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The General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an on-line book of instructions and policies for leaders and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The contents are prepared by the church's First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles . Along with the church's standard works (i.e., its scriptural canon), the General Handbook stands as the preeminent policy and practice guide for the leaders of the LDS Church.

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53-504: In general, the General Handbook contains institutional church policies, as opposed to church doctrine. However, brief statements of doctrine are commonly presented at the start of sections in the handbook to provide the doctrinal context in which the policies are being set and implemented. In that way, the General Handbook unifies the church's scripture and creeds with its ecclesiology and polity . The General Handbook acts as

106-952: A "standard reference point" for bishops and other leaders to make decisions. The leaders are encouraged to follow the handbook "with the guidance of the Holy Ghost" and with "sensitivity to individual circumstances." The topics in the General Handbook include guidelines involving general, area , and regional administration; duties of the stake president ; duties of the bishop ; temples and marriage ; missionary service; administering church welfare; church membership councils and name removal; interviews and counseling; physical facilities; creating, changing, and naming new units; military relations; Church Educational System ; Perpetual Education Fund ; records and reports; finances; stake patriarch ; ordinance and blessing policies; general church policies on administrative, medical and health, and moral issues. It also contains information primarily relevant to

159-399: A corpus of religious texts from the "canonical" literature. At its root, this differentiation reflects the sects and conflicts that developed and branched off over time, the competitive "acceptance" of a common minimum over time and the "rejection" of interpretations, beliefs, rules or practices by one group of another related socio-religious group. The earliest reference to the term "canon" in

212-505: A definitive canon". While the term scripture is derived from the Latin scriptura , meaning "writing", most sacred scriptures of the world's major religions were originally a part of their oral tradition , and were "passed down through memorization from generation to generation until they were finally committed to writing", according to Encyclopaedia Britannica . In Islam , the Sunnah are

265-581: A link posted in Wikinews . The link directed readers to the text of the handbook on the WikiLeaks website, unaffiliated with the Wikimedia Foundation. Shortly after the complaint was made, Wikinews removed the link to the text from the article. In 2010, the church placed part of the handbook on its official website, which was seen as "part of a recent trend in the church to become more transparent." In 2020,

318-580: A list of later editions: Scripture Religious texts , including scripture , are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They often feature a compilation or discussion of beliefs, ritual practices, moral commandments and laws , ethical conduct, spiritual aspirations, and admonitions for fostering a religious community. Within each religion, these sacred texts are revered as authoritative sources of guidance, wisdom, and divine revelation . They are often regarded as sacred or holy, representing

371-466: A religious community. The terms sacred text and religious text are not necessarily interchangeable in that some religious texts are believed to be sacred because of the belief in some theistic religions such as the Abrahamic religions that the text is divinely or supernaturally revealed or divinely inspired , or in non-theistic religions such as some Indian religions they are considered to be

424-467: A religious text, has origins as early as 2150 BCE, and stands as one of the earliest literary works that includes various mythological figures and themes of interaction with the divine. The Rigveda , a scripture of Hinduism , is dated 1500 BCE. It is one of the oldest known complete religious texts that has survived into the modern age. There are many possible dates given to the first writings which can be connected to Talmudic and Biblical traditions,

477-633: A robust online presence. At the time, the paper had approximately 36,000 subscribers, a decline from a daily circulation of close to 200,000. Also in 2020, the Tribune ended its joint partnership with the Deseret News , which had lasted for sixty-eight years. From 2020 to 2021, the Tribune newsroom staff increased by 23%, with thirty-three reporters on staff in November 2021. The newly nonprofit paper also developed

530-691: A text accepted to contain the "sacred writings of a religion", while The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions states it refers to a text "having [religious] authority and often collected into an accepted canon". In modern times, this equation of the written word with religious texts is particular to the English language , and is not retained in most other languages, which usually add an adjective like " sacred " to denote religious texts. Some religious texts are categorized as canonical, some non-canonical, and others extracanonical, semi-canonical, deutero-canonical, pre-canonical or post-canonical. The term "canon"

