Composition and Distinction From General Officers
By definition, general authorities are members of the church's priesthood, which does not include women. The most common definition of the general authorities includes the members of the following leadership organizations:
| Organization | Membership | Title given to members (e.g., Title Smith or Title John J. Smith) |
Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Presidency | President of the Church and his chosen counselors | President | President of the Church: Life counselors: Until own death, death of the President of the Church, or release at the discretion of the president |
| Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | 12 Apostles | Elder; President or Acting President of the Quorum |
Typically life; may be removed from Quorum to join First Presidency; on rare occasions may be removed from the Quorum due to an excess of Apostles |
| Presidency of the Seventy | 7 Seventies, typically drawn from the First or Second Quorums of the Seventy | Elder | Variable (usually 5-8 years); until release at the discretion of the church president; will typically remain a member of the First or Second Quorums of the Seventy when released |
| First Quorum of the Seventy | Up to 70 Seventies | Elder | Life; will typically be relieved of active duties and granted emeritus status around age 70 |
| Second Quorum of the Seventy | Up to 70 Seventies | Elder | Variable (usually 5-7 years); until release at the discretion of the Church President |
| Presiding Bishopric | 3 Bishops: one presiding bishop and two counselors | Bishop | Variable (usually 9-12 years); until release at the discretion of the church president; will typically become a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy upon their release |
| Presiding Patriarch | 1 Patriarch, usually a descendant of Joseph Smith, Sr. | Elder | Life; current presiding patriarch has been released of active duties and given general authority emeritus status |
| Assistants to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | Defunct (was variable) | Defunct (was Elder) | All Assistants to the Twelve were added to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1976 and the position was eliminated |
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“No officer should be required or permitted to take part in the management of political organizations, caucuses, conventions, or election campaigns. Their right to vote and to express their views on public questions, either orally or through the press, is not denied, provided it does not interfere with the discharge of their official duties. No assessment for political purposes on officers or subordinates should be allowed.”
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