Presiding Bishop (LDS Church)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

See also: Presiding Bishop

See also: Bishop (Latter Day Saints)

The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) is a priesthood calling with church-wide authority. The Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood.

Contents 1 Presiding Bishopric 2 Duties 3 History 3.1 Chronology of the Presiding Bishopric 4 Notes

[edit] Presiding Bishopric

The Presiding Bishop calls two other men to assist him as counselors; the three together compose the Presiding Bishopric of the LDS Church. As well as being ordained to the Aaronic priesthood office of bishop, the members of the Presiding Bishopric are general authorities of the church. Like all other functioning bishops in the church they are ordained high priests in the Melchizedek priesthood. The Presiding Bishopric forms the governing body of the Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is the legal entity owning the church's assets and holdings.

[edit] Duties

The primary duties of the Presiding Bishop and his counselors are to oversee the temporal affairs (buildings, properties, commercial corporations, etc.) of the church and to oversee the bishoprics of congregations throughout the world. Along with the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Presiding Bishopric is a part of the Council on the Disposition of the Tithes, a group that oversees and authorizes the expenditure of all tithing funds. The Presiding Bishopric is also responsible for overseeing the Aaronic priesthood of the church, although most of the work in this area is delegated to the general presidency of the Young Men Organization.

The Presiding Bishopric hold the power to join with twelve high priests of the church in convening the Common Council of the Church, the only body of the church which may discipline or remove the President of the Church or one of his counselors in the First Presidency. However, the Common Council has only been convened once in the history of the LDS Church, when it excommunicated First Presidency member Sidney Rigdon in 1844.

[edit] History

The office of Presiding Bishop shares its origin with that of bishop. Edward Partridge was the first man ordained to the office of bishop in the early Church of Christ on February 4, 1831. This office became known as the First Bishop and later the "Presiding Bishop" to distinguish the calling from subordinate bishops who began to be called in the Nauvoo period (1839–1844). The first person to be referred to as the "Presiding Bishop" of the church was Newel K. Whitney, who was given the title in 1847 when the First Presidency was reorganized.

The current Presiding Bishop of the church is H. David Burton. His First Counselor is Richard C. Edgley and his Second Counselor is Keith B. McMullin.

[edit] Chronology of the Presiding Bishopric

No.	Dates	Presiding Bishop	First Counselor	Second Counselor
1	February 4, 1831 – May 27, 1840	Edward Partridge	Isaac Morley (June 6, 1831 – May 27, 1840)	John Corrill (June 6, 1831 – August 1, 1837) Titus Billings (August 1, 1837) – May 27, 1840)
	May 27, 1840 – October 7, 1844	None sustained
	October 7, 1844 – April 6, 1847	Newel K. Whitney ("First Bishop of the Church")	George Miller ("Second Bishop of the Church") (October 7, 1844 – latter end of 1846)[1]
2	April 6, 1847 – September 23, 1850	Newel K. Whitney	None	None
3	April 7, 1851 – October 16, 1883	Edward Hunter	Leonard W. Hardy (October 6, 1856 – October 16, 1883)	Jesse Carter Little (October 6, 1856 – Summer 1874) Robert T. Burton (October 9, 1874 – October 16, 1883)
4	April 6, 1884 – December 4, 1907	William B. Preston	Robert T. Burton (October 5, 1884 – November 11, 1907)	John Q. Cannon (October 5, 1884 – September 5, 1886) John R. Winder (April 8, 1887 – October 17, 1901) Orrin P. Miller (October 24, 1901 – December 4, 1907)
5	December 4, 1907 – May 28, 1925	Charles W. Nibley	Orrin P. Miller (December 4, 1907 – July 7, 1918) David A. Smith (July 18, 1918 – May 28, 1925)	David A. Smith (December 4, 1907 – July 7, 1918) John Wells (July 18, 1918 – May 28, 1925)
6	June 4, 1925 – April 6, 1938	Sylvester Q. Cannon	David A. Smith	John Wells
7	April 6, 1938 – April 6, 1952	LeGrand Richards	Marvin O. Ashton (April 6, 1938 – October 7, 1946) Joseph L. Wirthlin (December 12, 1946 – April 6, 1952)	Joseph L. Wirthlin (April 6, 1938 – October 7, 1946) Thorpe B. Isaacson (December 12, 1946 – April 6, 1952)
8	April 6, 1952 – September 30, 1961	Joseph L. Wirthlin	Thorpe B. Isaacson	Carl William Buehner
9	September 30, 1961 – April 6, 1972	John H. Vandenburg	Robert L. Simpson	Victor L. Brown
10	April 6, 1972 – April 6, 1985	Victor L. Brown	H. Burke Peterson	Vaughn J. Featherstone (April 6, 1972 – October 1, 1976) J. Richard Clarke (October 1, 1976 – April 6, 1985)
11	April 6, 1985 – April 2, 1994	Robert D. Hales	Henry B. Eyring (April 6, 1985] – October 3, 1992) H. David Burton (October 3, 1992) – April 2, 1994)	Glenn L. Pace (April 6, 1985] – October 3, 1992) Richard C. Edgley (October 3, 1992) – April 2, 1994)
12	April 2, 1994 – December 27, 1995	Merrill J. Bateman	H. David Burton	Richard C. Edgley
13	December 27, 1995 –	H. David Burton	Richard C. Edgley	Keith B. McMullin

