Mormon Transhumanist Association

MTA was founded by 14 members in 2006.[4] It received IRC 501(c)(3) nonprofit status that same year.[5] MTA and Humanity+ affiliated in 2006,[6][7][8] and they renewed the affiliation in 2010.[9]

As a transhumanist group within a traditional religion, MTA is unusual.[2] However, MTA illustrates similarities between the functions and goals of transhumanism and traditional religions, such as a hope in the face of death for perpetual happiness and permanent youthfulness.[10][11] MTA’s teachings, in relevant part, reflect Mormonism’s tenets regarding bodily and spiritual progress toward theosis.[12][13] Because of such ideas, at least one scholar has argued that Mormon theology may lend itself better to reconciliation with transhumanism than does mainstream Christian theology.[14]

During 2014, the MTA grew to include 480 members, an increase of 30% over the previous year. Of the members, 65% were in the United States, with other members located in Canada, South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia.[15] The annual MTA survey completed in 2014 indicates that 62% of MTA members are also members of the LDS Church; that 59% identified as theist and 14% as atheist; that 53% identified as culturally progressive and 20% as culturally conservative; that 32% identified as economically progressive and 29% as economically liberal.[16]

MTA organizes conferences on the intersection of technology, spirituality, science and religion. MTA co-sponsored the “Parallels and Convergences: Mormon Thought and Engineering Vision” conference at Claremont Graduate University in 2009,[17] and the “Transhumanism and Spirituality” conference at the University of Utah in 2010.[18] MTA also holds annual member conferences in Salt Lake City.[19]

• Official website