In the article Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon: Co-Founders of a Movement, Stephen Shields argues why the best way to describe the various groups (that consider the Book of Mormon as scripture), is to call them part of the Smith-Rigdon Movement, as opposed to Restorationist sects, or "Mormonisms" as another scholar has offered.
I also recommend listening to episode 9 of the Iron Rod Podcast that discusses the importance of Sidney Rigdon.
In the introduction of, An Encyclopedia of the Smith–Rigdon Movement (Fifth Edition), Steven L. Shields writes:
I feel a better academic name for the movement ought to be adopted (Smith–Rigdon Movement.[1] Thus, I have chosen to retain only the title of this book, used since the first edition in 1975. The phrase “Latter Day Saint” carries some misconceptions. Not all who descend from Smith’s and Rigdon’s original work identify with the term. It has for some become antiquated. However, the phrase will undoubtedly crop up in the text of the book. It has become second-nature for many historians. There are also problems with the term “Restoration.” While co-opted by the Smith–Rigdon Movement, the term is also applied to the Stone–Campbell Movement (Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell) and a broader movement in religious history. In this book, however, when “Restoration” is used, it will be in the context of Smith’s and Rigdon’s efforts.
This point is one of critical emphasis. Being listed in the book does not designate, and must not be taken to infer, any person or group of persons as anything more than expressing a unique viewpoint of the movement. Everyone can be faithful to their affiliation, yet express ideas, expound the scriptures, give new translations of scripture, promote ministries independent from their faith-home’s institutional structure, or develop new and diverse institutional patterns. Individual names listed in the book are people of faith and integrity. Sometimes they have leadership roles in a given expression. Sometimes they propose inspirational ideas without seeking followers. Let “expression” be the guiding principle, rather than adopting a strict definition of sect, denomination, or church. …
The purpose of this book is to share the diversity of the movement. If nothing else, Joseph Smith Jr. freed the spirit of expression; once freed, such a spirit is impossible to contain. His idea of agency, sometimes included with the word “free,” takes people along many paths. That is why I have come to use the term “expression” rather than “schism,” or “break-off,” or “splinter.” Those terms are “my-group-centric” and deny the free spirit, promoting “my” view as the norm and all others as “apostate.” While no writer is free from subjectivity, I have tried to be objective.
In this book, I avoid calling people or groups “ite” or “ites,” except in cases that have been self-designated. The word “apostate” or “apostasy” is not part of the vocabulary of this work. Likewise, schism, splinter, break-off, faction are not part of the vocabulary. Groups, ministries, and expressions stand on their own merits, with their authority. While it is true (and sometimes unavoidable) that groups of people become factionalized or separate from their group or break with a leader, I have tried to use such expressions objectively rather than as labels.
Many of the expressions included in this book claim to be the “only true church” or the “only true way of faith.” Each has that right to make such a claim. However, being right or wrong is a matter of personal faith; I have tried not to judge. …
To see the diversity of the Smith-Rigdon Movement, I will end this blog post with a list of all of the Smith-Rigdon expressions (sects or movements) provided in the Contents of his book:
Contents
Before You Begin
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Part One: Main Entries * indicates presumed extant at time of publication Section 1:
Original Church Era 1.0
Original Church 1.1
...
Pure Church of Christ 1.3
...
Independent Church 1.6
Church of Christ 1.7
Church of Latter Day Saints 1.8 Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife 1.9
Kingdom of God 1.10
... Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Section 2: Fragmentation
Era 2.0
Original Church (Second Organization) 2.1
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 2.2
Church of Christ 2.2.1
Church of Christ 2.2.2
Elijah Schwackhammer 2.2.3 Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion 2.3
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 2.4
... Church of Jesus Christ of the New Jerusalem 2.8.4
... 2.10 Church of Christ 2.10.1 Church of Christ 2.11
Jehovah’s Presbytery of Zion 2.11.1 ...
Congregation of Israel in IABBA’s Presbytery of Zion 2.12
Church of Christ 2.12.1
... Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 2.13.1 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (also known as The Bride, The Lamb’s Wife) 2.14
... Church of Christ 2.19
Community of Christ 2.23
... Church of Jesus Christ 2.25 Church of Christ 2.26
Church of Christ 2.26.1
Church of Christ 2.27
Church of Jesus Christ 2.28
Section 3:
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (James J. Strang—1844) 3.0
... Church of the Messiah 3.8 ... True Church 3.14
*Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) 3.18.1
... New World Church of the Lord Jesus Christ 3.18.4
House of Ephraim and House of Manasseh of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 3.18.5 *Kingdom of God of Latter Day Saints
Section 4:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Brigham Young—1847) ...
Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Most High 4.3.1
Church of the Firstborn 4.3.3.3 Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Most High 4.3.3.4
Kingdom of God 4.3.5.1
Kingdom of God 4.4
Church of Zion
Church of the Firstborn 4.8 ... Community of Zion 4.16
Priesthood Council 4.17.1 *Apostolic United Brethren 4.17.1.1 Leroy A. Wilson 4.17.1.2 Church of the Firstborn 4.17.1.2.1 *Thomas A. Green 4.17.1.2.2 *Church of the Firstborn 4.17.1.2.3 Church of the Firstborn 4.17.1.3 *Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times (“Fulness” is the original spelling) 4.17.1.3.1 Noel B. Pratt 4.17.1.3.2 Lawrence Ritchie Stubbs 4.17.1.3.3 *Church of the Lamb of God 4.17.1.3.3.1 Church of the Lamb of God 4.17.1.3.3.2 Church of the Lamb of God 4.17.1.3.3.3 Millennial Church of Jesus Christ 4.17.1.3.4 *Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times (“Fulness” is the original spelling) 4.17.1.3.5 Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times 4.17.1.3.6 *Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, Mexican Mission 4.17.1.3.7 *Floren M. LeBaron Sr. 4.17.1.3.8 *Church of Christ the Firstborn of the Fullness of Times 4.17.1.3.9 *Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times 4.17.1.4 William Lorin Goldman 4.17.1.5 *Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly 4.17.1.5.1 *Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly 4.17.1.6 *Church of the Pearl 4.17.1.6.1 *Order of Nazorean Essenes 4.17.1.6.2 *Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Order of Enoch 4.17.1.7 *Christ’s Church 4.17.1.8 Concerned Latter-day Saints 4.17.1.9 *Missouri Community 4.17.1.10 *Joseph Thompson 4.17.1.11 Apostolic United Brethren 4.17.2 *Short Creek Priesthood Council 4.17.2.1 *Orson William Black Jr. 4.17.2.2 *“Work of Jesus Christ” 4.17.2.2.1 *Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Kingdom of God 4.17.2.3 *Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 4.17.2.3.1 *Church of Jesus Christ (Original Doctrine) 4.17.2.3.2 *William E. Jessop 4.18 Benjamin T. LeBaron 4.18.1 Owen LeBaron 4.19 *Latter Day Church of Christ 4.20 Church of Jesus Christ of Israel 4.21 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Third Convention) 4.21.1 *El Reino de Dios en su Plenitud 4.21.2 *Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de la Plenitud de los Tiempos 4.22 Depression Years Movement 4.22.1 Andrew Husberg 4.22.2 M. Peterson 4.23 *House of Aaron 4.23.1 *Zion’s Order, Inc. 4.23.1.1 *Zion’s Order of the Sons of Levi 4.23.1.2 Zion’s Order of the Sons of Levi 4.23.2 LDS Scripture Researchers 4.23.3 Aaronic Order 4.24 Alonzo Langford 4.25 Church of the Firstborn 4.26 Perfected Church of Jesus Christ of Immaculate Latter Day Saints 4.27 John Forsgren 4.28 Elden Hollis 4.29 Robert Simons 4.30 Paul Solem 4.31 *Church of Raukeeyang la Shaw 4.32 *Divine Word Foundation 4.33 United Order of the Family of Christ 4.34 Family of David 4.35 Wallace Yancey 4.36 Restored Church of Jesus Christ 4.37 *Ensign Corporation 4.38 Latter Day Saint Church 4.39 New Jerusalem Group 4.40 John Singer 4.41 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 4.42 Watchmen on the Towers of Latter Day Israel 4.43 *Summum 4.44 Latter Day Saint Freedom Foundation 4.45 The Prophet 4.46 *Affirmation 4.47 *Church of the Firstborn 4.48 *Church of Christ 4.49 *Rockland Ranch 4.50 Synthesis Group 4.51 Zion’s First International Church 4.52 Church of Jesus Christ 4.53 *Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 4.54 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 4.55 *School of the Prophets 4.55.1 School of the Prophets 4.56 Universal Church of Jesus Christ 4.57 *Church of Jesus Christ in Zion 4.58 Work of Better Truth 4.59 Zion Society 4.60 Alan and Marian Munn 4.61 Restoration Church of Jesus Christ 4.61.1 Restoration Fellowship in Jesus Christ 4.61.2 Christ’s Church: A Reformation Community 4.61.3 *Iglesia de Cristo Comunidad de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias 4.62 Restored