Mormon Stories Podcast

D. Michael Quinn is one of the most important Mormon historians of the 20th century. In this episode John Dehlin interviews D. Michael Quinn.

Eugene England (1933–2001) was one of the founders and great leaders in Mormon Studies and independent Mormon discussions. He and four others founded Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, for which he served as its first editor. He was instrumental in the creation of the Association for Mormon Letters, and he is considered the champion of the “personal essay” as a powerful form for Mormon expression. England was a peace activist, whose reflections on having been present in the Vatican during the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II (one of the bullets nicked his hand and left a small burn on his temple as it whizzed past) led him to found “Food for Poland,” a large-scale effort involving students from many college campuses to provide support for the Solidarity movement when it struggling under Polish government crack downs. He was an innovative and highly influential teacher. He revamped “study abroad” programs at both BYU and Utah Valley State College, leading to unparalleled learning experiences for students who traveled with his groups to London. He supported and was an active voice for academic freedom at BYU, championed the rise of Mormon Studies at UVSC, and was an articulate voice and active supporter for nearly every good cause in independent Mormon circles for nearly four decades. More than any of these or many other accomplishments we didn’t name, however, Eugene England was a person of faith and incredible spiritual depth who, along with Leonard Arrington and Lowell Bennion, stands as an example of a committed, faithful life of intellectual and spiritual integrity, maturity, and grace even as he was often misunderstood and under-appreciated. He is important to get to know, and that is the process that this podcast hopes to help start.

Eugene England (1933–2001) was one of the founders and great leaders in Mormon Studies and independent Mormon discussions. He and four others founded Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, for which he served as its first editor. He was instrumental in the creation of the Association for Mormon Letters, and he is considered the champion of the “personal essay” as a powerful form for Mormon expression. England was a peace activist, whose reflections on having been present in the Vatican during the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II (one of the bullets nicked his hand and left a small burn on his temple as it whizzed past) led him to found “Food for Poland,” a large-scale effort involving students from many college campuses to provide support for the Solidarity movement when it struggling under Polish government crack downs. He was an innovative and highly influential teacher. He revamped “study abroad” programs at both BYU and Utah Valley State College, leading to unparalleled learning experiences for students who traveled with his groups to London. He supported and was an active voice for academic freedom at BYU, championed the rise of Mormon Studies at UVSC, and was an articulate voice and active supporter for nearly every good cause in independent Mormon circles for nearly four decades. More than any of these or many other accomplishments we didn’t name, however, Eugene England was a person of faith and incredible spiritual depth who, along with Leonard Arrington and Lowell Bennion, stands as an example of a committed, faithful life of intellectual and spiritual integrity, maturity, and grace even as he was often misunderstood and under-appreciated. He is important to get to know, and that is the process that this podcast hopes to help start.

Eugene England (1933–2001) was one of the founders and great leaders in Mormon Studies and independent Mormon discussions. He and four others founded Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, for which he served as its first editor. He was instrumental in the creation of the Association for Mormon Letters, and he is considered the champion of the “personal essay” as a powerful form for Mormon expression. England was a peace activist, whose reflections on having been present in the Vatican during the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II (one of the bullets nicked his hand and left a small burn on his temple as it whizzed past) led him to found “Food for Poland,” a large-scale effort involving students from many college campuses to provide support for the Solidarity movement when it struggling under Polish government crack downs. He was an innovative and highly influential teacher. He revamped “study abroad” programs at both BYU and Utah Valley State College, leading to unparalleled learning experiences for students who traveled with his groups to London. He supported and was an active voice for academic freedom at BYU, championed the rise of Mormon Studies at UVSC, and was an articulate voice and active supporter for nearly every good cause in independent Mormon circles for nearly four decades. More than any of these or many other accomplishments we didn’t name, however, Eugene England was a person of faith and incredible spiritual depth who, along with Leonard Arrington and Lowell Bennion, stands as an example of a committed, faithful life of intellectual and spiritual integrity, maturity, and grace even as he was often misunderstood and under-appreciated. He is important to get to know, and that is the process that this podcast hopes to help start.

