Faith Promoting Stories

209-213: Dr. William Bradshaw: A Life of Science, Service, and Compassion.

November 5, 2010

209-213: Dr. William Bradshaw: A Life of Science, Service, and Compassion.

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…

207-208: Dealing With a Husband’s LDS Disaffection as a Believing Wife

October 29, 2010

By Natasha Helfer Parker

207-208: Dealing With a Husband’s LDS Disaffection as a Believing Wife

In this 2-part series, Natasha Helfer Parker, LCMFT (The Mormon Therapist & MormonMatters.org), interviews a faithful, believing LDS church member, Janelle, whose husband became disaffected with the church about 5 years ago. Note: Part 1: Janelle discusses their respective church upbringings, courtship, and finding out about his disaffection. Part 2: Janelle discusses her own coping strategies, how she currently manages the LDS lifestyle within the context of her marriage, and her advice/thoughts for others.

182-185: Navigating a Marriage When One Loses Their LDS Testimony

September 9, 2010

182-185: Navigating a Marriage When One Loses Their LDS Testimony

This 4-part workshop series was recorded during the August 2010 Salt Lake Sunstone Symposium. During the workshop, we explored techniques for navigating a marriage when one in the couple loses their LDS testimony. Supporting the workshop were: Natasha Parker LCMFT — also known as The Mormon Therapist, and Laurie and Dan Gallagher — a mixed-faith couple previously featured on Mormon Stories. You can access Natasha’s handout from the workshop here.

173-177: Carol Lynn Pearson – Mormon Author, Poet, Playwright, Feminist, and Philosopher

August 15, 2010

173-177: Carol Lynn Pearson – Mormon Author, Poet, Playwright, Feminist, and Philosopher

Carol Lynn Pearson is one of the most beloved and successul Mormon authors, poets, and playwrights of all time. A comprehensive listing of her creative works can be found here. Her book “Goodbye, I Love You,” about the death of her gay husband from AIDS, took the world by storm in 1986, landing her on Oprah, Phil Donahue, and many other T.V. programs. Her musical “My Turn on Earth” is one of the most beloved and successful Mormon musicals of all time. Carol Lynn has spent virtually all of her years since “Goodbye, I Love You” as an advocate for…

160-162: Dr. David Bailey on Science and the LDS Church, and How Science Has Strengthened his Faith in God and the Church

June 17, 2010

160-162: Dr. David Bailey on Science and the LDS Church, and How Science Has Strengthened his Faith in God and the Church

Some say that science and religion are at odds. Dr. David Bailey would disagree. Dr. Bailey is a graduate of Stanford University with a Ph.D. in mathematics. He currently works as the Chief Technologist for the Computational Research Department at the prestigious Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He has published three books on computational and experimental mathematics, and has published 136 scientific, peer reviewed journal articles to date. He is a strong believer in the theory of Organic Evolution…. ….and he is also an active, believing member of the LDS Church. Dr. Bailey is also the founder of the “Science Meets Religion”…

143-146: Raising Children in a Non-Traditional LDS Home

April 18, 2010

In this 4-part series I interview 3 super thoughtful, progressive LDS parents who discuss their perspectives on raising children in a non-traditional LDS home. When we say non-traditional in this context, we mean non-literalistic, non-dogmatic, unorthodox, unorthoprax, semi-believing and maybe even non-believing in some cases. Over this 3.5 hour discussion we cover topics like: How to handle difficult primary songs and uncomfortable teachings with small children How to deal with baptism and priesthood ordinations as unorthodox members How to work through issues surrounding the young women and men programs How to “innoculate” your children against unhealthy church teachings and history How…

141-142: Staying in the LDS Church after a Crisis of Faith: StayLDS.com Co-Founder Brian Johnston

April 13, 2010

This is a 2-part interview with Brian Johnston, co-founder of StayLDS.com. In this series Brian discusses staying in the LDS Church after a crisis of faith.

