Revised LDS handbook updates transgender policies, medical restrictions to garments

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints updated its General Handbook pinch changes regarding transgender policies, garment wearing for group pinch aesculapian restrictions, and temple sealing language.

The General Handbook, which is provided to leaders of nan religion worldwide, is updated doubly a year, according to a news release published by nan religion connected Monday.

In nan latest revision, nan religion updated respective policies successful nan handbook including antecedently announced changes specified arsenic nan age ranges for azygous big congregations and guidelines for vacation believe services.

Transgender argumentation

The church’s stance connected biologic activity being “an basal characteristic successful Heavenly Father’s plan” has not changed. The handbook says that those who wish to person ordinances successful nan religion — specified arsenic baptism aliases matrimony successful nan temple — cannot surgically aliases socially modulation distant from their biologic sex.

The revised handbook clarified that those who wish to prosecute baptism, and different ordinances, must person them according to their biologic sex.

“Worthy individuals who do not prosecute surgical, medical, aliases societal modulation distant from their biologic activity astatine commencement whitethorn bask each nan privileges of Church membership,” nan handbook reads.

The updated handbook besides says those who person transitioned and wish to return steps to modulation backmost to their biologic activity whitethorn past beryllium allowed to prosecute successful each activities successful nan church.

“These individuals often look analyzable challenges. They and their family and friends should beryllium treated pinch sensitivity, kindness, compassion, and Christlike love,” nan handbook reads.

Temple sealing policies

Several changes were made to nan handbook regarding sealings, which is an ordinance performed successful LDS temples betwixt family members aliases a man and female entering into a marriage.

The caller handbook clarified policies astir sealing a surviving personification to a deceased personification — including two group who cohabitate –and who is authorized to seal surviving children to their parents.

It besides added connection asserting that “God will not require anyone to stay successful a sealed narration passim eternity against his aliases her will.”

Garment-wearing policy

Church authorities added a conception to nan handbook connected decently caring for nan garment — a ineffable portion of clothing latter-day saints deterioration aft making promises pinch God — and a conception explaining nan assortment of fabrics and styles that are available.

The astir notable summation speaks connected nan expertise to typical bid garments for those pinch aesculapian conditions and devices that “make it difficult for members to deterioration 1 aliases some parts of nan garment.”

The handbook says successful immoderate cases it whitethorn beryllium amended to not deterioration nan garment temporarily until conditions let it again. In different cases, members whitethorn scope retired to a clothing advisor done nan religion to get a special-order garment.

“When a personnel cannot deterioration nan garment because of a aesculapian information aliases device, his aliases her belief position is not affected. The Lord focuses connected nan bosom and a consenting mind,” nan handbook reads.

For much accusation connected nan changes, sojourn nan church’s news release aliases nan handbook itself.