Eugene England (1933–2001) was one of the founders and great leaders in Mormon Studies and independent Mormon discussions. He and four others founded Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, for which he served as its first editor. He was instrumental in the creation of the Association for Mormon Letters, and he is considered the champion of the “personal essay” as a powerful form for Mormon expression. England was a peace activist, whose reflections on having been present in the Vatican during the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II (one of the bullets nicked his hand and left a small burn on his temple as it whizzed past) led him to found “Food for Poland,” a large-scale effort involving students from many college campuses to provide support for the Solidarity movement when it struggling under Polish government crack downs. He was an innovative and highly influential teacher. He revamped “study abroad” programs at both BYU and Utah Valley State College, leading to unparalleled learning experiences for students who traveled with his groups to London. He supported and was an active voice for academic freedom at BYU, championed the rise of Mormon Studies at UVSC, and was an articulate voice and active supporter for nearly every good cause in independent Mormon circles for nearly four decades. More than any of these or many other accomplishments we didn’t name, however, Eugene England was a person of faith and incredible spiritual depth who, along with Leonard Arrington and Lowell Bennion, stands as an example of a committed, faithful life of intellectual and spiritual integrity, maturity, and grace even as he was often misunderstood and under-appreciated. He is important to get to know, and that is the process that this podcast hopes to help start.

In today’s episode Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife joins Natasha Helfer Parker (the Mormon therapist) and John Dehlin to discuss…..sex: specifically, how to have a better sex life in your Mormon Marriage.

In this episode, Natasha Helfer Parker anonymously interviews a mother/son duo about the unique challenges of experiencing mental illness as an active Mormon family. Mother and son candidly discuss what they went through as she faced a nervous breakdown, comorbidity of several diagnoses, suicidality and her history of sexual abuse during her childhood. Discussion on how their Mormon faith both helped and hindered aspects of their healing is broached as well as thoughts and direction for others who may be facing similar situations.

In this episode, Natasha Helfer Parker anonymously interviews a mother/son duo about the unique challenges of experiencing mental illness as an active Mormon family. Mother and son candidly discuss what they went through as she faced a nervous breakdown, comorbidity of several diagnoses, suicidality and her history of sexual abuse during her childhood. Discussion on how their Mormon faith both helped and hindered aspects of their healing is broached as well as thoughts and direction for others who may be facing similar situations.

In this episode, Natasha Helfer Parker anonymously interviews a mother/son duo about the unique challenges of experiencing mental illness as an active Mormon family. Mother and son candidly discuss what they went through as she faced a nervous breakdown, comorbidity of several diagnoses, suicidality and her history of sexual abuse during her childhood. Discussion on how their Mormon faith both helped and hindered aspects of their healing is broached as well as thoughts and direction for others who may be facing similar situations.

In this episode, Natasha Helfer Parker anonymously interviews a mother/son duo about the unique challenges of experiencing mental illness as an active Mormon family. Mother and son candidly discuss what they went through as she faced a nervous breakdown, comorbidity of several diagnoses, suicidality and her history of sexual abuse during her childhood. Discussion on how their Mormon faith both helped and hindered aspects of their healing is broached as well as thoughts and direction for others who may be facing similar situations.

In this episode, Natasha Helfer Parker anonymously interviews a mother/son duo about the unique challenges of experiencing mental illness as an active Mormon family. Mother and son candidly discuss what they went through as she faced a nervous breakdown, comorbidity of several diagnoses, suicidality and her history of sexual abuse during her childhood. Discussion on how their Mormon faith both helped and hindered aspects of their healing is broached as well as thoughts and direction for others who may be facing similar situations.

