Mormon Stories Podcast

In this episode we invite Mica McGriggs, Dr. Darron Smith, and Dr. Fatimah Salleh to discuss the recent (and continual) loss of black lives in America due to to police action.

In this episode Gina Colvin, Ph. D., Dan Wotherspoon, Ph. D., and Thomas McConkie  explore the path of staying active in the LDS Church as an unorthodox member.  This episode was recorded live at Studio at 50 West in Salt Lake City on June 15, 2016.

Summer 2016 Mormon Transitions Events: Phoenix, Salt Lake City/Park City, Dallas, Los Angeles/Las Vegas

In 2002 anthropologist Thomas Murphy, Ph. D. published the first peer reviewed academic journal article on DNA and the Book of Mormon, demonstrating that DNA evidence (at the time) did not support the Book of Mormon's historical claims.  Dr. Murphy was subsequently summoned to an LDS disciplinary council for apostasy, but the disciplinary council was "called off" at the last minute, and he has not...

In 2002 anthropologist Thomas Murphy, Ph. D. published the first peer reviewed academic journal article on DNA and the Book of Mormon, demonstrating that DNA evidence (at the time) did not support the Book of Mormon's historical claims.  Dr. Murphy was subsequently summoned to an LDS disciplinary council for apostasy, but the disciplinary council was "called off" at the last minute, and he has not...

#55 The Line February 18, 2016 “I was so thirsty and hungry after the truth, my whole body aching for answers.” Hans Mattsson, LDS Church leader 2000-05 This week we have a story about a big group of people with the same questions. Difficult, complicated, heartbreaking ones. These people all have one thing in common — they’re Mormons. Reporter  Karen Duffin  tells their story.   Further Reading Mo...

The Mama Dragons group consists of almost 1,000 Mormon, post-Mormon, and now never-Mormon women who are dedicated to: 1) Loving their LGBT children. 2) Preventing LGBT youth suicide. 3) Supporting parents of LGBT children to better love and support their children. 4) Rescuing rejected LGBT children from homelessness and abuse. 5) Attending funerals of deceased LGBT youth in support of the survivin...

In this episode Dr. John Dehlin and Lindsay Hansen Park (Feminist Mormon Housewives, Sunstone, Year of Polygamy, Color of Heaven) host a panel discussion about rape within Mormon culture.  The panel features Aubri Parameter, an assault survivor, Kathryn Jones-Porter, a victim's advocate in Salt Lake County, and Donna Kelly, who has worked as a prosecutor for the last twenty-four years, devoting mu...

In this episode 5 Mormons (Dr.  Jana Riess , Dr. Kristy Money , Samy Galvez , Derrick Clements , and  Samantha Louise Shelley ) discuss, explore, and interpret Tyler Glenn's new and controversial music video entitled "Trash." Trash Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNqnLdX4TM8 Trash Lyrics: http://genius.com/Tyler-glenn-trash-lyrics

In December, 2015 Mormon Stories interviewed Clay Christensen and his brother-in-law Matt Elggren about Matt's loss of LDS faith in 2003, and Clay's subsequent loss of LDS faith in October of 2015 after 50 years active LDS membership, and after 7 years as a high-level LDS Church employee. In April, 2016 Clay was contacted by his stake president and invited to a disciplinary council to be excommuni...

Tyler Glenn is best known as the lead singer of the multi-platinum alternative pop band  Neon Trees .   Tyler was raised LDS/Mormon in Temecula, California.  After discovering a love for music in high school and serving an LDS mission, Tyler moved to Provo, UT with his buddy Chris to form Neon Trees (named after the trees on the  In and Out  signs).  Neon Trees signed with Mercury Records in 2009...

Tyler Glenn is best known as the lead singer of the multi-platinum alternative pop band  Neon Trees .   Tyler was raised LDS/Mormon in Temecula, California.  After discovering a love for music in high school and serving an LDS mission, Tyler moved to Provo, UT with his buddy Chris to form Neon Trees (named after the trees on the  In and Out  signs).  Neon Trees signed with Mercury Records in 2009...

