Episodes
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Today weâre excited to share our conversation with Anna Lott, and weâre especially thinking of those who are walkingâor have walkedâthe path of divorce.
Anna is the host of the Solo Saints podcast and retreats, and sheâs become a thoughtful and compassionate voice in our communityâespecially for those who often feel like their experiences donât quite fit the mold. As a divorced mother of four, Anna brings honesty, heart, and hard-won wisdom to conversations about faith, family, and belonging.
Todayâs episode is for everyone thoughâwhether youâve experienced divorce yourself or love someone who has, we talk with Anna about what it feels like to show up at church when your life no longer fits the picture of how you thought things were âsupposedâ to look. She speaks candidly about the stigma and shame that so many experience around divorce in a family-centered church, âand about how we, as a community, can do better to create a softer place to land.
Anna also invites us to rethink and let go of some of the painful narratives many of us have inherited around marriageâthat it should be preserved at all costs, or that staying married is always the most right choice. She shares the both-ands of her own storyâthe grief and the growth, the costs and the clarityâand how reclaiming and recentering her identity as a daughter of God has led to deeper joy, belonging, and renewed faith.
Weâre so grateful to the many of you who shared your stories and questions ahead of this episode. Your voices shaped this conversation in meaningful ways. Weâre grateful for your honesty and vulnerability and we hope you feel heard here.
And with that, hereâs our conversation with Anna Lott.
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This weekâJune 9thâmarks the 47th anniversary of the 1978 revelation that ended the Churchâs 126-year ban on Black members receiving the priesthood and entering the temple. Itâs a moment we often point to with reverence and gratitudeâbut the story weâve inherited about how it happened is, in many ways, incomplete.
To help us understand more fully what led to that pivotal moment, weâre joined by Dr. Matthew Harris, whose new book Second-Class Saints draws on previously unavailable documentsâincluding the complete, unredacted journals from Pres. Spencer W. Kimball and private papers from several other apostles and prophets who were part of this story. What emerges is a story of complex revelationâone that didnât arrive all at once, but unfolded slowly through conversation, persuasion, and deep personal growth.
We sometimes talk about the 1978 revelation as if it came out of nowhereâa sudden command from heaven. But Matt helps us see the reality that this was a process shaped by years of thoughtful wrestling and dialogue, by courageous individuals who quietly worked to open hearts and minds, and by the unwavering faith of Black members who carried impossible burdens with grace and conviction.
In our conversation today, we explored what it means to be part of a living churchâone thatâs capable of change because itâs built on continuing revelation. We talked about how âdoctrineâ has been defined and redefined across the Churchâs history, the vital role each of us plays in the process of institutional revelation, because this isnât just about the pastâitâs about how we show up today: how we answer President Nelsonâs call to root out racism and build a more inclusive future within the body of Christ.
Weâre deeply grateful to Matt for his careful, bold work. And with that, weâll jump right into our conversation with Matt Harris.
Buy the book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/45a7Ijl
Buy from Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/108982/9780197695715
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Episodes manquant?
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Today, weâre so excited to share something brand new with youâthe very first episode of a new podcast weâre launching here at Faith Matters. Itâs called Article 13.
This new narrative podcast brings together cutting-edge research and spiritual wisdom to explore creative paths toward a more connected and compassionate world. As our society grows increasingly divided along political and cultural lines, Article 13âhosted by Zachary Davisâoffers a hopeful and constructive alternative. Through deep dives into vital social issues, extraordinary guests, and beautiful sound design, the show models the kind of thoughtful, intelligent discourse our country needsâand offers practical ways each of us can make a difference, starting right where we are.
Today, weâre honored to share Episode 1 of Article 13 with youâitâs titled What We Owe Each Other.