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 produced by the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. Peterson is a regular participant in online fora about Mormonism where he discusses the LDS faith and its apologetics.[2] One of his most recent projects has been the development of a website featuring the testimonies of LDS scholars.[3]

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 produced by the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. Peterson is a regular participant in online fora about Mormonism where he discusses the LDS faith and its apologetics.[2] One of his most recent projects has been the development of a website featuring the testimonies of LDS scholars.[3]

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 produced by the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. Peterson is a regular participant in online fora about Mormonism where he discusses the LDS faith and its apologetics.[2] One of his most recent projects has been the development of a website featuring the testimonies of LDS scholars.[3]

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 produced by the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. Peterson is a regular participant in online fora about Mormonism where he discusses the LDS faith and its apologetics.[2] One of his most recent projects has been the development of a website featuring the testimonies of LDS scholars.[3]

Coe is the Charles J. MacCurdy professor emeritus of Anthropology at Yale University and curator emeritus of the Division of Anthropology at the school's Peabody Museum of Natural History. He is an expert on the Maya, who inhabited the same part of Mexico and Central American where Mormon scholars say the events of the Book of Mormon took place. In this interview, Coe discusses the challenges facing Mormon archaeologists attempting to prove the historical truth of their central scripture and his own views on Joseph Smith

Coe is the Charles J. MacCurdy professor emeritus of Anthropology at Yale University and curator emeritus of the Division of Anthropology at the school's Peabody Museum of Natural History. He is an expert on the Maya, who inhabited the same part of Mexico and Central American where Mormon scholars say the events of the Book of Mormon took place. In this interview, Coe discusses the challenges facing Mormon archaeologists attempting to prove the historical truth of their central scripture and his own views on Joseph Smith

Coe is the Charles J. MacCurdy professor emeritus of Anthropology at Yale University and curator emeritus of the Division of Anthropology at the school's Peabody Museum of Natural History. He is an expert on the Maya, who inhabited the same part of Mexico and Central American where Mormon scholars say the events of the Book of Mormon took place. In this interview, Coe discusses the challenges facing Mormon archaeologists attempting to prove the historical truth of their central scripture and his own views on Joseph Smith

A rebroadcast from the 1995 SLC Sunstone Symposium: The Church Years: Michael Quinn, History, and the Mormon World View starring Martha Sonntag Bradley and D. Michael Quinn.

Natasha Helfer Parker interviews J. Seth Anderson and his parents about what it was like for their family when Seth told them he was homosexual. Seth is a community activist and self proclaimed local historian in Phoenix, Arizona. Born in Provo, UT, he grew up in Utah, California and Arizona. He plays piano, is a seminary graduate and served a mission in Samara, Russia. His day job is in ocean transportation and logistics, but the rest of his time is devoted to building community. He is currently working on a book about downtown Phoenix that will be released in November, he writes for the Downtown Phoenix Journal and for his own blog jsethanderson.com about downtown Phoenix history and politics, Mormon history and LGBT issues. He also a co-host of qTalk Arizona, Arizona's only LGBT themed podcast. Seth lives by the motto,"don't dream it, be it."

Kendall Wilcox is a lifelong member of the LDS church, returned missionary, BYU graduate, filmmaker, BYU professor, producer for BYUTV..and he is (now) an openly gay man. This is his story, and below are the links to his 2 new initiatives: 1) Empathy First (a non-profit dedicated to promoting empathy, and 2) his documentary entitled Far Between.

Kendall Wilcox is a lifelong member of the LDS church, returned missionary, BYU graduate, filmmaker, BYU professor, producer for BYUTV..and he is (now) an openly gay man. This is his story, and below are the links to his 2 new initiatives: 1) Empathy First (a non-profit dedicated to promoting empathy, and 2) his documentary entitled Far Between.

On June 11, 2011, members of the Mormon Stories community held their 2nd regional conference in Salt Lake City. After the conference, Comedian Bengt Washburn performed a short routine on Mormonism.

On June 11, 2011, members of the Mormon Stories community held their 2nd regional conference in Salt Lake City. At the close of this conference, attendees were invited to share their testimonies of truth, whether traditional or non-traditional from an LDS perspective.

On June 11, 2011, members of the Mormon Stories community held their 2nd regional conference in Salt Lake City. In this panel presentation entitled Navigating an Open Approach to Mormonism, professors Margaret Toscano and Joanna Brooks, along with Carol Lynn Pearson, Jared Anderson and John Dehlin discuss inclusivity, openness, and an expended approach to Mormon identity, while also fielding practical questions from the audience.

