Quorum of The Twelve Apostles (LDS Church) - Role of The Quorum in The LDS Church

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.

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.

The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the LDS Church has some general similarities to the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, primarily in its duty to choose a successor upon the death of a church president, However, the whole body of LDS general authorities has also been viewed as instead being closer to those of the cardinals. and each has a "strict verticality of its administration". There are differences, due in part to the President and the Twelve having life tenure, which may lead to an older or infirm President, but also provides considerable training of Apostles to take over the office of the Presidency; meaning "the members of quorum are being groomed for the job during this time."

Church policy decisions are made unanimously, with consultation among the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, and where appropriate, the Seventy, 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 continuous 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, or is unable to serve due to health considerations, 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 counselors in the First Presidency are invited to meet and counsel together in prayer in order to recommend names to the President of the Church as to whom will be called to fill the vacancy. The final decision rests with the President of the Church, but is sustained by the Twelve and the counselors in the First Presidency. 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 presidents, 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, although some of them receive assignments to become members of boards of church-owned for-profit corporations and trustees of the church's educational institutions. (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.