Mormon Stories # 112 & 113: Joanna Brooks Parts 1 and 2
I recorded my first podcast in some time last night w/ professor, author and mother Joanna Brooks. Joanna was a very important figure in the uber-controversial BYU Academic Freedom days of 1990-1993…and is now a writer on Mormon topics for Religion Dispatches (along w/ being the Dept. Chair of English at SDSU). She was also recently featured on RadioWest to discuss the phenomenon of Glenn Beck.
Joanna has recently started an advice-column blog entitled “AskMormonGirl.com“, and cross-blogs on Mormon Matters.
This is part 1 of a 2 part interview. Please give a hearty Mormon Stories welcome to Dr./Sister/Mommy Joanna Brooks!
You always seem to find the best people at the right time. I was on my mission during the early 90′s and missed all of the BYU fun that was going on at that time, its interesting to hear about it because even after I got home, there was so little insight to what was happening in my area.
I appreciated hearing Joanna’s feelings about the church now. I am curious as to her approach to her children and raising them in the church or not in the church. What is her family plan? I struggle with this at times, because I want to create some sort of foundation for them, but at the same time be open and honest about our history and doctrine.
John, thank you for coming back. You have no idea how much your work has saved me from serious spiritual anguish, knowing that I’m not alone through this journey. I have yet to reach solid ground as to my feelings about specific principles, but being able to hear others share their thoughts and feelings makes this journey a little easier. Thank you for your work.
This interview was a perfect segway into “Mormon Stories 2.0″ as Joanna put it. She is hilarious, by the way… and although I had never heard of her before this interview, I have a tremendous amount of respect for her and those like her who reach a place of wholeness, whether in or out of the Church, despite the issues that give so many of us difficulties. And to become so involved at such a young age. I’m still young, but feel I’ve missed out on a lot. Very inspiring.
John,
You are back! Yes! I enjoyed the new podcast and look forward to many more Stories from our fellow Mormons accross the spectrum.
Thank you so very much!
Like, Joanna is so cool, heh, ok, like.
Wow. Just hearing the name “Joanna Brooks” takes me back to the good ole BYU days, circa 1993 or so. Yet I haven’t even run across her name in years. Look forward to listening to this.
Listened to Part I, fascinating time at BYU. I was at UVSC at the time, I was somewhat unaware of the turmoil that was going on, nor did I care (very TBM) at that time. Would have probably opposed her movement or showed little empathy at the time.
Years later I’ve changed, one thing I can’t do like her is just brush aside those issues that do not make sense to me in Mormonism. My FIL said I should put my doubts on the shelf and it will all be good in the end. For me though it’s impossible to do so at this time, maybe someday.
Anyway, great broadcast, will listen to Part II
This rocked. Thanks Joanna for your insight and humor. Loved it. I especially loved what you shared at the end of part two about the Mormonism that allows you go into the woods and get your answers — or out to the plain, pulling a handcart if you must.
We belong to a beautiful heritage. It’s easy to forget that sometimes. Thank you for the reminder.
Easily one of my all-time favorite Mormon Stories. What an amazing woman, and her laugh and personality are so infectous, and her intellect and insights profound. Just a very cool person!!!
What a great woman! Courageous and willing to reason about anything, able to understand that God and his truths is much more than the modern church we have become. But don’t forget about the great principles we use to live in the early restored gospel! Those prophets were opening the heavens, receiving visions and visitations, giving the church Revelations… must have been something to the higher things they were covenanting to live!
John,
Glad to see your back. I really enjoy listening to your podcasts and eat up everything I can about the Church and it’s history, no matter how questionable it can be at times. Why does it seem that these people that are such deep thinkers and appear to be very intelligent end up having issues with the Church? It almost appears to me that it’s a curse to be so smart; Paul Descano and his wife, many of the September 6 also appeard to be very intelligent. Just an observation.
Guess I’m glad that I stopped at a B.A. Ha Ha!!!!
Great interview! It’s funny that you say, “So you’re writing the Great Mormon Novel,” because since my BYU days–about the same time as yours–I’ve thought that if The Great Mormon Novel were ever to be written, it’d likely be Joanna who wrote it. Now that I’ve discovered your site I’ll get busy listening to the 111 previous stories.
“Save yourself some heartbreak and go to Stanford.”
YES! I wish we would encourage our brainy Mormon kids to go places other than BYU, or at least not make them feel guilty about choosing to not go to BYU. Stanford is a great place for Mormon undergrads. LDS students should go to the university that is the best fit for them, be that BYU or otherwise.
I have never felt more at home in a ward than I did in the Stanford student ward. On top of that I’d say that the Stanford Institute under Alonzo Gaskill was a great experience and nearly the only positive experience I’ve have with CES (now SIR.) I will admit that 4 months out of my 4 years of high school seminary were worthwhile.
I’m a little late getting to this one. John, first of all, thanks for bringing Mormon stories back online.
With respect to Dr. Brooks . . . by all accounts she’s brilliant, she has a stellar academic records, and (as is the case with many of the guests on Mormon Stories) while I don’t agree with everything she says, I’m grateful for her perspective. Thanks to both Dr. Brooks and John for taking the time to complete and post this podcast.
But, having said all of that . . . this podcast was PAINFUL to listen to. I have never heard an interview in which the phrases “like” and “you know” were used so many times. Dr. Brooks, if you see this, just a friendly suggestion to be aware of the frequency with which you use those terms when you are speaking. The overuse of those phrases really did, at least for me, make it difficult to listen to the entire podcast.
@Matt,
Um, no. People with personality use slang when they speak. And it works.
Joanna, I enjoyed this interview so much. I share John’s amazement that you never went through the same type of faith crisis that so many others do but your approach to faith seems very new to me. You are one of those brave people who is unafraid to take ownership of the positive aspects of Mormonism and just have a sense of humor about all the “weird stuff.” That reaction seems to be very uncommon.
I feel I can relate to much of your story. I remember having powerful spiritual experiences even as a child when I would pray. I was so touched by Joseph Smith’s story. It was so empowering for me as a child to know that God saw the potential and recognized the honest desires of even a kid like me.
I have to credit Mormonism for teaching me this way to pray. It is much more than basic instruction (Thank, Ask, etc.). There is a whole story and culture that informs the way I was taught to pray. Joseph’s story made me believe that I could receive answers in a way the bible alone never would have been able to. Whether Joseph’s claims were true or not it created something unarguably positive within me, something that I want to hold on to.
Years later I am so different. I have questions on questions on questions and most of that idealism I had when I was younger is gone. I have, at times, wondered whether my new interpretation of spiritual experiences requires me to somehow downplay or discredit those experiences which were some of the most profound moments in my life. When I hear your interview I am struck with how easy it seems to have been for you to hold on to those truths. These experiences may not be god’s rubber stamp of truth as I was taught but they were beautiful and insightful and good.
It seems like nothing you might hear that is negative about Joseph or any other prophet could really effect the reality of what you have personally discovered. That’s not easy to do. It gives me confidence that I can work things out for myself in a similar way. When I went through my faith crisis I felt I lost it all. I was absolutely heart broken because I thought these new ideas were telling me that the comfort I have felt so many times was really a creation of my mind.
Thank you for your story Joanna. Your optimism is very reassuring!
[...] Some of my biggest lady crushes are Joanna Brooks (mother of 2, professor, religion scholar, and Mormon feminist), Lisa Butterworth (mother of three, founder of Feminist Mormon Housewives), Margaret Toscano [...]