Antonio A. Feliz was the founder and first president of the Restoration Church of Jesus Christ

Restoration Church of Jesus Christ

The former Restoration Church of Jesus Christ , based in the United States in Salt Lake City, Utah, was a church in the Latter Day Saint movement that catered primarily to the spiritual needs of Latter Day Saints who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered .The RCJC was sometimes informally...

, a denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement

Latter Day Saint movement

The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...

 that was founded to serve the spiritual needs of gay

Gay

Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....

, lesbian

Lesbian

Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...

, bisexual, transgender

Transgender

Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....

, and intersexual Latter Day Saints.

Prior to the founding of the Restoration Church of Jesus Christ, Feliz was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Feliz was a high priest in the church and had served as a bishop and a temple

Temple (LDS Church)

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...

 sealer. During the 1970s, Feliz was employed by the LDS Church as the Director of Church Welfare for the Andean Region of the church. In the early 1980s, Feliz was employed at Park College

Park University

Park University is an independent, private institution of higher education based in Parkville, Missouri. Established in 1875 as a small church-related college, it has now expanded into an electronic learning institution and provider of education courses for the U.S...

 in Parkville, Missouri

Parkville, Missouri

Parkville is a city in Platte County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,059 at the 2000 census. Parkville is known for its antique shops, art galleries, and historic downtown. The city is home to Park University and English Landing Park....

, which at the time was affiliated with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now Community of Christ

Community of Christ

The Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , is an American-based international Christian church established in April 1830 that claims as its mission "to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace"...

).

On August 23, 1985, Feliz — who had been excommunicated from the LDS Church for his homosexual activities — and five other members of the Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 chapter of Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons founded the Church of Jesus Christ of All Latter-day Saints, which was later renamed the Restoration Church of Jesus Christ. Feliz served as the first president of the church for only eight months, when he was ousted for making changes to the church without the consent of its members.

Feliz is the author of several books, most dealing with LGBT

LGBT

LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...

 issues and spirituality. He is one of two founders of GALA (Gay and Lesbian Acceptance)

GALA (Gay and Lesbian Acceptance)

GALA is a non-profit Missouri corporation that is an association of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons and their family and friends that are connected with the Community of Christ....

, an LGBT support group associated with the Community of Christ

Community of Christ

The Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , is an American-based international Christian church established in April 1830 that claims as its mission "to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace"...

, another Latter Day Saint denomination.

Publications

• Antonio A. Feliz (2002). Becoming Open Souls: Transcending Institutional Seduction & Cultural Rape (Concord Press) ISBN 0929582012
• —— (2007). Elijah's Power: Early Mormon Mysticism & America's Ancient Wisdoms (Concord Press) ISBN 0929582039
• —— (2000). The Issue is Pluralism: An Urgent Call To Greater Pluralism in Civil Marriage Law (Concord Press) ISBN 0970331401
• —— (1992, 2d ed.). Out of the Bishop's Closet: A Cure to Heal Ourselves, Each Other and Our World (Sacramento, Calif.: Alamo Square Press) ISBN 0962475173