Tyler Glenn is best known as the lead singer of the multi-platinum alternative pop band  Neon Trees .   Tyler was raised LDS/Mormon in Temecula, California.  After discovering a love for music in high school and serving an LDS mission, Tyler moved to Provo, UT with his buddy Chris to form Neon Trees (named after the trees on the  In and Out  signs).  Neon Trees signed with Mercury Records in 2009...

John Dehlin and Lindsay Hansen Park interview Mica McGriggs, Samy Galvez, and Tinesha Zandamela about race relations in the Mormon church, and their experiences growing up as people of color in a predominately white church.

In this special episode of Mormon Stories podcast Lindsay Hansen Park (Sunstone, Year of Polygamy, Color of Heaven) interviews Edyka Chilome about Mormons and Colonization.   Edyka's bio: Edyka Chilomé, born Erica Granados - De La Rosa, is a queer woman of color writer, artist, social justice educator, and spiritual activist. She is the daughter of Salvadorian and Mexican spiritual, intellectual,...

When Race, Religion, and Sport Collide tells the story of Brandon Davies’ dismissal from Brigham Young University’s NCAA playoff basketball team to illustrate the thorny intersection of religion, race, and sport at BYU and beyond. Author Darron T. Smith analyzes the athletes dismissed through BYU’s honor code violations and suggests that they are disproportionately African American, which has trou...

When Race, Religion, and Sport Collide tells the story of Brandon Davies’ dismissal from Brigham Young University’s NCAA playoff basketball team to illustrate the thorny intersection of religion, race, and sport at BYU and beyond. Author Darron T. Smith analyzes the athletes dismissed through BYU’s honor code violations and suggests that they are disproportionately African American, which has trou...

This is a recording of my interview with Alex Cooper recorded on March 16, 2016 at Velour in Provo, Utah.  Alex Cooper, along with Dr. Joanna Brooks, are the co-authors of the new book  Saving Alex.   Alex was accompanied in this interview by her attorney, Paul Burke.  We were also honored to have Tyler Glenn (Neon Trees) perform three musical numbers for us on this special night.  Audio/video fro...

This is a recording of my interview with Alex Cooper recorded on March 16, 2016 at Velour in Provo, Utah.  Alex Cooper, along with Dr. Joanna Brooks, are the co-authors of the new book  Saving Alex.   Alex was accompanied in this interview by her attorney, Paul Burke.  We were also honored to have Tyler Glenn (Neon Trees) perform three musical numbers for us on this special night.  Audio/video fro...

In this Mormon Stories Live! episode recorded at Club/Cafe at 50 West on March 9, 2016, I interviewed Kate Kelly about the following: Life since her excommunication, including her divorce from Neil Ransom and her new relationship with Jack Waters. Thoughts on the Ordain Women movement -- past, present and future. Kate's new position with Planned Parenthood, which includes advocating for: The basic...

Elizabeth Grimshaw was raised Mormon. She knew she was lesbian as a teenager, but spent her earl years (teens and 20s) attempting to date men and to marry a man. In her early 30s, after many attempts to be "straight," she came out as a lesbian, stopped attending the LDS church, and began dating women. Elizabeth found a committed partner 10 years ago, and married her partner 8 years ago. They are c...

In this episode recorded February 17, 2016 we discuss the recent Utah Medical Marijuana legislation from the patient perspective.  This is a sobering, heartfelt, and extremely compelling panel.   We also briefly discuss the medical/scientific justifications for medical marijuana, and LDS Church participation in attempting to defeat this legislation.  Panel participants include: Enedina Stanger, Da...

On February 8, 2016, Jeremy Runnells received notice from his stake president, Mark Ivins, that he would face excommunication (a disciplinary council) on February 14, 2016 for publishing his "Letter to a CES Director."  This press conference was held in support of Jeremy.  The next morning after the press conference, Jeremy's disciplinary council was postponed until late March, 2016.  This press c...

This episode is re-broadcast of the Mormons Building Bridges Community Conversation featuring Dr. Bill Bradshaw and Dr. John Parkinson Dehlin as they summarized the major findings from their 2011 survey of LGBTQ Latter-day Saints.   The discussion was recorded on February 3, 2016. Background: An on-line survey was conducted i n the fall of 2011, under the auspices of Utah State University, which y...

February 2016 Announcements!