Reform Mormonism welcomes people who remain active in the LDS Church. Its founder, Mike Richan, described its approach as potentially valuable to active LDS, inactive LDS, and non-LDS people. However, that openness does not necessarily work both ways.
For people who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or are considering becoming one, there are three potential consequences to understand: having baptism denied/postponed, being denied a temple recommend or having one canceled and church discipline that could include excommunication.
I want people exploring Reform Mormonism to understand these risks so they can make informed decisions about their religious lives.
“Apostate Sects”
Section 32.6.3.2 of the LDS Church’s General Handbook defines apostasy as a member engaging in any of the following:
- Repeatedly acting in clear and deliberate public opposition to the Church, its doctrine, its policies, or its leaders
- Persisting in teaching as Church doctrine what is not Church doctrine after being corrected by the bishop or stake president
- Showing a pattern of intentionally working to weaken the faith and activity of Church members
- Continuing to follow the teachings of apostate sects after being corrected by the bishop or stake president
- Formally joining another church and promoting its teachings (Total inactivity in the Church or attending another church does not by itself constitute apostasy. However, if a member formally joins another church and advocates its teachings, withdrawing his or her membership may be necessary.)
Reform Mormonism is a distinct Mormon denomination established in 2002, with teachings and religious practices that differ from those of the LDS Church. Consequently, LDS leaders could therefore use the handbook’s “apostate sects” provision to punish an LDS member who continues following Reform Mormon teachings after correction, and this could include being denied baptism, lose your temple recommend, or even be excommunicated from the LDS church for apostasy.
Additionally, it is worth noting that to formally become a Reform Mormon and join this sect of Mormonism, you only have to start identifying as a Reform Mormon. Therefore, if you were to identify as a Reform Mormon you may also qualify for apostasy in the LDS church. Nevertheless, the LDS church explicitly states that merely attending another church won’t qualify you for apostasy, but the line can get quite thin when it comes to being LDS and hanging out with the Reform Mormons.
Interview Questions
“Worthiness” interview questions present a separate concern.
Restrictions involving “apostate groups” have a documented history in LDS efforts to prevent participation in groups that continued to teach or practice plural marriage. For example, the 1940 handbook, pages 139-140, barred temple access for members who belonged to such a group or adopted or advocated its doctrines and practices. Later temple recommend questions addressed conflicting teachings more generally.
The March 1976 General Handbook of Instructions, page 53, included this question, excerpted here:
“Do you have any connection, in sympathy or otherwise, with any of the apostate groups … who are running counter to the accepted rules and doctrines of the Church?”
Supplement Number 1, dated July 1, 1976, pages 2-3, replaced it with:
“Do you have any affiliation with or sympathy for any groups or individuals who teach or practice doctrines not officially approved by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?”
In 1996, the wording changed to focus on support, affiliation, or agreement. The full question in use before the 2019 revision read:
“Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?”
On October 6, 2019, the Church announced this wording:
“Do you support or promote any teachings, practices, or doctrine contrary to those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?”
That remains the wording of question 7 in section 26.4.1 of the current handbook. Comparing the versions, the revision removed the explicit references to affiliation and agreement with groups or individuals while retaining a question about supporting or promoting conflicting teachings.
Reform Mormonism has its own approach to the Mormon tradition, expressed in documents such as:
- Racism and Mormonism – An Apology (2003)
- The Seven Theological Affirmations of Reform Mormonism (2022)
- A Proclamation on the Sacredness of the Transgender Experience (2025)
- Our Living Articles of Faith (2026)
Agreement with something in these documents does not necessarily create a conflict with LDS teachings. For example, rejecting racism is consistent with the LDS Church’s stated position condemning racism. However, some statements directly challenge LDS teachings and claims of authority. “Racism and Mormonism – An Apology” expressly rejects the assurance that God will not allow the President of the Church to lead the Church astray. That assurance appears in an excerpt from Wilford Woodruff’s October 6, 1890, address published with Official Declaration 1. This is a specific disagreement beyond a shared rejection of racism.
Supporting or promoting Reform Mormon teachings that LDS leaders regard as contrary to LDS doctrine could therefore jeopardize an LDS member’s eligibility for baptism or a temple recommend. In addition to its interview requirements, the handbook directs bishops to cancel a current recommend if they determine that its holder is not living the standards of “worthiness”.
What This Means
Identifying as a Reform Mormon and supporting its teachings can have consequences whether you already belong to the LDS Church or want to join it. Those consequences can include being denied baptism, losing your temple recommend, and facing church discipline, including excommunication.
Reform Mormonism welcomes concurrent religious affiliation, but that openness does not necessarily work both ways. Our willingness to recognize someone as both LDS and Reform Mormon does not guarantee that they can retain the same standing and privileges within the LDS Church.
There hasn’t been an incident where this has happened yet, but anyone interested in belonging to both communities deserves to understand these potential consequences before deciding how to identify, participate, and share their beliefs.