Face in Hat

We are so pleased to have Matt, Berkeley Ward Bishop from 2008-2013 on our show today!  Today’s chapter of American Zion, Showtime, 1995-2012, covers an important part of our Ward’s history, when Prop 8 was voted on in California to ban gay marriage.  Matt talks about his experiences being a church leader at the time and provides some excellent inside info.  Join us! Link to our Face in Hat discor...

We felt “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” deserved its own minisode, so join us as we take a modern look at this document, nearly wrapping up our tour of American Zion by Benjamin Park.  Two more to go! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists Dialogue...

In the 1970s, Leonard Arrington formed an enclave of church scholars and historians that had such an open attitude of research and discovery that they called it Camelot.  By the early 90s, attitudes had shifted greatly against these “so-called” intellectuals, and not just them but also  feminists and LGBTQ groups.  The road from Camelot had many twists and turns.  Join us as we read the next chapt...

End of the year show!  We cover topics from the tail end of the Doctrine and Covenants that have been kicking around in our heads.  We’ll be back next year continuing with more of American Zion! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists Dialogue Podcast Network...

Back to American Zion!  Today we look at the chapter “One Family Under God”, 1945-70.  Themes of civil rights, womanhood, and intellectualism are brought together as we look deeper at the post-WWII world of Mormonism! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists D...

With the rest of the church we mourn the passing of President Nelson.  In this show we look back on his life and we talk about the future, including chatting about President Oak’s October 2025 conference talk.  The decision to focus on birthrates was interesting, so that prompted a deep dive, from Saturday’s Warrior to South Korea.  Would love to hear your own takes! Link to our Face in Hat discor...

We’re back from summer and let's keep this season going!  Today we focus on Chapter 6, The Perils of Reform: 1920-1945, from Benjamin Park’s book: American Zion.  Many threads connect the topics, but the contest between the modernity of the early part of the 20th century and resistance to change mark the struggle for the LDS church at this time.  Join us! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! ht...

1890-1920 was a period of great progress among the LDS Saints but came with key compromises that began the assimilation of LDS culture and into the broader American people.   Join us as we look at this era, continuing our trip through American Zion by Benjamin Park!   Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@Facei...

Run and hide!  Today we jump into the 1870s and 80s to see what made our beloved ancestors be so eager to ditch the law and go underground.  (Spoilers, it’s more polygamy!).  Part of our ongoing series covering American Zion: A New History of Mormonism, by Benjamin E. Park! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/...

Polygamy, Racism and Indian affairs.  These stories dominated Chapter 3 of American Zion by Benjamin E. Park, “Of empires and wars, 1846-69”.  Come for the historical controversy but stay for the good vibes at the end! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists...

“O My Father”, and the Council of Fifty! Let’s wrap up chapter 2 of “American Zion” in a quick show for the end of the year! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists Dialogue Podcast Network https://www.dialoguejournal.com/podcasts/ American Zion: A New Histor...

Part one of our journey through Chapter 2 of Dr. Benjamin Park’s book, “American Zion”, “The Voice of the People,1831-46.”  This history is a rollercoaster of emotion! Also, we have just so many show notes. Check them out and be sure to join us on Discord! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https:/...

Welcome to season 7!  We are starting by reviewing the Prologue and Chapter 1 of Dr. Benjamin Park’s book, “American Zion”.  The first single volume history of the Church in over a decade, and taking advantage of new sources, it’s an excellent way to get some good old Mormon history.  This was fun! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric!...

Settle in for Movie Night!  Aaron and Eric each picked movies that they argued had LDS or interesting religious themes.  Do you agree or have other picks?  Let us know on discord! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists Dialogue Podcast Network https://www.di...

Today we chat about prophecy, the book of Jarom, and what it means for us to be living in the middle.  We draw especially on Sharon J. Harris’s brief theological introduction to Enos, Jarom, Omni.  Check it out! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists Dialogu...

The recent Worldwide Relief Society Devotional was awesome!  One quote caused a bit of a kerfuffle, which sets the stage for part 3 of our series on women and priesthood. But the devotional really was great!  Go watch it!  And also listen to this episode :) Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https:...

Credit, authority, the danger of hierarchies, and how Jewish whiskey relates to fiction, equity, and legislation.  Join us in our second of a multipart series on women and the priesthood. Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists Dialogue Podcast Network https:...

Our first of a multi-part series on women and the Priesthood of the Church.  Themes for this part include defining terms, Priesthood vs. religious office, and Priesthood in the past.  Join us! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists Dialogue Podcast Network h...

Women LDS Relief Society leaders are no longer allowed on the stand in the Bay Area, as covered in Peggy Fletcher Stack’s SL Tribune’s article.  On this show, we talk about activism in general, our reaction to this change (not great) and discuss how we think our personal responsibility for revelation needs to be balanced with our need for change to come top down from the Church. ‘A slap in the fac...

Did you know that we as members of the Church believe in the Book of Revelation?  Let’s have some fun and open some seals! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh New YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat Look, playlists! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists Dialogue Podcast Network https://www.dialoguejournal.com/podcasts/ This is...

In 1st Corinthians, Paul teaches about protecting the weak ones by avoiding the appearance of evil.  Is this applicable to online discourse?  Should we avoid the musty corners of church history or should we investigate?  Is there harm in causing doubt, or will that doubt come anyway and is best met head on, guide in hand?  We want to frankly look at these questions. Join us, and let us know your t...

Spoilers for the Barbie movie!!  The Barbie movie takes people into the presence of God and delivers them to the real world.  Join us as we discuss the LDS endowment, existentialism, and heavenly mother as we revel in one of the best movies released in years. Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh Dialogue Podcast Network https://www.dialoguejournal.com/podcasts/ The...

We welcome Tanner McAlister today as we discuss two articles on the translation of the Book of Mormon.  We kick things off using our season’s reference, “Yet to be revealed”, from BYU studies.  Grant Hardy’s article “The Book of Mormon Translation Process”, provides an excellent discussion of possible problems and resolutions in the translation of the Book of Mormon.  Then Tanner, a scholar of Tib...

Two for one!  Grace vs. works is one of our favorite topics, and the foreknowledge of God is another!  The two articles from BYU Studies we are covering today relate to each other in fascinating ways. Join us as we discuss how we can approach Grace using LDS and Protestant theology, and how the paradoxes of omniscience can be used to discover more about our own relationship with reality, time, and...

When exactly are we supposed to be obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law? Nathan Oman’s article on Civil Disobedience in Latter-day Saint Thought took us down a winding road exploring this question. Ride along! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh Dialogue Podcast Network https://www.dialoguejournal.com/podcasts/ Civil Disobedience in Latter-day Saint Thought,...