Historical Political Involvement of the Church

The history of political involvement within the church shows a significant evolution over time. Originally, church leaders including Joseph Smith engaged directly in politics, with Smith's presidential campaign addressing issues like slavery and prison reform. This active political participation has shifted, with historical voting trends indicating that Latter-day Saint support has fluctuated from predominantly Democratic under FDR to mainly Republican in contemporary times. Understanding this evolution highlights the complexities of faith and politics and the varying perspectives that church members hold based on their geographical locations.