137-138: Edward Kimball, Son of Spencer W. Kimball Parts 1 & 2

March 31, 2010

137-138: Edward Kimball, Son of Spencer W. Kimball Parts 1 & 2

In this 2-part interview (audio and video), I speak with Edward L. Kimball: son of the late LDS Prophet Spencer W. Kimball. Edward Kimball is a retired law professor from Brigham Young University, and author of two biographies on Spencer W. Kimball: Spencer W. Kimball and Lengthen Your Stride, the Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball. Edward has also been an active supporter over the years of both Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought and Sunstone magazine. In this interview, we discuss: What it’s like to grow up the son of an LDS Prophet An intimate look at Edward’s impressions of…

132-134: Karen Armstrong’s “The Case for God” and Mormonism Parts 1-3

March 6, 2010

132-134: Karen Armstrong’s “The Case for God” and Mormonism Parts 1-3

I would like to kick off the inaugural “Mormon Stories Book Club” with our first book: Karen Armstrong’s “The Case for God”. In Part 1, I re-publish Terry Gross’ 2009 Fresh Air interview with Karen Armstrong. Please listen to this episode, buy and read the book this week, and next week we will: In Part 2, John Hamer, J. Nelson Seawright, Joanna Brooks and I lay out Karen Armstrong’s major premises, and analyze them In Part 3, we discuss how Karen Armstrong’s book might or might not apply to Mormonism. John Dehlin

129-131: Feminist Mormon Housewives Founder Lisa Butterworth

March 2, 2010

129-131: Feminist Mormon Housewives Founder Lisa Butterworth

In this 3-part interview I speak with Lisa Butterworth, founder of (perhaps) the most popular blog within the LDS Bloggernacle: FeministMormonHousewives.org. In Part 1, Lisa discusses her early life, how she became a feminist, and what led to her creation of FeministMormonHousewives.com In Part 2, Lisa discusses the importance of open, thoughtful and candid discussions about women’s issues within the church, and on the Internet In Part 3, Lisa discusses the costs and benefits of blogging, provides some final insight and advice to LDS women, along w/ her testimony of the LDS gospel. Music on this episode was provided by…

123-125: What to do when your husband loses his LDS testimony — Jacque Parts 1-3

February 17, 2010

In this series I interview Jacque — a faithful, believing LDS church member whose husband lost his LDS testimony last year. Episode 1: Jacque discusses her husband’s loss of testimony, how they first discussed it, and the lessons she learned from dealing with the immediate aftermath. Episode 2: Jacque discusses the compromises that both her and her husband had to make to work through his loss of faith, and what eternal marriage has come to mean for her. Episode 3: Jacque discusses some of the unexpected blessings that have come to her marriage as a result of her husband’s loss…

Bonus: 2 Mormon Mavericks — William D. Russell and Richard D. Poll

January 7, 2008

I wanted to share with you the testimonies of 2 heroes of mine….one new, and one old. William D. Russell: For over 40 years, William D. Russell has been a progressive voice among the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (now the Community of Christ). This is his story — from a 1993 Sunstone Symposium presentation called, “Pillars of my faith”. Richard D. Poll: In early 1994 the distinguished career of Richard D. Poll, historian, professor, writer, husband and friend, came full circle. His Liahona/Iron-rod dichotomy, borrowed from the Book of Mormon, had entered the lexicon of Mormon…

109: How to Stay in the LDS Church after Losing Your Faith

January 1, 2008

In this seminar (recorded live at the 2007 Northwest Sunstone Symposium in Seattle), I discuss techniques for staying in the LDS church after a major trial of faith. Additional links include: The essay from which I based this presentation. The PowerPoint deck from this presentation. The music used in this presentation (please purchase from the authors if you like) The videos from this presentation

108: The Best Articulation of My Own Mormon Testimony That I’ve Ever Found — Elbert Peck and “Remnants of His Faith”

December 21, 2007

In the 1995 Salt Lake Sunstone symposium, Elbert Peck spoke in the annual “Pillars of my faith” presentation about the “Remnants of his faith.” This presentation represents (to me) the closest thing I’ve ever found to expressing how I now feel about my Mormon faith. I hope some of you will find value in it as well.

