"The Family: A Proclamation to the World" is a 1995 statement issued by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) which defined the official position of the church on family, marriage, gender roles, and human sexuality. It was first announced by church president Gordon B. Hinckley.

History

Hinckley first read the proclamation on September 23, 1995, at the church's General Relief Society (women’s) Meeting, stating that the purpose was to "warn and forewarn" the world to the danger of deviating from its standards. Although the proclamation was presented at the Relief Society meeting, it was written without any input from the church’s general Relief Society presidency. Indeed, in 2017, Dallin H. Oaks gave a talk in General Conference suggesting the text of the proclamation was composed solely by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles which are the church’s top two leadership bodies, and are both all-male. In 1997, the LDS Church included the text of the proclamation in an amicus brief to petition the Hawaii Supreme Court to reject same-sex marriage. The case was Baehr v. Miike (originally Baehr v. Lewin). The proclamation has been discussed and referenced in the church's general conferences as well as in many other types of church meetings throughout the world. For instance, the proclamation and the associated issues addressed were discussed during the church's 2008 worldwide leadership training meeting. The proclamation has also been influential among leaders of other religious traditions. For example, in 2014 the Vatican's Humanum: An International Interreligious Colloquium on the Complementarity of Man and Woman featured several world leaders including Pope Francis and Muslim theologian Dr. Rasoul Rasoulipour quoting from or citing its basic teachings.

Contents

Although the proclamation presents no new doctrines or policies, it provides an official statement of the church on gender and sexual relations.

Doctrinal assertions

Items of counsel

Warnings

Criticism

The LGBT advocacy group Human Rights Campaign has cited the proclamation as an indication that although telling families not to reject children due to their sexual orientation and telling members to treat them with love and compassion, the church restricts those who believe themselves to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender from fully integrating into the LDS Church if they act on their same-sex attraction. Those who do act on their feelings may be disciplined in various ways including excommunication. Because discipline is administered locally, actual practice differs geographically. The church also issued this statement after the Human Rights Campaign's criticism: The Church recognizes that those of its members who are attracted to others of the same sex experience deep emotional, social and physical feelings. The Church distinguishes between feelings or inclinations on the one hand and behavior on the other. It’s not a sin to have feelings, only in yielding to temptation. There is no question that this is difficult, but Church leaders and members are available to help lift, support and encourage fellow members who wish to follow Church doctrine. Their struggle is our struggle. Those in the Church who are attracted to someone of the same sex but stay faithful to the Church’s teachings can be happy during this life and perform meaningful service in the Church. They can enjoy full fellowship with other Church members, including attending and serving in temples, and ultimately receive all the blessings afforded to those who live the commandments of God.

Status

The LDS Church has characterized the proclamation as a reaffirmation of standards "repeatedly stated throughout its history." Apostle Boyd K. Packer also stated in general conference that it "qualifies according to the definition as a revelation and it would do well that members of the Church read and follow it." It is particularly important because, although not canonized, the proclamation is only the fifth such statement in the history of the church. The proclamation was especially authoritative because it was issued in the name of the three members of the First Presidency and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, each of the fifteen signatories being considered by members of the LDS Church as "prophet, seer, and revelators." The principles established by the proclamation were cited by Latter-day Saints during the campaign by the LDS Church and its members in support of California Proposition 8 (2008).