Churches of Jesus Christ Association 4.63 Immanuel Foundation and Fraternity of Preparation 4.64 *True Gnostic Church 4.65 *Church of Elias 4.65-1 World Government of the Kingdom of God 4.66 *Kingdom of God 4.66.1a Patriarchal Order of the Church of Christ 4.66.1b Church of the Diamond 4.67 Church of the Firstborn 4.68 Millennial Dispensation 4.69 Patriarchal Church of Jonathan, House of the Lord Gods 4.70 Church of Zion and Jesus Christ 4.71 Church of Jesus Christ 4.72 Greater Things 4.73 House of Chaney 4.74 *Sacred Scripture 4.75 *True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days 4.75.1 Father of Peace Ministry 4.76 Church of Jesus Christ for the Remnant of Jacob in these Last Days 4.77 *Steven C. Davis 4.78 *Apostolic Order of the Remnant House of Isreal [sic] 4.79 Donovan Bramwell 4.80 Seven Diamonds Plus One—Testaments of Jesus Christ—Study and Fellowship Society 4.81 White Stone Foundation 4.82 Stanley Q. Johnson 4.83 Body of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 4.84 Light of Christ Ministry 4.85 Larry Allan Garmas 4.86 New Order Mormons 4.87 *William C. Chappell 4.88 *church of Christ 4.89 *Reform Mormonism 4.90 Church of the Dual Faith 4.91 *Cry from the Dust 4.92 Embaye Melekin 4.93 Latter day Kingdom 4.94 Messianic Church of Yahshua of Latter-Day Saints 4.95 Church of the Firstborn and the General Assembly of Heaven 4.95.1 Reorganized Church of the Firstborn and General Assembly of Heaven 4.96 Joseph Smith Fellowship 4.97 Mentinah Archives 4.98 Charles (Kip) Thompson 4.99 *Marvelous Work and a Wonder 4.100 United Mormon Church 4.101 *Church of Christ (Bible and Book of Mormon) 4.102 Covenant Yeshua Messiah 4.103a Fellowship Awaiting the Second Restoration Church of Enoch 4.103b Order of the Holy Priesthood Awaiting the Church of Enoch 4.104 *Restored Branch of Jesus Christ (formerly Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ) 4.105 *Mormon Transhumanist Association 4.106 *PostMormon.org 4.107 *International Order of the Knights of the Star of Kolob 4.108 *LiberalMormon.net 4.109 *Miguel Angel Tinoco Rodriguez 4.109.1 *Mauricio Artur Berger 4.110 *Pure Mormonism 4.111 *Comunidad Cristiana Moroni 4.112 *Remnant Movement 4.113 *Mormon Fondamentaliste Indépendant 4.114 *Church of the Living Messiah 4.114-1 *Jerry D. Grover Jr. 4.115 *Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship 4.116 Knights of the Crystal Blade Section 5: Community of Christ (Joseph Smith III—1852) 5.0 *Community of Christ 5.1 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 5.2 Society of Christ’s Preparatory Bride of the Covenant People of the Lord 5.3 Church of Christ 5.4 Order of Enoch 5.4.1 James Brighouse 5.4.2 United Order of Equality 5.5 Priesthood Company 5.6 William Whitfield Stanley 5.7 Kingdom of Heaven Church of the First Born 5.8 Church of Christ, the Order of Zion 5.9 Church of the Christian Brotherhood 5.10 Church of Jesus Christ 5.11 International Church of Jesus Christ 5.12 Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 5.13 B. L. McKim 5.14 Gladys Barr Loyd 5.15 World Redemption 5.15.1 New Jerusalem Church of Jesus Christ 5.16 *Church of Jesus Christ Restored 5.17a Charlotte Elam 5.17b Catherine Pico 5.18 Loyal Opposition 5.18-1 God Squad, or The Group 5.19 *Church of Christ Restored 5.20 Churches of Christ in Zion 5.21 Agency of Man 5.22 Restoration Festival 5.22.1 Restoration Foundation 5.23 *Forrest Toney 5.24 Watchman of Zion 5.25 Brotherhood of Christ Church 5.26 church [sic] of Christ 5.27 Church of the Firstborn of Jesus Christ 5.28 Joseph T. Long 5.29 New Covenant Ministries for Christ 5.30 Church of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God 5.31 International Elders’ Conference 5.31.1 *Church of Jesus Christ Zion’s Branch 5.31.1.1 Church of Jesus Christ, Restoration of the House of Israel 5.32 Jeffrey Don Lundgren 5.33 *Restored Church of Jesus Christ 5.34 Church of Christ 5.35 Wayne A. Dunlap 5.36 Association of Independent Groups and Branches 5.37 *Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon 