{"id":8423,"date":"2026-06-04T12:57:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T19:57:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/?p=8423"},"modified":"2026-06-06T18:34:27","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T01:34:27","slug":"158-temples-and-counting-what-the-lds-church-isnt-telling-you-about-its-american-building-boom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/2026\/06\/04\/158-temples-and-counting-what-the-lds-church-isnt-telling-you-about-its-american-building-boom\/","title":{"rendered":"158 Temples and Counting: What the LDS Church Isn&#8217;t Telling You About Its American Building Boom"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is in the middle of the most aggressive temple-building campaign in its nearly 200-year history. Under President Russell M. Nelson, who has personally announced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thechurchnews.com\/temples\/2025\/04\/10\/by-the-numbers-look-200-temples-announced-president-nelson-7-years\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>200 new temples<\/strong><\/a> in just seven years, the Church has transformed the American landscape \u2014 quietly, expensively, and with almost no financial accountability to the members whose tithing funds the bill.<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">As of mid-2026, there are more than <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>158 dedicated, under-construction, or announced LDS temples across the United States<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 from Yuma, Arizona, to Portland, Maine. They sit in suburbs and city centers, on commercially zoned lots and quiet neighborhoods, their white spires rising as unmistakable monuments to institutional wealth and religious ambition. Here is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.churchofjesuschrist.org\/temples\/list\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>complete list of LDS Temples<\/strong><\/a> around the world<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">So what do they cost?<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The honest answer is: <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>the Church won&#8217;t tell you.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">With one narrow exception, the LDS Church <a href=\"https:\/\/mormonr.org\/qnas\/kZAWn\/cost_of_temples\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>has not publicly disclosed<\/strong><\/a> individual temple construction costs since <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>1981<\/strong><\/span>. Members are expected to contribute 10% of their gross income in tithing \u2014 funds that the Church itself acknowledges are the primary source of temple financing \u2014 and then simply trust that those funds are being stewarded wisely. No line-item disclosures. No public audits accessible to donors. No transparency.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-we-do-know\" class=\"font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>What We Do Know<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Independent analysts and leaked financial data have assembled a partial picture:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"marker:text-quiet list-disc pl-8\">\n<li class=\"py-0 my-0 prose-p:pt-0 prose-p:mb-2 prose-p:my-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:pt-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:mb-2 [&amp;&gt;p]:my-0\">\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Individual temple costs<\/strong><\/span> range from approximately <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>$7 million<\/strong><\/span> for a smaller standardized design to <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>$70 million or more<\/strong><\/span> for a large flagship temple.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"py-0 my-0 prose-p:pt-0 prose-p:mb-2 prose-p:my-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:pt-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:mb-2 [&amp;&gt;p]:my-0\">\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Temple<\/strong> <\/span>is one of the rare cases where a cost was publicly reported \u2014 approximately <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>$70 million.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"py-0 my-0 prose-p:pt-0 prose-p:mb-2 prose-p:my-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:pt-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:mb-2 [&amp;&gt;p]:my-0\">\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Annual U.S. and global temple <a href=\"https:\/\/qhspencer.github.io\/lds-data-analysis\/temples\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>construction expenditures<\/strong><\/a> have historically run between <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>$100 million and $400 million per year<\/strong>,<\/span> spiking during construction surges.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"py-0 my-0 prose-p:pt-0 prose-p:mb-2 prose-p:my-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:pt-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:mb-2 [&amp;&gt;p]:my-0\">\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">As of mid-2024, analysts estimated it would cost approximately <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/mormon\/comments\/1dj0f3z\/as_of_mid2024_52_temples_inprocess_16m_sqft_18b\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>$4.4 billion<\/strong><\/a> to complete all 155 temples then announced or under construction worldwide.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"py-0 my-0 prose-p:pt-0 prose-p:mb-2 prose-p:my-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:pt-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:mb-2 [&amp;&gt;p]:my-0\">\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The Church takes in an estimated <a href=\"https:\/\/nateoman.substack.com\/p\/is-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>$7 billion annually in tithing revenue<\/strong><\/a> and spends approximately $6 billion, directing roughly $1 billion per year into reserves.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"py-0 my-0 prose-p:pt-0 prose-p:mb-2 prose-p:my-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:pt-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:mb-2 [&amp;&gt;p]:my-0\">\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Ensign Peak Advisors, the Church&#8217;s investment arm, manages a portfolio estimated at <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>$150\u2013$200 billion<\/strong>,<\/span> and was fined $5 million by the SEC for hiding $32 billion in securities across 13 shell companies over nearly two decades.