[edit] Notes

v • d • e Priesthood of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Priesthood Priesthood • Aaronic priesthood • Melchizedek priesthood Aaronic priesthood offices Deacon • Teacher • Priest • Bishop Melchizedek priesthood offices Elder • Seventy • High priest • Patriarch • Apostle Priesthood quorums and bodies Quorum • First Presidency • Quorum of the Twelve Apostles • Quorums of the Seventy • Presiding Bishopric • Council on the Disposition of the Tithes • Common Council of the Church • Council of the Church • Council of Fifty • High council • Disciplinary council Priesthood callings President of the Church • President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles • Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles • Prophet, seer, and revelator • General authority • Presiding Patriarch • Patriarch emeritus • Presiding Bishop • Temple president • Mission president • Church Historian and Recorder • High councillor • Branch president Defunct priesthood callings Assistant President of the Church • Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles • Regional representative of the Twelve

v • d • e Articles about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints   History Joseph Smith, Jr.: Early Life, 1827-1830, 1831-1834, 1835-1838, 1838-1842, 1842-1844, Death • Latter Day Saint movement • History of the Latter Day Saint movement • First Vision • Oliver Cowdery • Sidney Rigdon • Brigham Young • Lucy Mack Smith • Mormon War • Haun's Mill massacre • Utah War • Mountain Meadows massacre • Mormon Battalion • Bear River massacre • Statistical Membership History v • d • e Beliefs and Practices Godhead • The Apostasy • Restoration • Revelation • Priesthood • Ordinances • Endowment • Plan of salvation • Plurality of gods • Celestial marriage • Family Home Evening • Perfection • King Follett discourse • Blacks and the Church • Homosexuality • Sexuality   Sacred Texts and Other Publications Standard Works • Bible: King James Version of the Bible, Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible • Book of Mormon: Golden plates • Doctrine and Covenants • Pearl of Great Price: Book of Moses, Book of Abraham, Articles of Faith • The Family: A Proclamation to the World   Worship and Culture Temples • General conference • Culture • Young Men • Young Women • Institute of Religion • Missionary Service   Organization and Leadership Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints) • President • Thomas S. Monson • First Presidency • Quorum of the Twelve Apostles • Presiding Bishop • Quorums of the Seventy   Criticism and Controversy Joseph Smith, Jr. and polygamy • Blacks and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints • Book of Abraham • Historicity of the Book of Mormon • Linguistics and the Book of Mormon • Archaeology and the Book of Mormon • Genetics and the Book of Mormon • Oath of vengeance • Mountain Meadows Massacre • Mark Hoffman • September Six • Criticism of Mormonism   Other Related Articles Mormon • Mormonism • Mormonism and Christianity • Church Finances • Church Educational System • Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies • membership statistics