New LDS emphasis: Care for the needy

Compassion for the elderly and infirm that has come to characterize Thomas S. Monson's ministry soon will be embraced more fully by the worldwide church he leads.

The LDS Church is adding "to care for the poor and needy" to its longstanding "threefold mission," which is to preach the LDS gospel, purify members' lives and provide saving ordinances such as baptism to those who have died.

This mission first was coined by late LDS President Spencer W. Kimball in the 1980s and since then has been repeated as a mantra by the church's more than 13 million members.

The new group of phrases will be described as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' "purposes," rather than missions, and will be spelled out in the next edition of the LDS Church Handbook of Instructions , due out next year, church spokesman Scott Trotter confirmed this week.

"Caring for the poor and needy," Trotter said, "has always been a basic tenet of the [LDS] Church."

"This is a dramatic move and very important message," said Jan Shipps, an Indiana-based American religion historian who has spent decades studying the LDS Church. "It's not that Mormons haven't already been caring for the poor and needy with its humanitarian program. It's just that this moves it to the top of their priorities, along with proselytizing and temple work."

It tells Mormons to be philanthropic in ways that go well beyond helping the faithful, Shipps said. "And it's a move that tells the world that Mormonism is Christian more effectively than changing the logo to make the words 'Jesus Christ' stand out."

The church unveiled a new logo in December 1995 to stress the faith's allegiance to Christ and to help answer critics who claimed Mormons were not Christians.

This latest move recognizes what people of faith already know -- that helping the poor should be a priority, said Glenn Bailey, executive director of Crossroads Urban Center in Salt Lake City, who was delighted by the change.

"This can only be positive," said Bailey, whose center focuses on the city's destitute population. "It does make a difference when the LDS hierarchy indicates the importance of reaching out and serving people in the larger community. When they've done that before, people responded and reached out to their neighbors even more."

It won't likely change minds of any LDS state legislators or influence public policy, Bailey said, but with average Mormons it is "very, very helpful."

The move was made public Saturday by Bishop Richard C. Edgley, a counselor in the LDS Presiding Bishopric, during an LDS stake conference in Holladay, according to David H. Sundwall, who was there and then blogged about it at asoftanswer.com.

"He said it was something they had been working on for a long time," Sundwall said in an interview. "They finally got it approved."

That could have something to do with the elevation of Monson in February 2008 as the LDS Church's 16th president.

Throughout his decades of service to the church, Monson has led his church's efforts to collaborate with the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City in providing food for the homeless.

"President Monson is a great humanitarian," said Pamela Atkinson, a Salt Lake City advocate for the homeless. "In some of his talks I've heard or read, he emphasizes again and again reaching out to others -- not just to members but to every single person in need."

She sees the LDS Church's new emphasis as a reflection of the way Monson has lived.

"Giving to and helping others is just a natural part of his life," Atkinson said. "He is saying to every single member: 'You, too, can do something to make a difference.' I am thrilled."

Proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue and people.

Perfect the saints by preparing them to receive the ordinances of the gospel and by instruction and discipline to gain exaltation.

Redeem the dead by performing vicarious ordinances of the gospel for those who have lived on the Earth.

Source: Spencer W. Kimball, "Remember the Mission of the Church," Ensign, May 1982.

From the article: "Caring for the poor and needy," Trotter said, "has always been a basic tenet of the [LDS] Church."

(Well, no church claiming the Bible as even an "add-on" scripture can claim otherwise...but let's say this is so...then why is this even a headline?)

From the article: Elevating it to one of the faith's major purposes brings added emphasis.

So, caring for the poor & needy wasn't a previous "major purpose" of the church? And if it wasn't a "major purpose" back in the 1800s or even 1930 in pre-Nanny, pre-welfare govt. days, then whose major purpose was it at that time?

Once again, it appears that the PR campaign is the reason. They want to be considered 'Christian'.

Mat 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

One doesn’t really need the church to officially label it as a mission of the church when Christ’s teaching is plainly known to anyone who reads scripture.

(I agree)

As an LDS member, I always considered caring for the poor as part of “Perfecting the Saints” anyway

Well, I was almost going to go the direction you were taking it. But didn't. But since you initiated it, I'll follow.

