SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A former Utah Supreme Court justice is expected to be named the next president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the recent death of President Russell M. Nelson.
Announcing his successor — Dallin H. Oaks — is largely a formality because the church has a well-defined leadership hierarchy that has governed it for decades. Nothing will change in the leadership body until some time after Nelson’s funeral, which is scheduled for Oct. 7.
Here’s a closer look at how the leadership structure is arranged and how new members are chosen:
Who leads the church?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known widely as the Mormon church, is led by a president and his two top counselors, forming what is known as the First Presidency. They usually come from a governing body called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which sits just below the First Presidency and helps set church policy while overseeing the faith’s business interests.
Together, these 15 top officials are all men in accordance with the church’s all-male priesthood.
How are the presidents chosen?
The longest-tenured member of the Quorum of the Twelve becomes the new president in a tradition established more than a century ago to ensure a smooth handover and prevent any lobbying internally or publicly.
The succession plan was created in 1889 following nearly two years of debate and some politicking among the apostles after the faith’s third president, John Taylor, died. Since then, the plan has been carried out without exception.
Nelson, …