5.37.1 New Covenant Church of God 5.38 *Church of Christ, Restored 5.39 Fellowship of Restoration Patriarchs 5.40 High Priest Assembly 5.41 Watchman of Ephraim 5.42 Church of Christ with the Latter Day Saints 5.43 *Church of Christ—His Zion’s Remnant 5.44 Church of Jesus Christ, the Son of God 5.45 First Quorum of Restoration Seventies 5.45.1 *Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 5.45.1.1 *Iglesia Restaurada de Cristo Unida 5.45.1.2 World Church of Jesus Christ 5.45.1.3 First Quorum of Restoration Seventy 5.45.1.3.1 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Israel 5.45.1.3.1.1 *Church of Jesus Christ Restored 1830 5.45.1.4 Seventh Day Latter Day Saints 5.46 Quorum of Restoration Seventy 5.46.1 Conference of Restoration Branches 5.47 Conference of Restoration Elders 5.47.1 Center Place Prayer and Study Group 5.47.2 Association of Restoration Branches 5.47.3 Council of High Priests 5.47.3.1 Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 5.47.3.1.1 Everlasting Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days 5.48 Enoch Corporation 5.49 Restoration of the Covenant Ministries 5.50 Southeast Area Association of Restoration Branches 5.51 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Reorganized 5.52 *Blair B. Bryant 5.53 Spiritual Preparation Fellowship 5.54 Restoration of the House of Israel 5.55 Concerned Priesthood of the Restoration 5.56 *Pastors of Zion 5.57 *Last Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 5.58 *Restructured Church of Jesus of Latter Day Saints 5.59 *Mary Jo Jakel 5.60 *Church of Christ (NY—1830) Section 6: Church of Jesus Christ (Alpheus Cutler—1853) 6.0 *Church of Jesus Christ 6.1 Church of Jesus Christ 6.2 Restored Church of Jesus Christ Section 7: Church of Jesus Christ (William Bickerton—1859) 7.0 *Church of Jesus Christ 7.0.1 Church of Jesus Christ 7.1 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 7.2 Church of Jesus Christ 7.3 Re-Organized Church of Jesus Christ 7.4 Church of Jesus Christ 7.5 *Christ Church, Inc. Section 8: Church of Christ (Granville Hedrick—1863) 8.0 *Church of Christ 8.1 Church of Christ 8.1.1 Hubert John Archambault 8.1.2 Book of Mormon Foundation 8.1.2.1 An Open Book 8.2 Independent Forum 8.3 Church of Christ 8.3.1 Church of Christ 8.3.2 Church of Christ 8.3.3 Church of Christ 8.3.4 *Church of Christ at Zion’s Retreat 8.3.4.1 Church of Christ 8.3.4.2 *Church of Israel 8.3.5 *Church of Christ Restored 8.3.5.1 Church of Christ Restored 8.3.6 Church of Christ 8.3.7 *Church of Christ with the Elijah Message, Established Anew 1929 8.3.7.1 *Church of Christ 8.3.7.2 Church of Christ with the Elijah Message (Established Anew-”Remnant”) 8.3.7.3 Tracy J. Pittman 8.3.7.4 *Church of Christ with the Elijah Message 8.3.7.4.1 Church of Christ with the Elijah Message, the Assured Way of the Lord 8.3.7.5 Church of Christ, “The Church with the Elijah Message” 8.3.7.5.1 Jared Smith 8.3.7.5.2 Church of Christ with the Elijah Message 8.3.8 *Church of Christ 8.3.8.1 Church of Christ 8.3.8.2 Church of Christ (Independent) 8.4 Church of Christ 8.5a Church of Christ Omnipotent 8.5b Church of Christ Immanuel 8.6 Samuel Wood 8.7 Church of Christ 8.8 Church of the Body and of the Spirit of Jesus Christ 8.9 Floyd Denham 8.10 Paul Johnson 8.11 Church of Christ, “Having the Everlasting Gospel” 8.12 Nephite Records Association 8.13 Ricky D. Leonard Part Two: Additional Expressions Section 9: Independent 9.1 C.A. Swenson 9.2 Dalton A. Tiffin 9.3 D. J. Morgan 9.4 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 9.5 America’s Mount Zion 9.6 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 9.7 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 9.8 Apostolic Divine Church of Ghana 9.9 Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints (Non-Mormon) 9.10 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Fundamentalists 9.11 Church of the Restoration 9.12 *Association for the Unity of Restoration Saints 9.13 *Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Kenya) 