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.

Natasha Helfer Parker interviews Dustin Jones, a black active latter-day saint, about the unique challenges of growing up Mormon as one who has African ancestry. Dustin practices law in Arizona, is married to an interracial woman (Chinese Mexican) and has 4 children.

Natasha Helfer Parker interviews Dustin Jones, a black active latter-day saint, about the unique challenges of growing up Mormon as one who has African ancestry. Dustin practices law in Arizona, is married to an interracial woman (Chinese Mexican) and has 4 children.

Natasha Helfer Parker interviews Dustin Jones, a black active latter-day saint, about the unique challenges of growing up Mormon as one who has African ancestry. Dustin practices law in Arizona, is married to an interracial woman (Chinese Mexican) and has 4 children.

On March 26, 2011 we held our first Mormon Stories regional retreat/conference in New York City. This presentation exploring the future for uncorrelated or non-traditional Mormons was given by John Dehlin.

On March 26, 2011 we held our first Mormon Stories regional retreat/conference in New York City. This presentation on religion and mental health was given by psychologist Dr. David Christian. The title of this presentation was,"Utility vs. Validity: A Practical Approach to Faith-Related Psychological Problems."

On March 26, 2011 we held our first Mormon Stories regional retreat/conference in New York City. The purpose of the event was to explore the possibility of creating regional communities of support for"uncorrelated Mormons." This episode was the introduction to the event.

Based on the success of our recent Mormon Stories Conference in New York City, we have decided to organize several local, Facebook-based communities of support for what we like to call uncorrelated (or intellectual/feminist/gay/politically liberal/inactive/post/ex) Mormons. We have already created 32 groups, and hope to establish a support group for every major city/region in the world. The idea behind each group will be to: 1) foster local, face-to-face communities of support for non-traditional Mormons, and 2) help to encourage healthy/constructive living amongst those for whom the traditional LDS Church experience is not adequate. Note: this is NOT meant to replace the LDS church experience. Instead, it is meant to augment the church experience (for those who still attend), or to provide community support for those who no longer feel comfortable attending church. Some ideas we are hoping to foster include: Monthly local meet-ups Book clubs/study groups Weekly play groups for children Annual youth conferences for teens College groups for Mormon university students (BYU/UVU and USU already created!) A dating service Service projects Annual conferences/retreats Etc. If you are interested in any of this, please check out our existing groups for a group near you. If you would like to start your own local support group, please email us at: mormonstories@gmail.com

In this 2-part discussion, KC Kern (BookofMormonOnline.Net) speaks with Dr. Grant Hardy and his wife Heather Hardy. Grant Hardy is Professor of History and Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He has a B.A. in Ancient Greek from Brigham Young University and Ph.D. in Chinese Language and Literature from Yale. He has authored Worlds of Bronze and Bamboo: Sima Qian’s Conquest of History; The Establishment of the Han Empire and Imperial China; and Understanding the Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Guide, as well as the Introduction for Royal Skousen’s recent Yale edition of the Book of Mormon. He has also edited The Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Edition; Enduring Ties: Poems of Family Relationships; and the Oxford History of Historical Writing. Vol. 1. His 36-lecture DVD/CD course for The Teaching Company entitled “Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition” will be released this summer. Heather Hardy has a BS and an MBA from Brigham Young University (she says the latter seemed like a good idea when Grant was studying Greek; someone was going to have to support the family someday). She worked in university finances at Yale and then as the scholarship coordinator at BYU for a couple of years. She has published articles in Dialogue and the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, but is mostly a full-time reader masquerading as a stay-at-home mother. Grant and Heather have been married for 28 years and have been talking to each other non-stop the whole time. This interview is broken in two parts: Part 1: Introductions, early personal, academic, and scholarly experiences, and approaching the Book of Mormon as world scripture and literature. Part 2: Understanding the Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Guide, thoughts on narrative structures, phraseology, historicity, evidences, anachronisms, Book of Mormon usage in the LDS Church, and on balancing faith and reason.

