The Baptisms of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery: Authority, Doctrine, and Controversy
In the early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the baptisms of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery stand as pivotal events, both for their personal spiritual journeys and for establishing the Church’s foundational doctrines. According to Mormon teaching, baptism is an essential ordinance for the remission of sins and entry into God’s kingdom. Crucially, the Church emphasizes that baptism must be performed by someone holding the proper priesthood authority, specifically the Aaronic Priesthood, which includes the authority to baptize.⁴ In May 1829, John the Baptist is said to have appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred upon them the Aaronic Priesthood, formally granting them the authority to perform baptisms.⁴ Following this, Smith and Cowdery baptized each other in the Susquehanna River near Harmony, Pennsylvania. Their baptisms were performed by immersion and in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, in accordance with Mormon doctr...