583-556: A variety of new projects. In July 2024, newsroom employees announced their intentions to unionize with the Denver Newspaper Guild and Communications Workers of America. The bargaining unit would represent 31 employees. In presidential elections , The Salt Lake Tribune endorsed George W. Bush in 2004; Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012; and Hillary Clinton in 2016. The paper discontinued making endorsements for all offices (local, state, and national) in 2019 upon becoming

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636-550: Is derived from the Greek word " κανών ", "a cane used as a measuring instrument". It connotes the sense of "measure, standard, norm, rule". In the modern usage, a religious canon refers to a "catalogue of sacred scriptures" that is broadly accepted to "contain and agree with the rule or canon of a particular faith", states Juan Widow. The related terms such as "non-canonical", "extracanonical", "deuterocanonical" and others presume and are derived from "canon". These derived terms differentiate

689-463: Is derived from the ratification, enforcement , and its use across generations. Some religious texts are accepted or categorized as canonical , some non-canonical, and others extracanonical, semi-canonical, deutero-canonical, pre-canonical or post-canonical. "Scripture" (or "scriptures") is a subset of religious texts considered to be "especially authoritative", revered and "holy writ", "sacred, canonical", or of "supreme authority, special status" to

742-534: Is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation . The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871." A successor to Utah Magazine (1868), The Salt Lake Tribune was founded as the Mormon Tribune by a group of businessmen led by former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) William Godbe , Elias L.T. Harrison and Edward Tullidge , who disagreed with

795-523: Is the son of industrialist Jon Huntsman Sr. who is chairman of the holding company, and brother of former Utah governor and ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman Jr. On April 20, 2016, Huntsman Family Investments, a private equity firm headed by Paul Huntsman, son of industrialist Jon Huntsman Sr. , announced that it would buy the Tribune . In 2017, the Tribune was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting for "a string of vivid reports revealing

848-582: The Circular of Instructions , the Handbook of Instructions , the General Handbook of Instructions , the Church Handbook of Instructions , and finally the Handbook . In 1998, the book was split into two volumes for the first time and was renamed the Church Handbook of Instructions . A new edition was published and released to church leaders in November 2010, with the new names Handbook 1 and Handbook 2 . One of

901-492: The Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case to The National Enquirer . Tribune editor James "Jay" Shelledy resigned from his job at the paper amid the fallout of the scandal. Two staffers were also removed from their positions as Tribune reporters. In 2004 the paper decided to move from its historic location at the downtown Tribune building to The Gateway development. Many people, including several Tribune employees, opposed

954-536: The General Handbook does not always explain the doctrinal justification for the church's stance on certain social issues, such as that related to artificial insemination of single women in the church. The General Handbook states that artificial insemination of single women in the church "is not approved" and that "single sisters who deliberately refuse to follow the counsel of church leaders in this matter are subject to church discipline" but it does not explain why similar treatment would not be meted out to single women in

1007-423: The Handbook were not publicly available. In the past, unauthorized copies of the restricted handbook have been made available on the internet . After the 1998 version of the Church Handbook was published, Jerald and Sandra Tanner 's Utah Lighthouse Ministry published portions on the internet without the church's permission or the book's copyright notice. The text was also disseminated to other websites to which

1060-537: The Mountain Meadows Massacre , after a backhoe operator accidentally dug up previously-unknown remains while working on the 1999 Mountain Meadows Monument . The LDS Church's displeasure at the articles' embarrassing disclosures has been cited as motivation for its 2013 alleged attempt to silence the Tribune. In 2002, the Tribune became mired in controversy after employees sold information related to

1113-472: The Quran (the book of Islam ) are the divine revelation ( wahy ) delivered through Muhammad that make up the primary sources of Islamic law and belief/theology . However sects of Islam differ on which hadiths (if any) should be accepted as canonical (see Criticism of hadith ). Salt Lake Tribune The Salt Lake Tribune is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah . The Tribune

