Ever wonder why a specific person becomes the Prophet? It’s not an election. There are no campaigns, no secret ballots, and definitely no "dark horse" candidates emerging at the last minute from a smoke-filled room in Salt Lake City. It’s actually much more predictable than that, yet most people—even those who have been members for decades—get the nuances of seniority of apostles lds slightly wrong.
It’s all about the date. Specifically, the date you were sustained and ordained.
Think of it like a very long, very sacred line. When a vacancy opens in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a new member is called. They go to the back of the line. As those ahead of them pass away, they move up. Eventually, if they live long enough, they reach the front. The person at the very front of that line becomes the President of the Church. Simple, right? Well, mostly. There have been some wild historical hiccups that make this "simple" system a lot more interesting than it looks on paper.
The Day seniority of apostles lds Changed Forever
In the early days of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, things were a bit of a mess. When the first Quorum of the Twelve was organized in 1835, they actually ranked the guys by age. Thomas B. Marsh was the oldest, so he was the senior. But then people started apostatizing or being excommunicated, and the "age" rule started causing massive headaches.
By the time Brigham Young took the reins, he realized the Church needed a more stable succession plan. He shifted the focus from how old you were to how long you’d been an Apostle. But even that had a catch. Does seniority start the moment you are called? The moment you are sustained by the members? Or the moment a senior leader actually lays their hands on your head?
The modern rule is ironclad: seniority is determined by the order in which the names are presented to and sustained by the Church.
If two guys are called on the same day—which happens more often than you’d think—the one whose name is read first in General Conference is the senior. This happened as recently as 2015. Elders Ronald A. Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson, and Dale G. Renlund were all sustained on the same afternoon. Because Rasband’s name was read first, he is "older" in the Quorum than Stevenson, who is "older" than Renlund. If they all live to be 100, that three-second gap in reading names will determine who becomes the Prophet. It’s wild to think about.
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The Curious Case of Wilford Woodruff and the "Re-Entry" Problem
One of the most intense debates in Church history regarding seniority of apostles lds involved Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt. These guys were original Apostles, but they both had "falling outs" with the Church leadership and were briefly removed from the Quorum before being reinstated later.
For years, they kept their original seniority. But in 1875, Brigham Young dropped a bombshell. He decided that if you leave the Quorum and come back, your seniority clock resets to zero. You go to the back of the line.
This decision shifted everyone’s position. Suddenly, John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff jumped ahead. This wasn't just about pride; it was about who would lead the entire global organization. Because of that 1875 correction, Wilford Woodruff eventually became the fourth President of the Church. If Brigham hadn't changed the rule, Woodruff might never have held the keys of the presidency.
How the Transition Actually Works
When the President of the Church dies, the First Presidency (the President and his two counselors) is immediately dissolved. The counselors—even if they were high-ranking Apostles—don't stay in charge. They actually return to their respective places in the Quorum of the Twelve based on their original seniority.
At that moment, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles becomes the presiding body of the Church. There is no "interim" President. The President of the Quorum of the Twelve—the guy who has been there the longest—is the man with the authority to lead.
Usually, within a few days or weeks, the Twelve meet in the Salt Lake Temple. They pray. They talk. But they aren't debating who would be the best leader. They are looking at the order. They sustain the senior Apostle as the new President of the Church. It’s a system designed to eliminate "politics." You can't lobby for the job. You can't "win" the job. You just outlive the job’s previous occupant.
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Why Longevity Matters
You've probably noticed that the Presidents of the LDS Church are usually very old. This is a direct byproduct of the seniority system. To reach the top of a 15-man list where nobody retires, you generally have to be in the Quorum for 30, 40, or even 50 years.
President Russell M. Nelson, for instance, was called to the Twelve in 1984. He didn't become the President until 2018. That’s a 34-year "apprenticeship."
- President Nelson: Called 1984.
- President Oaks: Called 1984 (just a few minutes after Nelson).
- President Eyring: Called 1995.
Because Dallin H. Oaks was sustained just after Russell M. Nelson in that April 1984 conference, he has spent decades as the "second in line." It creates a unique dynamic where the leaders have worked together for literally half their lives before they ever take the top spot. They know each other's thoughts, strengths, and quirks. There are no surprises.
Common Misconceptions About the Line of Succession
People often think the counselors in the First Presidency are "next in line." That's a total myth.
Take President Henry B. Eyring. He’s been in the First Presidency for a long time. But in terms of seniority of apostles lds, he is currently behind President Dallin H. Oaks and President Jeffrey R. Holland. If the President passes away, the counselors don't "move up" to become the President. They just go back to their spot in the line. If their spot is near the front, they might be chosen as counselors again by the new President, but it's not a guarantee.
Another weird one? The "President of the Quorum of the Twelve" isn't always the guy actually leading the Quorum. If the senior Apostle is serving as a counselor in the First Presidency, he's still technically the President of the Twelve, but the guy next in line becomes the "Acting President" of the Twelve.
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Confused yet? It’s basically a backup system for the backup system. It ensures that the Quorum of the Twelve always has a clear leader who isn't distracted by the day-to-day administration of the First Presidency.
Why This System Works (and Why It Doesn't)
Critics often argue that this system ensures the Church is always led by the oldest possible men, which can make it feel slow to change. They aren't wrong. A man in his 90s has a very different worldview than a man in his 40s.
But for the members, the seniority of apostles lds is a feature, not a bug. It provides:
- Total Stability: There is never a power vacuum.
- Zero Ambition: You can't "climb the ladder" through charisma or favors.
- Immense Experience: By the time someone becomes the Prophet, they have traveled the world and seen every possible problem the Church faces.
Honestly, it’s a grueling job. Most 90-year-olds are looking for a recliner and a nap. These guys are overseeing a multi-billion dollar organization with millions of members. The seniority system ensures that the person at the helm has been "vetted" by decades of public service and internal scrutiny.
The Role of Revelation vs. The Rule of Order
Is there any room for the Spirit in this? Some ask if the Twelve could ever skip the senior man if they felt someone else was more "inspired" for the time.
Technically, the Quorum of the Twelve has the authority to do whatever they feel is right. But historically? It has never happened since the death of Joseph Smith. The precedent is so strong that it’s essentially considered the will of God through the mechanism of life and death. The members believe that God decides who becomes the President by deciding who stays healthy and who passes away.
Actionable Insights for Tracking Seniority
If you want to keep track of this yourself, don't just look at the ages of the Apostles. That will lead you astray. Instead, keep a list based on their date of ordination.
- Monitor the "Buffer": Look at the age gap between the President and the next two or three men. This often tells you how long a particular "era" of leadership might last.
- Watch the Vacancies: When a new Apostle is called, their age is the most significant factor in whether they will ever lead the Church. A man called at age 50 has a very high mathematical probability of becoming the President. A man called at 70? Almost zero.
- Understand the "Acting" Roles: Whenever you see the title "Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve," know that it means the actual senior Apostle is currently tied up in the First Presidency.
The seniority system in the LDS Church is a fascinating mix of 19th-century tradition and modern corporate stability. It’s a process that values the "long game" over the "quick win." By understanding how those dates and names are read in conference, you gain a much clearer picture of where the Church is headed over the next several decades.