Mormon Stories Podcast

Welcome back to part 2 of Dr. Michael Coe week here on Mormon Stories Podcast, where we are re-releasing some on the most important episodes in the history of this channel.  The original description for this episode reads: "We are excited to revisit Dr. Michael Coe at his home in New Haven, Connecticut, to discuss some of the challenges facing Mormon archaeologists attempting to prove the his...

Join us today for another re-mastered classic Mormon Stories episode!  This interview with Dr. Michael Coe is one of the most important Mormon Stories episodes to date. In order to introduce this significant conversation to our newer audiences, we have compiled it into a single episode and re-broadcasting it.  The original description for this episode reads, "Dr. Michael Coe is the Charles J....

Welcome to Part 39 of our Joseph Smith Podcast series with Dr. John Turner! In Chapter 30 titled “The Kingdom (which covers the year 1844), we explore what may be the true beginning of the end for Joseph Smith –politically, socially, and religiously.  This episode dives into Joseph Smith’s unexpected run for President of the United States, including the development of his platform, his views on sl...

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is suing Mormon Stories Podcast and Dr. John Dehlin claiming trademark and copyright infringement.  We feel very confident in our standing in this case.  We also feel as though the church is mischaracterizing what happened in mediation in a way that is misleading, untrue, and damaging.   Please join us today to learn our perspective on what the LDS c...

In this episode, we sit down with Jared Smith –an ex-Christian, former Wheaton College student, and atheist YouTuber –to explore what happens when someone deeply rooted in evangelical Christianity takes a serious look at Mormonism. Jared shares his journey from devoted believer to skeptic, including his time at Wheaton College (often called the “Harvard of Christian institutions”), where he studie...

In Part 38 with historian John Turner we dive into his latest book Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet. In this episode, we focus on Chapter 29, “Cool as a Cucumber,” unpacking the turbulent years of 1843-1844 –arguably the beginning of the end for Joseph Smith. We explore mounting legal pressure, political entanglements, and growing internal dissent with Nauvoo. Along the way,...

What would compel a BYU student to resign from the Church immediately after graduation? Join us today as we explore this question and more with our guest, Ryan Huey. Ryan was raised in Missouri as one of six children in a very devout Mormon family. He served an LDS mission in Texas, worked as an EFY counselor, and later attended BYU–Provo. But at multiple points throughout his Mormon upbringing, t...

Welcome to Part 37 in our series with Dr. John Turner covering his new book “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.” In this episode, we explore one of the most controversial and least understood rituals in early Mormonism: The Second Anointing.  While Emma Smith was away, tensions continued to rise –but when she returned, the conflict between her and Joseph Smith regarding polyga...

Today we are joined by Dr. John Lundwall (PhD, comparative myth and religion), to share what he believes is the BIGGEST anachronism in the book of Mormon – the text itself.  Using his expertise in ancient religions and how they are practiced, Dr. Lundwall offers an analysis of the religious cultures that exist in the Book of Mormon and how they are inconsistent with any other ancient religious pra...

Welcome to Part 36 of our Joseph Smith Podcast series with Dr. John Turner covering his new book “Joseph Smith: Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.” Today we are covering Chapter 28: "Anointed" that covers 1843.  In this episode, we explore one of the most explosive and painful chapters in early Mormon history –Emma Smith’s direct opposition to Joseph Smith over the practice of polygam...

Joining John & Mergi Dehlin today is Chelsey Rencher Liaga, here to share her Mormon story of how she was “groomed” for Mormon motherhood, and how this hindered the development of her own mental health and self identity. Chelsey was born in Gilbert, Arizona (a heavily Mormon community) and had a typical Mormon upbringing. She suffered from perfectionism as a child, which later led to body dysm...

Following the passing of my dear friend and former BYU professor, Dr. William Bradshaw, we are honoring his life today by re-broadcasting my interview with him from 2010. The original description for this episode is as follows: "In this episode, John Dehlin interviews one of his former professors and mentors, Dr. William Bradshaw, on a wide variety of topics. Dr. Bradshaw has just recently re...

Join us to speak with Bridget Read about her new article in New York Magazine entitled "Under the Mormon Influence: How the Women of Utah Blogged and Posted Their Way Into American Hearts and Wallets." Bridget Read has been a writer at New York Magazine since 2019 and is the author of "Little Bosses Everywhere: How the Pyramid Scheme Shaped America." If you’d like to help keep...

