Zion (Latter Day Saints) - Discussion

Discussion

In one interpretation, Zion refers to a specific location to which members of the millennial church are to be gathered together to live. Stipulated by what is believed by the Latter-day Saints to be the revelation of Joseph Smith, Jr. (D&C 57:1-5), this is said to be located in Jackson County, Missouri and its county seat, the city of Independence, Missouri. The region of Kansas City Metropolitan Area remains important today in LDS Church and Community of Christ doctrine, as well as many smaller branches and offshoots of the Restoration movement, who view it as having a crucial role to play in their Christian Millenialist theology. In October 2008, for example, LDS leadership announced the construction of the Kansas City Missouri Temple.

The word "Zion" appears at least 45 times in the Book of Mormon, a key part of the Latter-day Saint canon, and nearly 200 times in the LDS version of the Doctrine and Covenants, a part of its canon consisting of what members believe to be modern-day revelation and written down by Smith mostly in the 19th century. Following the disappointments and strife which took place in Missouri during initial attempts to establish a "City of the Saints" in the region, the concept of Zion evolved to encompass a less geographically-specific idea similar to the orthodox Christian concept of the "ekklesia" (See Ecclesia (Church))" or community of believers regardless of location. This concept is hinted at in such scriptural passages as the following: "Therefore, verily, thus saith the Lord, let Zion rejoice, for this is Zion — THE PURE IN HEART; therefore, let Zion rejoice, while all the wicked shall mourn." (Doctrine and Covenants 97:21, LDS version)

Esoterically considered, "Zion" as used in this context is a dualistic term connoting a sanctified group of people living according to the commandments and ordinances as revealed to them. Latter-day Saints use the name to signify a group of God's followers, or any location pertaining to where they live. As well as signifying a group and place it is also applied to more than one situation and may be fulfilled at more than one time. Thus, “Zion” has several related but not necessarily synonymous applications. These applications make reference to the following: 1) The Jerusalem of Judah; 2) The New Jerusalem in America; and 3) The Lord’s people and their gathering places around the world.

Exoterically (mundanely) considered, a gathering place in the modern Latter-day Saint (LDS) organizational context refers to Wards (basic congregational units), Stakes (groups of several Wards), homes or communities where believers are striving to live what is referred to as "the Fulness of the Gospel" in righteousness. It is a worldwide movement in which the faithful work towards becoming a pure people, willing to serve God. As noted above, the community of such faithful church members are referred to metonymically as "the pure in heart" in their scriptures.

The ancient people of Enoch sum it up by saying "the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them”

In the Mormon fundamentalism movement, a more literal interpretation of Zion as a specific geographical location is held to more strongly and a more stringent emphasis is placed upon individual and community lifestyle requirements that are considered, to be necessary prerequisites to establishing such a community. These requirements are often referred to as "the Fullness of the Gospel" and as "ordinances," specific commandments which have long set this movement apart from mainstream Christianity. The two most frequently noted requirements are the United Order (a form of agrarian communalism) and Plural Marriage, both of which are de-emphasized in the mainstream LDS churches and, in the case of Plural Marriage, expressly prohibited and denounced.

A modern-day proponent of the Mormon fundamentalist movement, Ogden Kraut, summarized the fundamentalist/dissident position on "Zion" as follows:

The Saints failed to live the higher laws in the center stake of Zion in Missouri so they were expelled. During the four years at Nauvoo, there was not even an attempt to live the United Order, for example, so they were again driven out. They became like the children of Israel in the desert with only the hope of keeping Zion's laws. But here in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains we have done worse than in Missouri and Illinois. For a few years after the pioneers arrived, an attempt was made to live the United Order and plural marriage, but both leaders and members failed to continue those important laws. Thus, the Church has gone astray from keeping all the laws of Zion, and the redemption of Zion is seldom even mentioned.