Comments on: Can one who was excommunicated and restored to full membership hold leadership positions?

By: jdogg

jdogg — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:20:00 +0000

In reply to Mike Kellermeyer. My impression of this is that the policy for bishops is in place because bishops frequently meet in private with both single and married women. The policy is meant to protect bishops and the single women from any kind of reproachment. President Monson doesn't conduct many worthiness interviews of which I'm aware

By: Lynn

Lynn — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 23:27:00 +0000

In reply to Robert. God forgives...the administration, not so unconditionally.

By: Gail

Gail — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 01:59:00 +0000

In reply to A_H. I was able to get a temple recommend after my divorced. I was told I could attend the temple but not be a temple worker for five years.

By: Gail

Gail — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 01:57:00 +0000

In reply to Terri Jeppson. I had a bishop who had been divorced but was remarried to someone who had also been divorced.

By: Gail

Gail — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 01:55:00 +0000

I was in a ward where a person who had been excommunicated and returned to the Church was called as High Priest Group Leader.

By: Mike Kellermeyer

Mike Kellermeyer — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 15:10:00 +0000

In reply to Terri Jeppson. President Monson lost his wife of many years and is single.

By: Terri Jeppson

Terri Jeppson — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 16:00:00 +0000

In reply to Robert.

Single men cannot serve as bishops.
It doesn’t matter how he became single again.
I had a bishop whose wife passed away, and he was released very shortly later, which could also go under the guise of a time of mourning. But, he never remarried, and as far as I know, was never called as the bishop again.

By: I'm Just Saying

I'm Just Saying — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 03:16:00 +0000

The Church has a policy that a man who has been called into a disciplinary council cannot serve as a Bishop, Stake President, Mission President, Seminary Teacher and a few other positions. That is the policy however like every policy an exception can be made with the approval of the First Presidency. I’m not sure there are too many Stake Presidents or Area Presidents willing to fight that hard and take on the First Presidency to get approval but I’m sure it has happened. The same policy included men who had been divorced but that policy has been amended in the last few years and now depends on how long ago the divorce occurred, financial obligations and children from the previous marriage.

By: JAGuar

JAGuar — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 03:56:00 +0000

In reply to Robert. I must have missed that memo in all my years of getting letters from the First Presidency. Besides, I know of a couple of brethren who have served as bishops after having previously been divorced.

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 22:42:00 +0000

A letter did in fact go out, rather quietly, from the first presidency stating that divorced priesthood holders cannot be called as bishops.

By: Stanford Robert Harrison

Stanford Robert Harrison — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:17:00 +0000

As for being a temple worker I do remember there is a waiting period of 5 years after certain circumstances have occurred, like divorce or recent restoration of temple blessings.

By: Sharee

Sharee — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 05:32:00 +0000

My understanding is that once you have your blessings restored, it is as if you were never excommunicated. On your church records, the baptismal date listed is your original baptismal date, the same with ordination dates. So there is no reason a person who was excommunicated and came back could not be called to any position, including bishop. A man in my ward was excommunicated at one time and he later served in our bishopric.