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"the-accountability-gap\" class=\"font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>The Accountability Gap<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">None of this is a secret hidden in dark corners. It is a pattern hiding in plain sight. <a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org\/article\/latter-day-saint-temple-building-process\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>The LDS Church builds its temples entirely debt-free<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a fact it presents as evidence of financial virtue. What it does not present is the corollary question: when an institution collects billions annually from members who are told that tithing payment is a condition of temple access, those members have a reasonable and legitimate interest in knowing what their offerings are actually building \u2014 and what it costs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The Berean standard applies here as surely as it does to doctrine: <em>&#8220;<span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>These were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><\/em> (Acts 17:11). Financial examination is no less noble than doctrinal examination.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"us-temples-a-sampling-by-state\" class=\"font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>U.S. Temples: A Sampling by State<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">While a full accounting exceeds <a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org\/article\/temple-milestones-in-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>what the Church discloses<\/strong><\/a>, the following gives a geographic sense of the footprint across American soil:<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Utah<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, St. George, Logan, Manti, Vernal, Bountiful, Mount Timpanogos, Jordan River, Oquirrh Mountain, Draper, Payson, Tooele (Deseret Peak), Layton, Syracuse, Saratoga Springs, Lehi, Spanish Fork, West Jordan <em>(20+ temples \u2014 by far the most of any state)<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>California<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, Sacramento, Fresno, San Jose, Newport Beach, Redlands, Stockton, Yuba City (Feather River)<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Arizona<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Mesa, Tucson, Gilbert, Peoria, Snowflake, Yuma, Flagstaff <em>(announced)<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Texas<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Lubbock, McAllen, Fairview, Houston South <em>(announced)<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Idaho<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Boise, Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell <em>(announced)<\/em>, Coeur d&#8217;Alene <em>(announced)<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Nevada<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Florida<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Orlando, Tampa, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Georgia<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Atlanta, Norcross<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Washington<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Seattle, Spokane, Bellevue<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Oregon<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Portland<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Colorado<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Denver, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs <em>(announced)<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>New Mexico<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Albuquerque, Farmington<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Missouri<\/strong> <\/span>\u2014 St. Louis, Kansas City<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Ohio<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Columbus<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Michigan<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Detroit<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Illinois<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Chicago (Glenview)<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Indiana<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Indianapolis<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Tennessee<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Nashville, Memphis<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>North Carolina<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Charlotte, Raleigh<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>South Carolina<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Columbia, Greenville <em>(announced)<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Virginia<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Richmond, Woodbridge, Norfolk <em>(announced)<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Maryland<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Baltimore<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Pennsylvania<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Philadelphia<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>New York<\/strong> <\/span>\u2014 Manhattan, Syracuse, Albany, Rochester<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Massachusetts<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Boston<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Maine<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Portland <em>(announced)<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>South Dakota<\/strong> <\/span>\u2014 Rapid City <em>(announced)<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Alabama<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Birmingham, Huntsville <em>(announced)<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Hawaii<\/strong><\/span> \u2014 Laie, Kona<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><em>(This list reflects dedicated, under-construction, and announced temples as of June 2026. The Church&#8217;s official temple locator at churchofjesuschrist.org provides the most current status of each.)<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-bottom-line\" class=\"font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>The Bottom Line<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">By the most conservative estimates, the LDS Church has invested <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>several billion dollars<\/strong><\/span> in American temple construction since 1980, with the pace of spending accelerating sharply in recent years. Those funds come overwhelmingly from the tithes of ordinary members \u2014 members who are told their eternal ordinances depend on access to these buildings, and who receive no financial disclosure about what those buildings cost or how construction decisions are made.<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>That is not stewardship. That is a blank check written in faith \u2014 and cashed without accounting.