Pioneering Paradox: A podcast for conflicted saints

Melanie and I discuss the idea that religion is a tool that should lead to transformation, to becoming a "new creature" or "born again" . The Covenant Path does this for many people but what about the billions of people who don't feel a connection to the Latter Day Saint path. Are there other ways that can lead to transformation, even within the same home? We also discuss parenting kids outside of...

Lots of changes in the church. We got together to discuss! Garments, Pres. Oaks, women becoming prophets, assuming authority, and some of my reconciliation with Pres. Nelson. And a discussion about D. Todd Christopherson and his family embracing his brother Tom's partner. (Keep in mind we are aware of the recent issue with Wade Christopherson but recorded this prior to that). Stick around to the e...

This episode with James and Lisa Clawson are serving as service mission leaders and are hoping to end the stigma against service mission experiences. We discuss the shifts that have happened, the stats that show transitioning to a service mission is most often a very positive experience. We also discuss including all the voices in ward council and when to speak up when something doesn’t feel right...

I had to scratch this itch about how much Polygamy has shaped our family.

Today, we’re joined by the incredible and multitalented Melissa Mason. Wil and I had a hard time staying on task because there was so much we wanted to ask her, from her therapy practice, which includes Ketamine-Assisted Therapy and Sex Therapy, to her talents as a modern quilter and presenter, her commitment to social justice, her political science background from Notre Dame, and her current part...

Today, we’ve invited a close friend of mine who has been living in Guatemala for the last 14 years and during that time he and others became deeply involved in humanitarian work. He shares what he has learned—and unlearned—over the years to help us better understand how to address humanitarian issues in meaningful ways. Back in 2019, while our family was living in Guatemala and closely connected w...

In this episode we’re joined by Dr. Julie de Azevedo Hanks—and honestly, it quickly became one of our favorite conversations. We laughed, we cried, and we learned a lot. A quick content note: we dive into sensitive topics, including how we handle claims of abuse in the church, because we deeply wanted to hear Julie’s perspective. With over 30 years of experience as a social worker, psychotherapist...

We are told to work out our salvation with the Lord. But what happens when that becomes so heavy it begins to rule almost everything you do?  Kathryn Hilton Johnston is an active member, mother of two who has been diagnosed with scrupulosity, a form of Religious OCD. Scrupulosity often shows up more in highly religious environments, and because it overlaps with normal religious devotion, it can be...

 I'm joined by my wife, Melanie McFarland who owns a non-traditonal practice helping people overcome trauma, abuse and heal childhood wounds. She is somewhat of a mystic. When I married into Melanie's family, I married into a world of naturalists, herbalists and neighborhood healers. My more traditional and skeptical family upbring was challenged in ways I couldn’t have ever imagined. Earl...

Jeff Lowe found himself where many men do—successful on the outside, surrounded by family and friends, but battling deep loneliness and depression. Hitting a breaking point led to a profound shift in his life. Now, he's building something different. Jeff is the host of the Bonded Brotherhood podcast—a space where men can gather, get honest, and find connection. It's a far cry from the typical "alp...

In this episode, we invited social media influencer and latter day saint Phil Cowley onto the show. In 2021 Phil was about to close the doors on his pharmacy when he was approached to do a social media clip for a local gym. Soon after he started his own social media called Phil’s my pharmacist which now has over 3 million followers across his platforms. We discuss faith, parenting, critical thinki...

In this episode, Wil and I explore the Buddhist teaching of Emptiness . Back in 2017, during a time when I was seriously considering leaving the Latter-day Saint community, I encountered Buddhist teacher and podcaster Noah Rasheta. Through a series of events, I had the privilege of joining Noah and eleven others from across the country in a six-month Buddhist intensive. The most challenging—and ul...

Welcome to Pioneering Paradox, a podcast for Latter-day Saints navigating inner conflict and complexity. As Richard Rohr once said, “Paradox is the only language that can contain the whole.” In this space, we aim to embrace both light and shadow—because holding the tension between them is often the closest we come to the truth. In this episode we invited the lovely Lauren Wood to join us for a dis...

On this episode we were thrilled to interview my daughter, Sami McFarland and talk about some of the struggles she had choosing to go on a mission with parents who were not active, and also coming home and beginning to process some of her own thoughts about certain tenants of our faith. Her story is unique but in some ways a microcosm of some of the things our young people are struggling with toda...

Today, we’re diving into a topic that’s difficult for many: Patriarchy . For me, it became deeply personal when, in 2018, it nearly cost me my marriage to my love, Melanie. We’ve since walked through that pain, found healing, and emerged stronger. In this episode, Melanie joins me to explore how the system of patriarchy created a deep wound in our relationship—and how facing it together became a p...

In this episode, I interview Dr. Benjamin Park (My cohost Wil Wood was out of town) , an associate professor at Sam Houston State University. Together, we explore the question: Why do we think the way we do? Why are my parents so deeply partisan?  For example, why did the Church become so closely aligned with the Republican Party, when Utah was a swing state for much of the early 20th century? We...

In an attempt to give some back story to listeners about who we are as hosts, Wil and I took turns interviewing each other. I interviewed Wil in the episode title Meet Wil Wood, Go back and give that a listen. This episode Wil interviews Casey. Thanks for listening. 

Welcome to Pioneering Paradox, a podcast for conflicted Latter Day Saints. In the current  polarized climate we find ourselves in, we thought we would interview two people who are working on bringing people together through similarities rather than differences. "That's Church" is a podcast hosted by sisters Emilie Call and Ashlie Sanders, who come together to explore the diverse tapestry of faith...

An interview about one man's journey to Mecca three times. I recorded this during covid with a travel podcast in mind. I went to publish it when I discovered he was being indicted on federal charges for Covid Relief fraud in the sum total of $300k Bummer

Now that we have recorded a few episodes we realized many of you don’t know who we are so in this episode I interviewed my co-host and active member, Wil Wood. Wil lives with his wife Lauren and three children in Cache Valley, Utah. Together they own a very popular kitchen appliance store called Love to Cook. Located in downtown Logan it has become a cultural gathering place for cooking classes, b...

In a 2017 study, researchers Benjamin Knoll and Jana Riess asked members who had left the faith, ‘How old were you when you stopped identifying as a member of the LDS Church?’ The average answer? Twenty-one—the legal drinking age. Currently, in the U.S., about 62% of adults drink alcohol. Many do so responsibly, but according to Pew Research, over 10% of Americans age 12 and up struggle with alcoh...

In this episode, I invited Natalie Curtis (former owner of Holy Threads, and former Seminary Teacher) for a younger generation perspective on change and about how the church is aligning more and more with mainstream Christianity including the new invitation to join other denominations to celebrate the season of Easter. We talk about how change is good but can also be confusing and hurtful. 

In this episode, Wil and I discuss the importance of being true to oneself while still being a part of a community. We discuss how communities can either squash an individual or help and individual thrive depending on a variety of factors. We also breech the topic of being ones own self within a marriage. We hope this helps someone in someway.

In this episode we discuss Richard Rohr's concept of the Cosmic Egg from a Latter Day Saint perspective, which is a model that encompasses My story, Our story, Other stories, and THE story. We discuss the Latter Day Saint story from the perspective of an active member, a member who no longer attends and some who is all over the place.

In this episode, we’re joined by Mormon history scholar Patrick Mason to explore the complexity of the controversial figure, Brigham Young. In a time when polarization divides us, we seek to thoughtfully address a question recently posed by my daughter: “Is there anything good about Brigham Young?” We delve into topics such as slavery, racism, polygamy, and the tensions between Mormons and Native...