Church of Jesus Christ (Zion's Branch)

Church of Jesus Christ (Zion's Branch)
Zion's Branch meetinghouse in Independence, Missouri
Classification	Latter Day Saint movement
Orientation	Latter Day Saints
Polity	Church conference
Region	United States
Founder	A.J.Cato, Robert Hall, Dennis Cato, Noel Goldsmith, and Lloyd Cunningham
Origin	April 6, 1985 Independence, MO
Separated from	Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now known as Community of Christ)
Congregations	1
Members	40

The Church of Jesus Christ (Zion's Branch) is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement and is headquartered in Independence, Missouri. It was formed on April 6, 1985^[1] by individuals who had separated from the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints due to certain doctrinal changes which took place in this organization during the 1970s and 80s, culminating in the adoption of Section 156 of the RLDS Doctrine and Covenants, which allowed women to be ordained to the priesthood. Unable to accept this or other doctrinal changes, a group of elders and members led by A.J. Cato, Robert Hall, Dennis Cato, Noel Goldsmith, and Lloyd Cunningham,^[2] among others, formed Zion's Branch as a separate church. This organization currently claims approximately 40 members in a single branch.

Beliefs

Zion's Branch has a "Statement of Belief" on its official website.^[3] It affirms that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are "separate, distinct entities", and that God is eternally unchangeable. The "fullness of the gospel" is contained within the Bible and Book of Mormon. Other scripture is also accepted from the Book of Commandments and portions of the RLDS Doctrine and Covenants but specific revelations therein must be deemed by the church to be "in harmony with the fullness of the gospel as contained in the Bible and Book of Mormon" (which is not always the case). Zion's Branch utilizes the Inspired Version of the Bible, and the RLDS edition of the Book of Mormon.

Zion's Branch teaches baptism by immersion, laying of hands for receipt of the Holy Ghost ("Confirmation"), administration of the Sacrament (the church practices closed communion), laying on of hands for healing of the sick, and ordination (of males only) by laying on of hands to various offices in the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods.

Zion's Branch believes that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, but subject to error and deception like any man, and thus they do not accept all that he allegedly said or taught. Baptism for the Dead, a temple Endowment, Eternal Marriage, polygamy, and certain priesthood offices that are common within the Latter Day Saint movement, such as church president, are not accepted. For a short time, Zion's Branch endeavored to practice the United Order, but has since ceased doing so.

At present, there are no apostles within the Zion's Branch organization, though the organization has not formally disclaimed belief in such.

Revelations

In September 2007, elder Ron Perkins of the Zion's Branch church offered a revelation entitled "An Admonition to all Saints of the Restoration". Although Perkins does not claim to be a prophet, he did assert that he had received this message "by the power of [the] Holy Spirit". In this short "admonition", Latter Day Saints in general are chided for following "sinful and ignorant men who have followed their own ways instead of God's ways", and "dishonorable priesthood" holders. The revelation admonishes its readers that God will no longer tolerate their "willful ignorance" of his truth. This revelation has been reproduced on the church's website.^[4]

References

↑ Zion's Branch Charitable Trust Declaration of Trust
↑ Zion's Branch Charitable Trust Declaration of Trust
↑ The Church of Jesus Christ Zion's Branch Statement of Beliefs. Retrieved on 2010-09-25.
↑ An Admonition to All Saints of the Restoration. Retrieved on 2009-08-10.

External links

Church of Jesus Christ - Zion's Branch Official church website. Contains Perkins' "Admonition" and the Zion's Branch "Statement of Beliefs".

Sects in the Latter Day Saint movement

Followers of Joseph Smith III ("Josephites")

Church of Christ^a
Organized by: Joseph Smith Jr.
Joseph Smith's original April 6, 1830, organization;
multiple sects currently claim to be true successor 1844^b Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
Organized by: James J. Strang
approx. 300 members

1860

Community of Christ
(Reorganized Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints)^c
Organized by: Joseph Smith III
250,000 members

1918 1960s 1980

Church of the Christian Brotherhood
Organized by: R. C. Evans
Defunct Church of Jesus Christ Restored (Ontario)
Organized by:Stanley King
Headquartered in Ontario, Canada
Status: approx. 40 members Church of Jesus Christ (Toneyite)
Organized by: Forrest Toney
Status unknown

1980s Mid-1980s 1985

Restoration Branches
Organized by: Various local leaders
of the RLDS church
Approximately 10,000 members attending
several hundred distinct congregations Church of Jesus Christ Restored 1830
Organized by: Nolan W. Glauner
Headquartered in Tarkio, Missouri Church of Christ
Organized by: David B. Clark
Headquartered in Oak Grove, Missouri

2000 1986 1988 1991

Remnant Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints
Organized by: Frederick N. Larsen
Approximately 1500 members;
headquartered in Independence, Missouri Church of Jesus Christ (Zion's Branch)
Organized by: John
and Robert Cato, among others
Approximately 200 members;
headquartered in Independence, Missouri Lundgren Group
Organized by: Jeffrey Lundgren
Defunct Restoration Church of
Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints
Organized by:M. Norman Page
and Marcus Juby
Headquartered in Independence, Missouri

^a Later names included the Church of the Latter Day Saints (by 1834 resolution), the Church of Jesus Christ the Church of God,

^b While not considered a predecessor to the Community of Christ, many of the followers of Joseph Smith III were originally members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite).

^c Prior to 2001, sect was known as Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, after 2001 sect is known as the Community of Christ

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