Community of Christ (RLDS Church): History and Split from the LDS Church

LDS Perspective

Following the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1844, the majority of Latter-day Saints sustained the leadership of the Twelve Apostles under the direction of Brigham Young, recognizing that the keys of priesthood authority remained with the senior Apostle as the divinely appointed successor. However, disagreements over leadership succession led several movements to form, each claiming different legitimacies for continuing Joseph Smith's work. The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints—now known as the Community of Christ—emerged as the largest of these alternative movements, founded in 1860 and initially led by Joseph Smith III, the son of the founding prophet. This organization represented a distinct approach to succession that emphasized hereditary lineage throug

Historical Perspective

The Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or RLDS) emerged from the 1844 succession crisis following the martyrdom of Joseph Smith Jr. When Smith was killed, competing factions offered different solutions for maintaining the Restoration movement: some sought to "purify" the church by returning to earlier practices, others sought to "preserve" the church as it existed in 1844, and others wished to continue "innovating" under new prophetic leadership. While Brigham Young led the largest faction west to Utah, Midwestern Saints who rejected polygamy and Nauvoo-era innovations eventually regrouped. By 1860, these diverse groups—including former Strangites, Cutlerites, Rigdonites, and others—formally reorganized under Joseph Smith III, the fou