For the inaugural episode of the new “A Thoughtful Faith” podcast, Micah Nickolaisen
interviews Greg Prince. Greg is well known for his historical contributions and grassroots activism within the LDS Church, and is an advocate for better curriculum, scholarship, gender equality, and open dialogue within Mormon discourse and church policy. Greg sits on the board of directors for Dialogue Foundation, as well as the Madison House Autism Foundation.
In this interview, Greg and Micah discuss:
- Dialogue, one of Mormondom’s oldest and most controversial publications, and what role it will continue to play in the Internet Age
- The contributions of Chieko Okasaki
- Women and the priesthood
- What practical solutions are available today to affect positive change in Mormon gender equality
- Greg’s role models
- How we should take ownership of the future of Mormonism
- Greg’s admonitions, which range from influencing curriculum, creating better scholarship, and how to navigate the political intrigue of church service
- Greg’s newest project, the Madison House Autism Foundation (MHAF), which he and his wife JaLynn co-founded in 2009
Links:
Greg Prince’s Manifesto Speech
Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
9 Responses
This idea that Romney needs to address all the non-progressive church policies and explain how he won’t model his presidency after those policies… well… it sounds to me like a horrible idea. If most Americans don’t know much about Mormons, why open the conversation by highlighting the church’s supposed shortcomings? Then again, when I listen to Greg Prince talk about social issues, why do I get the idea he doesn’t really want ANY Republican to be elected president anyway?
I am curious why Greg compared looking into disturbing Mormon issues to a moth getting too close to a flame. What does he think will happen if someone chooses to leave the church? Does Greg believe that person will forgo real blessings in the eternities? Or does he mainly just feel a general sense of loss because someone is leaving the group, much the same way remaining members of any group would feel when someone leaves?
I don’t know if Greg will get on to respond to comments. But I have met him several times, and perhaps have a feel for his perspective.
I think he acknowledges there are very real and serious problems to be faced within the realm of “disturbing Mormon issues.” He seems like a very practical and down-to-earth man. That analogy jumped out at me too when I was listening to the interview.
I would guess he was thinking more of the latter — that it is a real loss when our religious community fails to address these things leaving people open to disappointment and loss of faith. I think sometimes we can get so wrapped up in the disappointment and hurt, that it does in fact burn us in a way. The anger is justified … but at some point we have to find a way, some acceptance or closure, or else it begins to eat us up.
Thanks for a very good interview. The LDS church could do with many more individuals like Brother Prince. I would like to just mention one thing that rubbed me the wrong way, and that is his reference to some individuals who encounter the “real” history of the church “not knowing how to handle it” and “blowing up.” That seems a little judgmental in that anyone who lands outside the church must have come to the wrong conclusion, or must have been weak in some way. If they simply “knew how to handle it,”then all would have been well. As John Dehlin has pointed out many times, fair minded individuals can and will decide, based on the new information, that the church just isn’t what it claims. While I understand Bro Prince’s desire to build up the church and strengthen membership in it, why alienate those who may be on the fringe with that choice of words?
I’m starting to see this reaction among more progressive LDS quite often, including Terryl Givens. They assume that people leave because they were shocked and overreacted by the discovered information. It’s better than the trite charge that those who leave were “offended” or wanted to sin, but it still doesn’t acknowledge the many sensible people who (while perhaps experiencing some initial shock) examined the evidence dispassionatly over many months/years and no longer found the Church credible.
I am basically never bored by LDS services….there must be something wrong with me.
I assure you, there is.
Why would there be something wrong with you? Maybe you’re just different than people who often find LDS services boring. There is quite a bit of variation in us humans.
Greg Prince is so intelligent, congenial, and I love his thoughtful, understanding approach to Mormonism. I agree that ordination of women is too big of a fight (for now), whereas increasing women’s ‘voice’ seems to be a doable goal that would not require large structural changes.