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See Also: Quorum of the Twelve In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the '''Quorum of the Twelve''', the '''Council of the Twelve Apostles''', or simply the '''Twelve''') is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy. Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are Apostle s, with the calling to be Prophets, Seers, And Revelators , Evangelical ambassadors, and special witnesses of Jesus Christ . The s. After the Apostles returned from England, Joseph Smith altered the responsibilities of the quorum. They were given charge of the affairs of the church, under direction of the First Presidency . MEMBERS OF THE ORIGINAL QUORUM, PRIOR TO 1844 This is a list of members of the quorum prior to the Succession Crisis Of 1844 . Ten of the eighteen followed Brigham Young to Utah and remained part of the Quorum in The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints (indicated below as "LDS after 1844") Thomas B. Marsh and Luke S. Johnson later rejoined the saints in Utah, but did not resume their former places in the Quorum. Three of these apostles went on to be apostles in the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) . One, John E. Page , went on to be an apostle in the Church Of Christ (Temple Lot) or "Hedrickite" church. Another, William Smith , later asserted his claim to head his own "Williamite" church organization before ultimately joining what is now the Community Of Christ (where he did not resume his place in the quorum). Lyman Wight , likewise, organized his own branch of the church. William E. M'Lellin joined with multiple post- 1844 church organizations in succession, each of which recognized his apostleship. Seniority in the original quorum was determined by age. Since that time, it has been determined by when a person is called to the quorum. The list includes the dates when each apostle was ordained. In some cases, the date of the calling is used when the actual date of ordination is unclear.
ROLE OF THE QUORUM IN THE LDS CHURCH In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles claims a leadership role second only to that of the First Presidency . After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr. , the President Of The Quorum Of The Twelve Apostles was Brigham Young . Assuming control of the church, Young emphasized what he said was Joseph Smith's authorization that the Quorum of the Twelve should be the church's central governing body of the church after Smith's death. Then in 1847, the Twelve reorganized the First Presidency with Young as President, and the Twelve took on a supporting role within a chain of command under the First Presidency, a role that continues to the present. Church policy decisions are made unanimously, with consultation among the Presidency, the Seventy, and the Quorum of the Twelve, each of which has its own responsibility. A great deal of effort is made to ensure that the organizations are united in purpose and policy. Each member of the quorum is accepted by the church as an Apostle , as well as a " Prophet, Seer, And Revelator ." Thus, each apostle is considered to hold the rights (" Keys of the Priesthood") to use all powers granted by God to the church. Individually and collectively, the Twelve Apostles hold the keys and have conferred the authority to exercise all of the keys upon the President Of The Church , the one man who is to preside over the church. Thus, as outlined in the Doctrine And Covenants , only the President Of The Church is entitled to receive revelation or dictate policy for the entire church. A major role of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is to appoint a successor when the President of the Church dies. Shortly after this occurs, the apostles meet in a room of the Salt Lake Temple to appoint a successor. Invariably this has been the most senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with seniority determined by the longest duration of service. The apostles lay their hands on his head and ordain him and set him apart as President of the Church. The president then chooses two counselors, who are High Priests (usually apostles). The second most senior surviving apostle becomes the President Of The Quorum Of The Twelve Apostles . In cases when the President of the Quorum is simultaneously called to be a counselor in the First Presidency, an Acting President Of The Quorum is called in his stead to fill the position. This has invariably been the most senior member of the quorum who is not a member of the First Presidency . As vacancies arise within the quorum, the Twelve and the Presidency meet to pray and come to a unanimous decision as to whom will be called to fill the vacancy. The chosen man is generally ordained an apostle by the President of the Church, a counselor in the First Presidency, or the President of the Twelve. Depending on circumstances, this may occur before or after a sustaining vote is held at a General Conference Of The Church , which is traditionally the occasion for the new apostle to be publicly announced and sustained by church members. Any faithful Melchizedek Priesthood holder is eligible to be called as an apostle. Generally, new apostles have considerable experience in church government and have served faithfully in positions as Bishops , Stake Presidents , Mission President s, or Seventies . As a matter of policy, apostles are generally asked to retire from their professional careers and devote themselves to full-time church service. Even members of boards and professional organizations are asked to resign those positions. (Some exceptions have been made to this rule, as when quorum member Ezra Taft Benson was permitted to serve as United States Secretary Of Agriculture from 1953 to 1961 and when quorum member Reed Smoot was permitted to serve in the United States Senate from 1903 to 1933 .) The calling of an apostle is typically a lifetime calling. Current members Presently, the members of the quorum are as follows:
The current members of the First Presidency are apostles, but are not members of the Quorum of the Twelve (though they still maintain their seniority). The current First Counselor in the First Presidency, Thomas S. Monson , holds the title of President Of The Quorum Of The Twelve Apostles (being, after the President of the Church, the longest serving apostle); but being a counselor in the First Presidency, he does not actively serve in that capacity, and he is not currently a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The seniority of the apostles (including those in the First Presidency) is as follows:
1844 to present This is a list of the members of the Quorum in The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints ordained after 1844, listed with the date of their ordinations. In some cases, the date of the calling is used instead as the actual date of ordination is unclear. Names of persons in bold eventually became presidents of the church.