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>What About Humanitarian Aid<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"temples-vs-the-poor-what-the-lds-churchs-spending\" class=\"font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-lg first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>Temples vs. the Poor: What the LDS Church&#8217;s Spending Priorities Reveal<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">There is a question the LDS Church would prefer its members not ask too directly: When your institution manages an investment portfolio estimated at $150\u2013$200 billion, collects $7 billion annually in tithing, and is spending an estimated $4.4 billion to complete its current temple construction pipeline \u2014 how much of that reaches the hungry, the sick, and the displaced?<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The answer is more complicated than either critics or defenders typically allow. But the numbers, examined <span style=\"color: #000000;\">honestly, raise serious questions about institutional priorities.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"what-the-church-claims\" class=\"font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>What the Church Claims<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">To its credit, the LDS Church does give \u2014 and gives in measurable amounts. According to the Church&#8217;s own published figures:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"marker:text-quiet list-disc pl-8\">\n<li class=\"py-0 my-0 prose-p:pt-0 prose-p:mb-2 prose-p:my-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:pt-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:mb-2 [&amp;&gt;p]:my-0\">\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>In 2023,<\/strong> <\/span>the Church reported <a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org\/article\/caring-by-the-numbers-humanitarian-aid-around-the-world\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>$1.36 billion in humanitarian expenditures<\/strong><\/a> across 4,119 projects in 191 countries.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"py-0 my-0 prose-p:pt-0 prose-p:mb-2 prose-p:my-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:pt-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:mb-2 [&amp;&gt;p]:my-0\">\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000080;\">In<\/span> 2024,<\/strong> that figure rose to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/scripturecentral.org\/knowhy\/why-does-the-church-give-so-much-humanitarian-aid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">$1.45 billion<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"py-0 my-0 prose-p:pt-0 prose-p:mb-2 prose-p:my-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:pt-0 [&amp;&gt;p]:mb-2 [&amp;&gt;p]:my-0\">\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Projects included emergency relief, food security, clean water, healthcare, and aid to displaced persons.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">These are not trivial numbers. The Church has built genuine infrastructure for humanitarian delivery and is considered a credible partner by organizations, including the United Nations and the International Red Cross.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"what-the-numbers-actually-show\" class=\"font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>What the Numbers Actually Show<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Here is where the comparison becomes uncomfortable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The Church&#8217;s own financial analysts estimate its annual tithing revenue at approximately <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>$7 billion<\/strong>,<\/span> with operating expenditures around <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>$6 billion<\/strong><\/span> and roughly <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>$1 billion per year<\/strong><\/span> directed into reserves. Ensign Peak Advisors, the Church&#8217;s investment arm, reported approximately <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>$25 billion in investment returns in 2023 alone<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Set those figures against the humanitarian spending numbers:<\/p>\n<div class=\"group relative my-[1em]\">\n<div class=\"sticky top-0 z-10 h-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"w-full overflow-hidden bg-raised border-x md:max-w-[90vw] border-subtlest ring-subtlest divide-subtlest\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"w-full overflow-auto scrollbar-subtle rounded-lg border md:max-w-[90vw] border-subtlest ring-subtlest divide-subtlest bg-raised\">\n<table class=\"[&amp;_tr:last-child_td]:border-b-0 my-0 w-full table-auto border-separate border-spacing-0 text-sm font-sans rounded-lg [&amp;_tr:last-child_td:first-child]:rounded-bl-lg [&amp;_tr:last-child_td:last-child]:rounded-br-lg\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th class=\"border-subtlest p-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b text-left align-bottom border-r last:border-r-0 font-bold bg-subtle first:border-radius-tl-lg last:border-radius-tr-lg\" scope=\"col\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Category<\/strong><\/span><\/th>\n<th class=\"border-subtlest p-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b text-left align-bottom border-r last:border-r-0 font-bold bg-subtle first:border-radius-tl-lg last:border-radius-tr-lg\" scope=\"col\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Annual Figure<\/strong><\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">Estimated tithing revenue<\/td>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">~$7 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">Ensign Peak returns (2023)<\/td>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">~$25 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">Temple construction pipeline (total)<\/td>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">~$4.4 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">Humanitarian aid (2024)<\/td>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">~$1.45 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">Humanitarian aid as % of tithing revenue<\/td>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">~21%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">Humanitarian aid as % of investment returns<\/td>\n<td class=\"border-subtlest px-sm min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0\">~5.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">In other words, in a year when the Church&#8217;s investment arm alone generated $25 billion in returns, the Church directed approximately <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>5.8 cents of every investment dollar earned<\/strong><\/span> toward humanitarian relief.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"the-temple-cost-multiplier\" class=\"font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">The Temple Cost Multiplier<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The current global temple construction program \u2014 155 temples announced or under construction as of mid-2024 \u2014 carries an estimated price tag of <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>$4.4 billion<\/strong><\/span>. That is <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>three times<\/strong><\/span> the Church&#8217;s annual humanitarian aid expenditure, committed to buildings that serve an exclusively LDS membership and from which non-members are permanently barred.