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1166-450: The Tribune in 1937 and succeeded Fitzpatrick as publisher in 1960, remaining as chairman until the merger with TCI, Inc. in 1997. The Kearns family owned a majority share of the newspaper until 1997, when the company merged with TCI in an effort to minimize inheritance tax liabilities borne by the two largest shareholders in the Kearns family. A buy-back agreement was put in place, providing for

1219-400: The Tribune laid off over 38% of its newsroom staff, reducing headcount from ninety to fifty-six. This was the fourth round of layoffs since 2011, and the first under the leadership of owner and publisher Paul Huntsman. The reason put forward for this was lower revenue due to decreased circulation and lower profit from online advertisements. Huntsman said that in the two years since he bought

1272-482: The Tribune . After Keith died in 1918, the Kearns family bought out Keith's share of the Salt Lake Tribune Publishing Company. Eventually, the parent company became Kearns-Tribune Corporation. The company began an evening edition in 1902, known as The Salt Lake Telegram . The Telegram was sold in 1914 and reacquired by the Tribune in 1930. It was phased out when the joint operating agreement

1325-468: The US Department of Justice to become involved, and eventually filed a lawsuit alleging anti-trust violations. Critics of the church assert that the efforts to target the Tribune were done with the participation of the church's First Presidency , its highest leadership body. In 2016, Huntsman Family Investments, LLC, a company controlled by Paul Huntsman, bought The Salt Lake Tribune . Paul Huntsman

1378-666: The 1952 Joint Operating Agreement with the Deseret News, which would have put the Salt Lake Tribune at a marked financial disadvantage, and eventually ensured the Tribune would bleed to death. An anonymous note, delivered in disguised handwriting to Tribune offices in October, alleged that the LDS Church was secretly negotiating with Alden for this aim. Interested parties and local citizens' activist groups subsequently organized, petitioned

1431-460: The Kearns family to reacquire The Tribune , after the IRS required a five-year holding period. However, in the interim TCI was merged with AT&T Corporation. After intense pressure from the LDS Church, and intense counter-suits from the Kearns family, the Tribune was subsequently sold by AT&T to Denver, Colorado -based MediaNews Group in 2000. In 2000, the Tribune published a 3-part series on

1484-550: The ULM's website linked. In a 1999 lawsuit Intellectual Reserve v. Utah Lighthouse Ministry , a United States district court issued an injunction prohibiting the further duplication of the contents of the handbook and ordered ULM to remove the offending material from its website. In May 2008, the LDS Church notified the Wikimedia Foundation that it believed the copyright to the Handbook of Instructions had been violated by

1537-406: The architect of NAC at the request of LDS Church President David O. McKay whose newspaper was near bankruptcy at the time. Fitzpatrick died of a heart attack in 1960, and was succeeded by John W. Gallivan , who had been trained as the next publisher from the time he joined the Tribune in 1937. Gallivan often joked with aspiring journalism students, telling them the best way to the publisher's desk

1590-449: The board until 1997. For almost 100 years, it was a family-owned newspaper held by the heirs of U.S. Senator Thomas Kearns . After Kearns died in 1918, the company was controlled by his widow, Jennie Judge Kearns, and then the newspaper's longtime publisher was John F. Fitzpatrick , who started his career as secretary to Senator Kearns in 1913 and remained publisher until his death in 1960. John W. Gallivan , nephew of Mrs. Kearns, joined

1643-461: The central tenets of their eternal Dharma . In contrast to sacred texts, many religious texts are simply narratives or discussions pertaining to the general themes, interpretations, practices, or important figures of the specific religion. In some religions (e.g. Christianity ), the canonical texts include a particular text ( Bible ) but is "an unsettled question", according to Eugene Nida . In others ( Hinduism , Buddhism ), there "has never been

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1696-503: The church as applauding the public availability of the Handbook , as it will allow the members of the church to become more familiar with the church's stance on certain social issues: "I've known church members who were shocked that the handbook strongly discourages vasectomies. They had no idea that there was any policy concerning it.... If there are such policies, I think it is wise that everyone — not just those with leadership callings — knows about them." Some members have complained that

