Mormonism

Mormonism is a religious movement originating in the early 1800s with the revelations and teachings of Joseph Smith. Mormonism should not be confused with the Mormon Church; the two are not the same. Mormonism is not a specific church, but encompasses a wide range of sects, almost all of which trace their roots to the original Church founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 in Fayette, New York.

Mormonism also refers to the doctrine taught by Joseph Smith and the succeeding prophets and leaders of the Mormon Church. It views human life as one of the stages in the eternal progression of intelligent beings who are God's spirit children. Men and women are allowed to choose whether to accept or reject Christ's gospel, teachings, and covenants. Mormons believe that the Church's teachings as truly Christian and they were restored to earth in its original purity by Christ himself through Joseph Smith. For this reason they usually refer to the Church as the "Restored" Church. Mormonism includes in its theology many doctrines that are shared by many other Christian churches in different degrees. Mormons believe in a personal God who is concerned with his children; Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and he came on the earth to preach the gospel, establish His Church, and perform the infinite Atonement. Men and women need to repent, be baptized by the proper authority, and continue to keep the commandments to be saved.

Continuing revelation is one of the most distinctive characteristics of Mormonism and one of the basic doctrines of the Mormon Church. The value of marriage and family is of the highest importance among Mormons and genealogical research is a distinctive mark of this religion.