<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org\/article\/latter-day-saint-temple-building-process\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>To be precise, temples are not open to the public.<\/strong><\/a> They are not hospitals, schools, or community centers. They are closed, ceremonial facilities available only to members who hold a current temple recommend \u2014 a credential that itself requires demonstrated tithing compliance. The humanitarian projects funded by $1.45 billion serve people &#8220;without regard to race, nationality or religious affiliation.&#8221; The $4.4 billion temple program serves only those inside the covenant.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"the-widows-mite-problem\" class=\"font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">The Widow&#8217;s Mite Problem<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Jesus did not commend the widow because she gave proportionally. He commended her because she gave sacrificially \u2014 &#8220;all she had to live on&#8221; (Mark 12:44). The question for a $200 billion institution is not whether it gives, but whether its giving reflects the priorities of the One whose name it bears.<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints takes its name from the Savior who said,<span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong> &#8220;Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me&#8221;<\/strong><\/span> (Matthew 25:40). He did not say, <span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong><em>&#8220;Inasmuch as ye have built magnificent closed temples in 158 American cities.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">This is not an argument that the Church gives nothing. It is an argument that an institution with access to tens of billions in annual investment returns, which simultaneously conditions eternal family ordinances on tithing payment, bears a heavier burden of financial transparency and proportionality than it currently accepts.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"what-a-biblical-standard-looks-like\" class=\"font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">What a Biblical Standard Looks Like<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The early church in Acts did not build monuments. It sold property and &#8220;distribution was made unto every man according as he had need&#8221; (Acts 4:35). The Reformers did not hoard endowments while the poor went unclothed. The standard Scripture set for stewardship is not <em>whether<\/em> an institution gives \u2014 it is <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><em>what proportion of abundance reaches those Christ called &#8220;the least of these.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">By that measure, the LDS building boom and the LDS humanitarian budget tell two very different stories about where the institution&#8217;s heart actually is.<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">In the end, the question of financial transparency is not merely an institutional question \u2014 it is a theological one. Scripture is not silent on the matter of those who build impressive structures while the needy go unmet. The prophet Amos thundered against those who were<span style=\"color: #000080;\"><em><strong> &#8220;at ease in Zion,&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/span> who lay on<span style=\"color: #000080;\"><em><strong> &#8220;beds of ivory&#8221;<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>and were <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><em><strong>&#8220;not grieved for the affliction of Joseph&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/span> (Amos 6:1, 4, 6). The Lord Jesus reserved some of His sharpest words not for open sinners but for religious leaders who <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><em><strong>&#8220;devour widows&#8217; houses&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/span> while making long public prayers (Matthew 23:14) \u2014 men who tithed meticulously yet neglected <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><em><strong>&#8220;the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness&#8221;<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>(Matthew 23:23). The Apostle James asked with unsparing directness, <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><em>&#8220;If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, &#8216;Go in peace, be warmed and filled,&#8217; without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/span> (James 2:15\u201316). An institution that conditions access to its most sacred rites on tithing payment, that has accumulated investment reserves estimated in the hundreds of billions, and that simultaneously directs three times more dollars to closed ceremonial buildings than to the hungry and displaced, owes its members \u2014 and the watching world \u2014 more than silence. Faithfulness to the God of Scripture has always required an open hand, a transparent ledger, and the humility to measure institutional priorities against the One who said the greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:11). The spires rise. The question remains: <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><em>For whom?<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<hr class=\"bg-quiet h-px border-0\" \/>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><em>Sources: LDS Church Newsroom, Scripture Central, LDS Data Analysis, Reddit\/Mormon financial community, Ensign Peak SEC enforcement records, The Widow&#8217;s Mite Report, <\/em><em>MormonR, LDS Data Analysis (qhspencer.github.io), Reddit\/Mormon financial analysis, Church Newsroom, SEC enforcement records, 60 Minutes (CBS), The Widow&#8217;s Mite Report.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is in the middle of the most aggressive temple-building campaign in its nearly 200-year history. Under President Russell M. Nelson, who has personally announced 200 new temples in just seven years, the Church has transformed the American landscape \u2014 quietly, expensively, and with almost no financial accountability&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[47,44,45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-book-of-mormon","category-latter-day-saints","category-mormonism"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ChatGPT-Image-Jun-4-2026-12_52_34-PM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8423","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8423"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8459,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8423\/revisions\/8459"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8423"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}