1749-483: The church who adopt children. The document that is identified as the first Church Handbook of Instructions was published in 1899 as a small, 14-page booklet. It primarily contained instructions on how to manage in-kind payments of tithing by church members. The handbook was revised every year until 1910 and approximately every five years thereafter. The book has been variously called the Annual Instructions ,

1802-470: The church's economic and political positions. After a year, the publishers changed the name to the Salt Lake Daily Tribune and Utah Mining Gazette , but soon after that, they shortened it to The Salt Lake Tribune . Three Kansas businessmen, Frederic Lockley, George F. Prescott and A.M. Hamilton, purchased the company in 1873 and turned it into an anti-Mormon newspaper which consistently backed

1855-458: The church, callings in the church, and priesthood ordinances and blessings. Beginning in 2020, the handbook became available on the church website and other digital resources. This handbook superseded previous revisions, namely Handbook 1 (for stake presidents and bishops) and Handbook 2 (for all leaders), combining all information into a single digital publication. The material is primarily intended for church leaders. Prior to 2020, portions of

1908-464: The construction beginnings. Gallivan and Denver cable investor Bob Magness merged their companies into Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI) which eventually became the largest cable television company in the world. The Tribune ' s ownership interest in TCI reached nearly 15%, which played a large role in later mergers between the two companies. Gallivan remained as Tribune publisher until 1984, and chairman of

1961-589: The context of "a collection of sacred Scripture" is traceable to the 4th-century CE. The early references, such as the Synod of Laodicea , mention both the terms "canonical" and "non-canonical" in the context of religious texts. One of the oldest known religious texts is the Kesh Temple Hymn of ancient Sumer , a set of inscribed clay tablets which scholars typically date around 2600 BCE. The Epic of Gilgamesh from Sumer , although only considered by some scholars as

2014-588: The core teachings and principles that their followers strive to uphold. According to Peter Beal, the term scripture – derived from " scriptura " (Latin) – meant "writings [manuscripts] in general" prior to the medieval era, then became "reserved to denote the texts of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible". Beyond Christianity, according to the Oxford World Encyclopedia , the term "scripture" has referred to

2067-548: The earliest of which is found in scribal documentation of the 8th century BCE, followed by administrative documentation from temples of the 5th and 6th centuries BCE, with another common date being the 2nd century BCE. High rates of mass production and distribution of religious texts did not begin until the invention of the printing press in 1440, before which all religious texts were hand written copies, of which there were relatively limited quantities in circulation. The relative authority of religious texts develops over time and

2120-735: The entirety of the General Handbook was placed online. Although the General Handbook covers a wide variety of topics related to church organization and policy, media attention has focused largely on the church's policies on social issues that are outlined in the Handbook . As summarized by the Salt Lake Tribune , the Handbook states that the LDS Church opposes gambling (including government-run lotteries), guns in churches, euthanasia, Satan worship and hypnotism for entertainment. It "strongly discourages" surrogate motherhood, sperm donation, surgical sterilizations (including vasectomies) and artificial insemination — when "using semen from anyone but

2173-399: The first time. As compared to earlier editions, the 2020 General Handbook has a "softer tone on discipline, [an] emphasis on pastoral care, ... clarity on complex issues and [a] push for greater compassion toward same-sex and transgender members". The following chronological listing of the publication's history was taken from an article by Edward L. Kimball (until 24(A)), supplemented with

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2226-589: The functions of the leaders of the church's priesthood quorums and auxiliary organizations . In this area, the topics include guidelines involving families and the church in God's plan, priesthood principles, leadership in the church, the ward council, the work of salvation in the ward and stake, welfare principles and leadership, Melchizedek priesthood , Aaronic priesthood , Relief Society , Young Women , Primary , Sunday School , activities, music, stake organization, single members, uniformity and adaptation, meetings in

