Editing James Strang (section)

==Theology==
[[File:VoreeChurch.jpg|thumb|left| Strangite church building in [[Voree, Wisconsin]]. (2005)]]

===Publications===
Like Joseph Smith, James Strang reported numerous visions, unearthed and translated allegedly ancient metal plates using what he said was the Biblical [[Urim and Thummim]], and claimed to have restored long-lost spiritual knowledge to humankind. Like Smith, he presented witnesses to authenticate the records he claimed to have received.<ref>Weeks, pp. iv, 250.</ref> Unlike Smith, however, Strang offered his plates to the public for examination. The non-Mormon [[Christopher Sholes]]&mdash;inventor of the [[typewriter]] and editor of a local newspaper&mdash;perused Strang's "[[Voree Plates]]", a minuscule brass chronicle Strang said he had been led to by a vision in 1845.<ref name=Plates/> Sholes offered no opinion on Strang's find, but described the prophet as "honest and earnest" and opined that his followers ranked "among the most honest and intelligent men in the neighborhood."<ref>Fitzpatrick, p. 36.</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]), per Klaus J. Hansen's review in the 1971 volume of the journal ''Dialogue'' (DOI:10.2307/45227513) which says, "the book is so bad that my first reaction was that any kind of review, even a critical one, would give it a dignity that it didn't deserve".|date=February 2024}} Strang published his translation of these plates as the "Voree Record," purporting to be the last testament of Rajah Manchou of Vorito, who had lived in the area centuries earlier and wished to leave a brief statement for posterity.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}} The Voree Plates disappeared around 1900, and their current whereabouts are unknown.<ref name=Plates>A drawing of these plates, with translation and testimony of their discovery, may be found at James J. Strang. (1845). "[http://www.strangite.org/Plates.htm The Record of Rajah Manchou of Vorito.] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120917103244/http://www.strangite.org/Plates.htm |date=2012-09-17 }}" ''Strangite.org''. Retrieved on 2007-10-28.</ref>{{Third-party inline|date=February 2024}}

Strang also claimed to have translated a portion of the "[[Plates of Laban]]" described in the [[Book of Mormon]].<ref>I Nephi 3:1 – 5:22 (Book of Mormon).</ref>{{Citation needed|date=February 2024|reason=The Book of Mormon, produced before Strang's plates of Laban, are not a source for Strang having produced a text he said was translated from the plates of Laban; they only note that the plates of Laban are a concept in Mormonism.}} This translation was published in 1851 as the [[Book of the Law of the Lord]], said to be selected from the original Law given to Moses and mentioned in {{bibleverse|2 Chronicles|34:14–15}}.<ref>"[http://www.mormonbeliefs.com/book_of_the_law.htm Book of the Law] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013071439/http://mormonbeliefs.com/book_of_the_law.htm |date=2007-10-13 }}". ''MormonBeliefs.com''. Retrieved on 2007-10-28.</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]). Appears to have been someone's personal website. No apparent institutional background or editorial oversight.|date=February 2024}} Republished in 1856, expanded with inspired notes and commentary, this book served as the constitution for Strang's spiritual kingdom on Beaver Island, and is still accepted as scripture by Strangites. One distinctive feature (besides its overtly monarchial tone) is its restoration of a "missing" commandment to the [[Ten Commandments|Decalogue]]: ''"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."'' Strang insisted that versions of the Decalogue found in Bibles used by other churches—including other Latter Day Saint churches—contain only ''nine'' commandments, not ten.<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 38–46.</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=February 2024|reason=This is citing Strang's own personal writing.}}

[[File:JosephSmith3.jpg|left|frame|[[Joseph Smith III]] — Son of [[Joseph Smith]]. Rejected Strang; led the [[Community of Christ|"Reorganized"]] church 1860–1914.]]

Strang received several other revelations, which while never formally added to his church's [[Doctrine and Covenants]], are nevertheless accepted as scripture by his followers.<ref>http://www.strangite.org/Reveal.htm. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518140713/https://churchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints.org/Reveal.htm |date=2024-05-18 }}</ref>{{Third-party inline|date=February 2024}} These concerned, among other things, Baptism for the Dead, the building of a temple in Voree, the standing of Sidney Rigdon, and an invitation for [[Joseph Smith III]], eldest son of Joseph Smith, to take a position as [[First Presidency (LDS Church)|Counselor]] in Strang's [[First Presidency (LDS Church)|First Presidency]]. "Young Joseph" never accepted this calling and refused to have anything to do with Strang's organization. Strang also authored ''The Diamond'', an attack on the claims of Sidney Rigdon and Brigham Young, and ''The Prophetic Controversy'', ostensibly for Mrs. Martha Coray, co-author with Lucy Mack Smith of ''[[The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother]]''. Coray, a partisan of Brigham Young's, had challenged "the vain usurper" to provide convincing evidence of his claims,<ref>Strang 1854b, p. 1.</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=February 2024|reason=This is citing Strang's own personal writing.}} and Strang obliged in this open letter addressed to her. Coray's reaction has not been preserved.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

