Hello everybody, I am preparing a class and I have a little question. Maybe somebody will be able to help me out with an answer. The class is about the living prophets. It is really a great topic and I learn so much by preparing the class. My question is: I read a quote from the year 1974. It says that the president of the church, his counsellors, the quorum of the twelve apostles, and the patriarch to the church were sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators of the church. This made me think, because as far as I know in our days we only sustain the first presidency and the quorum of the twelve apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators; but not the patriarch to the church I then learnt that the office of the patriarch of the church was discontinued in the year 1979. This explains why we do not sustain him anymore. But was it explained by the church, why the office was discontinued? Is there an official declaration about it? I know that this question is probably not very important. But I am just curious. All the best, Nils.
One Response to “Hello everybody, I am preparing a class and I have a little …”
Fernando Ramos
2011-03-07 06:09:51
Hi Nils. I'm happy you posted your question on my site. I only learned a few years ago that there was once a church patriarch, as opposed to the stake patriarchs we know today.
Wikipedia has a pretty good article on the office of the Presiding Patriarch that you might find interesting. The last Presiding Patriarch finished his duties in 1979.
The man who should currently be the Presiding Patriarch is Brother E. Gary Smith. However, he has "co-authored a book expressing his agreement with the necessity and inevitability of the elimination of the office, and he believes the church has discontinued the office." It is not impossible, however, that a new Presiding Patriarch will be called once brother Smith passes on. As the president and prophet of the church also holds the keys of the patriarchal priesthood, it seems the office of Presiding Patriarch is optional. Hope this answer helps.
Wikipedia has a pretty good article on the office of the Presiding Patriarch that you might find interesting. The last Presiding Patriarch finished his duties in 1979.
The man who should currently be the Presiding Patriarch is Brother E. Gary Smith. However, he has "co-authored a book expressing his agreement with the necessity and inevitability of the elimination of the office, and he believes the church has discontinued the office." It is not impossible, however, that a new Presiding Patriarch will be called once brother Smith passes on. As the president and prophet of the church also holds the keys of the patriarchal priesthood, it seems the office of Presiding Patriarch is optional. Hope this answer helps.