The Interpreter Foundation Podcast

How did Brigham Young’s leadership during the Saints’ flight from Missouri reveal his character and prepare him for his later role as Church president? What does the kindness shown by the people of Quincy teach us about compassion in times of crisis, and how does it contrast with the persecution the Saints faced? The post Becoming Brigham Episode 24: Leave No Poor Behind first appeared on The Inte...

In the July 2, 2026, 2026 episode of The Interpreter Insights Podcast, our host Terry Hutchinson discusses the physicality of the small plates in the Book of Mormon with John Gee from his presentation at the recent Small Plates of Nephi conference along with a paper from that conference on the unity of Isaiah. The post Interpreter Insights Podcast — July 2, 2026 first appeared on The Interpreter F...

How did Joseph Smith’s experience in Liberty Jail transform him spiritually, and why do many historians call it both a prison and a temple? What specific leadership skills and experiences did Brigham Young gain while Joseph was in Liberty Jail that prepared him to lead the Church after the Prophet’s death? Why is it significant that Brigham Young was already exercising authority to ordain Apostles...

In this episode of Conversations with Interpreter , Avram and Thora interview David Calabro about his intriguing article where he argues that there is an underlying Christian ritual context for the Book of Moses. This article, entitled “An Early Christian Context for the Book of Abraham,” was published in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship . Drawing on a variety of an...

Abstract: The Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon , edited by David Hocking and Rod Meldrum, compares Caractors Document glyphs to purported Native American Mi’kmaq glyphs to support the theory that the Book of Mormon took place in the eastern United States. The glyphs used to support the theory are, in fact, taken from the Anthon Transcript document forgery produced by Mark Hofmann. The post...

Abstract: Doubt is not the opposite of faith but functions as a constructive spiritual gift that often facilitates faith development, protects against dogmatism, and reframes faith as relational fidelity rather than intellectual certainty. Drawing on scriptural theology and developmental perspectives on meaning-making, doubt commonly—though not universally—serves as a catalyst through which belief...

In the June 25, 2026, episode of The Interpreter Insights Podcast, our host Martin Tanner discusses the Constitution Hanging by a Thread and How it Could be Restored. The audio track is also included in our podcast feed (

How did God dramatically protect Zion's Camp from a violent mob? Why did the Lord call Zion’s Camp a success even though they didn’t redeem Zion or fight any battles? How did the hardships of Zion’s Camp transform Brigham Young and prepare him to lead the Saints westward? This episode concludes the story of Zion’s Camp, the 2,000-mile journey undertaken by Brigham Young, Joseph Smith, and roughly...

Why did ordinary men like Brigham Young leave everything behind to walk over 1,000 miles under brutal conditions to help the Saints in Missouri? How did Joseph Smith demonstrate remarkable leadership and patience while leading a group of exhausted, complaining men on Zion’s Camp? What can we learn from the extreme sacrifices of the early Saints—and the women left behind—when facing trials that don...

In this episode of Conversations with Interpreter , Avram and Thora interview one another, discussing their education and research interests. They also talk about their most recent project together, a paper presented at “For a Wise Purpose in Him” The 2026 Small Plates of Nephi Conference In Honor of President Jeffrey R. Holland. This paper looks at evidence that there was a gradual loss of knowle...

Abstract: The Book of Mormon presents a wealth of important information related to how we should understand our lives and relationship with God. Frustratingly, it leaves unwritten a large body of information that we would like to know. This note tries to read between the lines to suggest the reason Nephihah became chief judge after Alma2 abdicated that position. The post A Proposed Kinship between...

In the June 11, 2026, 2026 episode of The Interpreter Insights Podcast, our host Terry Hutchinson continues his survey of Interpreter Journal volumes with a brief review of Volume 6 from 2013. He is then joined by guest Tom Grover, an attorney from Las Vegas who discussed his presentation at the current Mormon History Association conference titled “Las Vegas Estate Litigation over Howard Hughes’s...

Welcome. I’m Daniel Peterson, president of the Interpreter Foundation and executive producer of the Becoming Brigham series. If you’re not yet familiar with this series, you can find it on this website at https://interpreterfoundation.org/study/series/category/becoming-brigham, at the Becoming Brigham channel on YouTube, or at BecomingBrigham.com. Join us as we visit with experts and scholars rega...