Apostles who were never members of the Quorum of the Twelve The following men were ordained to the priesthood office of Apostle but were never members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Some, but not all, served in the First Presidency of the LDS Church.
In addition, J. Reuben Clark was only a member of the Quorum of the Twelve for one week in 1945 and six days in 1951 , which were periods of time when the First Presidency was dissolved due to the death of the President Of The Church . Full chronology of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles What follows is a list of events in chronological order that affected the membership of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints . 1830s ; , Martin Harris , and David Whitmer choose the first 12 members. Brigham Young , Heber C. Kimball , and Lyman E. Johnson ordained. ; , Orson Hyde , William E. M'Lellin , Luke S. Johnson , William Smith , and John F. Boynton ordained. ; ordained. ; ordained. ; ordained. ; sustained as President Of The Quorum Of The Twelve ; disfellowshipped. He was Excommunicated later that year. ; and his brother, Luke S. Johnson excommunicated. ; excommunicated. ; killed in Battle Of Crooked River . ; and John E. Page ordained. ; excommunicated. ; and George A. Smith ordained. ; and Orson Hyde removed from the Quorum by vote of the church. ; restored to Quorum by vote of the Church. ; restored to the Quorum by vote of the church. 1840s ; ordained in England . Also the first occasion where Brigham Young was formally sustained President Of The Quorum Of The Twelve Apostles ; ordained. ; excommunicated. Amasa M. Lyman ordained. ; rebaptized and restored to former office in the Quorum. Amasa M. Lyman replaced. ; made a Counselor to First Presidency . ; and Hyrum Smith martyred. Amasa M. Lyman retires from First Presidency. ; returned to the Quorum. ; dropped from Quorum. He was excommunicated October 19 , 1845 . ; disfellowshipped for second time but reinstated a few days later. ; disfellowshipped. He was excommunicated on June 27 , 1846 ; ordained. ; is reorganized, with Brigham Young President, Heber C. Kimball First Counselor, and Willard Richards Second Counselor. Orson Hyde becomes President of the Quorum. ; excommunicated. ; , Lorenzo Snow , Erastus Snow , and Franklin D. Richards ordained. 1850s ; dies. ; ordained an apostle and set apart as a counsellor to Brigham Young. ; is assassinated. 1860s ; ordained. ; ordained an apostle, but not a member of the Quorum. : John Willard Young ordained an apostle, but not a member of the Quorum. (Set apart as counselor to Brigham Young in 1867, and to Twelve in 1877.) : Joseph Angell Young ordained an apostle, but not a member of the Quorum. ; ordained and simultaneously set apart Counselor to President Brigham Young . ; deprived of apostleship. He was excommunicated on May 12 , 1870 . ; was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. (He was previously ordained an apostle.) ; dies. ; set apart First Counselor to President Brigham Young . ; sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. (He was previously ordained an apostle.) ; dies. 1870s ; ordained. ; , Albert Carrington , John Willard Young and George Q. Cannon set apart as Counselors to President Brigham Young . ; set apart Assistant Counselor to President Brigham Young . Albert Carrington set apart Counselor to President Brigham Young . ; and Orson Pratt are moved down in seniority in the Quorum due to earlier apostasy, putting them in the places they would be had they entered the Quorum at the time of their reinstatements. John Taylor becomes President of the Quorum. ; dies. He had never been a member of the First Presidency and was never added to the Quorum of the Twelve. ; dies. ; dies. ; dies. ; ordained. 1880s ; is reorganized with John Taylor President, George Q. Cannon First Counselor, and Joseph F. Smith Second Counselor. Wilford Woodruff becomes President of the Quorum. ; and John Henry Smith ordained. ; , the last surviving member of the original quorum, dies. ; and Heber J. Grant ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. ; excommunicated. ; dies. ; dies. ; is reorganized with Wilford Woodruff President, George Q. Cannon First Counselor, and Joseph F. Smith Second Counselor. Lorenzo Snow becomes President of the Quorum. ; , Anthon H. Lund , and Abraham H. Cannon ordained. 1890s ; dies. ; is not sustained by the church and dropped from the Quorum. ; dies. ; and Abraham O. Woodruff ordained. ; dies. ; is reorganized with Lorenzo Snow President, George Q. Cannon First Counselor, and Joseph F. Smith Second Counselor. Franklin D. Richards becomes President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; dies. George Q. Cannon becomes President of the Quorum. 1900s ; ordained. ; dies. Joseph F. Smith becomes President of the Quorum. ; dies. ; is reorganized with Joseph F. Smith President John Rex Winder as First Counselor and Anthon H. Lund Second Counselor. Brigham Young, Jr. becomes President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; January, elected to the U.S. Senate . ; dies. Francis M. Lyman becomes President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. ; and Matthias F. Cowley resigns. ; dies. ; , Orson F. Whitney , and David O. McKay ordained. ; from the U.S. Senate is defeated. (''See Smoot Hearings '') ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. 