9.14 Church of Christ in Zion 9.15 David A. Swanstorm 9.16 Union of Redeemed Israelites in Messiah 9.17 *Congregation of HaMishpacha Yahushua 9.18 Latter Day Church of Christ with Signs and Wonders 9.18.1 *Restoration Saints Fellowship in Christ 9.18.2 *Strangite Community of Christ 9.19 Église Fondamentaliste de Jésus Christ des Saints des Derniers Jours d’Afrique Section 10: Expressions with Elements of the Movement 10.1 *Fountain of the World 10.2 *Association of Sananda and Sanat Kumara 10.3 l’Ordre Uni des Saints de la Guadeloupe 10.4 Alistah Laishkochav 10.5 *Earth’s Order of Melchizedek 10.6 Baha’is Under the Provisions of the Covenant 10.7 *Peyote Way Church of God 10.8 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) 10.9 *Latter Day Ministry of Miracles 10.10 Truthseekers 10.11 *Church of Celestine Light 10.12 *Full Revelation Believers 10.13 Lion of God Ministries 10.14 Polygamist Group in Mississippi, USA Section 11: Incomplete or Unverifiable Information 11.01 Limited Brethren of the Latter Day Saints 11.1 Church of Freedom of Latter Day Saints 11.2 Legal Defenders of the Last Dispensation 11.3 Church of Jesus Christ 11.4 Interaid 11.5 Monte Scovill 11.6 Yashua’s Army 11.7 Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ 11.8 Free Will Mormon Church 11.9 Truest Church 11.10 Church of Christ-Restored Gospel—1929 11.11 Timothy Allen Campbell 11.12 Church of Jesus Christ Omnipotent 11.13 Restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints—Strangite/Melchizedek 11.14 Society for the Restoration of the House of Israel 11.15 David 11.16 Patriarchal Church of Christ 11.17 Patriarchal Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 11.18 ZionOsphere 11.19 Orthodox Essene Yahad 11.20 Zion’s Camp Church of Christ 11.21 Celestial Church 11.22 House of God of Latter Days (The Restored Church) 11.23 New Millennium LDS Church 11.24 Restored Covenant Church of Jesus Christ 11.25 Richard J. “Yaakov” White 11.26 Y’shua Fellowship of the Restoration 11.27 Church of Christ, Restored Anew 2007 11.28 United Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ International 11.29 Nephite Church of Christ 11.30 Ordained Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 11.31 Reauthorized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 11.32 Church of Jesus Christ—Quetzalcoatl 11.33 Church of the Firstborn Westwood 11.34 Kehila Nazarene 11.35 Restore the Church of Christ Ministries 11.36 Restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of Holy Scrolls 11.37 Joao Roberto Santos Ribeiro 11.38 Latter Day Order of Ahman 11.39 Zion United Church of Jesus Christ 11.40 *Church of Zion 11.41 *Iglesia de Jesucristo del Tiempo del Fin 11.42 Reorganized Church of Christ 11.43 Christ Church of Latter Day Saints 11.44 *Steven Louis Schulz 11.45 Church of Dilok Cholum 11.46 African Saints Church of Mormonism 11.47 Christ’s Saints in Samsara 11.48 Coven of the Magi 11.49 Firstborn Saints in the Fullness of Times 11.50 Independents for the Oath and Covenant 11.51 Self-Restoration Ministries (Uganda) Section 12: Groups Presumed by Some Sources to Have Organized, Verified Not 12.1 John Noah 12.2 Hiram Page 12.3 William Marks 12.4 John Edward Page 12.5 J. J. Cranmer 12.6 Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Most High 12.7 Hannah Sorensen 12.8 Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Most High 12.9 Church of Christ 12.10 Daniel Edward Huth 12.11 Church of Jesus Christ of Restoration Latter Day Saints 12.12 Church of Christ Established Anew in 1929 12.13 Latter Day Church of Christ the Lamb 12.14 Pentecostal Church of Latter Day Voodoo 12.15 Wiccan Covenant of the Restoration 12.16 Latter day Church of the Wonderful Christ Appendix A: Articles of Faith and Practice Appendix B: Family Patriarchal Order Appendix C: Fundamentalist Mormon Movement Council of Friends Journal of Discourses Ogden Kraut Manifesto of 1890 Messenger of the Fullness of the Gospel Review and Preview Publishers Short Creek Raid of 1953
