In January 2006 Mormon Stories interviewed Tom Kimball and Dan Wotherspoon to discuss James Fowler’s “Stages of Faith” and Mormonism (you can listen to the original interview here). At the time, both Tom and Dan were active in the LDS church, and committed to remaining members. 7 years later, Tom Kimball and his family have left the church, and Dan remains. This is their Mormon story of faith and doubt…7 years hence.
Today we interview Dr. Ryan Cragun about his new book, “What You Don’t Know about Religion (but Should).” Ryan is a professor at the University of Tampa, and specializes in the sociological study of religion, focusing on Mormonism, the nonreligious, and secularization. Topics covered in this podcast include: Why are people religious? Are religious people more educated than nonreligious people? Are religious people more moral, more humble, or happier? Are religious people more or less prejudiced than nonreligious people? Is religion good for your health and happiness? Are people becoming more or less religious? What are the alternatives to religion?…
In this three part interview with Josh and Lolly Weed we discuss: Part 1: How they fell in love and decided to marry, in spite of both knowing that Josh is gay Part 2: The complexities and risks of living in a mixed-orientation marriage, and Part 3: LGBT issues within the LDS church For more content regarding the LGBT/LDS experience, check out Gay Mormon Stories Podcast, No More Strangers blog, and additional LGBT-related interviews on Mormon Stories Podcast.
On this historic day when the United States Supreme Court is considering the legality of gay marriage, we share with you our interview with Brett Bradshaw. Brett is the son of longtime Mormon LGBT advocates Marge and William Bradshaw. In this four-part interview Brett discusses: Part 1: His early LDS years, his mission service, falling in love with his husband (Jeff), and his decision to leave the LDS church. Part 2: His process of coming out as a gay man, and his thoughts on exploring sexuality in healthy ways Part 3: His decision to marry Jeff, have a child (Madeline)…
Jay Griffith and Sarah Collett (of A Thoughtful Faith Podcast) sit with James W. McConkie to speak with him about his personal history and family. As a nephew of Bruce R. McConkie and Joseph B. Wirthlin, Jim has a unique perspective of the Church and the brethren and a valuable approach to the Gospel. Speaking about his faith, parenting, and his views on the historical Christ, Jim explains his approach to doubt and difficult questions.
I created this video/presentation for two reasons: To dispel any misunderstandings about why people leave the church (and what happens to them when they do) that came about as a result of my recent podcast interview, and I’ve been wanting to update my “Why people leave the LDS church” youtube video for some time to include the results from the “Why Mormons Question” survey. Please watch and provide feedback if you can…and then share w/ family, friends, and church members/leaders who lack understanding or empathy. Powerpoint presentation can be found here.
In this three-part interview conducted by Sarah Collett of A Thoughtful Faith podcast we discuss: My ups, downs, and ups with the church The story behind the “Why Mormons Question” survey, including my interactions with a few church leaders A discussion of the Daniel Peterson/Neil A. Maxwell institute incident last year The reasons behind the discontinuation of the Mormon Stories conferences and communities Interactions w/ my bishop and stake president over the past year How and why I’ve returned to full activity in the church Big thanks to Sarah and Micah for all of their hard work.
In this 3-part interview with Natasha Helfer Parker we launch a new podcast initiative called “Mormon Mental Health.” For this episode we discuss the top 10 (or 11) mental health issues commonly faced by Mormons. Episode 1: Depression, Anxiety, Trauma and Masturbation Episode 2: Pornography, Addiction, Marriage and Divorce Episode 3: Sexual Intimacy, Parenting, Faith Crisis and Coping with same-sex attraction as a Mormon.
In this two-part interview we speak with Fiona and Terryl Givens on the release of their new book “The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life.” In part 1, we interview Fiona about her life. In part 2, we speak with both Terryl and Fiona Givens about their new book.
Philip Barlow is editor of the book “A Thoughtful Faith,” which was pivotal in my faith transition as a BYU student and beyond. He currently sits in the Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, at Utah State University. He earned a B. A. from Weber State College and an M.T.S. and Ph.D. (1988, with an emphasis on Religion and American Culture and on the History of Christianity) from Harvard University. He spent two years as a Mellon Fellow at the University of Rochester after which he became professor of Theological Studies at Hanover College in Indiana. In addition to…
This presentation was delivered as part of the 2012 Salt Lake Symposium held on July 27th. To listen to the entire session, click here. The text for the talk can be found here.
