Mormon Matters show

Mormon Matters

Summary: Mormon Matters is a weekly podcast exploring Mormon current events, pop culture, politics and spirituality.

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Podcasts:

 241: Jesus Christ within Mormonism, Part 3 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 57:24

We Latter-day Saints "talk of Christ . . . rejoice in Christ . . . preach of Christ . . . prophesy of Christ . . . and write of Christ, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25:26). But have we always been consistent in our understanding of Christ? What are the evolutions in thought about Christ that we have undergone in the nearly two centuries since the church’s founding? How did earlier Latter-day Saints understand certain terms in ways that are different from today’s views? We Mormons also speak regularly of the importance of "coming unto Christ," "taking his name upon us," "standing as a witness for Christ," and "becoming perfect in Christ." What do we mean by these terms? Do they have multiple layers that can reveal great richness when we examine them deeply? In this five-part episode, Charley Harrell, Jody England Hansen, and Phil McLemore join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon in an extensive dive in both doctrinal and devotional aspects related to our Christian beliefs and experiences.

 240: Jesus Christ within Mormonism, Part 2 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 55:12

We Latter-day Saints "talk of Christ . . . rejoice in Christ . . . preach of Christ . . . prophesy of Christ . . . and write of Christ, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25:26). But have we always been consistent in our understanding of Christ? What are the evolutions in thought about Christ that we have undergone in the nearly two centuries since the church’s founding? How did earlier Latter-day Saints understand certain terms in ways that are different from today’s views? We Mormons also speak regularly of the importance of "coming unto Christ," "taking his name upon us," "standing as a witness for Christ," and "becoming perfect in Christ." What do we mean by these terms? Do they have multiple layers that can reveal great richness when we examine them deeply? In this five-part episode, Charley Harrell, Jody England Hansen, and Phil McLemore join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon in an extensive dive in both doctrinal and devotional aspects related to our Christian beliefs and experiences.

 239: Jesus Christ within Mormonism, Part 1 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:29:59

We Latter-day Saints "talk of Christ . . . rejoice in Christ . . . preach of Christ . . . prophesy of Christ . . . and write of Christ, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25:26). But have we always been consistent in our understanding of Christ? What are the evolutions in thought about Christ that we have undergone in the nearly two centuries since the church’s founding? How did earlier Latter-day Saints understand certain terms in ways that are different from today’s views? We Mormons also speak regularly of the importance of "coming unto Christ," "taking his name upon us," "standing as a witness for Christ," and "becoming perfect in Christ." What do we mean by these terms? Do they have multiple layers that can reveal great richness when we examine them deeply? In this five-part episode, Charley Harrell, Jody England Hansen, and Phil McLemore join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon in an extensive dive in both doctrinal and devotional aspects related to our Christian beliefs and experiences.

 238: Hope and Healing in the Face of LDS Current Events, Part 2 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:01:47

As we in the LDS Bloggernacle continue to process and strive for healing and renewed hope during this time of unease and pain caused by the recent excommunication of Kate Kelly and pending disciplinary decisions for John Dehlin and several other public Mormon voices, it is important to hear helpful framings from experienced and wise friends. Moderated by Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon, this episode features a conversation between Natasha Helfer Parker, Ronda Callister, Chelsea Shields Strayer, and Maxine Hanks. Our thanks to the Faith Again study group in Salt Lake City for the impetus to bring this panel together.

 237: Hope and Healing in the Face of LDS Current Events, Part 1 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:32:56

As we in the LDS Bloggernacle continue to process and strive for healing and renewed hope during this time of unease and pain caused by the recent excommunication of Kate Kelly and pending disciplinary decisions for John Dehlin and several other public Mormon voices, it is important to hear helpful framings from experienced and wise friends. Moderated by Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon, this episode features a conversation between Natasha Helfer Parker, Ronda Callister, Chelsea Shields Strayer, and Maxine Hanks. Our thanks to the Faith Again study group in Salt Lake City for the impetus to bring this panel together.

