The difference between LDS and Community of Christ?

Hi, I have been a member of Community of Christ for 30 years. The 2 churches had only 14 years in common and we have each evolved somewhat differently from those roots. I am not informed enough to meaningfully speak from an LDS point of view. A few obvious things that are different: Polygamy and baptism of the dead and probably some other doctrines were not part of our group, at least after the reorganization. Our denominational "cultures" are different. We deal with question, diversity, conflict, and discernment for where God is leading us differently.

Community of Christ has been in a questioning/seeking mode for about 50 years. We have been deeply re-examining our history, beliefs, mission, and message. That's a struggle in itself, but the process brings blessings not found any other way. In the past few dacades we have fully opened the priesthood to women, share in open communion, changed our name to better reflect our unique call as a denomination, and opened new possibilities for taking the peace of Christ into the very fabric of the cultures we find ourselves.

The Church in each place might look differently as we live the principles of our discipleship in each time and place. We strive to welcome all people with the blessings of love Jesus did/does, and the realities of the harmed, suffering, and marginalized of each unique place and culture will shape our ministries, congregations, and lives. It's a very challenging and exciting time for us. Hope this helps.

The Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) is a fundamentalist and reformist church. Mormon is actually not the correct name of our church either. We have adopted that nickname because of the confusion between the actual LDS members and those who have perverted our ways. Mormon fundamentalists seek to uphold tenets and practices no longer held by mainstream LDS members. The principle most often associated with Mormon fundamentalism is plural marriage, a form of polygyny first taught by Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. A second and closely associated principle is that of the United Order, a form of egalitarian communalism. Mormon fundamentalists believe that these and other principles were wrongly abandoned or changed by the mainline LDS Church in its efforts to become reconciled with mainstream American society. As there are many emotions, there are many religions. Many branches that people come up with everyday. CofC is just another spoof off the actual religion. If you have any more questions or want a deeper answer, email me at: burn666dws@yahoo.com (i know that this looks like a bad email for an LDS member BUT it means to burn and fix the perversion that Satan has placed in the world. DWS stands for Dead will Sleep. :) sorry)

History holds the answer eh? 1842 saw Joseph shot dead with some friends. Brigham and Joseph's wife and Joseph's first councilor were saved by a miracle. Later they became the Utah Mormons, the Reorganized church, and the Jehovah Witnesses. Two kept the book of mormon ...the group in Pittsburgh dropped the book and changed their name several times because of the fuss over the marriage thing at the time. Each has been evolving into theologically different religions and like all religions they teach the 'way' variously in the life changes of mankind. Is any one the right one. It depends on what god wants you to do . SO too the churches that developed after Christ evolved into what the remainder of Christians churches are today. All religions are like an Iceberg with four-fifths of practices hidden from the public.

Last I heard, the CoC still says that Joseph Smith wasn't a polygamist. The LDS church has finally started talking about how many wives he had.

Joseph's wife Emma and their children were in the original RLDS church after it and the LDS church split up. She denied Smith's polygamy, especially to her children. None of his descendants joined the LDS church for many decades.

The RLDS/CoC treated women and people of color more equally than the LDS church, allowing women to hold the priesthood since 1984. It has always treated Blacks equally.

The CoC/RLDS treats the Book of Mormon as scripture, but does recognized issues with historical accuracy, and doesn't use it as a test of belief the way the LDS does.

Since the RLDS and LDS split just after Smith's death, the RLDS has never held any of Brigham Young's views.

The RLDS is trinitarian, unlike the LDS.

Their more mainstream and liberal views have cost them a lot of very conservative members, but they are still the second biggest sect connected with Mormonism.

The difference is that the RLDS stayed in Jackson County Missouri and built the temple where God said to build it.

God said he would reject the church if they did not build it in Jackson County.

I am not any flavor of Mormon. But I was born and grew up in Jackson County.