Welcome back to Part 35 of our series with Dr. John Turner discussing his new book “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.” In 1843, Joseph Smith began introducing some of his closest family members – including his wife Emma Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith –to the controversial and secretive practice of plural marriage. This episode dives into one of the most complex and debated...

Today, Debora Meireles Ling joins John and Margi to share her journey growing up in a deeply orthodox LDS family in Brazil, where Mormonism shaped nearly every part of her life. As a teenager, Debora felt intense pressure to live the gospel perfectly and struggled with perfectionism as she tried to meet the expectations placed on faithful members. Debora was called to serve a mission in the São Pa...

Welcome back to Part 34 of our series with Dr. John G. Turner! Today we are covering most of Chapter 27 in John Turner’s new book Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet. The chapter is called “Deep Water” and covers the year 1843. The main topic for today is polygamy. Join us as we discuss several of Joseph Smith’s wives such as Flora Woodworth, Eliza R. Snow, Sarah Ann Whitney, Lu...

In his official 1838 history, Joseph Smith described discovering the golden plates inside a carefully constructed stone box in the Hill Cumorah. According to his account, the box contained the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and a breastplate. But what happened to that stone box? In this episode of LDS Discussions, we take a deep dive into the historical record surrounding the stone box narrative. W...

For the first time on Mormon Stories Podcast, we’re diving into the world of Seventh-day Adventism. John sits down with Melissa Spiers, a former Seventh-day Adventist, to explore the history, beliefs, culture, and practices of the SDA Church—and to compare them with Mormonism along the way. In Part 1 of this two-part series, Melissa gives an overview of Seventh-day Adventist origins, theology, lif...

In this deep-dive conversation, we sit down with Chase (from Hulu’s Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) to unpack his journey from a traditional Mormon upbringing in Rexburg, Idaho, to becoming entangled in one of the most talked-about TikTok scandals –and everything in between. We explore the cultural and personal pressures of growing up in the LDS Church, serving a mission, navigating marriage, and ul...

In this in-depth discussion, Cheryl and Michelle explore one of the most controversial topics in Latter-day Saint history: polygamy. Through a structured, multi-stage presentation, they examine the origins, evidence, and ongoing debates surrounding plural marriage in early Mormonism. From figures like John C. Bennett and the Nauvoo Expositor to Emma Smith’s testimony and the role of primary source...

Join us as we conclude Carol Lynn Pearson week on Mormon Stories Podcast! Today we have planned a celebration & Q&A with beloved author, poet, feminist, and activist Carol Lynn Pearson. We will have several guests on to share their dedications to Carol Lynn. And Barbara Brown from Signature Books will join us as we also discuss the new release of: The Diaries of Carol Lynn Pearson--Mormon...

Welcome back to Carol Lynn Pearson week on Mormon Stories podcast, as we re-visit two very important interviews with a one-of-a-kind Mormon woman. Today's episode was originally recorded in 2018, when we teamed up with Sunstone to do a live recording where we discussed Pearson's book, The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy. Special thanks to the Salt Lake City Community of Christ for hosting such a...

Today, we are thrilled to kick off Carol Lynn Pearson week on Mormon Stories Podcast! Join us for the re-broadcast of two very important interviews with a one-of-a-kind Mormon woman. Then, we will close out the week by welcoming Carol Lynn Pearson back on the podcast to celebrate the release of her new book, The Diaries of Carol Lynn Pearson, where we will also be joined by the director of Signatu...

Today, we are very excited to have back on the podcast Bible scholar and best selling author, Bart Ehrman! Bart has very recently retired as a professor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and he is here with us today to “meet the Mormons” and answer questions on the Old Testament, New Testament, and even offers his professional opinions on Book of Mormon History. Bart and the pa...

In this episode of Mormon Stories Podcast, we speak with Christopher Jenkins, a former LDS bishop, about his personal experience with the Church’s abuse hotline. While serving as bishop in Washington, a ward member confessed abuse to him. When Christopher called the Church’s hotline for guidance, he says he was told he was not a mandatory reporter and felt pressured not to report the abuse to auth...