Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, marks his 100th birthday on September 9, 2024. This milestone underscores a global trend of religious leaders continuing their service well beyond typical retirement age.
The Utah-based faith, often referred to as the Mormon church, has seen significant growth since Nelson's birth in 1924. At that time, the church had 597,861 members and 1,685 congregations. A century later, membership has soared to approximately 17.3 million, with 31,490 congregations worldwide. The number of missions has expanded from 25 to 450.
The church's leadership reflects this longevity trend. Six of the 15 men in the top leadership panels are octogenarians or older, including Nelson (100), Dallin Oaks (92), Henry B. Eyring (91), Jeffrey Holland (83), Dieter Uchtdorf (83), and Quentin Cook (84).
This phenomenon extends beyond Mormonism. In the Catholic Church, Alexandre do Nascimento, the archbishop emeritus of Luanda, Angola, is 99 years old. Ali al-Sistani, the grand ayatollah and senior religious figure for 200 million Shia Muslims, is 94. The Dalai Lama, leader of Tibetan Buddhism, is 89, while Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, is 87.
The longevity of religious leaders is not a new trend. The oldest-serving pope in history was Leo XIII, who died in 1903 at the age of 93. Today, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who leads Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide, continues his service at 84.
"Today, there are about 17.3 million Latter-day Saints. Church membership has grown 3.8% so far in 2024. Last year, the number of Latter-day Saints rose 1.5%."
This leadership longevity coincides with significant developments within the Mormon faith. The church, founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith, has expanded its global presence through missionary work, with over 50,000 missionaries sent out annually. It operates more than 160 temples worldwide and maintains a strong focus on family values and humanitarian efforts.
The church's beliefs, including continuing revelation through living prophets and the practice of tithing, have remained constant throughout its growth. Despite challenges, such as the official discontinuation of polygamy in 1890, the faith has adapted while maintaining its core doctrines.
As religious leaders like Nelson continue to guide their faiths into advanced age, their longevity serves as a testament to the enduring nature of spiritual leadership across diverse traditions.