon scripture and doctrine are not monolithic. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (mainstream LDS) and its various offshoots—fundamentalist groups, Community of Christ, independent Mormon congregations—accept different texts as authoritative, interpret shared scriptures differently, and have developed incompatible teachings on issues from marriage to priesthood to God's nature. Understanding these splits requires knowing what each group considers scripture, how they view prophetic authority, and which historical doctrines they've kept or abandoned.
Scripture: What Counts as God's Word
The mainstream LDS Church recognizes four standard works: the Bible (King James Version), the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. These are the official canon, though church leaders' contemporary talks and written guidance also carry weight as doctrine.
Fundamentalist groups typically accept the same four books but treat early revelations—especially those in the Doctrine and Covenants and sermons by Joseph Smith and Brigham Young—as binding forever. They often cite sections of Doctrine and Covenants that command polygamy (e.g., Section 132) as unchangeable law, whereas the mainstream Church now teaches these were specific to that era. Some fundamentalist sects add unpublished manuscripts, oral traditions, or writings by early leaders that the mainstream Church has not canonized or has explicitly rejected.
Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or RLDS) accepts the Bible and Book of Mormon but includes the Doctrine and Covenants with different sections and additions. It also recognizes prophetic guidance from its own succession of leaders separate from the mainstream Church. Independent Mormon groups vary widely—some use the four standard works, others add or subtract based on their own interpretation.
Polygamy and Marriage Doctrine
The most visible doctrinal divide centers on plural marriage. The mainstream LDS Church publicly discontinued polygamy in 1890 (the Manifesto) and formally disavowed it in 1904. Members who practice it are excommunicated. The Church teaches that polygamy was a practice for a specific time and place, not an eternal principle.
Fundamentalist Mormon groups—including the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS), the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB), and smaller independent groups—interpret Doctrine and Covenants 132 as an eternal, unchangeable commandment. They view the Manifesto as a political compromise, not divine revelation, and continue practicing polygamy. Some teach that plural marriage is necessary for exaltation (the highest level of heaven). This disagreement is not merely historical; it shapes current practice, family structure, and legal status in fundamentalist communities.
Community of Christ moved in the opposite direction: it now ordains women and same-sex individuals to all priesthood offices and has affirmed LGBTQ+ relationships, doctrines the mainstream Church opposes. On marriage, Community of Christ teaches a more progressive theology aligned with modern secular views on equality and consent.
Prophetic Authority and Doctrinal Change
A core theological difference is how each group views living prophets and doctrinal evolution. The mainstream LDS Church teaches that its president is a living prophet who receives new revelation and can clarify, adjust, or supersede earlier teachings. This framework allows the Church to abandon polygamy, change priesthood restrictions based on race (lifted in 1978), and evolve positions on other issues without rejecting Joseph Smith's foundational role.
Fundamentalist groups reject this model. They argue that the core doctrines taught by Joseph Smith and early leaders—especially polygamy and patriarchal authority—are eternal and cannot be revoked. They view the mainstream Church's changes as apostasy. Some fundamentalists acknowledge prophetic guidance only through Joseph Smith or a specific line of succession they recognize; others operate more loosely, with individual leaders claiming direct revelation.
Community of Christ also has a living prophet but interprets revelation more cautiously and emphasizes democratic church governance alongside prophetic leadership. Its theology has shifted significantly from its 19th-century roots, moving toward mainline Protestantism in some respects.
Priesthood, Gender, and Authority
Priesthood authority—who can hold it and what it grants—differs sharply. The mainstream LDS Church restricts the priesthood to males but in recent decades has expanded women's roles in other leadership and spiritual functions. In 2023, the Church began allowing women to serve as witnesses in some temple ceremonies, a modest shift.
Fundamentalist groups typically maintain strict male-only priesthood and patriarchal family structures, with women's authority confined to the home and limited religious roles. Some groups teach that women must obey husbands as heads of household and that plural wives compete for status and heavenly reward.
Community of Christ ordains women to all priesthood levels, including its highest office, and has moved toward gender equality in governance. Some independent Mormon groups fall between these positions, retaining male-only priesthood while softening other patriarchal doctrines.
God's Nature and Salvation
Mormon theology differs from mainstream Christianity on God's nature. The LDS Church teaches that God the Father is a physical, embodied being; that humans can become divine (exaltation); and that marriage and family are eternal. These teachings appear in Pearl of Great Price and are central to LDS identity.
Fundamentalist groups largely agree with these doctrines but add or emphasize corollaries—such as the idea that plural marriage is essential to exaltation, or that the priesthood holder (husband) has absolute authority over his family's salvation. Some smaller fundamentalist sects have developed idiosyncratic theologies, including unusual interpretations of God's identity or salvation mechanics.
Community of Christ has moved toward a more traditional Christian understanding of God and has de-emphasized or reinterpreted the doctrine of exaltation. It no longer teaches that humans become gods in the same way the LDS Church does.
Why These Differences Matter
These doctrinal splits affect daily life, law, and identity. Fundamentalist polygamy puts members in conflict with civil law and creates complex family and inheritance issues. Disagreements over priesthood authority determine who can perform marriages, blessings, and other rites—affecting spiritual legitimacy within each community. Doctrine on gender and authority shapes power dynamics and life choices, especially for women. And the question of whether doctrine can change or is eternally fixed reflects deeper beliefs about truth, revelation, and institutional integrity. For members, which group claims authority over true Mormonism is not academic—it determines their spiritual path.
| Group | Polygamy Status | Priesthood (Women) | Prophetic Authority Model | Core Scripture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstream LDS | Prohibited since 1890; excommunication for practice | Male only; expanding women's roles in other capacities | Living prophet receives new revelation; doctrine can evolve | Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price |
| Fundamentalist (FLDS, AUB, others) | Practiced; viewed as eternal doctrine | Male only; strict patriarchal structure | Reject post-1890 changes; early doctrines are unchangeable | Same four books; prioritize pre-1890 teachings as binding |
| Community of Christ | Not practiced; affirms LGBTQ+ relationships | All genders; full equality in priesthood | Living prophet with democratic oversight; revelation interpreted cautiously | Bible, Book of Mormon, modified Doctrine and Covenants |
| Independent Mormon Groups | Varies widely | Varies; often male-only but less rigid than fundamentalist | Varies; some recognize no living prophet, others do | Varies; typically the four standard works with selective emphasis |
- The term 'Mormon' is now disfavored by the mainstream LDS Church, which prefers 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' or 'Latter-day Saint.' However, 'Mormon' remains widely used in scholarship and popular speech to refer to the faith tradition as a whole.
- Fundamentalist groups are not officially affiliated with the mainstream Church and are not recognized as part of it, though they share historical roots and some doctrines.
- 'Apostate' is a term used within Mormon communities to describe those who leave the faith or reject its teachings; it is not neutral and carries negative connotation within the tradition.
Sources
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints official doctrine on polygamy and the Manifesto of 1890.
- Community of Christ official statements on priesthood, ordination, and theological evolution.
- Scholarly sources on fundamentalist Mormon groups and their interpretation of Doctrine and Covenants 132.
