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Rethinking the International Expansion of Mormonism

2006; University of California Press; Volume: 10; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1525/nr.2006.10.1.52

1541-8480

Rick Phillips,

Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices

ABSTRACT: The rapid international expansion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter—day Saints—the LDS, or Mormon Church—prompts some sociologists to claim that Mormonism is an incipient world religion. This expansion also serves as the basis for several sociological theories of church growth. However, these observations and theories rely on an uncritical acceptance of the LDS Church's membership statistics. This article uses census data from nations around the world to argue that Mormon Church membership claims are inflated. I argue that Mormonism is a North American church with tendrils in other continents, and that calling Mormonism a "world religion" is premature.