'Reorganized' church changes name to 'Community of Christ' - News about religious cults and sects

Tom Morain has a deep appreciation for history.

When the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints changes its name Friday to the Community of Christ, Morain, the administrator of the State Historical Society, will have his eyes on the future, not the past.

"The word "reorganized' looks back to an event in the 1800s and defines us in relationship to the Mormon Church, and we've moved beyond that," said Morain, a member of the church's Ames congregation.

Since the church was formed in 1860, its members have spent as much effort telling people who they aren't, as defining who they are, Morain said.

"We're trying to get away from the constant comparison to the Mormons," said Morain.

The Rev. Greg Page, president of 14 Reorganized churches in the Des Moines area, said, "The name Community of Christ honors our history and calls to the future."

Iowa has about 60 Reorganized congregations with a total membership of about 8,000. The church, whose international headquarters is in Independence, Mo., has about 250,000 members in 40 nations.

The decision to rename the church was made last year during the church's world conference in Independence. The longer name, Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, will remain the group's legal name.

Because of a common heritage with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - commonly called the Mormons - Morain says the public confuses the two distinct faith groups.

"Historically, one of the big differences was the issue of polygamy in the 19th century. Those who didn't accept multiple wives didn't go west with those that went to Utah," said Morain.

Since breaking with the original Church of Jesus Christ, the smaller church has faced continued comparison, said Page.

"Our new name reflects who we are striving to become. It is not so much that we claim to be the community of Christ, but that we are claimed by this name to become such a community," said Page.
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The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will adopt a new name Friday primarily to end the confusion people have differentiating between the Missouri-based denomination and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The two denominations shared a 14-year history in the 19th century, but parted ways after the death of founder Joseph Smith Jr. in 1844.
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