2279-598: The husband." But [the church] supports organ donation, paying income taxes, members running for political office and autopsies." Regarding birth control , the Tribune comments: The handbook says it is a "privilege" for Mormon couples to nurture and rear children, but the decision of how many to have is "extremely intimate and private and should be left between the couple and the Lord." Moreover, church members "should not judge one another in this matter." The book also says sexual relations in marriage "are divinely approved not only for

2332-402: The local Liberal Party . Sometimes vitriolic, the Tribune held particular antipathy for LDS Church president Brigham Young . In the edition announcing Young's death, the Tribune wrote: He was illiterate and he has made frequent boast that he never saw the inside of a school house. His habit of mind was singularly illogical and his public addresses the greatest farrago of nonsense that ever

2385-413: The major changes between the 2006 and 2010 versions of the handbook is that the 2010 version "softened the language about gay Mormons" and eliminated statements "that same-sex relationships 'distort loving relationships' and that gays should repent of their 'homosexual thoughts or feelings.'" In 2020, the two-volume handbook was consolidated into a single volume and it was published online in its entirety for

2438-575: The move, stating that it would harm the economy of Salt Lake's downtown. The move was completed in May 2005 and Tribune employees were told by editor Nancy Conway, "It is just a building." After emerging from bankruptcy in 2010, MediaNews Group lost control of its ownership to a hedge fund, Alden Global Capital . "The remainder of the Denver-based chain is owned by a consortium of lenders and by Singleton himself." In 2013, rumors swirled of renegotiations to

2491-485: The newspaper, advertising revenues had declined 40%. In November 2019 the newspaper won approval from the Internal Revenue Service to become a 501(c)(3) non-profit. It was the first major (and first daily) U.S. newspaper to become a nonprofit. In October 2020, the newspaper announced it would cease daily print publication at the end of the year, shifting instead to a weekly print product while maintaining

2544-513: The perverse, punitive and cruel treatment given to sexual assault victims at Brigham Young University, one of Utah’s most powerful institutions." The team included lead reporter Erin Alberty, managing editor Sheila R. McCann, reporters Jessica Miller and Alex Stuckey and editor-writer Rachel Piper. The package of winning stories also included an investigation into multiple reports that were not properly investigated by Utah State University. In May 2018,

2597-401: The purpose of procreation, but also as a way of expressing love and strengthening emotional and spiritual bonds between husband and wife." The Tribune has also noted that the LDS Church discourages the use of in vitro fertilization using semen and ova from people outside the couple and that the LDS Church has no official stance on drinking Coca-Cola . The Tribune quoted one member of

2650-557: The traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time evidently saw and followed and passed on to the next generations. According to classical Islamic theories, the sunnah are documented by hadith (the verbally transmitted record of the teachings, deeds and sayings, silent permissions or disapprovals attributed to Muhammad ), and alongside

2703-471: Was formed with the afternoon Deseret News , Salt Lake's daily newspaper owned by the LDS Church, in 1952. John F. Fitzpatrick became publisher in 1924, ushering in what became seven decades of peaceful coexistence with the dominant LDS Church. In 1952 the Tribune entered into a joint operating agreement with the Deseret News and created the Newspaper Agency Corporation . Fitzpatrick was

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2756-512: Was put in print. He prided himself on being a great financer, and yet all of his commercial speculations have been conspicuous failures. He was hierophant, and pretended to be in daily [communion] with the Almighty, and yet he was groveling in his ideas, and the system of religion he formulated was well nigh Satanic. In 1901, newly elected United States senator Thomas Kearns , a Roman Catholic , and his business partner, David Keith, secretly bought

2809-548: Was to get yourself left on the doorstep of the owner. (He had been orphaned at the age of five, then taken in by his mother's half-sister, Mrs. Thomas Kearns.) In the late 1950s, in spite of reluctance from John Fitzpatrick about the future of television, Gallivan joined a measured Tribune investment with The Standard Corporation in Ogden, Utah , to build one of the first microwave and cable TV systems across northern Nevada. On weekends, Gallivan traveled by bus to Elko, Nevada , to oversee

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