In this episode, Zach is joined by voices like Cornel West, Shaylyn Romney Garrett, and Robert Putnam to explore what rebuilding trust really looks likeâand why it matters now. They propose that real renewal begins from the inside out, as we recommit to the people we serve in the institutions weâre already part ofâour families, schools, churches, and communities. When we view these roles as shared responsibilities, not personal platforms, we can begin to restore the trust and connection that hold us together.
Itâs a thoughtful, timely conversationâand weâre so excited to share it with you. You can find Article 13 wherever you listen to podcasts.
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This week, we got to sit down with someone weâve long admired and are so thrilled to finally have on the podcastâSteven Sharp Nelson, known to millions around the world as âThe Cello Guyâ from The Piano Guys. Heâs a creative force and a pioneer in "cello-percussion"âwhere rhythm, melody, and movement come together in such creative and beautiful ways.
If youâve ever seen Steve perform, you know the energy he brings to music is unlike anything elseâitâs vibrant, joyful, and instantly captivating. And we felt all of that in this conversation.
But this episode isnât just about music. Today we got to talk with Steve about ADHDâhis diagnosis as a child, and the way heâs come to understand it not as a disorder, but a spiritual gift that has shaped his creativity, deepened his connection to God, and is helping him live into his divine purpose. Though ADHD began as a source of confusion and shame, heâs come to see it as one of the greatest blessings of his life.
In this conversation, Steve shares what that transformation has looked likeâwhat it means to live with âattention abundance,â how this overflow of energy, sensitivity, and ideas have become the place where God meets himâagain and again. And how, when we offer our weaknesses to God, the burdens begin to lift and the blessings blossom.
Steve reminds us that God works with our particular brains, capacities, and quirks, speaking to each of us in the language we understand best. And that sometimes, what we once thought was a weakness might actually be the key to our calling.
This episode is full of honesty, humor, and deep spiritual wisdom. Weâre so excited to share this one with youâhereâs our conversation with Steven Sharp Nelson.
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This week, weâre sharing a conversation with Phil Barlow about his new book, published by Faith Matters, called A Thoughtful Faith for the 21st Century. If that sounds familiar, it may be because Phil published the first volume back in 1986. That original collection included essays by Eugene England, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Francine Bennion, Richard Bushman, and othersâeach exploring what it means to live a spiritually and intellectually honest life within the Latter-day Saint tradition.
As Phil points out, challenges to faith are not new. Thoughtful people were wrestling with difficult questions decades ago in ways that still have power today. But, as he says, âthe world has turned someâ since then. The 2025 edition brings in a new generation of scholars and voicesâThomas McConkie, Melissa Inouye, Fiona Givens, Ben Schilaty, among othersâwho speak to todayâs distinctive challenges while honoring the wisdom and foundation of those who came before.
At the heart of both volumes is an urgent and beautiful question: How can we hold together the integrities of our minds and our hearts and our spirits? That questionâits weight, complexity, and quiet hopeâsits at the center of this conversation today.
Phil brings so much humility and clarity, and in this episode we get to hear a little about whatâs changed in his own faith, about the wisdom of surrendering the need to know, and why he still finds the Latter-day Saint tradition compelling, human, and a spiritual home he continues to choose with both heart and mind.
Weâre so grateful to Phil for this conversation, and we hope you love it as much as we did. With that, hereâs Phil Barlow.
Links for the show notes:
Purchase the book through Bookshop.org (https://bookshop.org/a/108982/9781953677242) Amazon (https://amzn.to/4mgJsCf) or anywhere you get your books.
Get a free look inside the book on our website: https://www.faithmatters.org/s/a-thoughtful-faith-vol-2
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This week, weâre excited to share a special live episode recorded at the Compass Gallery in Provo, as part of our Big Questions series with Terryl Givens. Each month, Terryl is joined by a guest for a conversation about some of our biggest theological and historical questions.
In this episode, heâs joined by scholar and teacher Jared Halverson. Together, Terryl and Jared explore the question: can doubt be a spiritual gift? They consider how doubt might play a meaningful role in our spiritual development, and ask whether we can reclaim faith as something relational, built on loyalty, trust, and love â rather than a list of things we intellectually agree to.
