La Luz del Mundo

Per Spanish naming customs individuals mentioned in this article have two surnames. To distinguish between church leaders with the same paternal surname (i.e. Joaquín), both their first name and their paternal surname are used when mentioned.

20°40′19.02″N 103°17′2.76″W / 20.6719500°N 103.2841000°W / 20.6719500; -103.2841000

Church of the Living God, Pillar and Ground of the Truth, The Light of the World
Iglesia del Dios Vivo, Columna y Apoyo de la Verdad, La Luz del Mundo
Flagship Temple of La Luz del Mundo Church
Flagship Temple of La Luz del Mundo Church
ClassificationRestorationist
(Christian primitivism)[1][2]
OrientationCharismatic[1]
TheologyNontrinitarian
StructureHierarchical
LeaderNaasón Joaquín García[3]
Region58 countries[4] as of August 2018
HeadquartersGuadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
FounderAarón Joaquín González
Origin6 April 1926
Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico=Iglesia del Dios Vivo, Columna y Apoyo de la Verdad.
Congregations2,869[4] as of August 2013
MembersBetween 1 and 5 million. See Statistics
Other name(s)Spanish: La Luz del Mundo; LLDM; LDM; Iglesia La Luz del Mundo; ILLM English: La Luz del Mundo Church; Church of the Living God, Pillar and Ground of the Truth, The Light of the World; The Light of the World Church
Official websitewww.lldm.org

The Iglesia del Dios Vivo, Columna y Apoyo de la Verdad, La Luz del Mundo (Spanish: [iˈɣlesja ðel ˈdjos ˈβiβo koˈlumnaj aˈpoʝo ðe la βeɾˈðað la ˈlus ðel ˈmundo]; English: "Church of the Living God, Pillar and Ground of the Truth, The Light of the World")—or simply La Luz del Mundo (LLDM)—is a nontrinitarian Christian denomination in the Restorationist tradition, with international headquarters in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. La Luz del Mundo practices a form of Restorationist theology centered on three leaders: Aarón—born Eusebio—Joaquín González (1896–1964), Samuel Joaquín Flores (1937–2014), and Naasón Joaquín García (born 1969), who are regarded by the church as modern-day apostles of Jesus Christ.

La Luz del Mundo was founded in 1926 during the Mexican Cristero War, a struggle between the secular, anti-clerical government and Catholic rebels. The conflict centered in the west-central states like Jalisco, where Aarón Joaquín focused his missionary efforts. Given the environment of the time, the Church remained a small missionary endeavor until 1934, when it built its first temple. Thereafter, it continued to grow and expand, interrupted by an internal schism in 1942. Aarón Joaquín was succeeded by his son Samuel upon his death, who was in turn succeeded by his own son Naasón upon his death. The Church is present in more than 50 countries and has claimed to have between 1 and 5 million adherents worldwide.

La Luz del Mundo describes itself as the restoration of primitive Christianity. It does not use crosses or religious images in its worship services. Female members follow a dress code that includes long skirts and use head coverings during services. Although the Church does not allow women to hold leadership positions in its religious hierarchy, women hold leadership positions in church public relations and church-operated civil organizations.

The three church leaders have faced accusations of sexual abuse.[5][6] In June 2019, church leader Naasón Joaquín García was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport and charged with sex crimes by the California Department of Justice.[6] On June 8, 2022, he pled guilty to three charges concerning the sexual abuse of children and was sentenced to a maximum 16 years and 8 months in prison.[7][8][9]

  1. ^ a b Fortuny 1995, pp. 147–162.
  2. ^ Biglieri 2000, p. 407.
  3. ^ García, Omar (14 December 2014). "Naasón Joaquín García relevará a su padre en la Luz del Mundo" [Naasón Joaquín García will relieve his father in La Luz del Mundo]. El Informador (in Spanish). Guadalajara. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Ceremonia de Bienvenida" (in Spanish). Iglesia del Dios Vivo Columna y Apoyo de la Verdad, La Luz del Mundo. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  5. ^ "A Growing Faith--and Outrage". Los Angeles Times. 1998-03-10. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  6. ^ a b Zaveri, Mihir (2019-06-04). "Leader of Mexican Church La Luz Del Mundo Charged With Sex Crimes in Los Angeles". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  7. ^ "Mexican megachurch leader gets more than 16 years for abuse", ABC News, 8 June 2022
  8. ^ "La Luz del Mundo megachurch leader jailed for child sex abuse". BBC News. 2022-06-09. Retrieved 2022-07-05.
  9. ^ Summer Lin; Libor Jany (September 19, 2022). "From an L.A. prison phone, La Luz del Mundo megachurch leader addresses followers in Mexico". LA Times. Retrieved December 15, 2022.