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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.
The General Handbook acts as 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."
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 This handbook superseded previous revisions, namely Handbook 1 (for stake presidents and bishops) and Handbook 2 (for all leaders), combining all information into a single digital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. General Handbook Available in Digital Format
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 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.Tech Law Journal, Summary of Intellectual Reserve v. Utah Lighthouse Ministries (LDS Copyright Case) (29 December 1999) (accessed 2 August 2007)
In May 2008, the LDS Church notified the Wikimedia Foundation that it believed the copyright to the Handbook of Instructions had been violated by a link posted in Wikinews.Carrie A. Moore, "LDS Church alleges Wikimedia site infringed copyright", Deseret Morning News, 2008-05-14. 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."Peggy Fletcher Stack, "LDS Church handbook on social issues available online", Salt Lake Tribune, 2010-11-26. In 2020, the entirety of the General Handbook was placed online.
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 the husband." But the supports organ donation, paying income taxes, members running for political office and autopsies."
Regarding birth control, the Tribune comments:
The Tribune has also noted that the LDS Church discourages the use of in vitro fertilization using semen and ovum from people outside the couple and that the LDS Church has no official stance on drinking Coca-Cola.
The Tribune quoted one member of 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:
Some members have complained that 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 the church who adopt children.
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 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.'"Peggy Fletcher Stack, "Updated LDS handbook softens language on gays", Salt Lake Tribune, 2010-11-11. In 2020, the two-volume handbook was consolidated into a single volume and it was published online in its entirety for the first time.Peggy Fletcher Stack and David Noyce, "LDS Church publishes new handbook with changes to discipline, transgender policy", Salt Lake Tribune, February 19, 2020. 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 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 the purpose of procreation, but also as a way of expressing love and strengthening emotional and spiritual bonds between husband and wife."
"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."
History
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 of tithe 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, the Circular of Instructions, the Handbook of Instructions, the General Handbook of Instructions, the Church Handbook of Instructions, and finally the Handbook.
Chronology
The following chronological listing of the publication's history was taken from an article by Edward L. Kimball (until 24(A)),. supplemented with a list of later editions:
1 1899 Instructions to Presidents of Stakes, Bishops of Wards and Stake Tithing Clerks 14 Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith 2 1900 Instructions to Presidents of Stakes, Bishops and Clerks 23 Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith 3 1901 Instructions to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Bishops and Counselors and Stake Tithing Clerks 43 Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund 4 1902 Annual Instructions, No. 4, to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, High Counselors, Bishops and Counselors and Stake Tithing Clerks in Zion 38 Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund 5 1903 Annual Instructions, No. 5, to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, High Counselors, Bishops and Counselors and Stake Tithing Clerks in Zion, 1903-1904 28 Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund 6 1904 Annual Instructions, No. 6, to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, High Counselors, Bishops and Counselors and Stake Tithing Clerks in Zion 32 Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund 7 1905 Annual Instructions, No. 7, to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, High Counselors, Bishops and Counselors and Stake Tithing Clerks in Zion 34 Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund 8 1906 Annual Instructions, No. Eight, to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Bishops and Counselors, Stake Clerks and General Authorities in Zion 34 Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund 9 1908 Annual Instructions, 1908, Circular No. 9, to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake and Ward Clerks and General Authorities in Zion 34 Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund 10 1909 Annual Instructions, 1909, Circular No. 10, to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Mission and Ward Clerks and All Church Authorities in Zion 41 Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund 11 1909 Annual Instructions, to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Mission and Ward Clerks and All Church Authorities in Zion, Circular No. 11 36 Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Charles W. Penrose 12 1913 Circular of Instructions, No. 12, to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission, and Ward Clerks and All Church Authorities 52 Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Charles W. Penrose 12 1921 Instructions to Bishops and Counselors, Stake and Ward Clerks, No. 13 63 Heber J. Grant, Anthon H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose 13 1923 Instructions to Bishops and Counselors, Stake and Ward Clerks, No. 13, 2d ed. 63 Heber J. Grant, Anthon H. Lund, Anthony W. Ivins 14 1928 Handbook of Instructions for Bishops and Counselors, Stake and Ward Clerks of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, No. 14 86 Heber J. Grant, Anthony W. Ivins, Charles W. Nibley 15 1934 Handbook of Instructions for Stake Presidencies, Bishops and Counselors, Stake and Ward Clerks, Number 15 111 Heber J. Grant, Anthony W. Ivins, J. Reuben Clark 16 1940 Handbook of Instructions for Stake Presidents and Counselors, Bishops and Counselors, Stake and Ward Clerks and Other Church Officers 159 Heber J. Grant, J. Reuben Clark, David O. McKay 17 1944 Handbook of Instructions for Stake Presidents and Counselors, Bishops and Counselors, Stake and Ward Clerks and Other Church Officers 272 Heber J. Grant, J. Reuben Clark, David O. McKay 18 1960 Handbook of Instructions for Stake Presidents and Counselors, Bishops and Counselors, Stake and Ward Clerks and Other Church Officers David O. McKay, J. Reuben Clark, Henry D. Moyle 19 1963 Handbook of Instructions for Stake Presidents and Counselors, Bishops and Counselors, Stake and Ward Clerks and Other Church Officers 146 David O. McKay, Henry D. Moyle, Hugh B. Brown 20 1968 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, General Handbook of Instructions 125 David O. McKay, Hugh B. Brown, N. Eldon Tanner, Thorpe B. Isaacson, Joseph Fielding Smith 21 1976 General Handbook of Instructions 110 Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, Marion G. Romney 21(A) 1976 General Handbook Supplement 1 8 Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, Marion G. Romney 21(B) 1977 General Handbook Supplement 2 7 Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, Marion G. Romney 21(C) 1978 General Handbook Supplement 3 183 Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, Marion G. Romney 21(D) 1978 The Church Judicial System (replaced section 8 of General Handbook of Instructions) 11 Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, Marion G. Romney 22 1983 General Handbook of Instructions 82 Spencer W. Kimball, Marion G. Romney, Gordon B. Hinckley 23 1985 General Handbook of Instructions 79 Ezra Taft Benson, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson 24 1989 General Handbook of Instructions 79 Ezra Taft Benson, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson 24(A) 1991 Supplement to the 1989 General Handbook of Instructions 10 Ezra Taft Benson, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson 25(1) 1998 Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1: Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics 161 Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust 25(2) 1998 Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2: Priesthood and Auxiliary Leaders 167 Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust 25(2-A) 2006 Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2: Priesthood and Auxiliary Leaders: Section 9: Temple and Family History Work 8 Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust 26(1)Replaced No. 25(1) only. No. 25(2) continued to be used in connection with No. 26(1). 2006 Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1: Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics 205 Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust 27(1) 2010 Handbook 1: Stake Presidents and Bishops 186 Thomas S. Monson, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf 27(2) 2010 Handbook 2: Administering the Church 217 Thomas S. Monson, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf 28 2020 General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints online only Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, Henry B. Eyring
Further reading
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