Temple Sealings of Dead People who Were Married More than Once

[Imwashingmypirate]

Yes. But they have to get First Presidency approval to annul the original temple sealings.

I wonder how she does that since she's already dead

My question was sort of a side step. I was referring to her being alive still. But yes, how does it work if she never got a chance to do that but expressed she wanted to before dying?

[I Have Questions]

Yes. But they have to get First Presidency approval to annul the original temple sealings.

I wonder how she does that since she's already dead

Lol! Via the spirit of course!

In all seriousness, I’d forgotten they were dead. If they’re dead I think they have to take it up with the Big Man themselves.

[Doctor Steuss]

In principle, (according to the handbook) a man can be sealed to more than woman, so long as only one wife is living. (A woman cannot be sealed to more than one man, ever). So it stands to reason that a deceased man can be vicariously sealed to all the women he was married to in life, providing they weren’t sealed to someone else prior to their marriage, and provided they are also deceased.

In your scenario Joe can be sealed to both Jane and Jill and in the afterlife he won’t have to choose. He can keep both wives. just like Oaks, and Nelson, for example.

Under current policy, a living woman can receive a "Sealing Clearance" to be sealed to more than one man.

Also, while I'm sure it's largely lip service to parity, the current policy requires men to receive a Sealing Clearance as well before they can be sealed to another woman, even after divorce. Even if the previous sealing was cancelled, or if their previous spouse is deceased, they are still supposed to receive a Sealing Clearance from the First Presidency.

Naturally, only a bishop or branch president can initiate the application, because all members have to be treated like infants within the bureaucracy.

[I Have Questions]

In principle, (according to the handbook) a man can be sealed to more than woman, so long as only one wife is living. (A woman cannot be sealed to more than one man, ever). So it stands to reason that a deceased man can be vicariously sealed to all the women he was married to in life, providing they weren’t sealed to someone else prior to their marriage, and provided they are also deceased.

In your scenario Joe can be sealed to both Jane and Jill and in the afterlife he won’t have to choose. He can keep both wives. just like Oaks, and Nelson, for example.

Under current policy, a living woman can receive a "Sealing Clearance" to be sealed to more than one man.

I don’t think that’s correct. I think a woman may only be sealed to one man. Women can have a sealing cancelled to enable her to be sealed to another, but she cannot be sealed to more than one man. At least, that’s what the handbook says.

Women. A living woman may be sealed to only one husband at a time. If she and a husband were sealed and later divorced, she must receive a cancellation of that sealing before being sealed to another man during her lifetime (see 38.4.1.4).

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... e_number72

Sealing of Living Members after a Spouse’s Death
Women. If a husband and wife have been sealed and the husband dies, the woman may not be sealed to another man unless she receives a cancellation of the first sealing (see 38.4.1.4).

After she dies, different rules apply:

Women. A deceased woman may be sealed to all men to whom she was legally married during her life. The following table shows when these sealings may take place.

[Doctor Steuss]

I don’t think that’s correct. I think a woman may only be sealed to one man. Women can have a sealing cancelled to enable her to be sealed to another, but she cannot be sealed to more than one man. At least, that’s what the handbook says.

Book 1 of the Handbook specifically mentions a Clearance as one of the two methods (the other, of course, being Cancellation) for a living woman to be sealed to another man. A Clearance does not nullify prior sealings.

Maybe a funky oversight on the part of the editors?

[I Have Questions]

I don’t think that’s correct. I think a woman may only be sealed to one man. Women can have a sealing cancelled to enable her to be sealed to another, but she cannot be sealed to more than one man. At least, that’s what the handbook says.

Book 1 of the Handbook specifically mentions a Clearance as one of the two methods (the other, of course, being Cancellation) for a living woman to be sealed to another man. A Clearance does not nullify prior sealings.

Maybe a funky oversight on the part of the editors?

My information is from the online handbook. Can you quote the part of book 1 that you’re referencing?

[Res Ipsa]

I don’t think that’s correct. I think a woman may only be sealed to one man. Women can have a sealing cancelled to enable her to be sealed to another, but she cannot be sealed to more than one man. At least, that’s what the handbook says.

Book 1 of the Handbook specifically mentions a Clearance as one of the two methods (the other, of course, being Cancellation) for a living woman to be sealed to another man. A Clearance does not nullify prior sealings.

Maybe a funky oversight on the part of the editors?

The current version of the handbook does not have a Book 1 and Book 2. IHQ linked to it.

From a later section:

38.4.1.4
Applying for a Sealing Cancellation or a Sealing Clearance
See 38.4.1.2 for information about the sealing of living members after a divorce. See 38.4.1.3 for information about the sealing of living members after a spouse’s death.

Members of either gender may seek a sealing cancellation even if they are not preparing to be sealed to another spouse. A male Church member must receive a sealing clearance to be sealed to another woman after a divorce.

As I read it, only men can get a sealing clearance, which is what permits sealing to more than one person. Women must get a sealing cancellation, which prohibits them from being sealed to more than one man.

[Doctor Steuss]

My information is from the online handbook.

The current version of the handbook does not have a Book 1 and Book 2. IHQ linked to it.

Thank you IHQ (and Res Ipsa). Shows how much out of the loop I am. I didn't know that the physical "for leader eyes only," and "general members can look at this one... but only in the presence of a leader" books were no longer a thing.

Being corrected, and learning something new makes for a good day.

There's certainly no ambiguity or wiggle room (in my opinion) in the policy IHQ quoted.

[I Have Questions]

My information is from the online handbook.

The current version of the handbook does not have a Book 1 and Book 2. IHQ linked to it.

Thank you IHQ (and Res Ipsa). Shows how much out of the loop I am. I didn't know that the physical "for leader eyes only," and "general members can look at this one... but only in the presence of a leader" books were no longer a thing.

Being corrected, and learning something new makes for a good day.

There's certainly no ambiguity or wiggle room (in my opinion) in the policy IHQ quoted.

The interesting thing to think about is how a deceased woman being sealed to more than one husband works in an eternal setting where families are sealed together for eternity. You’ve got women with multiple husbands, husbands with multiple wives…what, exactly, is an eternal family’s living arrangement with those kind of sealed connections? It completely undermines the idea of happy families living together in eternal bliss. Especially as there’s to be sexual relations in the Celestial Kingdom - will these kind of family set ups need some type of rota system for who’s turn it is?

The devil is in the details. For fun, try and get a Mormon to explain how it’s all going work. Very quickly they’ll turn to “God will sort it all out, we just need to have faith” as a way of ending the chat.

[Fence Sitter]

The devil is in the details. For fun, try and get a Mormon to explain how it’s all going work. Very quickly they’ll turn to “God will sort it all out, we just need to have faith” as a way of ending the chat.

It always leads to that, at which point I ask: "What is the point of claiming to possess God's sealing power if God can just change what was sealed here on earth?"