Restored Church of Jesus Christ
Encyclopedia
The Restored Church of Jesus Christ is a small Latter Day Saint church headquartered in Independence, Missouri
. It was founded in 1980 by Eugene O. Walton (1928 — May 28, 2010), who had previously been an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
, and who claims to be the "One Mighty and Strong
" prophesied in Mormon scripture. When the Cutlerites rejected his claims to leadership of their movement, Walton left to found his own church.
Walton's organization disavows the label "Mormon
", but claims to be the original church established in 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr. His church denies the authority of Brigham Young
, who led the majority of Latter Day Saints to Utah
after Smith's death, together with that of Joseph Smith III
, who became the leader of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
. The church also disavows plural marriage
, and is unique in the Latter Day Saint movement
in that it teaches the existence of a bipartite
god (God the Father
and Jesus Christ), as opposed to the usual three part godhead of Mormonism
(God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit
).
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
. It was founded in 1980 by Eugene O. Walton (1928 — May 28, 2010), who had previously been an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
The Church of Jesus Christ is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement headquartered in Independence, Missouri. This church derives its epithet from its founder, Alpheus Cutler, a member of the Nauvoo High Council and of Joseph Smith's secretive Council of Fifty...
, and who claims to be the "One Mighty and Strong
One Mighty and Strong
One Mighty and Strong is a person of unknown identity who was the subject of an 1832 prophecy by Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, echoing the words and prophecy of Isaiah 28:2. The One Mighty and Strong was said by Smith to be one who would "set in order the house of...
" prophesied in Mormon scripture. When the Cutlerites rejected his claims to leadership of their movement, Walton left to found his own church.
Walton's organization disavows the label "Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
", but claims to be the original church established in 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr. His church denies the authority of Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, who led the majority of Latter Day Saints to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
after Smith's death, together with that of Joseph Smith III
Joseph Smith III
Joseph Smith III was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and Emma Hale Smith...
, who became the leader of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Community of Christ
The Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , is an American-based international Christian church established in April 1830 that claims as its mission "to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace"...
. The church also disavows plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
, and is unique in the Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
in that it teaches the existence of a bipartite
Bipartite
Bipartite means having two parts, or an agreement between two parties. More specifically, it may refer to any of the following:-Mathematics:* 2 * bipartite graph* bipartite cubic, a type of cubic function-Medicine:...
god (God the Father
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
and Jesus Christ), as opposed to the usual three part godhead of Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
(God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
).
External links
- Examiner (2.6.2010) Eugene O. Walton
- Latter Day saint Movement Walton, Eugene O