1910s ; , First Counselor in the First Presidency , dies. ; reorganizes First Presidency . Anthon H. Lund set apart as First Counselor, and John Henry Smith as Second Counselor. Joseph Fielding Smith ordained. ; dies. ; ordained Second Counselor to President Joseph F. Smith . ; ordained. ; dies. ; becomes President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; is reorganized, with Heber J. Grant President, Anthon H. Lund First Counselor, and Charles W. Penrose Second Counselor. Anthon H. Lund becomes President of the Quorum. ; ordained. 1920s ; dies. Rudger Clawson becomes President of the Quorum. ; set apart as First Counselor, Anthony W. Ivins Second Counselor to President Heber J. Grant . ; ordained. ; dies. ; set apart as First Counselor to President Heber J. Grant , with Charles W. Nibley as Second Counselor. 1930s ; named U.S. Ambassador to Mexico . ; dies. ; ordained. ; loses the election for the U.S. Senate. ; called as Second Counselor to President Heber J. Grant but is not an apostle. ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; and Alonzo A. Hinckley ordained. J. Reuben Clark set apart as First Counselor, David O. McKay Second Counselor to President Heber J. Grant . ; dies. ; ordained. ; ordained an apostle, and set apart as an Associate to the Twelve. ; ordained apostle ; dies. ; becomes a member of the Quorum. 1940s ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; dies. George Albert Smith becomes President of the Quorum. ; and Ezra Taft Benson ordained. ; excommunicated. ; ordained. ; dies. ; is reorganized, with George Albert Smith President, J. Reuben Clark First Counselor, and David O. McKay Second Counselor. George F. Richards becomes President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. 1950s ; dies. ; becomes President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; dies. ; is reorganized, with David O. McKay President, Stephen L. Richards First Counselor, and J. Reuben Clark Second Counselor. Joseph Fielding Smith becomes President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; is called as First Counselor to President David O. McKay . Henry D. Moyle is called as Second Counselor. ; ordained. 1960s ; set apart as Third Counselor to President David O. McKay . ; ordained. ; dies. ; set apart as First Counselor, Hugh B. Brown Second Counselor to President David O. McKay . ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained First Counselor, N. Eldon Tanner Second Counselor to President David O. McKay . ; ordained. ; called as Counselor to President David O. McKay ; called as Counselor to President David O. McKay . ; ordained but not added to Quorum. ; called as Counselor to President David O. McKay . 1970s ; dies. ; is reorganized, with Joseph Fielding Smith President, Harold B. Lee First Counselor, and N. Eldon Tanner Second Counselor. Harold B. Lee becomes President of the Quorum, with Spencer W. Kimball Acting President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; is reorganized, with Harold B. Lee President, N. Eldon Tanner First Counselor, and Marion G. Romney Second Counselor. Spencer W. Kimball becomes President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; dies. ; is reorganized, with Spencer W. Kimball President, N. Eldon Tanner First Counselor, and Marion G. Romney Second Counselor. Ezra Taft Benson is President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. Although Dyer was an ordained Apostle, he was never made a member of the Quorum. ; dies. ; ordained. 1980s ; called as a Counselor in the First Presidency . Neal A. Maxwell ordained. ; dies. ; set apart as First Counselor. Gordon B. Hinckley set apart as Second Counselor. ; dies. ; dies. ; ordained. ; ordained. ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; is reorganized, with Ezra Taft Benson President, Gordon B. Hinckley First Counselor, and Thomas S. Monson Second Counselor. Marion G. Romney becomes President of the Quorum. Because Marion G. Romney was suffering from health and age difficulties, Howard W. Hunter was set apart as Acting President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; dies. Howard W. Hunter becomes President of the Quorum. ; ordained. 1990s ; dies. ; ordained. ; dies. ; is reorganized, with Howard W. Hunter President, Gordon B. Hinckley First Counselor, and Thomas S. Monson Second Counselor. Gordon B. Hinckley becomes President of the Quorum, with Boyd K. Packer Acting President of the Quorum. ; ordained. ; dies. ; is reorganized, with Gordon B. Hinckley President, Thomas S. Monson First Counselor, and James E. Faust Second Counselor. Thomas S. Monson becomes President of the Quorum, with Boyd K. Packer Acting President of the Quorum. ; ordained. 2000s ; dies. ; dies. ; and David A. Bednar ordained. ; dies. Chart of chronology of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles SEE ALSO
NOTES REFERENCES
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