In some Lds communities, the Mormons have excellent "help" reputations -- unfortunately, they've been known only for "helping their own." Now, I don't want to paint a broad brush & apply it more broadly than how I framed it (that's why I emphasized the word "some").

But, since you essentially cited a KJ verse from Eph. 4:12 -- which applies to the "saints" -- and the "saints" only...well, all you've done is reinforce that reputation. That some Lds (obviously not all, not even most) regard "caring for the poor as part of 'Pefecting the Saints'" -- your exact words.

So, do you regard this latest "emphasis" to be a shift in that regard? (More of a move toward helping more folks outside of Zion?)

There’s really no reason to, and I don’t think they’re announcing it to the world to show off. Welfare Square has been around for a very long time, and the Bishop’s Storehouse was set up back in the mid-1800’s. Caring for the poor has always been an integral part of any Christian-centered religion.

Perhaps some people are losing focus on helping out others in need and this is a way for the church to get people to think more about the needs of others before their own.

One doesn’t really need the church to officially label it as a mission of the church when Christ’s teaching is plainly known to anyone who reads scripture. [derekr44]

So why do you think your church is running the PR announcing to the world lds charity? [godzilla]

Well, certainly the verse I'm about to cite doesn't only apply to the Mormon PR apparatus.

(Lots of Christian parachurch groups and churches could do well to heed it, particularly the marketing-inclined employees among them...
...but I'd say, given that the Lds PR effort is quite sizeable...
...rooted in the reality that the Lds general authorities are largely businessmen who believe in marketing techniques...
...this Q is appropo in light of Godzilla's Q)

So, Derek R, what do ye say about such PR announcements in light of the biblical Jesus' advisement? But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth (Matthew 6:3)

For me, a scripture comes to mind to explain this: "It is not meet for man to be commanded in all things." The main reason why we have the Spirit of God in the first place is to be dependent upon and guided by Him. It's almost like a "common sense" in Christianity. Christ summed it up well when he was asked which of the commandments was the most important. However, there are people in the world that are more stubborn than others (my wife will attest that I am one of them) and that they need to be reminded. I wouldn't say that this is a shift to care for people outside the church... I see it as a reminder that we need to care for everyone, regardless of whether or not they are LDS.

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth (Matthew 6:3)

I think you’re taking it out of context here, but I see where you are coming from. It’s one thing to go around, helping people out and using it as a form of getting positive attention. It’s another thing to remind your congregation of how important charity is by making a statement.

It can be interpreted both ways, but that depends on the person who is doing the interpreting.

There’s really no reason to, and I don’t think they’re announcing it to the world to show off.

From the article it states:
"And it's a move that tells the world that Mormonism is Christian more effectively than changing the logo to make the words 'Jesus Christ' stand out."

They are comparing this to a logo, would that be the same as announcing it to the world?

Welfare Square has been around for a very long time, and the Bishop’s Storehouse was set up back in the mid-1800’s.

Even earlier than that in 1831 Smith set up the "United Order" but that imploded and only served members. I had an aunt who joined the mormon church because that was the only way they would supply her with food.

Studies have indicated that the mormon church spends less than 3% of its income for charity work. This is a fraction of the money being spent by the mormon church for the mall in SLC. If charity is to become the 'fourth' leg of the mormon mission - wouldn't one expect a more substantial amount of money being directed there?

Perhaps some people are losing focus on helping out others in need and this is a way for the church to get people to think more about the needs of others before their own.

I think you thought would be correct except for the GA's use of charity as a means of advertisement for mormonism.

Well, I think it's the Lds church taking things out of context. Look, if I want to remind my church, whether it's the local church, the district-level church, the national church, or intl church, I'm not going to write a press release!

That's what I mean re: taking things out of context...when you want to issue "reminders" -- as you put it -- you consider who your audience is. And believe me, when you know your membership is at best 2% of the national audience/readership, then what you're communicating is primarily for the 98% non-Mormons -- NOT the 2% Mormons!

Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. ~Luke 22:36

Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. ~Matthew 26:52

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.