The term derives from the Book of Mormon, a sacred text published in 1830 regarded by the faith as a supplemental testament to the Bible. Adherents believe that the book was translated from an ancient record by Smith by the gift and power of God. The text is said to be an ancient chronicle of a fallen and lost indigenous American nation, compiled by the prophet–historian and warrior Mormon and his son Moroni, the last of the Nephite people. The term Mormon was applied to Latter Day Saint movement in the 1830s, and was soon somewhat embraced by the faith. Because the term became identified with polygamy in the mid-to-late-19th century, some Latter Day Saint denominations who never practiced polygamy have renounced the term. The term Mormon is taken from the title of the Book of Mormon, a sacred text adherents believe to have been translated from golden plates which had their location revealed by an angel to Joseph Smith and published in 1830. According to the text of the Book of Mormon, the word Mormon stems from the Land of Mormon, where the prophet Alma preached the gospel and baptized converts. Mormon--who was named after the land--was a 4th-century prophet–historian who compiled and abridged many records of his ancestors into the Book of Mormon. The book is believed by Latter Day Saints to be a literal record of God's dealings with pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas from approximately 2600 BC through AD 420,Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon p. 117, quoted in Church Educational System (1996, rev. ed.). Book of Mormon Student Manual (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), ch. 6. written by prophets and followers of Jesus Christ. The book records the teachings of Jesus Christ to the people in the Americas as well as Christ's personal ministry among the people of Nephi after his resurrection.3 Nephi, chapters 11-26 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the Book of Mormon is another witness of Jesus Christ, "holy scripture comparable to the Bible".Introduction, Book of Mormon The terms Mormonism and Mormonite were originally descriptive terms invented in 1831 by newspaper editors or contributors in Ohio and New York to describe the growing movement of "proselytes of the Golden Bible". Historian Ardis Parshall quotes a 1831 news item, appearing within the first year of the LDS Church's founding, as reading, "In the sixth number of your paper I saw a notice of a sect of people called Mormonites; and thinking that a fuller history of their founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., might be interesting to your community … I will take the trouble to make a few remarks on the character of that infamous imposter." The term Mormon developed as a shortened version of Mormonite a year or two later. In all cases prior to 1833, these terms were used descriptively, despite nearly universal negative sentiment toward the movement. By the 1840s the term was adopted by Latter Day Saint leaders to refer to themselves, though leaders occasionally used the term as early as 1833. The term took on a pejorative meaning sometime before 1844 with the invention of the pejorative term Jack Mormon to describe non-Mormons sympathetic to the movement. Since that time, some have argued that the term Mormon has generally lost its pejorative status. "Mormon Church" The official name of the Salt Lake City, Utah–based church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and Church leaders--including current (March 2021) ChurchPresident Russell M.Nelson--have encouraged members to use the church's full name to emphasize its focus on Jesus Christ.Russell M. Nelson, "Thus Shall My Church Be Called", Ensign, May 1990, p. 16. Consequently, the church's style guide requests: While the term " Mormon Church  " has long been publicly applied to the Churchas a nickname, it is not an authorized title, and the Church discourages its use. Thus, please avoid using the abbreviation "LDS" or the nickname " Mormon" as substitutes for the name of the Church, as in "Mormon Church," "LDS Church," or "Church of the Latter-day Saints. "See Scholarly usage J. Gordon Melton, in his Encyclopedia of American Religions, subdivides the Mormons into Utah Mormons, Missouri Mormons, Polygamy-Practicing Mormons, and Other Mormons.J. Gordon Melton (1996, 5th ed.). Encyclopedia of American Religions. (Detroit: Gale, ) pp. 561–585. In this scheme, the "Utah Mormon" group includes the non-polygamous organizations descending from those Mormons who followed Brigham Young to what is now Utah. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is by far the largest of these groups, with a membership count totaling over 15,000,000 worldwide and the only group to initially reside in Utah. The "Missouri Mormon" groups include those non-polygamous groups that chose not to travel to Utah and are currently headquartered in Missouri, which Joseph Smith designated as the future site of the New Jerusalem. These organizations include Community of Christ, Church of Christ (Temple Lot), Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and others. "Polygamy-Practicing Mormon" groups are those that currently practice polygamy, regardless of location. Most notably, this category includes the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church) and the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB). "Other Mormon" groups include those that are not headquartered in Utah or Missouri and do not practice polygamy, such as The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite).
