The "Word of Wisdom" is the common name of an 1833 section of the Doctrine and Covenants,In the edition published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is . In the edition published by the Community of Christ, it is Section 86. In older editions which are used by some other Latter Day Saint denominations, it is section 81. a book considered by many churches within the Latter Day Saint movement to be a sacred text. The section defines beliefs regarding certain drugs, nutritious ingredients in general, and the counsel to eat meat sparingly; it also offers promises to those who follow the guidance of the Word of Wisdom.

As practiced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the largest Latter Day Saint denomination, the Word of Wisdom explicitly prohibits the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee (with tea and coffee being labeled as "hot drinks"), and recreational drug use, and encourages healthy practices such as nutritious eating, the sparing consumption of meat, regular exercise, proper hygiene, and getting sufficient rest.

Compliance with the Word of Wisdom is necessary in the LDS Church to become a member and participate in various church functions, but a violation of the code is not normally cause for a church membership council."When a Membership Council Is Not Normally Necessary", General Handbook (LDS Church, 2020) § 32.6.4.

History

Background The movement to discourage or ban the consumption of alcohol, the temperance movement, first began in the United States with a temperance group founded Connecticut in 1789. By 1826 there were several temperance publications and ubiquitous local temperance groups that founded a national organization.

Out of the temperance movement grew a larger clean living movement from the 1830s to the 1860s. Popular health reformers such as Sylvester Graham and William Alcott emphasized further reforms such as vegetarianism, fresh air, and elimination of tobacco, sugar, coffee and spices from the diet. These were believed to bring about physiological and psychological health benefits.

Beginnings under Joseph Smith Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, dictated the Word of Wisdom as a revelation from God on February 27, 1833. The Word of Wisdom was first published as a stand-alone broadsheet in December 1833. In 1835, it was included as Section LXXX (80) in the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. Brigham Young stated after Smith's death that the revelation was given in response to problems encountered while conducting meetings in the Smith family home:

In February 1834, Joseph Smith proposed a resolution before the high council of the church that stated, "No official member in this Church is worthy to hold an office after having the word of wisdom properly taught him; and he, the official member, neglecting to comply with and obey it." This resolution was accepted unanimously by the council. The charge of "not observing the Word of Wisdom" was later one of five leveled against David Whitmer (who was an apostle, and one of the Three Witnesses) on April 13, 1838, which led to his excommunication.

Joseph Smith is however recorded at various times drinking wine,Joseph Smith (B. H. Roberts (ed.)), History of the Church (January 1836) vol. 2, 369 ("Our hearts were made glad by the fruit of the vine."; Joseph Smith (B. H. Roberts (ed.)), History of the Church (May 2, 1843) vol. 5, p. 380 ("Called at the office and drank a glass of wine with Sister Jenetta Richards, made by her mother in England,..."); Joseph Smith (B. H. Roberts (ed.)), History of the Church (June 27, 1844) vol. 6, p. 616 ("Dr. Richards uncorked the bottle, and presented a glass to Joseph, who tasted, as also Brother Taylor and the doctor..."); Joseph Smith (B. H. Roberts (ed.)), History of the Church (June 27, 1844) vol. 7, p. 101 ("Sometime after dinner we [John Taylor and other prisoners at Carthage Jail] sent for some wine. It has been reported by some that this was taken as a sacrament. It was no such thing; our spirits were generally dull and heavy, and it was sent for to revive us.... I believe we all drank of the wine, and gave some to one or two of the prison guards."). beer,Millennial Star, vol. 23, no. 45 p. 720 (9 November 1861). and tea,"Diary of Joseph Smith", March 11, 1843 entry and using tobacco. One account by Amasa Lyman, a member of the First Presidency under Smith, reports that Smith once finished preaching a sermon on the Word of Wisdom and immediately afterward rode through the streets smoking a cigar.Diary of Abraham H. Cannon, vol. 19 (October 1895 entry)Gary Dean Guthrie, "Joseph Smith As An Administrator", M.A. thesis, Brigham Young University, May 1969, p. 161. Similarly, Almon W. Babbitt stated "that he had taken the liberty to break the Word of Wisdom, from the example of President Joseph Smith, Jun., and others, but acknowledged that it was wrong" when he was brought before the church's high council on August 19, 1835, on the charge of "not keeping the Word of Wisdom".Joseph Smith (B. H. Roberts (ed.)), History of the Church, vol. 2, p. 252. Joseph Smith had also been operating a hotel/tavern in Far West, Missouri, in 1838, and in June of that year, the high council of Far West felt compelled to remind Smith's family that there was a ban on the sale and consumption of "ardent spirits in the place".Donald Q. Cannon, Lyndon W. Cook. Far West Record: Minutes of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830–1844, p. 191

Post-succession crisis In the LDS Church After Smith's death, several factions emerged from the Latter Day Saint movement. The largest of these groups, the LDS Church, was led by Brigham Young. At a church general conference on September 9, 1851, Young called on the attendees to "leave off the use of" items mentioned in the Word of Wisdom:

The Patriarch [John Smith] again rose to speak on the Word of Wisdom, and urging on the brethren to leave off using tobacco, &c.

