FAIR Conference Archives | FAIR

“Controversies in Joseph Smith’s Polygamy: New Evidences and New Observations Indicate Fawn Brodie Should Have Done More Research” by Brian C. Hales at the 2010 FAIR Conference Why did Joseph Smith practice plural marriage? There are three different places we could go for answers. We can go to the naturalists—like Fawn Brodie—and the cynics, which are […] The post Classic FAIR –...

This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2024 conference. If you would like to watch all the presentations from our 2025 conference held last month, you can still purchase the video streaming. This audio podcast version has been made available for convenient listening. If you would like to watch […] The post FAIR Conference Podcast #84 –...

“What I Learned about Life, the Church, and the Cosmos from Hugh Nibley” by Boyd Petersen at the 2005 FAIR Conference February 24, 2005 was one of those beautiful false-spring days when we all leave our coats at home and venture out in shirt sleeves, despite the fact that we all know that winter will […] The post Classic FAIR – “What I Learned about Life, the Church, and th...

This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2025 conference held earlier this month. If you would like to watch all the presentations from the conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. This audio podcast version has been edited to make it easier for listening. If you would like […] The post FAIR Conference Podcast #83 – Daniel...

“I Don’t Have a Testimony of the History of the Church” by Davis Bitton at the 2004 FAIR Conference I don’t have a testimony of the history of the Church. That is why I can be a historian and also a believing Latter-day Saint. I will expand on this idea, but first let me address […] The post Classic FAIR – I Don’t Have a Testimony of the History of the Church – Davis Bitton, 2004...

by Scott Gordon at the 2025 FAIR Conference History of FAIR In 1997, I logged in to America Online Mormonism message board 1 expecting to find friends. Instead, I found critics. I was quickly surprised by the sheer volume of vitriol and criticism of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Common claims included: You can’t add to […] The post FAIR’s history and impact appeared...

by Junior Banza and Jeffrey Bradshaw at the 2024 FAIR Conference Introduction to the Session “Faith and Growth of the LDS Church in the DR Congo” – Dan Peterson That’s fun to do this, because if you’re an academic, if you’re a professor, you talk for a living. So, you’re glib; you don’t have to […] The post Not By Bread Alone: Capturing the Inspirational Stories of the Saints in Africa on Fi...

“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Joseph Smith: Defending the Faith” by David L. Paulsen at the 2004 FAIR Conference Scott asked me if I would share with you some of my work defending our LDS understanding of God and to that end I have prepared a bibliography. There’s two sets of materials being passed […] The post Classic FAIR – Defending the Faith – David L. Paulsen, 2004 appeared...

by Mandy Davis at the 2024 FAIR Conference Nine years ago, I had the opportunity to start attending meetings at the United Nations. After the very first time going, I knew that it was going to be a hinge point in my life; and that I would never be able to unsee just how calculated […] The post Viewing Today’s Culture Through the Lens of the Gospel appeared first on FAIR .

“DNA and The Book of Mormon” by Ryan Parr at the 2005 FAIR Conference I would like to thank the organizers of the conference for being invited to talk about two really great subjects and that is the Book of Mormon and DNA which, when you look at its structure and its design, is no […] The post Classic FAIR – DNA and The Book of Mormon – Ryan Parr, 2005 appeared first on FAIR .

by Brent Andrewsen at the 2024 FAIR Conference How do we help our young people avoid deception, or keep them from “stumb[ling] exceedingly”? We keep the “plain and precious” parts of the gospel front and center in their lives.   Brent Andrewsen practices at a regional law firm with offices throughout the Intermountain West. He […] The post Preserving and Protecting “Plain and Precious”...

“The Fallacy of Fundamentalist Assumptions” by Blake T. Ostler at the 2005 FAIR Conference I’d like to begin my presentation (there should have been an outline that was handed out that you have in front of you). But I want to begin a bit off outline. I was amused- I was reading this morning that […] The post Classic FAIR – The Fallacy of Fundamentalist Assumptions – Blake Ostler,...

“‘Believest thou…?’: Faith, Cognitive Dissonance, and the Psychology of Religious Experience” by Wendy Ulrich at the 2005 FAIR Conference It’s an old and frequent spiritual question, and it shows up in many forms. It is the question Jesus asks the disciples who hear his troubling and offending discourse on being someone whose flesh must be […] The post Classic FAIR &#...

Audio and Video Copyright © 2022 The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. Any reproduction or transcription of this material without prior express written permission is prohibited. This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2022 conference. You can still register to watch the entire conference free of charge. […] The pos...

Seek the Lord Jesus Christ By Elder Kim B. Clark (An address given at the 2020 FAIR Conference) I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to you today. I am not only grateful to be with you, but I am grateful for all of you who seek to help people strengthen, or recover, or […] The post Come, Follow Me Week 23 – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 appeared first on FAIR .

“Have You Been Saved By Grace?” How Do We Respond? by Brad Wilcox (This is from a presentation given at the 2018 FAIR Conference) Grace, like many English words has multiple meanings. It can mean elegance and beauty. It can mean kindness and courtesy. It can be a title, ‘Your Grace.’ It can be a salutation, […] The post Come, Follow Me Week 19 – Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 16; 19 appeared fir...

This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference. If you would like to watch all the presentations from that conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. Tarik D. LaCour, Intro to Mormon Natural Theology Tarik D. LaCour is a Ph. D student in philosophy and MA student in neuroscience […] The post FAIR Conference Podcast...

This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference. If you would like to watch all the presentations from that conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. Kirk Magleby, Unforgettable Hugh Nibley Hugh Nibley Observed is available from the FAIR Bookstore. Kirk Alder Magleby is the Executive Director […] The post FAIR Confe...

Worldview Apologetics: Revealing the Waters in Which We Swim by Jeffrey Thayne (This is from a presentation given at the 2021 FAIR Conference) Introduction Let’s imagine two roommates, James and Greg, who both attend BYU. They live under the same roof, they are both practicing Latter-day Saints, and they both claim to believe in the […] The post Come, Follow Me Week 9 – Genesis 24–27 a...

Polygamy as an Abrahamic Sacrifice by V.H. Cassler (From a presentation originally titled “A Reconciliation of Polygamy,” given at the 2011 FAIR Conference; edited here for clarity and length) Today we are going to talk about polygamy but probably in a different way than you have heard about it before. That is, we are going […] The post Come, Follow Me Week 8 – Genesis 18–2...

This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference. If you would like to watch all the presentations from that conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. Jennifer Ann Mackley, Discovering Church History: The Wilford Woodruff Papers Project Jennifer’s book is available from the FAIR Bookstore. Jennifer Ann […] The...

This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference held in August. If you would like to watch all the presentations from the conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. Jeff Bradshaw, Since Hugh Nibley: Remarkable New Findings on Enoch and the Gathering of Zion Jeff’s books are for […] The post FAIR Conference Podc...

This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference held in August. If you would like to watch all the presentations from the conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. John Gee, Lessons on Doing Apologetics John Gee’s books are for sale in the FAIR bookstore. John Gee is […] The post FAIR Conference Podcast #75 – John G...

This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference held in August. If you would like to watch all the presentations from the conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. Jenny Reeder, First: The Life and Faith of Emma Smith Jenny Reader’s books are for sale in the FAIR […] The post FAIR Conference Podcast #74 – Jenn...

This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference held in August. If you would like to watch all the presentations from the conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. Ben Spackman, Through a Glass, Less Darkly: The 20th Century History of Genesis and Evolution Ben Spackman is a […] The post FAIR Conference Podcast #73...