One of the most powerful ideas that emerges is that faith and doubt arenât opposites â in fact, they may need to coexist. Itâs often in the tension between the two that deeper discipleship takes root. Terryl and Jared also explore how the Restoration, at its core, invites us into a life of ongoing seeking and expanding, not one of perfect certainty.
So if youâve ever felt some fear, guilt, or shame around your questions â or worried that doubt means youâre falling behind, out of reach, or off the path, this conversation is for you. We hope it offers a hopeful reframe: that the wrestle is sacred, that youâre in good company, and that sometimes, this is exactly what spiritual growth looks like.
And with that, hereâs Terryl Givens and Jared Halverson.
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With Motherâs Day coming up, weâre so honored to bring you this conversation with McArthur Krishna about her new book, Mother in Heaven: A Gospel Topics Essay Study Guide.
The doctrine of Heavenly Mother is one of the most beautiful and distinctive Latter-Day Saint teachingsâbut for many, itâs still unfamiliar territory. McArthur and her co-authors created this study guide as an invitation to engage with this doctrine more deeply. Drawing on the churchâs Gospel Topics essay, the book explores each point through art, rich personal reflections, and theological insights with contributions from many people whose names you may recognize- Patrick and Melissa Mason, Tom Christofferson, and Bethany Brady Spalding to name a few. What emerges is a beautiful tapestry of reverence, curiosity, and lived faith.
In this conversation, we explore how the simple truth that we are âbeloved spirit children of Heavenly Parentsâ carries profound implications for how we understand the nature of God. It suggests that divinity isnât solitary or hierarchicalâitâs relational, that weâre not subjects of a distant king but members of a divine family. And that shift transforms the way we see God, one another, and ourselves.
McArthur highlights how essential it is for women to have a divine role model and that becoming like Her means learning to use our agency with wisdom and courage. It means aligning with God, trusting the revelation we receive, and standing by itâeven when itâs hard. As McArthur puts it, âsovereignty is how we begin to practice godhood.â
We hope that as you celebrate Motherâs Day this year, this conversation invites you to remember and honor our Heavenly Mother and embrace the truth that we are Her daughters and sons too, born with the divine potential to become like Her.
Weâre so grateful to McArthur for her courage, vision, and voice. And with that, hereâs our conversation with McArthur Krishna.
https://bookshop.org/a/108982/9781734228724
https://amzn.to/3RG0USG
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This week, weâre so glad to be sharing a conversation with our friend Chad Ford.
Chad is a conflict mediator, peace educator, and associate professor of religious studies at Utah State University. Heâs spent decades working in some of the most entrenched conflict zones in the worldâfrom the Middle East to South Africa to Northern Ireland. Heâs also the author of a new book called Seventy Times Seven: Jesusâs Path to Conflict Transformation, published by Deseret Book. The book explores a question that feels more urgent than ever: how do we follow Jesus as peacemakers in a world so often shaped by fear, division, and violence?
Our conversation with Chad moved from the personal to the globalâfrom tensions in families and faith communities to the devastating conflicts we see on the world stage. And through all of it, Chad points back to Jesus as a radical model for how to live, engage, and help transform the world around us.
Chad reminds us that Jesusâs path is anything but passive. It doesnât mean disengaging or avoiding hard conversations. It means choosing to engage with both courage and compassion. It means refusing to meet harm with more harm, and instead walking a path that invites healing, reconciliation, and transformation.
That kind of peace doesnât come quicklyâor easilyâbut itâs the kind of peace that can change lives and communities. Chad offers a vision of Christianity rooted in Jesusâ ministry of reconciliationânot in dominance or defensiveness, but in the slow, often difficult work of restoring wholeness.
He helped us see that the peace Jesus offers isnât always the peace we wantâbut itâs the peace we need. And when the way forward feels impossible, he reminds us that part of discipleship is learning to make a way out of no way.
