On Friday, April 7, 2000, after prayerful and open discussion, World
Conference delegates voted 1,979 to 561 to approve “Community of Christ”
as a new name for the church, while retaining the name Reorganized Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for legal purposes. The following
interview with President W. Grant McMurray answers questions that many have
asked about this action.
QUESTION: After so many years of discussing a name change for the
church, why did the 2000 World Conference finally take this action?
ANSWER: Prior to Conference, the Florida Mission Center passed a
resolution calling for a name change to Community of Christ. That resolution
then had to be considered by World Conference. I had been carrying this matter
on my heart for some time and, knowing it would be on our agenda, I asked the
World Church Leadership Council to prayerfully consider how we might approach
it. The resulting discussion at our March meeting was a remarkable experience
for all of us. We could not deny the confirming Spirit as we agreed that the
name “Community of Christ” effectively connects our marvelous heritage
with our contemporary witness in the world.
Based on that strong sense of assurance, I endorsed the change in my
Conference address on Monday night. During the legislative debate, the council
members were bold in their testimony as to the timeliness and appropriateness
of this action. With their leadership and the Spirit’s unifying presence,
nearly 80 percent of the delegates voted in favor of adopting Community of
Christ as our church’s name.
QUESTION: When was “Community of Christ” first introduced?
ANSWER: In 1994 the general officers of the church gathered in Estes
Park, Colorado, to talk about faith and mission. After a difficult few days,
we found ourselves united around our present mission statement: “We proclaim
Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace.” In that
discussion, we were promptly led in a compelling way to the name “Community
of Christ,” a blending of our historic quest for community with the
centrality of Jesus Christ. To a person, we believed that God’s Spirit had
worked with us in that moment.
At the 1996 World Conference, the First Presidency engaged the delegates in
significant dialogue about this potential new name for the church. At that
time a “straw vote” was taken, which showed that about half of the
delegates favored the new name, with the other half favoring no change or
another option for a new name. At that time, the First Presidency asked the
church to continue the process of dialogue and discussion on the issue, rather
than push for a decision.
QUESTION: Why didn’t those who attended the 1994 retreat share
their testimonies at the 1996 World Conference?
ANSWER: Some of us have looked back on that decision with some
regret. While we individually spoke of what had occurred among us, the Joint
Council wanted each person to develop a confirming testimony and not just
accept it on the basis of our own experience. In retrospect, we may have been
too mild in our affirmation, although perhaps it could be said that these six
years also have been a necessary time of reflection for many of our members as
well.
QUESTION: Some have said that the name change was introduced just
to distance ourselves from the Mormons. Is this true?
ANSWER: All of us who have been members of the church have struggled
with being confused with the Mormon faith, which is very different from ours.
We are often placed in a defensive posture, and there will be value in having
a distinct identity. However, this change is really based on a desire to more
effectively declare who we are and what our mission is about. We no longer
have to focus on who we are not, but can positively declare our mission
through our name.
QUESTION: But isn’t this new name just a denial of our heritage
and an attempt to move us away from our tradition?
ANSWER: Nothing could be further from the truth. I am very committed
to our church uniquely expressing our own heritage and our own story, but
doing it in a contemporary way that honors our past and embraces our future.
Our present name no longer adequately represents our theology or the church’s
mission. Our history of being community builders began in nineteenth-century
America and continues now into the twenty-first century. Today, rather than
drawing apart to separate cities, we are called to build communities that
break down racial and cultural barriers and create a sense of global community
in the name of Jesus Christ. The principle is the same, but the world is
different.
QUESTION: What about the idea that the new name makes us sound
like a cult?
ANSWER: This argument has always distressed me. The term “community”
is a wonderful and rich word, rooted in biblical imagery and in our own
Restoration history. I refuse to allow it to be lost to our language because a
few extremist fringe groups call themselves communities. Many of them also
call themselves “families,” but we still proudly and gratefully affirm “family.”
The same should be true of “community.”
QUESTION: As a church, have we discarded the name Reorganized
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?
ANSWER: No, this name will always be precious to us, and our
traditional name will remain legally binding and be retained for legal
purposes. We will use “Community of Christ” as a shorter form, which we
believe more effectively conveys who we are in the twenty-first century.
QUESTION: There have been concerns expressed that “Community of
Christ” will not be able to be registered in all states of the United
States. Would you comment on this?
ANSWER: Currently, we have registered “Community of Christ” in
Missouri as a Not-For-Profit Church Corporation. Expert legal counsel is
working on securing the registration of this name in all states and others
nations where appropriate. There will undoubtedly be a few legal issues to
deal with, but we believe these are fully manageable.
QUESTION: What about internationally?
ANSWER: In the past it has often been difficult to register the name
“Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints” in certain parts
of the world. While we are confident that the concept of Community of Christ
can be translated into different languages, there may be a need to adjust the
name internationally as deemed appropriate. We will work carefully with our
members in those nations as we do so. That is no different than it has been
with our present name.
QUESTION: How about Web sites?
ANSWER: Our staff has already secured multiple domain sites that
will be very compatible with the new name. At this point we have made no
decision as to which of these Internet addresses will be used by us.
QUESTION: When will congregations be given permission to
officially change their church signs and letterheads to Community of
Christ?
ANSWER: The resolution approved by the Conference provides that the
First Presidency will do the necessary advance work and provide a timeline for
implementation. In no case will this occur before January 1, 2001. The First
Presidency is developing guidelines and a communication plan to assist
congregations and field jurisdictions in implementing the use of the new name
for the church. We have already heard of congregations making new letterheads
and erecting new church signs. We ask that everyone be patient and await
further direction.
QUESTION: Aren’t some congregations already using this name, or
others like it?
ANSWER: Yes, previous Conference action allows local congregations
to use missional names rather than geographic names if they choose. We know
that several have adopted the name “Community of Christ” and others use
names like “Chapel of Peace” or “Fellowship in Christ,” for example.
Those names can continue to be used in the interim and we will address the
question of uniformity when we issue our guidelines.
QUESTION: What do you say to people who disagree with the change
and who are upset by it?
ANSWER: Change such as this is difficult, especially when it
involves matters of identity. I share the discomfort that others may feel,
even while being enthusiastic about what we are saying to the world by this
change. I encourage everyone not to rush to judgment, but to be open and
prayerful and receptive. Give it time to feel more comfortable. Let the
experiences of those who were at Conference be widely shared. And most of all,
I ask that we trust God’s Spirit to not only sustain us, but to lead us into
a new era of human history. Wonderful things are happening in the church. Our
new name embraces a powerful sense of global community that has been growing
for several decades. And now we have recognized, even in our name, that it is
to such community as this that the Lord Jesus Christ is calling us.
