Splintered Saints and the Temple, 1844–1900
This chapter begins in the mid-nineteenth century, just as competing Mormon denominations coalesced. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City) and the smaller Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints emerged as the most important denominations for Kirtland's future. These two churches were rivals and actively competed with each other for converts, especially in the first decades of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' organization. More than simply competing for converts, though, the two churches developed different visions for the purpose and permeability of temple spaces, and much of these differences centered on their understanding of the legacy of the Kirtland Temple. In short, the Kirtland Temple was a living testament to different lineages of temple teachings present within Joseph Smith's many churches.