And with that, hereâs our conversation with Chad
Seventy Time Seven
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With Easter just a few days away, weâre so excited to share this conversation with Amanda Suarez and Jon Ogden.
Amanda and Jon are two of the co-founders of Uplift Kids, a lesson library and curriculum that helps families explore spirituality, values, and emotional health together. Amanda is a school psychologist and certified conscious parenting coach, and Jon is a writer, curriculum creator, and author of When Mormons Doubt.
In this conversation, Amanda and Jon offer a beautiful vision of Easter through the lens of what Brian McLaren calls the âharmonyâ stage of faithâa perspective they also bring to their work with Uplift Kids. They paint a picture of Easter made more meaningfulânot lessâby welcoming it all: the story of Jesusâ resurrection, the chocolate bunnies, the deep questions, and the simple joy.
Itâs an approach that honors the unique developmental stage of each child and the evolving faith of each adult, making room for everyone to show up just as they are. And for many families gathering this time of year, that kind of spaciousness mattersâespecially when there are likely a variety of beliefs around the table and a wide range of needs, from toddlers to teens to adults.
Rather than avoiding depth or walking on eggshells around belief, Amanda and Jon invite us to embrace the richness that comes from letting all the layers belong. That richness can become an openingâfor deeper connection, for real growth, and for the kind of transformation that Easter is all about.
At its heart, this conversation invites us to let go of pressure and agendas, to lean into love and presence, and to trust that whatâs needed will rise naturally in its own time. Easter, after all, is a story of life, death and rebirthâand that same pattern is quietly at work in our lives and families too.
We hope this conversation fills you with the peace this Easter season brings and with that, hereâs our conversation with Amanda Suarez and Jon Ogden.
https://upliftkids.org/
When Mormons Doubt
Bookshop affiliate link: https://bookshop.org/a/108982/9781535350372
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This week, weâre so excited to welcome Adam Miller and Rosalynde Welch to talk about their brand-new book, Seven Visions. This book is an exploration of seven visionary experiences in the Doctrine and Covenantsâmoments where heaven and earth meet in powerful and sometimes surprising ways. Through these visions, Adam and Rosalynde invite us to consider how we engage with scripture and revelation in our own lives.
In this conversation, we explore what it means to truly see Godâs face and hear god's voice and that so often, revelation comes by paying attention to what is closest to usâthe relationships and experiences that challenge us, stretch us, and ultimately transform us.
Adam and Rosalynde suggest that rather than treating scripture as something fixed and unchanging, we can approach it as an active, unfolding conversation. As Rosalynde put it, âThe meaning of scripture is not fixed inside the covers of the book, but it unfolds in the space between the reader and the text.â We love their insights about passages of scripture that feel unsettling. Could our discomfort itself be a catalyst for revelation? And could the very questions we feel most compelled to ask be what expands our capacity to recognize Christ as He truly isâand to see the world more as He sees it?
This was such a rich and expansive conversation, and we hope it gives you a new lens for engaging with scripture and revelation. And with that, hereâs our conversation with Adam Miller and Rosalynde Welch.
Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/44mK4Qa
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This week, weâre really excited to share a conversation about a brand-new Childrenâs book called Changemakers by McArthur Krishna and Anne Pimentel, with beautiful artwork by Jessica Sarah Beach.
The book is a powerful and much-needed affirmation, especially in a moment when many women are quietly wondering where they fit. Through stories from scripture and the global history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it highlights women whose ideas, faith, and courage have helped shape the church in meaningful and lasting ways. Accessible to children, beautiful to look at and meaningful for readers of all ages.
Today, weâre joined by McArthur and Anne to explore some of these incredible stories. Both women are remarkable in their own rightâMcArthur is the author of several books, including A Girlâs Guide to Heavenly Mother and the Girls Who Choose God series. Anne is a founder of Meetinghouse Mosaic, an organization working to diversify Christian art and amplify voices that sometimes go unheard in our faith community.