Benji Schwimmer is a world renowned dancer and choreographer. He is best known for winning Season 2 of the hit tv show So You Think You Can Dance. In this 3-part interview, Benji discusses the following: Part 1: His early years, and his LDS mission experience, Part 2: His experiences on So You Think You Can Dance, and Part 3: His attempts to come to terms with his sexuality and his LDS faith.
Simon Southerton is a native Australian, geneticist, former LDS bishop, and author of the book “Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA and the Mormon Church.” Simon was a member of the LDS church for almost 30 years, serving a mission in Melbourne (1981-83), marrying in the New Zealand Temple in 1983, and serving in numerous church positions including four terms as Young Men President, a counselor in several bishoprics and branch presidencies, and finally as bishop. While serving as bishop Simon began studying Native American DNA which he expected to have Middle Eastern origins, given the primary Book…
Speakers at the 2012 Boston Regional Mormon Stories conference were asked to address the topic of: Using personal narratives to create spaces where Mormons of all levels of orthodoxy can interact authentically. Part 1: Dr. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich discusses the importance and of history and personal narrative within religious traditions and John Dehlin discusses the evolution of Mormon Stories and the role it plays in the lives of listeners and community members. Part 2: Joanna Brooks talks about changes in spiritual narrative scripts over time and how telling personal stories affects community development. Conference attendees share their personal stories in an open-mic…
As part of the March 2012 “Mormonism and the Internet” conference held at Utah Valley University, John Dehlin, Scott Gordon (of the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research or FAIR) and Rosemary Avance discuss LDS disaffection and apologetics. John’s “Why Mormons Question” presentation with visuals: Part 1 – John Dehlin, Scott Gordon, Rosemary Avance: Part 2 – Panel Discussion:
In this episode Grant Palmer, author of “An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins,” returns to Mormon Stories to discuss: Sexual allegations made against Joseph Smith during his early years The story of William and Jane Law, and An update on Grant’s resignation from the LDS church Warning: The material on this podcast is very sensitive and will likely be considered offensive by traditional LDS church believers. Please do not listen if your faith is tender, or if you are seeking to avoid any critical discussion of Joseph Smith or the LDS church. Finally, to listen to our original interview with…
In this episode we interview John and Brooke McLay. John served for 14 years as an employee of the LDS Church Education System (CES). In this capacity he served as: a seminary teacher and principal, an institute teacher and director, a BYU Education Week speaker and an EFY Director. John also served as a member of a stake high council, and was serving in a bishopric during the months leading up to his decision to leave the LDS Church. John and Brooke resigned their membership of the LDS Church in August of 2011. This is their story. Part 1: Growing…
Today we spend two good hours with author and scholar Jana Reiss. Jana is the author/editor of nine books, including: Mormonism for Dummies and What Would Buffy Do? Jana is a convert to the LDS Church, and also has a Ph.D. from Columbia University. In this episode Jana discusses: her early years being raised by secular parents, her conversion to God/Christianity, and her ultimate conversion to Mormonism. We also discuss with Jana her new book, “Flunking Sainthood.”