101-103: Dr. Ted Lyon on LDS Church Change, Latin American Missions, LDS Membership Statistics, and Thoughtful Faith

December 1, 2007

Dr. Ted Lyon has served as a BYU Professor, LDS Mission President, LDS MTC President, and is currently serving as the LDS temple president in Santiago, Chile. He is both a believing Mormon, and an intellectual. In part 1, he discusses changes in the LDS church during his lifetime. In part 2, he discusses tough lessons learned by the LDS church in Latin America dealing with low quality of baptisms, and retention. He also discusses the importance of reconciling thought with faith. In part 3, he answers questions from the audience, and concludes with his testimony of the truthfulness of…

075: Spirituality of the Rising LDS Generation Pt. 7 — “Conversion”: An interview with University of Utah student Caleb Proulx

October 30, 2007

In part 7 of our series on spirituality and the rising LDS generation, we interview University of Utah student Caleb Proulx. In this interview Caleb discusses many aspects of his faith, including his struggles as an anti-war activist within Mormonism.

073: Spirituality of the Rising LDS Generation Pt. 5 — “Re-evaluation”: An interview with BYU student David Lassetter

October 22, 2007

In part 5 of our series we interview BYU student David Lassetter. David was raised in a home very well-versed in Mormon Studies (Dialogue and Sunstones abounding), and seems to have benefited tremendously therefrom. In this interview, David discusses some of his views on the atonement, evolution, church doctrine, and membership awareness of history and doctrine.

072: Spirituality of the Rising LDS Generation Pt. 4 — “Honesty”: An interview with BYU Professor Chris Foster

October 19, 2007

In part 4 of our series we interview BYU Philosophy Professor Dr. Chris Foster. Dr. Foster was raised a “devout atheist” and then later converted to the LDS Church. In this interview, he discusses his conversion to the church, along with his views on faith, religion, the church, teaching at BYU, and the importance of honesty and openness in all our religious endeavors.

071: Spirituality of the Rising LDS Generation Part 3 — Loyd Ericson on “Estrangement and Reconciliation”

October 17, 2007

In part three of our series on the Spirituality of the Rising LDS Generation, we interview Loyd Ericson — UVSC student of philosophy. In this interview Loyd discusses his estrangement from, and eventual reconciliation w/ the LDS church. He also discusses his views on the LDS church’s approach to public relations and war. For more on Loyd, check out his blog here.

068: Spirituality of the Rising LDS Generation Pt. 1 — “Flexibility”: An interview with John Kovalenko

September 28, 2007

In part one of our series on the Spirituality of the rising LDS generation, we interview John Kovalenko — BYU student, musician, and church believer. John also discusses same sex attraction as a young, believing Mormon and BYU student.

Audio and PowerPoint from my “Staying in the Church After a Crisis of Faith” Sunstone Workshop

August 27, 2007

I have edited down the audio from my recent Sunstone “How to Stay in the Church After a Crisis of Faith” workshop (to remove most of the comments) and have posted it online. It’s not polished or anything, but if anyone would like a copy, please email me directly at: mormonstories@gmail.com

Sunstone Workshop: “Staying in the Church After Becoming Disaffected”

July 16, 2007

From the workshop…. The essay. The audio recording of my August 2007 Sunstone Workshop entitled, “How to stay…” The PowerPoint file from that presentation The audio and video files from that presentation The PDF from my October 2007 Sunstone Workshop entitled, “How to stay…” ========= For those interested, I’m hosting a 3.5 hour workshop on “Staying in the Church After Becoming Disaffected” at the Sunstone Symposium this August. I don’t pretend to be an authority or anything, but I do know that many people who get hit hard w/ church history or culture come to the unfortunate conclusion that leaving…

054: Nate Oman — On Messiness, Harvard, the Bloggernacle, and Thoughtful Faith

February 22, 2007

Chances are, you’ve never heard of Nate Oman. Nevertheless — Nate is a Mormon worth knowing. Born to Sunstone and Dialogue – style parents, Nate was raised to expect “messiness” within both the world, and his Church. After serving an LDS mission in Korea and graduating from BYU, Nate attended Harvard Law School. During law school, Nate became one of the very first Mormon bloggers on the Internet, and is one of the founders of the juggernaut blog “timesandseasons.org” — you might even call Nate Oman the godfather of the Mormon bloggernacle (or the network of Mormon-themed blogs on the…

052: J. Bonner Ritchie—On Organizations, Individuals, and Pillars of Thoughtful Faith

February 16, 2007

052: J. Bonner Ritchie—On Organizations, Individuals, and Pillars of Thoughtful Faith

