Next Mormon Leader Will Be No Surprise

A former Utah Supreme Court justice is expected to be named the next president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, succeeding Russell M. Nelson. Nelson, the faith's oldest-ever president, died Saturday at 101. Announcing the elevation of Dallin H. Oaks is largely a formality because the church has a well-defined leadership hierarchy that has governed it for decades, the AP reports. Nothing will change in the leadership body until sometime after Nelson's funeral, which is scheduled for Oct. 7.

• Who leads the church? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known widely as the Mormon church, is led by a president and his two top counselors, forming what is known as the First Presidency. They usually come from a governing body, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which sits just below the First Presidency and helps set church policy while overseeing the faith's business interests. Together, these 15 top officials are all men in accordance with the church's all-male priesthood.

• How are the presidents chosen? The longest-tenured member of the Quorum of the Twelve becomes the new president in a tradition established more than a century ago to ensure a smooth handover and prevent any lobbying internally or publicly. The succession plan was created in 1889 following nearly two years of debate and some politicking among the apostles after the faith's third president, John Taylor, died. Since then, the plan has been carried out without exception.
• What does the president do? He is considered a prophet, seer and revelator who leads the church through divine revelation from God along with two top counselors and members of the Quorum of the Twelve. He sets policy, interprets doctrine and manages church programs. The president also oversees the church's businesses, which include real estate, farms, publishing, life insurance, nonprofits, universities, a Polynesian cultural center in Hawaii, and an upscale open-air shopping mall in Salt Lake City. The latest filings from the church's investment arm value its portfolio at $58 billion.

• How long do the presidents serve? Presidents remain in office until they die, which is why the length of their tenures varies widely. The longest was Brigham Young, who served nearly 30 years in the mid-to-late 1800s. The shortest tenure was Howard H. Hunter, who served nine months in 1994 and 1995. Nelson held the position for more than seven years.

• How are the president's two counselors chosen? A new president usually chooses counselors from the Quorum of the Twelve. Sometimes, they are the same men who served the previous president. If they're different, the previous counselors return to being members of the Quorum. Nelson kept Henry B. Eyring as a counselor and elevated Oaks as the other. Being counselors does not put them ahead in line to become the next president. It is still the longest-tenured Quorum member who takes that role. Oaks happens to be next in line. The 93-year-old joined the Quorum in May 1984, around the same time as Nelson.
• How are new Quorum members chosen? They can come from anywhere. In modern history, most were already serving in lower-tier leadership councils. The apostles tend to be older men who have achieved success in occupations outside the church. The last three chosen for the Quorum were a US State Department official, an accountant for multinational corporations, and a board member of charities, schools, and an enterprise agency. Under Nelson, the church injected diversity into the previously all-white leadership panel by selecting the first Latin American apostle and the first apostle of Asian ancestry.