Y Religion

April 6th is commonly taught by Latter-day Saints to be Jesus's birth date.  Some Church leaders, however, have explored other options, saying the date "is not a settled issue." In this episode, Professor Jeff Chadwick discusses his publications that academically explore the dates of Jesus Christ's birth and death, highlighting important aspects of our faith that arise from dating theses scriptura...

In the summer of 1830, the Prophet Joseph Smith began an audacious undertaking: to translate the Holy Bible.  But what was this Bible "translation"? Was he reading from other languages? Was he restoring the Bible text to its earliest condition? Was it an inspired commentary? Is the JST canonized scripture? And, did Joseph ever finish the complete translation? In this episode, Dr. Jared Ludlow shar...

Like complementary colors, women and men are meant to work in harmony to bring their inherent and unique qualities to parenting.  Dr. Jenet Erickson specializes in research related to the distinct contributions of mothers and fathers in child development. In this episode, she shares some of her research about what the spring 2020 Covid pandemic illuminated about the work and family desires of men...

For centuries, some readers of Genesis have blamed Eve for the evils of the world because she ate the forbidden fruit in Eden. But Latter-day Saint scripture opens the way for different views, including seeing Eve's decision as visionary and courageous. Our interpretations of Eve have not always been this positive, however, and historical Christianity's interpretations haven't always been that neg...

Every worthy, baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can and should receive a patriarchal blessing, which provides inspired personal direction from God. There are many common questions surrounding patriarchal blessings: Why should I get one? What will it say? Why does my lineage matter? With whom can I share it? How should I prepare? In this episode, professor Brad Wilc...

When we hear the name of Samuel the Lamanite, most of us know his epic story on the wall. That, however, is part of the problem. We know the drama of his escape, but often have overlooked the depths of his doctrinal teachings and prophetic message. Are some of us like the Nephites who were admonished by Jesus for overlooking the prophecies of Samuel? In this episode professor Ryan Sharp helps us r...

Many of us are familiar with the excitement of "show and tell" at school.  There's something potent in the combination of seeing an interesting object and hearing a good narrative related to it.  Latter-day Saint history has produced many important relics related to the Restoration.  In this episode, Professor Casey Griffiths discusses his book publication on fifty of these important objects and t...

Two thousand years after the mortal life of Jesus and the expansive global spread of Christianity, we must be careful to not overlook the fundamental nature of Judaism in Christianity, and that Jesus himself was Jewish. In this episode, BYU religion professor Avram Shannon helps us understand how Jewish Rabbinic literature—which are the texts written by early Jewish sages—can help better enlighten...

Over the last few decades in the Church, there has been an increased emphasis on the grace of Jesus Christ.  This coincides with global increases in societal rates of anxiety, depression, and other challenges to mental health, including within our Church membership.  Professor Daniel K Judd has dedicated much of his professional life to researching mental health and religion.  In this episode he d...

Latter-day Saints are often interested in the public perception of their faith. We've long been written about, defended, condemned, praised, or vilified in national press outlets.  Professor J.B. Haws has researched extensively how the public perception of the Church has shifted over time, and the reasons why. In this episode he explores the perception of the Church in the American public press, s...

Although some Latter-day Saints fly American flags on July 24th to celebrate settling in the Rocky Mountains, the irony is that the pioneer Saints were desperately trying to flee the USA. After years of being persecuted, Church leaders concluded that the existing US government would not protect their civil and religious rights as a minority group, and the Saints decided to leave. In this fascinati...

President Russell M. Nelson was sustained as the 17th president and prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in January 2018.  Things in the Church have not been the same since.  BYU religion professor Mark Ogletree has recently published on President Nelson's tenure, and his remarkable life that prepared him for this moment. This episode explores the ministry of Russell M. Nelso...

While many commandments are fairly clear, how to "remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" has been debated for millennia. Professor Gaye Strathearn from BYU Religious Education has researched this discussion during the centuries surrounding Jesus's mortal ministry. This episode explores efforts to navigate the Sabbath day by Israelites in the late second temple period, and how we can learn from...