To keep this podcast alive, please consider donating to Mormon Stories by clicking on the “Make a Donation” button at the top right of this blog. Also, please show Sunstone your gratitude for the following presentation by either subscribing to the magazine, donating, or purchasing some of the MP3s from their library. ============================ A few weeks ago, a very close friend of mine named Russell mailed me a CD full of his favorite Sunstone Symposium MP3s. While several of struck me as profound, one presentation in particular was groundbreaking, and almost breathtaking to me. It was a presentation delivered in…

051: Richard Bushman Part 5 — Final Thoughts (For now)

February 7, 2007

In the 5th and final part of this multi-part interview with Dr. Richard Bushman, the world’s foremost scholar on Joseph Smith and early Mormonism and author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, John Dehlin offers some final thoughts on his time with Brother Bushman, and Dr. Bushman himself provides some final musings on the challenges of dealing with tough Mormon issues. He then concludes with his testimony of Joseph Smith. To access this interview, subscribe via iTunes, or click here to listen to the audio directly. To provide direct feedback to me or to Dr. Bushman about this episode, please…

050: Richard Bushman Part 4 — Book of Mormon Historicity and the 3 and 8 Witnesses

February 4, 2007

In part 4 of this multi-part interview with Dr. Richard Bushman, the world’s foremost scholar on Joseph Smith and early Mormonism and author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, Brother Bushman discusses the historicity of the Book of Mormon, and the credibility of the 3 and 8 witnesses to the Book of Mormon. To access this interview, subscribe via iTunes, or click here to listen to the audio directly.

049: Richard Bushman Part 3 — Joseph Smith and the Translation of the Book of Mormon

February 1, 2007

In part 3 of this multi-part interview with Dr. Richard Bushman, the world’s foremost scholar on Joseph Smith and early Mormonism and author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, Brother Bushman discusses Joseph Smith’s bringing to light of the Book of Mormon, from angel Moroni’s visit, to the obtaining of the plates, to the actual mechanics of the translation process. He also discusses the process of receiving revelation within Mormonism, as a Patriarch in the LDS Church. To access this interview, subscribe via iTunes, or click here to listen to the audio directly.

048: Richard Bushman Part 2 — The Art of History, Joseph Smith’s First Vision Stories, and Joseph’s Participation in Folk Magic and Treasure Digging

January 25, 2007

In part 2 of this multi-part interview with Dr. Richard Bushman, the world’s foremost scholar on Joseph Smith and early Mormonism and author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, we tackle 4 main topics. First, brother Bushman provides a high level review of the major Joseph Smith biographies that preceded Rough Stone Rolling, including Fawn Brodie’s “No man knows my history.” Next, brother Bushman discusses the art of writing history, and the challenges involved in trying to arrive at “the facts” and “the truth” for both historians, and readers of history. Finally, we discuss in depth the first 2 of…

047: Richard Bushman Part 1 — Experiences as a Mormon Historian

January 22, 2007

047: Richard Bushman Part 1 — Experiences as a Mormon Historian

In part 1 of this multi-part interview, Dr. Richard Bushman, the world’s foremost scholar on Joseph Smith and early Mormonism and the author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, discusses his years as a Mormon historian–including his struggle with faith as a Harvard undergraduate, his decision to get a PhD in history, and his experiences with Leonard Arrington, Dialogue and Sunstone. He also discusses the role of candid, honest history within the modern LDS Church. To access this interview, subscribe via iTunes, or click here to listen to the audio directly. =================== As a side note, I’m simultaneously elated and…

039: Lowell Bennion–Mormon educator and humanitarian–through the eyes of Mary Lythgoe Bradford (An interview by Stirling Adams)

January 4, 2007

To keep this podcast alive, please consider donating to Mormon Stories by clicking on the “Make a Donation” button at the top right of this blog. Lowell Bennion is without a doubt one of the most important Mormon figures in the 20th century. Along with T. Edgar Lyon, Lowell Bennion founded the University of Utah LDS Institute, and taught and inspired many of the great Mormon minds of the 20th century, including Eugene England, and many of the founders of Dialogue and Sunstone. Lowell Bennion was also commissioned to author several Sunday school and priesthood manuals for the church in…

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