One fine July Sunday in Relief Society, Deja Earley was asked to share a story about her Mormon ancestors. Her story did not go down well. In this episode, Deja tries to come to terms with her polygamous forebears.

E171: The Movie that Turns Easter on its Head.

30 days ago

Testimony meeting would be a terrible place for Stephen Carter to talk about the movie that finally made him feel a connection to the atonement. Hint: It has connections to Lord of the Rings, Avatar, and Run Lola Run.

E170: The Weird New Atonement Theory You Can’t Talk About in Sunday School.

Mar 4th, 2024

The Atonement is all about suffering. Or is it? In this episode, Stephen Carter stumbles across a new atonement theory that would stop any Sunday school lesson in its tracks. Yet, it fits perfectly into the Plan of Salvation.

E169: Where Do We Go From Here? Part II

Feb 28th, 2024

In Part II of Gregory Prince's article, he explores what he thinks the LDS Church has done right and what kinds of changes both it and its members will need to go through to meet current and future challenges.

E168: Where Do We Go From Here? Part I.

Feb 25th, 2024

Gregory A. Prince has been watching the LDS Church for 75 years. And it has changed. A lot. Some changes have been constructive; some have been devastating. What does Prince see as the best way forward from where we are now? What will this path

E167: Why I Stay.

Jan 29th, 2024

Carol Lynn Pearson is known for her long-standing advocacy for the LGBT community in the LDS Church. This episode presents her thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of the Church, and why she continues to engage with it.

E166: What Makes the True Believer Tick?

Jan 8th, 2024

Using Eric Hoffer's book "The True Believer," Stephen Carter explores how Mormonism became a mass movement and the surprising way its cycle is playing out today.

E165: His Eye Is on the Sparrow.

Dec 11th, 2023

The New Testament is full of healing stories. But in real life, not so much. Dana Haight Cattani talks about her struggle with cancer.

E164: In the Mountains, No One Can Hear You Swear.

Dec 5th, 2023

After a tour of the Orem Temple's art with Stephen Carter, Michael Stubbs talks about how difficult it is for him to find God in nature—even when hiking with a bunch of rowdy Young Men!

E163: Nephite Treasure in the Mountains: Utah County’s “Dream Mine.”

Nov 22nd, 2023

Treasure digging did not stop with Joseph Smith. In this episode, Kevin Cantera tells us about John Koyle, a Mormon visionary who started a mine that he said would lead to caverns filled with Nephite gold.

E162: In the Garden God Hath Planted: Remembering Lavina Fielding Anderson

Nov 13th, 2023

This episode honors the life, thought, and spirit of Lavina Fielding Anderson with one of her best Sunstone articles: "In the Garden God Hath Planted: Explorations Toward a Maturing Faith."

E161: How the Barbie Movie Rewrites the Faith Crisis Script.

Oct 30th, 2023

Are you a Barbie, a Ken, or a Gloria? Stephen Carter, who watched the Barbie movie five times in the theaters, argues that these three characters typify some of the most common faith crises in the LDS Church. And that they show us how to look a

E160: The Plan of Saw-vation: What the Movie “Saw” Reveals about What Truly Terrifies Mormons.

Oct 18th, 2023

As the old Primary song goes, "I'm trying to be like Jigsaw." In this episode, Stephen Carter explores the peculiar reason why so many Mormons are afraid to die.

E159: Why the Heck Don’t Mormons Swear?

Oct 9th, 2023

Jana Riess grew up in a household where swearing was the norm. And she wonders if bringing a little of that spice over to our religious devotions might not kick things up a notch.

E158: How to Listen to a Man: And Other Things I Learned from “Fascinating Womanhood.”

Oct 2nd, 2023

Buckle up as Stephen Carter takes you on a ride through Mormonism's most popular, and notorious, marriage manual on its 60th anniversary.

E157: The Excommunication of Charles William Kingston.

Sep 19th, 2023

How did the one of richest Mormon polygamous groups get its start? With one man, Charles William Kingston. In this episode, his great-grandson, Charles Elden Kingston, tells his story.

E156: Should We Save the Provo Temple?

Sep 12th, 2023

Yes, the mothership temple of Utah County has been the butt of many jokes. But what will we lose if the LDS Church goes ahead with its renovation of the Provo Temple? Alan Barnett reveals surprising architectural aspects of the Provo and Ogden

E155: Are There Jokes in Heaven? Are They Better than General Conference Jokes?

Sep 1st, 2023

Our intuition tells us that there must be humor in heaven, but the D&C has specific injunctions against laughter. Using theories of humor and stories from the Bible, Stephen Carter tries to figure out what kind of jokes gods make. And if they'r

E154: Passive-aggression Among the Latter-day Saints

Aug 23rd, 2023

When Michael Stevens started teaching university courses in Utah, he noticed that passive-aggressive behavior was significantly higher there than at the midwestern universities he had taught at. His studies revealed that the behavior was highes

E153: Jesus Christ (Almost) Visits the Mormons.

Aug 16th, 2023

Would Jesus pass muster to visit an LDS ward? Ryan Shoemaker doesn't think so. But for reasons that have more to do with Whole Foods than the whole gospel. Episode includes bonus scripture from Jake Christensen.

E152: Saving the Good Ship Zion by Leaving It.

Jul 10th, 2023

The story goes that anyone who leaves the Good Ship Zion comes back all wet and half drowned. But in this episode, Stephen Carter argues that this is short-sighted, and that a journey away from the ship may actually be the best way to save both

E151: Jesus, John Wayne, and Captain Moroni: How Mormonism Became Evangelical.

Jul 3rd, 2023

Mormonism used to pride itself on how different it was from other Christian sects. But it has since become part and parcel of the Evangelical movement. How did this happen? In this episode, Stephen Carter looks at recent LDS history through Kri

E150: A Pride Month Sermon.

Jun 26th, 2023

Walking into the forest means walking into the unknown. Reverend Patty Willis has done so many times in her life, and is about to do it again.

E149: How the Proclamation on the Family Could Include Transgender People.

Jun 15th, 2023

When the Proclamation on the Family says "gender," what does it mean? Ted Lee makes a case that using the academic, rather than colloquial, definition of gender opens the way to fitting transgender people into the Plan of Salvation.

E148: What Would Socrates Think of LGBTQ Issues if He Were Mormon?

Jun 9th, 2023

In these two hilarious and compelling dialogues by Theric Jepson, Mormon Socrates explores the theology behind transgender people and reproductive rights.