What Is the Word of Wisdom? Why LDS Members Avoid Coffee & Tea

LDS Perspective

The Word of Wisdom is a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith on February 27, 1833, now canonized as Doctrine and Covenants 89. It was received in response to Emma Smith's concerns about brethren using tobacco during meetings in the School of the Prophets, as well as amid broader nineteenth-century American debates regarding alcohol and health reform. The revelation establishes the Lord's law of health for Latter-day Saints, identifying substances that are harmful to the body and affirming wholesome foods that God has ordained for human use. The revelation specifically proscribes the use of wine and strong drinks, tobacco, and "hot drinks," while endorsing herbs, fruits, grain, and the sparing use of meat. Early Latter-day Saints and subsequent Church leaders have understood "

Historical Perspective

The Word of Wisdom constitutes Section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants, a revelation received by Joseph Smith on February 27, 1833, during a period of intense public debate regarding bodily health and alcohol consumption in the United States. The revelation emerged after Emma Smith expressed concern about the environmental conditions in the School of the Prophets, where attendees frequently smoked, chewed, and spat tobacco in the same space used for recording revelations and Bible translation work. The text explicitly states it was given "not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom," and prohibited "strong drinks" (alcohol), tobacco, and "hot drinks," while advising that meat be eaten "sparingly" and promoting the use of grains, fruits, and herbs. Historical