Paid clergy

Criticism

Critics claim that Mormonism prides itself in having unpaid clergy. They then show that General Authorities do, in fact, receive a stipend while serving the Church. They point this out in an attempt to show the "hypocrisy" of the Church.

Response

A modest stipend

Some members of the Church are unaware that at least some general authorities do receive a modest living stipend. However, a call to serve as a general authority usually comes later in life, and none of these men has depended upon their Church service for their "career" or "income." And, given the high calibre and accomplishment of those called to full-time service, it is unreasonable to expect that they couldn't make much more money (with less trouble) in some other field of endeavor.

The fact that this stipend exists has not been hidden. As President Hinckley noted in General Conference:

Merchandising interests are an outgrowth of the cooperative movement which existed among our people in pioneer times. The Church has maintained certain real estate holdings, particularly those contiguous to Temple Square, to help preserve the beauty and the integrity of the core of the city. All of these commercial properties are tax-paying entities.

I repeat, the combined income from all of these business interests is relatively small and would not keep the work going for longer than a very brief period.

I should like to add, parenthetically for your information, that the living allowances given the General Authorities, which are very modest in comparison with executive compensation in industry and the professions, come from this business income and not from the tithing of the people.^[1]

No professional ministers

There can be no doubt that the Church does have an unpaid ministry. More precisely, it does not have a professional clergy. Consider:

• the vast majority of leadership positions in the Church are filled by those who receive absolutely no financial compensation. This includes bishops, stake presidents, area authority seventies, Relief Society presidents, priests, teachers, deacons, elders, missionaries, etc.
• the Church has no professional ministry—one does not "go into" the priesthood in Mormonism as a form of employment. The Church believes that "a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof."^[2] No one can enter Church government or administration as a career.
• those few Church leaders who receive a living allowance have already served for many years in unpaid, volunteer positions of Church leadership, from which they derived no financial gain, and from which they could have had little expectation of making their livlihood by being elevated to high positions in Church administration
• the Book of Mormon makes provision for Church leaders to be supported by donations if they are in a position of financial need: "all their priests and teachers should labor with their own hands for their support, in all cases save it were in sickness, or in much want; and doing these things, they did abound in the grace of God."^[3]
• general authorities often sit on the board of directors of Church-owned businesses. It is necessary that someone undertake such duties, and the talent for such endeavors is not usually had cheaply. It seems perverse to argue that the Church may not use some of its highest leaders to direct and oversee its financial activities—who would members of the Church rather have responsible for Church funds?

Conclusion

It is somewhat hypocritical for critics of the Church to complain about the use of Church funds, to which they do not contribute, to help leaders, whom they do not sustain. No one who examines the schedule or workload of the general authorites can claim that these men are looking for an "easy buck." They live modestly, work tirelessly, keep grueling travel schedules, and continue doing so well past an age when others retire. They are also demonstrably men of education and accomplishment; one can hardly claim that they were unsuited for work in the world given their accomlishments prior to being called to full-time Church service. No tithing funds provide for stipends; such funds are drawn from business income earned by Church investments.

As with many things, this issue boils down to a question of the essentials—are the leaders of the Church called of God, by prophecy? Is their direction inspired? If so, then their receipt of funds from Church business interests causes us little concern. If one does not believe that they are inspired, then one must confront far more troubling issues than whether someone is receiving a living stipend.

Endnotes

1. [note]  Gordon B. Hinckley, "Questions and Answers," Ensign (November 1985): 49. (emphasis added)off-site
2. [note]  A+of+F 1:5
3. [note]  Mosiah 27꞉5