President Young rose to put the motion and called on all the sisters who will leave off the use of tea, coffee, &c., to manifest it by raising the right hand; seconded and carried.

And then put the following motion; calling on all the boys who were under ninety years of age who would covenant to leave off the use of tobacco, whisky, and all things mentioned in the Word of Wisdom, to manifest it in the same manner, which was carried unanimously."

The Patriarch then said, may the Lord bless you and help you to keep all your covenants. Amen.

President Young amongst other things said he knew the goodness of the people, and the Lord bears with our weakness; we must serve the Lord, and those who go with me will keep the Word of Wisdom, and if the High Priests, the Seventies, the Elders, and others will not serve the Lord, we will sever them from the Church. I will draw the line, and know who is for the Lord and who is not, and those who will not keep the Word of Wisdom, I will cut off from the Church; I throw out a challenge to all men and women."Minutes of the General Conference", Tuesday, Sep. 9, 1851, afternoon session; Millennial Star, 1 February 1852, vol. 14, p. 35.

Though Young encouraged Mormons to follow the Word of Wisdom code, the church was tolerant of those who did not follow it. In 1860, Young counseled those chewing tobacco in church meetings to at least be discreet and not excessive, but did not charge users with sin.Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p. 361. By 1870, he ended the practice of chewing and spitting tobacco in the Salt Lake Tabernacle.Journal of Discourses, vol. 13, p. 344.

Young also recognized a separation between using tobacco (which was discouraged), and selling it to non-Mormons as a business (which was encouraged).Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, p. 35 (encouraging Mormons to raise and sell tobacco). He also owned and maintained a bar in Salt Lake City for the sale of alcoholic beverages to non-Mormon travelers, on the theory that it was better for LDS Church authorities to run such establishments than for outsiders.Hubert Howe Bancroft, History of Utah, p. 540, n. 44.

The modern LDS application of the Word of Wisdom has its beginnings in the presidency of Joseph F. Smith, who became LDS Church president in 1901 at a time when even notable church leaders drank alcohol and coffee. For example, George Albert Smith, apostle and later church president, "took brandy for medicinal reasons", Anthon H. Lund, First Counselor in the First Presidency, "enjoyed Danish beer and currant wine", Charles W. Penrose, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, "occasionally served wine", Matthias F. Cowley, apostle, "enjoyed Danish beer and currant wine", Brigham Young, Jr. and John Henry Smith, both apostles, argued in 1901 "that the Church ought not interdict beer, or at least not Danish beer", and Emmeline B. Wells, of the Relief Society presidency (and who was later president of the Relief Society), "drank an occasional cup of coffee". As church president, Joseph F. Smith emphasized the proscriptions on alcohol, tobacco, tea, and coffee, while minimizing the emphasis on abstaining from meat. Adherence was still however not a prerequisite for entry into the temple, and in 1902 Smith encouraged stake presidents to be liberal when issuing temple recommends with old men who used tobacco and old ladies who drank tea. Of those who violated the revelation, it was mainly habitual drunkards that were excluded from the temple.

In 1921, LDS Church president Heber J. Grant finally made adherence to the Word of Wisdom a prerequisite for temple admission. Then, both the 1928 and 1934 editions of the Handbook—but not previous editions—listed "liquor drinking" and "bootlegging" among the "transgressions which are ordinarily such as to justify consideration by the bishop's court." To these the 1934 edition also added "drunkenness".Thomas G. Alexander, "The Word of Wisdom: From Principle to Requirement", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 14:3 (1981) pp. 78–88. Violation of the Word of Wisdom is however not currently (any longer) cause for church discipline.

Popular application Adherence to the Word of Wisdom in the LDS Church is required for baptism"To this day those regulations [of the Word of Wisdom] apply to every member and to everyone who seeks to join the Church. They are so compelling that no one is to be baptized into the Church without first agreeing to live by them.": Boyd K. Packer, "The Word of Wisdom: The Principle and the Promises", Ensign, May 1996, p. 17. and participation in the church (such as entry into the temple, full-time missionary service, and attendance at church schools),LDS Church (2009). "Chapter 29: The Lord's Law of Health", Gospel Principles (Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church) p. 167. however the church instructs its leaders that violation of the Word of Wisdom is not normally cause for a church membership council and that church discipline "should not be [used] to discipline or threaten members who do not comply with the Word of Wisdom".

A 2019 study of attitudes among Mormons within the U.S. said that a quarter to a half of such individuals interpret the Word of Wisdom in variance with the official interpretation by the LDS Church in some manner, and LDS Church leaders have counseled church members that they should not have personal interpretations of, or become extreme in their observance of the Word of Wisdom. One church leader specifically warned that adding additional unauthorized requirements, emphasizing it with excess zeal, or making it a "gospel hobby" is a sign of spiritual immaturity and sometimes apostasy.

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