Temple worthiness standards in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have evolved dramatically from personal endorsements in 1830s Kirtland to today's standardized interview questions, according to a video by historian Benjamin Park. The video traces how admission requirements shifted from informal recommendations to institutionalized gatekeeping.

What counted as "temple worthy" in the 1850s would surprise modern members, Park argues. Early standards focused on different behaviors and were applied inconsistently. The formalization of temple recommend questions in the 20th century standardized a process that had been fluid for decades, reflecting broader changes in church governance and correlation.

Park's video has drawn over 13,000 views in 34 hours and 75 comments. Park is a historian of American religion whose work focuses on Mormonism and its institutions.