Temples occupy a central and sacred role in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving not only as places of worship but also as venues for performing ordinances essential to the eternal progression of God's children. The importance of temples extends beyond the mere construction of buildings; it is deeply intertwined with the restoration of sacred practices lost after the apostolic age and the fulfillment of divine covenants. Temples are seen as a symbol of God's presence on earth and a space where believers can make covenants that will bind them to God and one another, ultimately allowing them to partake in the fullness of His grace and promises.

The foundation for the practice of temple worship in the Church is rooted in both ancient and modern scripture. In the Old Testament, the Lord commanded Moses to build the Tabernacle as a sacred place where God’s presence could dwell among His people (Exodus 25:8). The temple was a focal point for the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where sacrifices and other sacred rituals could be performed. This idea of a physical dwelling for God’s presence was expanded during the reign of Solomon, whose construction of the temple in Jerusalem was seen as a fulfillment of divine prophecy and a continuation of the ancient worship practices (1 Kings 6:1-38). However, after the destruction of the Jerusalem temple and the scattering of Israel, temple worship ceased, and the fullness of the ancient covenants became obscured.

With the Restoration of the gospel in the early 19th century, the importance of temples was re-emphasized as a central component of the restored Church. In the Doctrine & Covenants, a series of revelations were given to Joseph Smith outlining the necessity of temples and the ordinances to be performed therein. For example, in Doctrine & Covenants 84:19-22, the Lord speaks of the priesthood and the keys of the kingdom that are to be restored and exercised in the temples. This restoration is integral not only to personal salvation but also to the fulfillment of God's plan for His children. The doctrine of eternal marriage, or sealing, was first revealed in the Kirtland Temple in 1836 (Doctrine & Covenants 110:13-16), marking the beginning of the Latter-day Saint understanding of eternal families—a concept central to the Church's teachings about the temple.

In addition to sealing families together, temples serve as the places where baptisms for the dead are performed, an ordinance essential for those who did not have the opportunity to receive the gospel during their mortal lives. The practice of baptism for the dead is grounded in scriptural precedent, particularly in 1 Corinthians 15:29, where Paul references the practice as evidence of the Resurrection. Latter-day Saints believe that salvation is a universal offer extended to all of God's children, and temples are a means of providing those who have passed away without the opportunity to receive the gospel with the chance to accept its ordinances vicariously.

The importance of temples extends beyond ordinances. They are seen as places of holiness and personal revelation, where individuals can draw closer to God through prayer, reflection, and sacred covenants. The temple, as a house of God, is intended to provide a refuge from the distractions and temptations of the world, offering a space where individuals can hear the voice of God and receive personal inspiration. It is a place for spiritual cleansing, a physical manifestation of God's desire for His people to be holy.

Temples also play a critical role in the doctrine of the eternal progression of humanity. In the Book of Mormon, Nephi's vision of the tree of life reveals the importance of eternal covenants and the centrality of the Atonement of Jesus Christ (1 Nephi 11-14). Temples, as places where one makes covenants with God, are seen as stepping stones in the journey toward becoming more like Him. The ordinances performed in the temple, including baptism, confirmation, endowment, and sealing, are viewed as a means of receiving divine power and participating in God’s plan of salvation. Through these covenants, Latter-day Saints believe they can receive the promise of eternal life with God and their families.

The doctrine of the temple is also associated with the idea of bringing together both the living and the dead, fulfilling the prophecy in Malachi 4:5-6 that the hearts of the children would be turned to their fathers. This prophetic statement is understood by Latter-day Saints as referring to the work of family history and temple work, in which living members of the Church perform ordinances for their deceased ancestors, offering them the opportunity to accept or reject those ordinances in the afterlife. This connection between the living and the dead is not only a way of helping others but is also a demonstration of the eternal nature of the family unit. Latter-day Saints view family relationships as eternal, and the temple is the space where those relationships are bound together through sacred covenants that transcend death.