 236: Encountering Other Traditions, Part 1: Freemasonry | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2:09:20

Mormon Matters is launching a new series that focuses on Latter-day Saints who, in addition to their Mormonism, are intimately familiar with another religion or philosophical tradition and whose spirituality has grown through that encounter. In this first episode of the series, Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon engages four LDS Freemasons: Patrick McLeary, Lorenzo (Lon) Tibbetts, Joe Swick, and George Miller. Why did they become Masons? Given the history of sometimes difficult relationship between Mormons and Masons, and also certain LDS cultural pressures that tell us that Mormonism should be able to serve all our spiritual and social needs, did they have any spiritual qualms about joining? What has their Mormonism alerted them to as they bring their LDS backgrounds into their Masonic experiences? And, even more pertinent to this series about the mutual enhancement that can occur when we bring two traditions into close encounter, what is it about the rituals, teachings, and social life of Freemasonry that enhances their LDS spiritual life, their understandings about Mormon rituals and Joseph Smith’s "project"? This is a marvelous discussion. It’s fascinating to learn a bit about Freemasonry, but even more wonderful to spend time with these brilliant, well-spoken, and deeply spiritual men. A great series kick-off!

 235: Perspectives on News of Possible Excommunications of LDS Activists, Part 5 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 50:08

June 11 brought news that Kate Kelly, founder of Ordain Women, and John Dehlin, prominent public LDS voice through Mormon Stories and other podcasts and venues, have been called to face church disciplinary councils for "apostasy," as evidenced through their activism and public expressions of concern over various issues facing today's Mormonism. This episode is one in a series of short interviews of leading voices in online and public Mormonism conducted on June 12th by Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon.

 234: Perspectives on News of Possible Excommunications of LDS Activists, Part 4 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 22:27

June 11 brought news that Kate Kelly, founder of Ordain Women, and John Dehlin, prominent public LDS voice through Mormon Stories and other podcasts and venues, have been called to face church disciplinary councils for "apostasy," as evidenced through their activism and public expressions of concern over various issues facing today's Mormonism. This episode is one in a series of short interviews of leading voices in online and public Mormonism conducted on June 12th by Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon.

 233: Perspectives on News of Possible Excommunications of LDS Activists, Part 3 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 24:24

June 11 brought news that Kate Kelly, founder of Ordain Women, and John Dehlin, prominent public LDS voice through Mormon Stories and other podcasts and venues, have been called to face church disciplinary councils for "apostasy," as evidenced through their activism and public expressions of concern over various issues facing today's Mormonism. This episode is one in a series of short interviews of leading voices in online and public Mormonism conducted on June 12th by Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon.

 232: Perspectives on News of Possible Excommunications of LDS Activists, Part 2 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 29:29

June 11 brought news that Kate Kelly, founder of Ordain Women, and John Dehlin, prominent public LDS voice through Mormon Stories and other podcasts and venues, have been called to face church disciplinary councils for "apostasy," as evidenced through their activism and public expressions of concern over various issues facing today's Mormonism. This episode is one in a series of short interviews of leading voices in online and public Mormonism conducted on June 12th by Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon.

 231: Perspectives on News of Possible Excommunications of LDS Activists, Part 1 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 29:07

June 11 brought news that Kate Kelly, founder of Ordain Women, and John Dehlin, prominent public LDS voice through Mormon Stories and other podcasts and venues, have been called to face church disciplinary councils for "apostasy," as evidenced through their activism and public expressions of concern over various issues facing today's Mormonism. This episode is one in a series of short interviews of leading voices in online and public Mormonism conducted on June 12th by Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon.

 230: The Mormon God | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:56:28

Mormons have some quite distinctive views of God, but do most Mormons realize it? In almost every theological area, ranging from the nature of God as Creator (creating "from nothing" or as organizer of eternal element?) to the four major "omnis"--omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, and omnipresent--Mormons have a take that is sometimes quite different from traditional Judeo-Christian theism. Yet, even though Mormon theology takes these angles, we often find them seemingly forgotten by those "in the pews." Other than when speaking about Mormonism's minority position among Christians that God has a tangible body, most Latter-day Saints sound more like mainstream Christians when speaking about God’s power and foreknowledge and the nature of eternity than they do Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, the Pratt brothers, and most Mormon theologians. Why? And would it be to their (and the wider community’s) benefit if we showed more consistency in the theological positions that we discuss? In this episode, panelists Charley Harrell, Jim McLachlan, and Lorie Winder Stromberg join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon for a big discussion of Mormonism’s God. The focus ends up on the subjects mentioned above, moving the topic of God’s physical embodiment, including being gendered, to a future discussion.

