Recently leaked information has revealed that general authorities for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) are paid $120,000 annually. The leaked information has sparked much interest and debate within Mormon circles. The 100-plus general authorities serve full time and often begin their service in their 40s or 50s, leaving a career behind. The salaries, officially called living allowances, of general authorities are considered problematic for several reasons. It is my hope that the ongoing discussions sparked by this leak will not only encourage more transparency, but also changes in LDS salary policies.
Many Mormons are concerned about the disconnect between LDS Church narratives and reality. This troubling pattern has been exasperated in recent years by the pervasiveness of the internet. The Gospel Topics essays have begun the process of harmonizing what the LDS Church teaches and what actually happened in the past—focusing on topics such as polygamy, accounts of the first vision, race and the priesthood, and the translation of the Book of Mormon. The recently revealed salary information now highlights a new topic.
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