Terryl Givens did graduate work at Cornell University in Intellectual History and UNC Chapel Hill where he received his PhD in Comparative Literature. He holds the James A. Bostwick chair of English, and is Professor of Literature and Religion at the University of Richmond, where he teaches courses in 19th century studies, and the Bible’s influence on western literature. As a commentator on Mormon religion and culture, he has appeared on PBS, NPR, and CNN. Author of ten books, his writing has been praised by the New York Times as “provocative reading,” and includes, most recently, When Souls had Wings,…
On August 12th, 2011 Mormon Stories held an event in honor and celebration of Mormon Historian D. Michael Quinn. Michael Quinn is undoubtedly one of the most important historical figures in 20th and 21st century Mormonism. Michael Quinn has a Ph.D. in history from Yale University and worked as an LDS church historian (under Davis Bitton and Leonard Arrington) and as a BYU history professor for many years. Several of his books, including The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power, and Early Mormonism and the Magical World View have literally changed the face of Mormon…
Daniel C. Peterson is a professor of Islamic Studies and Arabic in the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages at Brigham Young University and currently serves as editor-in-chief of BYU’s Middle Eastern Texts Initiative. He is a member of the executive council of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship at Brigham Young University. Peterson is known for his work as an apologist and scholar on subjects dealing with claims of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon), of which he is a member. He has served as the editor of the FARMS Review, a periodical…
This episode is a rebroadcast from the 1995 Salt Lake Sunstone Symposium. Entitled, “The Church Years: Michael Quinn, History, and the Mormon World View,” it includes Dr. Martha Sonntag Bradley interviewing D. Michael Quinn about his life as a Mormon church historian.
On June 11, 2011, members of the Mormon Stories community held their 2nd regional conference in Salt Lake City. In this keynote address entitled “Mormon Identity in the 21st Century: Claiming and Belonging”, professor and author Joanna Brooks explores a more expansive vision for Mormon identity. Introduction by Anne McMullin Peffer. Music by Holly Anderson Robbins.
On June 11, 2011, members of the Mormon Stories community held their 2nd regional conference in Salt Lake City. In this welcoming address, Anne McMullin Peffer explains the purposes of the Mormon Stories conferences and reads a preliminary draft of a “shared values statement” that attempts to specify the values uncorrelated Mormons hold in common. Then, in a keynote address entitled “No More US and THEM”, author, poet and playwright Carol Lynn Pearson discusses her vision for a more inclusive Mormonism.
In this episode Andrew Ainsworth interviews Phil McLemore to discuss his own spiritual transformation through meditation & the Hindu yogic tradition. Part 1: Phil McLemore’s conversion to Mormonism & spiritual transformation through meditation Part 2: How to meditate and why you should; Mantras in Mormon culture Part 3: Mormon Mantras & The Yoga of Christ Part 4: The Yoga of Christ continued A big thanks to Richard Holdman for his audio production support in this podcast.
In this 5-part series, Brian Johnston (StayLDS.com) interviews Jared Anderson. Jared is finishing his Ph.D. in Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, focusing on the Gospels and New Testament. Jared received an Honors Bachelor of Arts from the University of Utah, where he majored in Middle Eastern Studies with an emphasis in Hebrew, as well as learning Greek and Latin under Margaret Toscano. His honors thesis explored Joseph Smith’s study and use of languages.After graduating Magna cum Laude at the U of U, Jared completed his Master’s degree at UNC Chapel Hill with a thesis…
In this 4-part series we interview Dan Wotherspoon. Dan has a Ph.D. in religion from the Claremont Graduate School, and was Director of the Sunstone Education Foundation and Editor of Sunstone magazine for eight years, and he now serves on its board of directors. In this interview, Dan discusses his early experiences with the LDS church, his early stumbles before his mission, the various crises of faith he experienced during his graduate studies and beyond, and the various perspectives he has gained that have allowed him to put his faith back together again in such a way that he is…
In this episode, John Dehlin interviews one of his former professors and mentors, Dr. William Bradshaw, on a wide variety of topics. Dr. Bradshaw has just recently retired from a rich and fulfilling career as a molecular biology professor at BYU in which he influenced thousands of students to continually be open to the best thinking of the sciences while still nurturing a robust, mature faith and spiritual life. Many report Dr. Bradshaw’s classes and their various interactions with him as pivotal to their finding a way to value the wisdom generated in both their heads and their hearts. In…
Please support Richard’s lastest film Triptych by donating here, and by purchasing his DVD collection here. Richard Dutcher burst into Mormon cultural consciousness ten years ago with the release of his independent film hit, God’s Army. During the ensuing decade, he has remained an intriguing figure to many Latter-day Saints, not only because of the high quality of the films he has continued to make, but also because of his public distancing himself from “Mormon cinema,” a film genre launched primarily because of his successes, as well as his more private (yet also public) distancing himself from the LDS Church and…