What does it reveal about Joseph Smith that even he sometimes didn’t get immediate answers from God during moments of crisis? How can the experiences of the Missouri persecutions help us better understand and empathize with refugees and displaced people in our world today? The post Becoming Brigham Episode 20: Peace or Violence? Part Two first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation .

Abstract: Members of the 1834 Zion’s Camp expedition inspected a large mound along the Illinois River where a skeleton was uncovered and Joseph Smith had a revelatory experience identifying the individual as Zelph. Recent archeological excavations place the revelation in a chronological and ancient cultural context that now allows additional verification and interpretation of this revelatory event...

In the June 4, 2026, episode of The Interpreter Insights Podcast, our host Martin Tanner discusses Becoming Brigham, Interpreter’s web video series debunking misconceptions and misunderstandings about Brigham Young. The post Interpreter Insights Podcast — June 4, 2026: Brigham Young first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation .

Why does Brigham Young’s complicated legacy—full of both remarkable achievements and difficult decisions—still inspire deep reflection and admiration 225 years later? In this special birthday episode of the documentary series, hosts Camrey Fox, John Wilson, and Professor Daniel Peterson gather at Brigham Young’s winter home in St. George, Utah, to celebrate his 225th birthday. The hosts highlight...

Abstract: This study reinterprets the political and military upheavals of the book of Alma through the lens of dynastic competition among Nephite, Mulekite, and Jaredite lineages. It builds on the work of Hugh Nibley, John Sorenson, Noel Reynolds, and more recently, Val Larsen and Lyle Hamblin, among others. Their research suggests that hereditary legitimacy and rival bloodlines shaped later Nephi...

In the May 28, 2026, 2026 episode of The Interpreter Insights Podcast, our host Terry Hutchinson continues his survey of Interpreter Journal volumes with a brief review of Volume 5 from 2013. He's then joined by guest Kevin Christensen to discuss Joshua and the Deuteronomistic History, which will be covered in Come Follow Me until mid-July. The post Interpreter Insights Podcast — May 28, 2026 firs...

Our hosts examine the tension between the Latter-day Saint commitment to peace and the violent realities of early American history. The discussion turns to Zion’s Camp, the 1834 expedition to Missouri that Brigham Young went through as a formative spiritual experience under the guidance of Joseph Smith. Though often viewed as a military failure, the discussion turns to how Joseph Smith deliberatel...

Abstract: This article proposes that priesthood keys are of two general categories: 1) keys of authority and 2) keys of knowledge. The keys of authority are the type most often discussed in meetings and classrooms, and thus, are relatively familiar. However, keys of knowledge, though an extension of the keys of authority, may be less familiar. The word key in this second case is used in a broad se...

In the May 21, 2026,episode of The Interpreter Insights Podcast, our host Martin Tanner reviews “ Seers and Stones: The Translation of the Book of Mormon as Divine Visions of an Old-Time Seer ” by Stan Spencer in Volume 24 of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture. The post Interpreter Insights Podcast — May 21, 2026: Seers and Stones: The Translation of the Book of Mormon as Divine Visions of...

Our hosts examine the tension between the Latter-day Saint commitment to peace and the violent realities of early American history. The discussion turns to Zion’s Camp, the 1834 expedition to Missouri that Brigham Young went through as a formative spiritual experience under the guidance of Joseph Smith. Though often viewed as a military failure, the discussion turns to how Joseph Smith deliberatel...

Abstract: Holy stands come in all shapes and sizes. We need to be careful that we don’t unknowingly fashion a Rameumptom that blinds us to the ways in which God works with imperfect people of all eras. The post Atop the Rameumptom first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation .

In the May 14, 2026, 2026 episode of The Interpreter Insights Podcast, our host Terry Hutchinson begins a survey of the previous Interpreter Journal articles from its inception in 2012. The survey reintroduces past articles to the current listenership. The first four volumes of the Interpreter Journal are included in this episode. The post Interpreter Insights Podcast — May 14, 2026 first appeared...