What does it mean that our Savior is both human and divine? This is a question Christianity has wrestled with for centuries, with profound theological implications. In this insightful episode, BYU religion's Dr. Jason Combs explains four types of beliefs about the nature of Christ that were prevalent in ancient Christianity, why this dialogue was important, and how learning from ancient Christians...

My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Over the years, that spiritual cry has been felt internally and uttered verbally by many believers in their most pressing trials, including by Jesus upon the cross.  But does it mean what we think? BYU religion professor Shon Hopkin has published on the background and significance of that phrase. In this episode he analyzes and applies Messianic verses from its o...

Scriptures are a revelatory tool.  Although using it may be intuitive to some, like any tool some expert instruction is often helpful to unlock its full capacity. While many Christians know what a "Study Bible" is to aid them in understanding, fewer Latter-day Saints know about or utilize one. In this episode, professor Joshua Sears introduces the concept, addresses common reservations, and shares...

Although it is common to view Gadianton and his followers in the Book of Mormon as driven by a purely evil desire for power, there could be more to their movement.  Why else could their rebellion persuade "the more part of the righteous…to believe in their works" (Helaman 6:38)?  Professor Dan Belnap examines the root of this rebellion, and why it may have more application today than some might th...

Since 2012, archaeologists at the Galilean village of Huqoq have been uncovering an intricate mosaic floor of an ancient synagogue.  This 5th century mosaic depicts biblical scenes of Samson, Jonah, Noah's ark, Pharaoh's army, and snapshots of daily life in antiquity. In this episode, BYU religion's Dr. Matthew Grey—who was supervising the synagogue excavation when it was uncovered— discusses deta...

The word "liminal" isn't in most people's everyday vocabulary.  Although the word is rare, the experience it summarizes is not, particularly in religious life. Liminality means to be in an in-between space, on the verge of transformation, or at a threshold—like a doorway. In this insightful episode, Dr. Charles Swift analyzes the Brother of Jared's liminal experience in Ether 2 and 3, and what it...

The Prophet Joseph Smith once taught that "all priesthood is Melchizedek."  Thus, the restoration of the priesthood can be understood as a series of heavenly events, including a relatively unknown experience with the Lord at Peter Whitmer Sr.'s farmhouse.  In this powerful episode, Dr. Michael Hubbard MacKay explains what happened "in the chamber of old Father Whitmer" (D&C 128:21) and why it matt...

One of the great debates of the 16th century took place between William Tyndale and Thomas More over Tyndale's translation of the Bible into English. Both men knew how words had the power to shape theology.  Tyndale's translation informed later English translations, including the King James Version.  But were Tyndale's choices right? In this episode, Dr. Jan Martin shares her research on how the K...

If we seek to teach in the Savior's way, a common approach the Lord used was parables.  In fact, Mark says that "without a parable spake he not unto them" (Mark 4:34).  Good parables are multi-layered, and the teacher often leaves them uninterpreted to cause listeners to reflect and draw meaning. In this episode, BYU Religion's Hank Smith shares insights from his publication on the parables of Jes...

Doctrine and Covenants 25 is unique and powerful. It is one of the two modern revelations directed specifically toward a woman, Emma Smith.  It is also unique because of the progressive teachings it contains when studied in context, which makes it crucially relevant today. In this episode, Dr. Carter Charles analyzes the context and content of this important section, discussing how Emma Smith beco...

The recent home-centered and Church supported plan that focuses on gospel teaching and learning in the family has re-emphasized that parents have the primary responsibility to teach the gospel to their children. In this episode BYU Religion's Dr. Byran Korth discusses how family gospel teaching is an "echo of a celestial pattern." Using scriptural examples such as Alma, he explains the doctrinal W...

In the summer of 1842, Joseph Smith was busy. He implemented the endowment, entered plural marriages, dealt with John C. Bennett's fallout, and went into hiding from an attempted extradition.  BYU's Jordan Watkins is an editor of the Joseph Smith Papers publication covering this pivotal time. In this episode, we learn learn about events from this demanding period of Joseph's life, but also how tho...