Despite the central importance of temples in the teachings of the Church, they are often misunderstood by those outside of the faith. One common objection is that temples create an exclusivist attitude, withholding sacred practices from the general public. However, it is important to understand that the ordinances performed in the temple are not meant to be secret, but rather sacred. They are meant for those who are willing to make covenants and live according to the principles of the gospel. The Church teaches that everyone is welcome to learn about the temple, to visit the grounds, and to participate in the preparatory steps of becoming worthy to enter. The ordinances are sacred because they pertain to the highest promises that God offers to His children, and they require a commitment to holiness and devotion to God.

Other critics argue that temple worship ceased with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. For example, critics cite the words of Paul in Acts 17:24–25 (cf. Acts 7:48): 

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is the Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.

Acts 7:48 is based on Isaiah 66:1-4. There we read:

Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? And where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to his man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and they soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

These verses indicate that God has rejected a temple because it is no longer a house of prayer but instead a place of idolatry. Stephen argues that the authorities who officiate in the temple may claim to worship God but that they are actually just practicing idolatry. Psalm 127:1 reads: “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” It is odd that our critics would say that God cannot dwell in temples when the author of Hebrews himself says that Jesus dwells in a heavenly tabernacle as the Great High Priest (Hebrews 9:11, 24). “Made by human hands” merely means that something was not ordained by God in the New Testament (Mark 14:58; Ephesians 2:11; Hebrews 9:11, 24). Academic biblical scholars confirm that the underlying Greek translated as “made by the hand/skill of man” refers to idolatry.²¹¹

Other critics cite 1 Kings 8:27 (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:18) in criticizing Latter-day Saint usage of temples. There, Solomon builds the temple. The verse reads: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” This scripture does not mean that God’s presence cannot be in the temple. It merely means that His power cannot be localized and limited to one place and circumstance. If the former were the meaning of 1 Kings 8:27, Jesus contradicted it in Matthew 23:21 where He said that “whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.” The verse would also be contradicted in Habbakuk 2:20 where it flatly states that “the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth do reverence before his face.”

Finally, some critics believe that the veil of the temple being rent in twain after the Crucifixion of Jesus made the temple obsolete. The veil in the temple separated the Holy of Holies—the most sacred area—from the rest of the temple. Only the high priest could enter this area, and only once a year, to offer a sacrifice for the people's sins. When Jesus died, the veil tearing from top to bottom (see Matthew 27:51) symbolized a new relationship between humanity and God, made possible through Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice. Rather than indicating that the temple itself was no longer relevant, it showed that Jesus' sacrifice removed the need for the old forms of atonement through temple sacrifices. It emphasized that all people could now come directly to God through Christ, who acts as our mediator. However, for Latter-day Saints, temples remain highly relevant as places of worship, sacred ordinances, and covenants with God. Temples are seen as an essential part of spiritual growth and eternal progression, following the teachings restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Christians including Paul continued to worship in the temple after the ascension of Christ (Acts 2:46, 3:1-10, 5:20-42; 21:26-30; 22:14–21; 26:6–18; 25:8; 26:21), thus indicating its continued relevance.

The practice of temple worship and the ordinances associated with it sets The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints apart from many other Christian denominations. While many Christian traditions emphasize the importance of faith, repentance, and baptism, the Latter-day Saint belief in the necessity of temple ordinances for eternal progression is unique. Other Christian denominations may interpret the scriptures relating to the temple symbolically, viewing the Church itself as the spiritual temple. However, the Latter-day Saint understanding is that temples are literal, physical spaces that are necessary for the full realization of God’s plan for His children. In this sense, Latter-day Saints believe they have a special responsibility to share the blessings of temple worship with others and to engage in both personal and vicarious ordinances that extend the offer of salvation to all of God's children, both living and dead.

The significance of temples in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cannot be overstated. They are sacred spaces where individuals can make eternal covenants, where families can be sealed together for eternity, and where the living can perform ordinances for the deceased. Temples are the center of personal revelation, spiritual growth, and eternal progression. They are not only a means of salvation for individuals but are also instrumental in God’s overarching plan to redeem His children. Through the restoration of the temple and its ordinances, the Church offers a clear and unique path for individuals to come closer to God, to learn His will, and to be sealed to their families for eternity. This doctrine of temple worship and the sacred ordinances performed therein provides the faithful with a tangible and divinely inspired way to navigate the journey of eternal life.