The term derives from the Book of Mormon, a sacred text published in 1830 regarded by the faith as a supplemental testament to the Bible. Adherents believe that the book was translated from an ancient record by Smith by the gift and power of God. The text is said to be an ancient chronicle of a fallen and lost indigenous American nation, compiled by the prophet–historian and warrior Mormon and his son Moroni, the last of the Nephite people. The term Mormon was applied to Latter Day Saint movement in the 1830s, and was soon embraced by the faith. Because the term became identified with polygamy in the mid-to-late-19th century, some Latter Day Saint denominations who never practiced polygamy have renounced the term. The term Mormon is taken from the title of the Book of Mormon, a sacred text adherents believe to have been translated from golden plates which had their location revealed by an angel to Joseph Smith and published in 1830. According to the text of the Book of Mormon, the word Mormon stems from the Land of Mormon, where the prophet Alma preached the gospel and baptized converts. Mormon—who was named after the land—was a 4th-century prophet–historian who compiled and abridged many records of his ancestors into the Book of Mormon. The book is believed by Latter Day Saints to be a literal record of God's dealings with pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas from approximately 2600 BC through AD 420,Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon p. 117, quoted in Church Educational System (1996, rev. ed.). Book of Mormon Student Manual (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), ch. 6. written by prophets and followers of Jesus Christ. The book records the teachings of Jesus Christ to the people in the Americas as well as Christ's personal ministry among the people of Nephi after his resurrection.3 Nephi, chapters 11-26 The LDS Church teaches that the Book of Mormon is another witness of Jesus Christ, "holy scripture comparable to the Bible".Introduction, Book of Mormon The terms Mormonism and Mormonite were originally descriptive terms invented in 1831 by newspaper editors or contributors in Ohio and New York to describe the growing movement of "proselytes of the Golden Bible". Historian Ardis Parshall quotes a 1831 news item, appearing within the first year of the LDS Church's founding, as reading, "In the sixth number of your paper I saw a notice of a sect of people called Mormonites; and thinking that a fuller history of their founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., might be interesting to your community … I will take the trouble to make a few remarks on the character of that infamous imposter." The term Mormon developed as a shortened version of Mormonite a year or two later. In all cases prior to 1833, these terms were used descriptively, despite nearly universal negative sentiment toward the movement. By the 1840s the term was adopted by Mormon leaders to refer to themselves, though leaders occasionally used the term as early as 1833. The term took on a pejorative meaning sometime before 1844 with the invention of the pejorative term Jack Mormon to describe non-Mormons sympathetic to the movement. Since that time, some have argued that the term Mormon has generally lost its pejorative status. "Mormon Church" The official name of the Salt Lake City, Utah–based church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . While the term Mormon Church has long been attached to the church as a nickname, it is not a preferred title, and the church's style guide says, "Please avoid the use of 'Mormon Church', 'LDS Church' or the 'Church of the Latter-day Saints.'"LDS Church Style Guide.Gordon B. Hinckley, "Mormon Should Mean 'More Good,'" Ensign, November 1990, p. 51.See Church leaders have encouraged members to use the church's full name to emphasize the church's focus on Jesus Christ.Russell M. Nelson, "Thus Shall My Church Be Called", Ensign, May 1990, p. 16. Russell M. Nelson, " The Correct Name of the Church", Liahona, November 2018. In 2018, church president Russell M. Nelson announced a renewed effort to discourage the use of the word " Mormon" in reference to itself and its members. Scholarly usage J. Gordon Melton, in his Encyclopedia of American Religions, subdivides the Mormons into Utah Mormons, Missouri Mormons, Polygamy-Practicing Mormons, and Other Mormons.J. Gordon Melton (1996, 5th ed.). Encyclopedia of American Religions. (Detroit: Gale, ) pp. 561–585. In this scheme, the "Utah Mormon" group includes the non-polygamous organizations descending from those Mormons who followed Brigham Young to what is now Utah. The LDS Church is by far the largest of these groups, with a membership count totaling over 15,000,000 worldwide and the only group to initially reside in Utah. The "Missouri Mormon" groups include those non-polygamous groups that chose not to travel to Utah and are currently headquartered in Missouri, which Joseph Smith designated as the future site of the New Jerusalem. These organizations include Community of Christ, Church of Christ (Temple Lot), Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and others. "Polygamy-Practicing Mormon" groups are those that currently practice polygamy, regardless of location. Most notably, this category includes the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church) and the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB). "Other Mormon" groups include those that are not headquartered in Utah or Missouri and do not practice polygamy, such as The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite).
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