===Distinctive dogmas===
{{Primary sources|section|date=February 2024}}
Some of Strang's teachings differed substantially from those of other Latter Day Saint leaders, including Joseph Smith. For instance, Strang rejected the traditional Christian doctrines of the [[Trinity]] and the [[Virgin birth of Jesus|Virgin Birth]] of [[Jesus Christ]], together with the Mormon doctrine of the "[[plurality of gods]]." A [[Monotheism|monotheist]], he insisted that there was only one eternal God in all the universe, [[God the Father|Father]], and that "[[Exaltation (Latter Day Saints)|progression to godhood]]" (a doctrine allegedly taught by Joseph Smith toward the end of his life) was impossible. God had always been God, said Strang, and He was only one Person, not three persons, according to the doctrine of the traditional Christian [[Trinity]].<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 47–63.</ref> Jesus Christ was presented as the natural-born son of [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Mary]] and [[Saint Joseph|Joseph]], who was chosen from before all time to be the Savior of mankind but he had to be born as an ordinary mortal from two human parents (rather than being the offspring of either the Father or the [[Holy Spirit]]) in order to fulfill his Messianic role.<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 157–58, note 9.</ref> In essence, Strang claimed that the earthly Christ was "adopted" as God's son at birth, and he was fully revealed to be such during the [[Transfiguration of Jesus|Transfiguration]].<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 165–66.</ref> After proving himself to God by living a perfectly sinless life, he was enabled to provide an acceptable sacrifice for the sins of men, prior to his [[Resurrection appearances of Jesus|resurrection]] and [[Ascension of Jesus Christ|ascension]].<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 155–58.</ref>

Furthermore, Strang denied the belief that God could do ''all'' things, and he insisted that some things were as impossible for Him as for us.<ref>Strang 1856, p. 150.</ref> Thus, he saw no essential conflict between [[science]] and [[religion]], and while he never openly championed [[Introduction to evolution|evolution]], he did state that God's ability to use His power was limited by the [[matter]] which He was working with and it was also limited by the eons of time which were required to "organize" and shape it.<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 150–51.</ref> Strang spoke glowingly about a future generation of people who would "make religion a science," to be "studied by as exact rules as mathematicks." "The mouth of the Seer will be opened," he prophesied, "and the whole earth enlightened."<ref>Strang 1856, p. 85.  Spelling of "mathematicks" as in original.</ref>

Musing at length on the nature of [[sin]] and [[evil]], Strang wrote that of all of the things that God could give to man, He could never give him ''experience''.<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 152–53.</ref> Thus, if "[[Agency (LDS Church)|free agency]]" was real, said Strang, humanity must be given the opportunity to fail and learn from its own mistakes. The ultimate goal for each human being was to willingly conform oneself to the "revealed character" of God in every respect, preferring to do [[good]] rather than preferring to do [[evil]] not out of fear of punishment and not out of any desire for rewards, but preferring to do good solely "on account of the innate loveliness of undefiled goodness; of pure unalloyed holiness."<ref>Strang 1856, p. 155.</ref>

===Practices===
{{Primary sources|section|date=February 2024}}
Strang strongly believed in the sanctity of the [[Sabbath in Seventh-day Adventism|seventh-day Sabbath]], and he enjoined it in lieu of Sunday;<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 22–23.</ref> the Strangite church continues to observe this tradition. He advocated [[baptism for the dead]], and practiced it to a limited extent in Voree as well as on Beaver Island. He also introduced [[animal sacrifice]]–not as [[atonement]] for [[sin]], but as a part of Strangite celebration rituals.<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 106–09, 293–95.</ref> Animal sacrifices and baptisms for the dead are not currently practiced by the Strangite organization, but belief in each is still required by it. Strang attempted to construct a [[Temple (Latter Day Saints)|temple]] in Voree, but he was prevented from completing its construction due to the poverty and lack of cooperation which existed among his followers.<ref>"[http://www.strangite.org/Temples.htm Temple Locations]". ''Strangite.org''. Retrieved on 2007-10-28.</ref> No "[[Endowment (Latter Day Saints)|endowment]]" rituals which are comparable to those in the Utah LDS and the [[Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)|Cutlerite]] churches appear to have existed among his followers.<ref name=Women-Marriage>"[http://www.strangite.org/Women.htm Women/Marriage] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130113123803/http://www.strangite.org/Women.htm |date=2013-01-13 }}". ''Strangite.org''. Retrieved on 2007-10-28.</ref> [[Celestial marriage|Eternal marriage]] formed a part of Strang's teaching, but he did not require it to be performed in a temple (as is the case in the LDS church). Thus, such marriages are still contracted in Strang's church in the absence of any Strangite temple or any "endowment" ceremony. Alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea were all prohibited, just as they were in many other Latter Day Saint denominations. Polygamy is no longer practiced by Strang's followers, but belief in its correctness is still affirmed by them.<ref name=Women-Marriage/>

Strang allowed women to hold the Priesthood offices of [[Priest (Latter Day Saints)|Priest]] and [[Teacher (Latter Day Saints)|Teacher]], unique among all Latter Day Saint factions during his lifetime.<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 198–200, 227.</ref> He welcomed [[African Americans]] into his church, and he ordained at least two of them to its eldership.<ref>"[https://archive.today/20130113090240/http://www.strangite.org/African.htm African-Americans]". ''Strangite.org''. Retrieved on 2007-10-18.</ref> Strang also mandated [[Conservation movement|the conservation]] of land and resources, requiring the building of parks and the retention of large forests in his kingdom.<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 286–87.</ref> He wrote an eloquent refutation of the "[[Solomon Spalding]] theory" of the Book of Mormon's authorship,<ref>Strang 1856, pp. 251–68.</ref> and defended the ministry and teachings of Joseph Smith.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}