This is an old proposal that has since been mostly adopted by Wikipedia in most of it's essentials. See: Wikipedia:Naming conventions (Latter Day Saints)

These are my proposed modificaitons to Wikipedia:Naming conventions (Mormonism).

Reasons for changes

Definitions of "Mormonism"

Ancient Mormonism

For believers in the Book of Mormon, the term "ancient Mormonism" would apply to anyone who followed the teachings of Mormon (prophet) during his lifetime.

Historical Mormonism

Historical Mormonism is simply the belief that the Book of Mormon is true. From the publication of the Book of Mormon until the death of Joseph Smith Jr. in 1844, the term "Historical Mormon" could be correctly applied to all members of the Latter Day Saint movement, and "Historical Mormonism" to their beliefs.

Contemporary Mormonism

After the death of Joseph Smith Jr., a major schism or series of schisms occured in the Latter Day Saint movement, seperating it into Mormonist and non-Mormonist camps. The term "Brighamite" may be accurate but is offensive to some Mormons and the term "Mormon" is not accurate in describing and has become very offensive to some Josephites).

Since the late 1840s, the terms "Mormon" and "Mormonism" came to refer only to those groups of Latter Day Saints that followed Brigham Young's leadership as a prophet. This includes the LDS and the FLDS churches, but does not include many other Latter Day Saint denomionations.

Particularly, members of the Community of Christ and the Restoration Branches object very strongly to being called "Mormons" because of the new meaning of the term. Many people consider themselves to be Latter Day Saints but not to be Mormons - thus, their beliefs cannot be correctly described as "Mormonism". The term "Mormonism" implies belief in some of the essential doctrines of the Mormon church, which are rejected by many Latter Day Saints outside that church.

Thus, it is possible to believe in the Book of Mormon without being a Mormon or believing in Mormonism.

Wikipedia's definition

Wikipedia's coverage of Latter Day Saint issues tends to confuse ancient, historical and contemporary Mormonism, mostly because contributors from the Mormon church tend to outnumber contributors from the other groups, and often do not recognize (or in some cases, even know about) issues relating to the schism(s).

Wikipedia ought to organize Latter Day Saint groups according to this hiearchy:

Christianity
- Restorationism (a doctrinal group within Christianity)
  - Latter Day Saintism / Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (historical) / Mormons (historical) (referring to the church from 1830 to 1844)
    - Mormonism / Mormons (a doctrinal group within Latter Day Saintism)
      - LDS / The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (a church reorganized by Brigham Young that believes in Mormonism)
        FLDS
      - Other Brighamite / Utah Mormon groups
    - RLDS / Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (ought to distinguish between the historical/traditional RLDS and the current Community of Christ)
    - Temple Lot church
    - Other Latter Day Saint groups

Actions that need to be taken

First, the page should be called Wikipedia:Naming conventions (Latter Day Saintism).
Article names that do not deal specifically with the Mormon church should have the {Mormonism} paranthesis changed to "(Latter Day Saints)"
The term "Mormon" should not be used to describe groups that do not describe themselves as Mormon.
- RLDS members are not Mormons.
  - Community of Christ members are not Mormons.
  - Restoration Branches members are not Mormons.
The term "Mormonism" should not be used to describe the beliefs of groups that are not Mormon.

Revised wording

This would replace the text on Wikipedia:Naming conventions (Mormonism).

Guidelines

Naming articles about Latter Day Saintism

Articles about the religion, doctrines, belief systems, and cultures of Latter Day Saints, and that could apply to more than one Latter Day Saint denomination, should use the term "Latter Day Saintism". For example:

When referring to the Latter Day Saint movement as an institution or historical movement, or to all Latter Day Saint churches as a body, but not to their religion, doctrines, belief systems, or cultures, it may be appropriate to use the phrase "Latter Day Saint movement" in the title. For example:

History of the Latter Day Saint movement

If necessary for disambiguation, articles that could apply to more than one Latter Day Saint denomination should contain the parenthetical "(Latter Day Saintism)". For example:

Naming unidenominational articles

Articles about only one Latter Day Saint denomination should use the full name of the denomination as it exists on the denomination's Wikipedia page. For example:

History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (there is currently discussion, but lack of clear consensus, as to whether to capitalize the word the in similar Wikipedia names)
History of the Community of Christ
Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Although the practice is discouraged, if it is absolutely necessary for disambiguation, articles that apply in the context of only one Latter Day Saint denomination should contain the following parentheticals:

CHURCH	REFERENCE IN TITLE
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints	Latter-day Saint
Community of Christ	Community of Christ
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)	Strangite
Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)	Cutlerite
Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)	Bickertonite
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints	FLDS Church
Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints	PLDS Church
Others	full name of denomination

Unidenominational articles should never be used when sects of Mormonism generally agree, or where differences between the sects can be explained briefly in a multidenominational article. If there is sufficient justification for a separate unidenominational article it should refer to any more general "(Latter Day Saints)" article, and to any general article concerning Christianity as a whole. To avoid redundancy, the unidenominational article should focus on the material unique to that denomination, or to the differences between that denomination and other Latter Day Saint denominations.

Guidelines for article text

The following guidelines should be used when referring to Latter Day Saints or any of its denominations within the text of an article:

The words Latter Day Saintism should refer to the religion, doctrines, belief systems, or cultures of Latter Day Saint peoples.
- The word Mormonism should refer to the religion, doctrines, belief systems or cultures of Mormons.
The phrase Latter Day Saint movement should refer to the historical movement leading to Mormonism and to the other doctrinal groups.
Reference The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by full name first reference (there is currently a lack of consensus as to whether to capitalize The in the title), and "the church" or "LDS Church" thereafter. The format should be something like: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("LDS Church"; see also Mormon)". Avoid referring to the "Mormon Church".
For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Latter-day Saints", "members of the church", "LDS Church members", or simply "church members" in context is preferred. Use "LDS" as a second reference.
Use of the terms Latter Day Saints or Latter-day Saints is preferred over the less-specific term "Mormons".
As with any wikipedia article, specify the source of specific doctrines or claims. For example:

In 1979, President Spencer W. Kimball explained that [x].

In his book 1959 book, Except They be Agreed, Elder Mark E. Petersen opined that [y].

Doctrine and Covenants section 76 verse 86 states: [z].

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