Gospel Tangents Podcast

  Was Hugh Nibley wrong? Is global capitalism compatible with a Zion society? And when is a Latter-day Saint actually justified in defying a corrupt, oppressive government? https://youtu.be/IWZgHZT5Q9w Don’t miss our other conversations Nathan:  https://gospeltangents.com/people/nathan-oman Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Hugh Nibley was wrong? First, Professor Oman chall...

Have you wondered what’s behind the energy in the polygamy revisionist movement? Are these the same as RLDS polygamy arguments? Back in 2010, Newell Bringhurst wrote a chapter in “Persistence of Polygamy” on the evolution of RLDS thinking on Joseph Smith’s polygamy, how it got forgotten, and recycled among a new generation of LDS members who weren’t aware of the previ...

What do you do when your personal conscience clashes with official LDS Church positions? Why did the LDS Church transition from the fiery, anti-communist speeches of Ezra Taft Benson in the 1960s to the strict political neutrality we see today? https://youtu.be/cDExXX00Y0o Oman is the author of 2 volumes of Law and the Restoration Volume 1 and Volume 2 , from Greg Kofford Books. Don’t miss our oth...

What case helped end polygamy in the LDS Church? What do a 19th-century Mormon polygamist, reality TV star Kody Brown, and the Native American religious use of peyote all have in common? https://youtu.be/r32GTYt0N5g Don’t miss our other conversations Nathan:  https://gospeltangents.com/people/nathan-oman Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved How Did LDS Church end polygamy? In this...

Why was Joseph Smith killed? Did early Mormons try to start their own independent country? And did you know 19th-century Mormon bishops literally served as civil judges? In this episode of Gospel Tangents, host Rick Bennett sits down with Nathan Oman, law professor and author of Law and the Restoration, to uncover some of the most explosive and fascinating legal history of the Latter-day Saints. W...

Some call new LDS Prophet Dallin Oaks a prophet, seer, and litigator. We’ll see what Nathan Oman thinks of Dallin Oaks. Nathan is a legal historian at William and Mary University. He discusses how law has affected Latter-day Saints over the past 2 centuries. We’ll discuss Dallin Oaks perspectives on Joseph Smith’s martyrdom and polygamy up to modern polygamy cases, politics, and...

Priesthood Restoration, Priesthood Restriction, and Revelation June was the month of the priesthood restoration, priesthood restriction, and revelation in LDS Church history. It serves as a month of profound historical significance for Latter-day Saints, marking both the commemoration of the priesthood restoration and the anniversary of the 1978 revelation ending the priesthood and temple ban . Ri...

Here’s a throwback episode with a Counselor in First Presidency of the Remnant Church. Jim Vun Cannon was serving as a counselor in the First Presidency of the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at the time of this 2017 recording. https://youtu.be/PT0dH-KGfKc Don’t miss our other conversations on the Remnant Church: https://gospeltangents.com/denominations/remnant-church/ Co...

Community of Christ (CoC) President Stassi Cramm, the church’s first female prophet, addressed pointed questions regarding the role of the Book of Mormon , the pursuit of consensus and faithful disagreement , her prophetic vision for the church, and the ongoing debate over infant baptism . https://youtu.be/CwCLTiGcHrM Don’t miss our other conversations with Stassi:  https://gospeltangents.co...

Why do conversations with Church leaders go wrong so often? Why do conversations with Church leaders go wrong so often? Former mission president Jeff Strong says talking to leaders and parents is one of the least helpful things to do in a faith crisis. It’s 4.5 times worse than talking with siblings. Why do some family members quit speaking to those who leave? Should Church leaders better mo...

Author Jeff Strong details the “tectonic plate shifting moment” when his son, while serving in the Missionary Training Center (MTC), suddenly wrote him about leaving the faith: both his mission and the LDS Church . At the time, Strong was serving as a Bishop . He admits that he and his wife initially handled the situation poorly by assuming their son had committed a serious sin . This...

I did a livestream recap of the Mormon History Association (MHA highlights) conference, broadcast straight from my hotel room in lovely Las Vegas . Guided by some slightly out-of-order, AI-generated slides, this recap covers the most fascinating historical deep dives, unexpected gems, and award winners from the weekend . https://youtube.com/live/wy_-u8OCLMs Unexpected MHA Highlights & Gems: Pr...