 229: Mapping LDS Faith Transitions (with Help from James Fowler), Part 2 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:15:42

Many Mormon Matters listeners find their way to the podcast and other online communities and discussion groups because they recognize that they are experiencing some kind of "faith transition," a re-orienting in their relationships with life’s fundamental questions, powers, and values. Often, however, this transition feel to us much more like a crisis. Would things get any easier for us if we knew that this time of upheaval and process of trying to find new, firmer grounding was normal--even healthy? That this difficult journey toward new orientation isn’t exclusive to Latter-day Saints or even to just religious people, but to all human beings? With the 1981 publication of Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning, James W. Fowler and his team of researchers presented a road map of sorts for faith transitioning, a descriptive schema that places "faith" (our way of making sense of life, of engaging transcendent values and meaning) alongside other areas of human development (and their models). As they encounter this schema, many people undergoing faith transitions find hope that if they don't turn away from the difficulties and pain, they will emerge into new and richer perspectives and sense of peace in the face of all of life’s complexities. Guest hosted by Katie Langston, this episode features Mormon Matters’ usual host, Dan Wotherspoon, and social psychologist and therapist Marybeth Raynes describing the various stages that Fowler outlines, while also applying them to LDS faith transitioning, including their own life stories. The "stages of faith" model has been mentioned many times in past episodes. It’s about time they receive direct attention!

 228: Mapping LDS Faith Transitions (with Help from James Fowler), Part 1 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:16:21

Many Mormon Matters listeners find their way to the podcast and other online communities and discussion groups because they recognize that they are experiencing some kind of "faith transition," a re-orienting in their relationships with life’s fundamental questions, powers, and values. Often, however, this transition feel to us much more like a crisis. Would things get any easier for us if we knew that this time of upheaval and process of trying to find new, firmer grounding was normal--even healthy? That this difficult journey toward new orientation isn’t exclusive to Latter-day Saints or even to just religious people, but to all human beings? With the 1981 publication of Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning, James W. Fowler and his team of researchers presented a road map of sorts for faith transitioning, a descriptive schema that places "faith" (our way of making sense of life, of engaging transcendent values and meaning) alongside other areas of human development (and their models). As they encounter this schema, many people undergoing faith transitions find hope that if they don't turn away from the difficulties and pain, they will emerge into new and richer perspectives and sense of peace in the face of all of life’s complexities. Guest hosted by Katie Langston, this episode features Mormon Matters’ usual host, Dan Wotherspoon, and social psychologist and therapist Marybeth Raynes describing the various stages that Fowler outlines, while also applying them to LDS faith transitioning, including their own life stories. The "stages of faith" model has been mentioned many times in past episodes. It’s about time they receive direct attention!

 227: "Living" Stories | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:59:45

In this episode, philosopher-theologian Adam Miller and narrative studies specialist Stephen Carter join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon to explore the many and varied ways we live within, think from, are shaped by, and are both aided and hindered by "stories." The depth at which our lives are impacted by narratives--about what the world is like, about ourselves, our lives, our hopes and deepest desires, about God or the universe’s biggest forces--is staggering. Plus, and here is where it gets interesting, messy, and sometimes frightening, our stories change. Sometimes we fight these changes, trying to pigeon-hole into pre-packaged worldviews and narratives everything that life in all its complexity is attempting to show us. When we do so, we fail to live fully, to be vital. Sometimes Mormonism, if we give into certain cultural forces, seems to distract us from seeing this failure, from realizing our stagnation. But does it also have elements that focus our attention directly to the importance of living out of big stories that are intended to always yield to even richer vistas and more profound embodiments? We cannot escape stories. They provide many of the fundamental lenses through which we see and function in the world. But can we break free from the negative aspects of these narratives? Can we, and how do we, develop a love for the life-giving dynamic of letting life constantly call into question our stories and exploring our way into new ones? The participants in this conversation believe we can, and they share their experiences with "living" stories--Mormon ones, and others.

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