The Church of the Latter-Day Saints has released a statement saying it is ending its controversial “biblical” test and saying that it is “a matter of faith”.

The statement comes after the church announced it would end the test, which allows members to ask questions of scripture that they may not have known about.

The church says it “decided that the tests were too divisive and that we cannot go forward in the way that we have”.

The Mormon church is considered the fastest-growing denomination in the United States, with more than 300,000 members worldwide.

Its growth is largely fueled by the success of its online community, the Mormon church’s website.

In a statement posted to its website on Monday, the church said it had “taken the necessary steps to stop and reconsider our biblical tests, and to consider all of the potential impacts they have on the way we teach and live our faith”.

“In our judgment, the test’s negative effects have been unwarranted,” the statement said.

“Our decision reflects a change in heart, a desire to move forward with a different way of teaching and living.”

In 2016, the LDS church officially changed its name from the Church of Christ of Jesus