Why are people really leaving the LDS Church? In Part 2 of our deep dive into LDS disaffiliation, we continue our conversation with Jeff Strong, author of the groundbreaking book “ Torn: Why People We Love Are Leaving the Church and What We Can Learn from Them .” This episode moves beyond the statistics to explore the complex, personal “waves” of modern faith loss. https://...

Is the LDS Church actually shrinking? We’re talking about LDS disaffiliation with  Jeff Strong , author of the new book Torn: Why People We Love Are Leaving the Church and What We Can Learn from Them . While official membership records show steady growth, the reality of active participation tells a much more complex story. In this episode, I’ll sit down with Jeff  to break down the sta...

I invited Dr. Patrick Mason on to discuss reframing faith in the complex history of religion. He iis a historian and theologian at Utah State University, and discusses the evolution of his career from academic research to pastoral writing  aimed at those navigating  faith crises . He reflects on the limitations of a  transactional approach to religion , suggesting instead that individuals must tak...

Dr Ugo Perego tests the most pressing Mormon DNA claims. Did Joseph Smith have secret children from his plural marriages? What really triggered the Mountain Meadows Massacre? And does Native American DNA align with the Book of Mormon? https://youtu.be/ni5d6D90VoU Don’t miss our other conversations with Ugo! https://gospeltangents.com/people/ugo-perego/ Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Ri...

In the final installment Nancy Ross and Jessica Finnigan discuss their Mormon garment research, co-authors of Mormon Garments, Sacred and Secret explore the sociological themes of their book, the shifting historical meanings behind garments, and how their taboo-breaking research has been received by the community. Sacred vs. Secret: A Matter of Belief The authors break down the sociological framew...

Institutional Control and Double Standards: Garment History Historically, members had the freedom to make their own garments from approved patterns or mark their own store-bought underwear. Over time, the patriarchal institution tightened its control, eventually establishing Beehive Clothing as the sole approved manufacturer and cutting off personal production avenues. Nancy Ross & Jessica Fin...

Are you or someone you love navigating a faith crisis? You are not alone. Jeff Strong says 40% are leaving the Church. 40% are Leaving? https://youtu.be/k7olHf9sSq0 A historic shift is transforming the religious landscape. According to Jeff Strong’s new book Torn , nearly 40% of members are stepping away from their faith communities. But why is this happening, and how can we better understan...

Radical History and Racial Dynamics of Mormon Garments Nancy Ross and Jessica Finnigan, co-authors of Mormon Garments, Sacred and Secret dive into the unexpected history and sociological complexities of LDS temple garments . From Joseph Smith’s early design demands to the modern realities of race and garment surveillance, this episode uncovers the fascinating evolution of this deeply persona...

I sat down with scholars Nancy Ross and Jessica Finnigan to discuss their taboo research on Mormon garments. They, along with Larissa Kanno Kindred, are the co-authors of the groundbreaking book Mormon Garments, Sacred and Secret . The deeply candid conversation pulls back the curtain on a historically taboo research topic within Latter-day Saint culture, exploring the complex intersections of the...

No Children for Joseph Smith? Joseph Smith’s plural wives One of the most frequent arguments raised by skeptics of Joseph Smith’s polygamy is the “fertility paradox.”  While Joseph Smith fathered several biological children with his first wife, Emma, there are zero verified offspring from his estimated 30 to 40 plural marriages . DNA testing on suspected plural children has...

Navigating a “Faith/Trust Crisis”: Empathy, Communication, and Finding Your Pace We dive deep into the complexities of faith journeys, exploring how to better communicate with loved ones and how to navigate church activity on your own terms. What advice do you have in a faith/trust crisis conversation? https://youtu.be/uY_5UONNykI Reframing the “Faith Crisis” Drawing from J...

The Community of Christ has sold the Kirtland Temple and several Nauvoo properties to the LDS Church for a jaw-dropping $200 million. But RLDS finances are still shaky! That money is only expected to keep the church afloat for about five years. Historian John Hamer joins us to explain why he thinks the deal could have been much better, why he’s disappointed there are still no openly gay apostles,...

Are Big Money BYU Sports Compatible with LDS Church Mission? Dr. Matthew Bowman, co-author of “Game Changers,” zeroes in on the ultimate tension in modern collegiate sports: can you balance God, Mammon, and big money athletics? As BYU integrates into the lucrative Big 12 conference, the historic values of amateurism are directly clashing with the pursuit of NBA stardom. https://youtu.b...