The Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly is a

Mormon fundamentalist Mormon fundamentalism (also called fundamentalist Mormonism) is a belief in the validity of selected fundamental aspects of Mormonism as taught and practiced in the nineteenth century, particularly during the administrations of Joseph Smith, Bri ...

sect A sect is a subgroup of a religious, political, or philosophical belief system, usually an offshoot of a larger group. Although the term was originally a classification for religious separated groups, it can now refer to any organization that b ...

, headquartered in

Big Water Big Water is a town in Kane County, Utah, Kane County, Utah, United States. The population was 475 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, up from 417 at the 2000 United States Census, 2000 census. It is located northwest of Page, Arizona ...

, Kane County, southern

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

. It was founded in 1974 by

Alex Joseph Alex Joseph (June 24,1936 – September 27, 1998) (born Alec Richard Joseph; also referred to as Ronald Ellison) was an American outspoken polygamist and founder of the Confederate Nations of Israel, a Mormon fundamentalist sect. As mayor of Big ...

Establishment

The Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly was formed in 1974 by Alex Joseph after he left the

Apostolic United Brethren The Apostolic United Brethren (AUB) is a Mormon fundamentalist group that practices polygamy. The AUB has had a temple in Mexico, since at least the 1990s, an endowment house in Utah since the early 1980s and several other locations of worship ...

, a sect he joined after being excommunicated by

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

(LDS Church) in 1970. Joseph established his sect in Cottonwood Canyon, northeast of

Kanab Kanab ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Kane County, Utah, Kane County, Utah, United States.Find a Co ...

in southern Utah. However, the Kane County Sheriff informed Joseph that he was on public land, and the sect was evicted. The sect then moved to an area called "Bac Bon", located 16 miles away. Joseph was again forced to move the sect again, after the Bac Bon subdevelopment was not approved and building permits had not been granted to Glen Canyon City. Glen Canyon City was later incorporated as

Big Water, Utah Big Water is a town in Kane County, Utah, United States. The population was 475 at the 2010 census, up from 417 at the 2000 census. It is located northwest of Page, Arizona, on US-89 near Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam. It was originall ...

Confederate Nations of Israel

The Confederate Nations of Israel is a hybrid church–political organization with roots in the Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly and in Mormon fundamentalism. It was organized in 1977 by Alex Joseph and was patterned after the

Council of Fifty "The Council of Fifty" (also known as "the Living Constitution", "the Kingdom of God", or its name by revelation, "The Kingdom of God and His Laws with the Keys and Power thereof, and Judgment in the Hands of His Servants, Ahman Christ") was a Lat ...

. The Confederate Nations of Israel is multi-denominational and combines ecumenical spiritual doctrines with ultimate aspirations of quasi-

theocratic Theocracy is a form of government in which one or more deities are recognized as supreme ruling authorities, giving divine guidance to human intermediaries who manage the government's daily affairs. Etymology The word theocracy originates fro ...

political control. While is often classified as a sect within the Latter Day Saint movement the Confederate Nations of Israel is a loosely organized confederation of individuals affiliated from many denominations who may or may not practice

plural marriage Polygamy (called plural marriage by Latter-day Saints in the 19th century or the Principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy) was practiced by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for more tha ...

. Of the 400 members of the Confederate Nations of Israel members, approximately one-fourth practice polygamy, and very few of these individuals have ever been a member of any Latter Day Saint denomination. D. Michael Quinn, "Plural Marriage and Mormon Fundamentalism", '' Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought'', vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 22–23. In addition to independent Mormon fundamentalists, the organization includes "Catholics, Protestants, Eastern religionists, atheists, and sexually-active homosexuals".

Willy Marshall Willy Marshall is an American Libertarian politician and became the first openly gay mayor in Utah when he was elected in 2001 to serve as the mayor of the town of Big Water, Utah. In keeping with his libertarian principles, Marshall repealed h ...

, a member of the organization, was elected mayor of Big Water in 2001 and became the first openly

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

mayor in Utah history.Brandon Burt
"Utah's Gay Mayor"
, ''Salt Lake Metro''.

Death of Alex Joseph

After Alex Joseph died in 1998, polygamy practically ceased to exist within Big Water, Utah. The sect's children attend public school and women were encouraged to live freely and obtain an education. The Alex Joseph family tended to be involved with the media and speak openly about their polygamous lifestyle because they felt the media provided protection for the group.

Notes

External links

Mormonfundamentalism.com: Alex Joseph
— ''& The Confederate Nations of Israel''.
KCSG, Southern Utah Memories: The Alex Joseph Story

Mormonexpression.com: Mormon Schismatic Groups
— ''history of Mormon break-off groups from the beginning of Mormonism through the present day''.
Sister Widows: Wives of dead polygamist rebuild their lives

Affirmation.org article: "Utah's Gay Mayor"
— ''includes background information on Alex Joseph and the founding of Big Water, Utah''. {{DEFAULTSORT:Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assemby Mormon fundamentalist denominations Latter Day Saint movement in Utah Kane County, Utah Organizations based in Utah Christian organizations established in 1974 1974 establishments in Utah

Establishment

Confederate Nations of Israel

Death of Alex Joseph

See also

Notes

External links