In this 2-part discussion, KC Kern (BookofMormonOnline.Net) speaks with Dr. Grant Hardy and his wife Heather Hardy. Grant Hardy is Professor of History and Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He has a B.A. in Ancient Greek from Brigham Young University and Ph.D. in Chinese Language and Literature from Yale. He has authored Worlds of Bronze and Bamboo: Sima Qian’s Conquest of History; The Establishment of the Han Empire and Imperial China; and Understanding the Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Guide, as well as the Introduction for Royal Skousen’s recent Yale edition of the Book of Mormon. He has also edited The Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Edition; Enduring Ties: Poems of Family Relationships; and the Oxford History of Historical Writing. Vol. 1. His 36-lecture DVD/CD course for The Teaching Company entitled “Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition” will be released this summer. Heather Hardy has a BS and an MBA from Brigham Young University (she says the latter seemed like a good idea when Grant was studying Greek; someone was going to have to support the family someday). She worked in university finances at Yale and then as the scholarship coordinator at BYU for a couple of years. She has published articles in Dialogue and the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, but is mostly a full-time reader masquerading as a stay-at-home mother. Grant and Heather have been married for 28 years and have been talking to each other non-stop the whole time. This interview is broken in two parts: Part 1: Introductions, early personal, academic, and scholarly experiences, and approaching the Book of Mormon as world scripture and literature. Part 2: Understanding the Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Guide, thoughts on narrative structures, phraseology, historicity, evidences, anachronisms, Book of Mormon usage in the LDS Church, and on balancing faith and reason.

In this episode Andrew Ainsworth interviews Phil McLemore to discuss: 1) his conversion to Mormonism and his spiritual transformation through meditation, 2) How to meditate and why you should; Mantras in Mormon culture, and 3/4) Mormon Mantras and The Yoga of Christ.

In this episode Andrew Ainsworth interviews Phil McLemore to discuss: 1) his conversion to Mormonism and his spiritual transformation through meditation, 2) How to meditate and why you should; Mantras in Mormon culture, and 3/4) Mormon Mantras and The Yoga of Christ.

In this episode Andrew Ainsworth interviews Phil McLemore to discuss: 1) his conversion to Mormonism and his spiritual transformation through meditation, 2) How to meditate and why you should; Mantras in Mormon culture, and 3/4) Mormon Mantras and The Yoga of Christ.

In this episode Andrew Ainsworth interviews Phil McLemore to discuss: 1) his conversion to Mormonism and his spiritual transformation through meditation, 2) How to meditate and why you should; Mantras in Mormon culture, and 3/4) Mormon Mantras and The Yoga of Christ.

In this episode Natasha Parker and John Dehlin interview Dr. Stephanie Buehler -- a prominent sex therapist from California, founder of the the Buehler institute, and author of the book Sex, Love and Mental Illness. Today we discuss pornography, masturbation, sex and marriage within Mormonism.

In this re-launching of Mormon Matters podcast, Dan Wotherspoon leads a panel consisting of Joanna Brooks, Heather Olson Beal and John Dehlin to discuss: 1) sexuality as a single LDS church member, 2) the 5 Browns sexual abuse news, and 3) immigration and the LDS church.

n this 5-part series, Brian Johnston 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.

n this 5-part series, Brian Johnston 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.

n this 5-part series, Brian Johnston 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.

n this 5-part series, Brian Johnston 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.

n this 5-part series, Brian Johnston 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.

In this 4-part series we interview Dan Wotherpoon. Dan has a Ph.D. in religion from Claremont Graduate School, and was Director of the Sunstone Education Foundation and Editor of Sunstone Magazine for eight years. Throughout this interview Dan discusses his early experiences with the LDS church, his crisis of faith, and his re-engagement with the church from a more deep and broad perspective.

In this 4-part series we interview Dan Wotherpoon. Dan has a Ph.D. in religion from Claremont Graduate School, and was Director of the Sunstone Education Foundation and Editor of Sunstone Magazine for eight years. Throughout this interview Dan discusses his early experiences with the LDS church, his crisis of faith, and his re-engagement with the church from a more deep and broad perspective.