Mormon Stories Podcast

Levi Peterson is one of the most important LDS authors of the 20th century. His book entitled"The Backslider" is perhaps the most important piece of Mormon fiction ever written. This is his story.

Levi Peterson is one of the most important LDS authors of the 20th century. His book entitled"The Backslider" is perhaps the most important piece of Mormon fiction ever written. This is his story.

In September of 1993, 6 Mormon"intellectuals" were disciplined by the LDS church: 5 of them excommunicated, and 1 of them dis-fellowshipped. Perhaps the most strident and controversial of the 6 was Paul Toscano. This is his story.

In this episode, Martha Sontagg Bradley, author of Pedestals and Podiums Utah Women, Religious Authority, and Equal Rights -- discusses her research into the LDS church's opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment. Most LDS historians and feminists credit this amazing series of events as the major impetus for the Mormon feminist activism that emerged in the 1980s and early 1990s. We hope you enjoy Martha's version of the story.

Margaret Merrill Toscano is one of the most prominent and controversial feminists in the LDS church. In this episode we discuss her early years growing up in Arizona as a faithful but questioning Latter-Day Saint, including her time at BYU as a student.

Today it is time to hear from one of the foremost voices on Women's Issues within Mormonism: Dr. Claudia Bushman. Dr. Bushman is a historian by training, and has taught at Columbia University for many years. She is the author of several books and articles, including:"Mormon Sisters: Women of Early Utah" and"Mormon Domestic Life in the 1870s: Pandemonium or Acadia". Perhaps most significantly, Dr. Bushman is one of the founders of Exponent II, a Boston-based magazine and now blog focused on feminism and women's issues within Mormonism. In this interview with Dr. Bushman, we learn what she means when she describes herself as a Mormon Feminist. She also recounts her involvement in the formation of Exponent II, as well as in the broader area of women's issues in the LDS church. To conclude, Dr. Bushman discusses her views on the critical role of women in the church today -- and how we, as a church, might work to better accommodate, and better utilize women in the 21st century.