Wallace B. Smith

Male, Person

1929 –

26

Who is Wallace B. Smith?

Wallace Bunnell Anthony Smith was Prophet-President of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, from April 5, 1978 through April 15, 1996. Son of President W. Wallace Smith, he was designated as his father's successor in 1976, and ordained church president in 1978 when his father retired to emeritus status. Wallace B. Smith is a great-grandson of Joseph Smith, Jr., and was a practicing ophthalmologist in the Independence, Missouri area before accepting ordination to Community of Christ's leadership.

Wallace B. Smith's presidency was notable for authorizing construction of the church's Temple in Independence, Missouri in 1990-1994, and for promoting at the same time a church conference vote on Thursday, April 5, 1984 which approved ordination of females to priesthood offices: The first ordination took place on Sunday, November 17, 1985. Smith is also credited with being one of the first church leaders to formally propose a name-change for the church, at a Joint Council retreat in 1994. At the subsequent World Conference in 1996, the proposed name change was not approved by a majority vote at that time, but conference approval did take place during the April, 2000 World Conference, four years after Smith's retirement as prophet-president of the church.

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Born
Jul 29, 1929
Lamoni
Also known as
  • Wallace Smith
Religion
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Nationality
  • United States of America

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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