sealing (LDS Church)

sealing (LDS Church)
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Name	Sealing (LDS Church)
Caption	Temple sealing room at Salt Lake Temple
Established	1836
Founder	Joseph Smith
Location	Salt Lake City, Utah
Type	Religious sacrament

sealing (LDS Church) is a distinctive Latter-day Saint ordinance central to the theology and practice of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is administered in temples and intended to bind individuals and families for eternity rather than only for mortal life. Sealing intersects with concepts of eternal family, exaltation, and priesthood authority as articulated by early leaders such as Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and later presidents including Heber J. Grant and Gordon B. Hinckley.

Theology and Purpose

LDS theology locates sealing within doctrines of Jesus Christ's redemptive work and the restoration of priesthood authority by figures like Joseph Smith. Sealing is taught to enable eternal relationships and covenants that relate to kingdoms of glory, celestial marriage, and the attainment of exaltation. The ordinance is linked to priesthood offices such as the Melchizedek priesthood and is understood through scriptural texts including the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the King James Bible. Leaders across generations—Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff—articulated sealing as a mechanism by which family units are perpetuated beyond mortal death, often citing apostolic succession and revelations recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 132.

Historical Development

Sealing emerged during the Kirtland Temple and Nauvoo, Illinois periods under Joseph Smith in the 1830s–1840s, with early practices evolving in response to migration to Salt Lake Valley under Brigham Young. The doctrine was codified in texts and practiced by leaders like Orson Pratt and Heber C. Kimball in Great Basin settlements. Changes over time reflect administrative policies from presidents such as Wilford Woodruff (manifesto era), Joseph F. Smith (early 20th century), and mid‑20th‑century leaders like Heber J. Grant and David O. McKay. The 1890s 1890 Manifesto and later policy shifts addressed plural marriage practices, impacting sealing administration under presidencies including George Q. Cannon, Howard W. Hunter, and Gordon B. Hinckley. More recent developments under Thomas S. Monson and Russell M. Nelson reflect temple expansion and policy refinements affecting family history linkage with institutions like FamilySearch.

Sealing Ordinances and Practices

Sealing ordinances occur in dedicated rooms within temples such as the Salt Lake Temple, Laie Hawaii Temple, and Cardston Alberta Temple, presided over by temple presidents like R. Scott Lloyd (historical example). The most common forms are spouse-to-spouse marriage sealing and parent-to-child sealing (sometimes referred to as family sealing). Liturgical elements draw on ritual practices codified by early temple builders and modern manuals used by Church Educational System instructors. Sealings are recorded in church records maintained by offices such as the Church History Department and integrated with genealogical work coordinated with FamilySearch. High-profile sealings—historic figures like Eliza R. Snow or leaders like Brigham Young—appear in scholarly examinations by historians including Leonard J. Arrington and Jan Shipps.

Requirements and Eligibility

Eligibility for sealing typically requires a temple recommend issued through local bishops and stake presidents—offices held by leaders like Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf historically—and confirmation of worthiness regarding adherence to teachings outlined by presidents such as Gordon B. Hinckley. Candidates must hold appropriate priesthood status (e.g., Melchizedek priesthood) where applicable or be eligible members of the church. Policies address situations involving divorce, annulment, or prior civil marriage, with case-by-case determinations by temple presidents and central administrators in Salt Lake City, overseen by departments led historically by figures such as Tom Perry. Posthumous sealings for deceased persons require family ordinances processed through FamilySearch and are subject to protocols developed by church legal and historical staff.

Temple Administration and Roles

Temples are administered by a hierarchy including the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, temple presidents, and matron and recorder roles. Presidency members such as Russell M. Nelson and Dallin H. Oaks have overseen global temple policy, while regional leaders implement procedures. Temple workers—often volunteers called by local stake presidents like M. Russell Ballard—perform ordinance work including sealings, guided by handbooks from the Church History Department and Temples and Family History Department predecessors. Administration coordinates with genealogical efforts in places like Salt Lake City, Oakland California Temple region, and international temples such as the Rome Italy Temple.

Controversies and Legal Issues

Sealing practices intersect with civil law and social controversy, notably during debates over polygamy in the 19th century involving leaders like Brigham Young and legal actions by the United States Congress and courts such as the U.S. Supreme Court. Later controversies include disputes over posthumous sealings of public figures, leading to publicized removals or protests involving families of persons like Anne Frank (in broader genealogy debates) and controversies addressed by church policy. Legal conflicts have arisen relating to records, privacy, and the church's interaction with government archives and organizations like National Archives and Records Administration. Court cases and legislative measures in states including Utah and federal arenas influenced temple administration and historic sealing practices.

Cultural and Social Impacts

Sealing shapes Latter-day Saint family life, community identity, and social norms across regions such as Utah, Idaho, Arizona, and international communities in Mexico and Brazil. It influences demographic patterns, genealogical enthusiasm manifested in organizations like FamilySearch and partnerships with academic programs at institutions such as Brigham Young University and University of Utah. Cultural expressions related to sealing appear in literature and media concerning figures like Orson Scott Card and are discussed in scholarship by historians including Richard Lyman Bushman and sociologists analyzing family dynamics. Sealing remains a hallmark of LDS ritual life, intersecting with civil institutions, academic study, and global religious practice.

Category:Latter Day Saint ordinances