-- During 1997 November
Sometime during the first week of November, the Church reached 10 million members, according to Church estimates. (1)
2Vernal Utah Temple dedicated, the first to be created from an existing building. (2)
-- During 1997, November
Church membership reached 10 million. (3)
-- During November 1997
[U.S. Religious History] In order to relieve some Liberty University's debt, Jerry Falwell accepted $3.5 million from a group representing Sun Myung Moon. This donation, and several later appearances by Jerry Falwell at Moon conferences, raised eyebrows among American fundamentalists and evangelists because Moon claims to be the messiah sent to complete the failed mission of Jesus Christ, a doctrine sharply at odds with Falwell's own theology. (4)
-- 1997
Church Membership at end of year: 10,071,783
New Converts : 379,342
Percent Change from previous year: 3.91% (5)
-- During 1997-present
[Fundamentalist] John W. Timpson, Leader, Centennial Park "Second Ward". (6)
-- During 1997
As of this date, Bonneville International owns 19 radio stations. (7)
Church reenacts 150th anniversary of westward pioneer trek. The Mormon Pioneer Sesquicentennial Celebration (celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the pioneer trek to Utah) and the associated world-wide Heritage Day of Service (July 19) in which Church members in 20,000 units contribute three million hours of service to communities around the globe. Leads to world-wide media coverage. (7)
DVD videodiscs and players are introduced. (7)
Membership exceeds 10,000, with more than half outside the United States. (7)
Sesquicentennial online site launched. (7)
[General Religious History] The Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes is founded. (8)
[Media] The Church establishes an official Church web site. (9)
Footnotes:
1 - Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html
2 - Hemidakaota, "Church Chronology from 1800-2000," http://www.lds.net/forums/scripture-study-forum/12108-church-chronology-1800-2000-part-1-a.html#post214550
3 - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Chronology of Church History, http://scriptures.lds.org/chchrono/contents
4 - Cline, Austin, History of American Religion: Timeline
5 - Wikipedia, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Membership History, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints_membership_history
6 - Wikipedia, Mormon Fundamentalist Leaders, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Fundamentalist_Leaders
7 - Sherry Baker: Mormon Media History Timeline: 1827-2007, http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=7984
8 - Wikipedia, Timeline of Religion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_religion#History_of_Religion
9 - The Mormon Channel: The Broadcast and Media History of the LDS Church Timeline, http://radio.lds.org/eng/about/media-timeline
Mormon History Timeline /Chronology
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
