Apostolic United Brethren

Apostolic United Brethren
Name	Apostolic United Brethren
Main classification	Latter Day Saint movement
Founded date	1950s
Founded place	Utah
Leader	Council of Elders
Area	United States, Canada, Mexico
Members	estimates vary

Apostolic United Brethren is a Mormon fundamentalist group tracing its claims to doctrines and practices originating in Joseph Smith and continued through Brigham Young, John Taylor, and other early leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the 19th century. The movement formed amid schisms after the 1890 Manifesto (LDS Church) and subsequent 20th‑century disputes involving figures such as Lorin C. Woolley, J. Leslie Broadbent, and Rulon C. Allred. Its adherents maintain beliefs and rituals that align with earlier Nauvoo period teachings and parallel organizations like the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite).

History

The group's origins involve dissenting leaders who rejected the 1890 Manifesto issued by Wilford Woodruff, leading to separatist lines tied to Lorin C. Woolley and followers such as John W. Woolley and J. Leslie Broadbent. Mid‑20th century figures including Rulon C. Allred, Lorin C. Woolley, and John Y. Barlow shaped early organization amid interactions with communities in Utah, Idaho, and Mexico. The AUB formally coalesced during the 1950s–1970s under leaders who claimed priesthood authority in continuity from Brigham Young and Joseph Smith and engaged with contemporaneous groups including the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Kingstons (polygamous family), and LeBaron family networks. Tensions and schisms occurred involving figures such as Rulon C. Allred and Ervil LeBaron, producing legal conflicts and leadership disputes documented alongside events in Short Creek, Arizona and settlements in Hildale, Utah. Over decades the AUB established communities and institutions reflecting ties to Mormon fundamentalism, Salt Lake City, and cross‑border colonies in Mexico and Canada.

Beliefs and Practices

AUB doctrine emphasizes continuation of priesthood lines from Joseph Smith and adherence to doctrines associated with plural marriage as taught by Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Orson Pratt. Practices include temple‑centered ordinances modeled on those of Nauvoo Temple ritual, observance of teachings from the Book of Mormon, the King James Bible, and elements drawn from the Lectures on Faith. Members observe lifestyle codes influenced by leaders such as Rulon C. Allred and Owen A. Allred, maintain programs for families and youth, and use patriarchal blessings in the tradition of Elijah Abel and other early figures. The AUB teaches concepts related to eternal marriage and household structure consistent with interpretations held by contemporaneous groups like the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Centennial Park (polygamous group), while differing on governance and ritual details.

Organization and Leadership

Leadership centers on a Council of Elders and presiding figures influenced by precedents set by Lorin C. Woolley, Rulon C. Allred, and Owen A. Allred, with organizational practices paralleling ward and stake terminology used historically in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The structure incorporates local bishops, priesthood quorums, and itinerant apostles drawing on models from the Council of Fifty era and the administrative patterns of Brigham Young University‑era Utah institutions. Decision‑making reflects precedent from councils and conferences similar to assemblies in Short Creek, Arizona and meetings that involved leaders such as John Y. Barlow and J. Leslie Broadbent. The group maintains auxiliaries for education, welfare work, and missionary outreach comparable to historical auxiliaries like the Relief Society and Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association in earlier Latter Day Saint movement history.

Membership and Demographics

Membership estimates vary, with concentrations in Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, Mexico, and Alberta, Canada. Demographics reflect large family sizes and multigenerational households similar to patterns observed among the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and Kingston Clan, with communities often located near towns such as Salt Lake City, Provo, Spanish Fork, and rural settlements in Mexicali and Bacalar. Census data and sociological studies have compared AUB populations to those of Amish and Hutterites in terms of fertility and community retention, while scholars from institutions like Brigham Young University, University of Utah, and Arizona State University have published analyses of membership patterns and cultural practices.

Temple and Ordinances

AUB temples and meetinghouses perform ordinances modeled on those conducted historically in the Nauvoo Temple and the Salt Lake Temple, including endowments, sealings, and baptismal practices for the dead adapted to their priesthood claims originating with Joseph Smith and successors such as Brigham Young. Temple architecture and ritual choreography reflect restorationist interpretations found in writings associated with Lorin C. Woolley and early 20th‑century leaders, while local facilities serve communities in Utah and Mexico analogous to the way the Hopi and Navajo have local ceremonial spaces for cultural rites. Temple administration follows authority lines asserted by the Council of Elders and presiding authorities modeled after historic Latter Day Saint temple practice.

Relations with Other Latter Day Saint Groups

The AUB maintains complex relations with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Centennial Park (polygamous group), the LeBaron family branches, and other Mormon fundamentalist organizations, engaging at times in dialogue and at other times in rivalry and doctrinal dispute. Interactions have included legal contests, public statements, and occasional cooperation on social issues mirroring dynamics seen between Strangites, Community of Christ, and splinter groups from the 19th and 20th centuries. Scholarly comparisons by researchers at Harvard University, University of Cambridge, and University of California, Berkeley have examined the AUB's theological distinctions and communal practices in relation to broader Latter Day Saint movement diversity.

Controversies and Legal Issues

Controversies have included disputes over plural marriage, child welfare investigations, and criminal prosecutions comparable to incidents involving the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and individuals from the LeBaron family. High‑profile legal cases have involved allegations examined by agencies such as state prosecutors in Utah and Arizona and have prompted media coverage in outlets covering cases related to Short Creek, Arizona, Hildale, Utah, and cross‑border settlements in Mexico. Leadership conflicts, schisms, and property disputes echo historical conflicts among factions stemming from the post‑Manifesto era involving figures like Rulon C. Allred and Ervil LeBaron.

Category:Mormon fundamentalism