In this conversation, we explore what it means to be a changemaker in a church that values both institutional authority and ongoing revelation. We talked about the tension many women are feeling right nowâand how pain can become a catalyst for meaningful, needed transformation, and what true partnership between men and women might look like in that process.
McArthur and Anne remind us again and again that revelation doesnât always start at the topâso often, it often rises from the margins, born of questions, connection, and listening with love.
We hope this conversation inspires you to trust your gifts, to share your voice, and to believe, deeply, that your contributions matter.
And with that, hereâs our conversation with McArthur Krishna and Anne Pimentel. -
Today weâre bringing you a special conversation hosted by Jared Halverson, whoâs joined by three womenâBethany Brady Spalding, Kathryn Knight Sonntag, and meâwhoâve been part of a larger, ongoing conversation sparked by one of Jaredâs recent videos on social media.
If you havenât seen the video, hereâs the context: Jared highlighted the recent trend of women leaving the Church in greater numbers than men and encouraged women to stay, he connects this to D&C 25, highlighting how much depends on them. His message, meant to be supportive and hopeful, was heard by many as hurtful and dismissiveâparticularly by women who feel their voices and gifts are too often sidelined or unseen. The response was overwhelming. Thousands of women responded with honesty, vulnerability, and a shared sense of grief for the ways theyâve been asked to carry the Church while too often being denied a real seat at the table.
To his credit, Jared didnât get defensive. Just a few days later, he posted a real, heartfelt apology, then did something even more rare and brave: he asked if he could sit down, ask questions, and just listen.
Thatâs what this episode is.
What unfolds is a conversation about pain, power, partnership, and the potential for something more whole. We talk about what âspiritual collaborationâ might really look likeânot just in our doctrine, which includes the radical and often untapped vision of Heavenly Parentsâbut in our lived experience. We ask what it means for women to be invited not just to support the work, but to shape it. And we explore what changes when women are actually believedâwhen their longing to be seen, to lead, and to offer their full selves to the body of Christ is not framed as rebellion, but as righteousness.
Jared holds this space with humility and openness, and Bethany, Kathryn, and I tried to speak from our own experiencesânot as representatives of all women, but as people who love this tradition and believe it can do even more to reach its highest, holiest potential. We believe, as one commenter put it, that this isnât a crisis of beliefâitâs an opportunity for renewal.
This episode is tender, and we also think itâs hopeful. We hope it models the kind of listening and learning that we need more ofâat home, in our wards, and across the Church.
And with that, weâll jump right into the conversation.
Amy McPhie Allebest article
Sexual Violence in Utah
Best Practices for Collaborative Partnership
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We have a really fun episode for you todayâWeâre talking with James Goldberg about his delightful book Tales of the Chelm First Ward, which he co-wrote with his, wife Nicole Wilkes Goldberg, and his brother, Mattathias Singh.
The book is a collection of fictional stories set in a Latter-day Saint ward in the imagined town of Chelmâa nod to Jewish folklore and the famous âvillage of fools.â The humor is wonderfully absurd but beneath the silliness is something powerful and profound.
In this conversation, we explore what might be called a theology of humor. James reflects on how laughter opens us. It softens the edges of our seriousness and rigidity, and draws us closer in shared connection.
He reminded us that not everything about âchurch cultureâ needs to be critiqued or stripped awayâsometimes it can be embraced with lightness and joy, as part of what brings us together and helps us live in community.
The idea that stayed with us most was this: maybe what makes a ward great isnât how aligned everyone is theologically or politically, or how smoothly things run, or how polished people are in their callings. Maybe itâs just about creating a group of people who are all rooting for each otherâthrough the everyday moments, the imperfect efforts, and the callings that stretch us. Itâs about showing up with love, having each otherâs backs, and learning to see one another the way God doesâwith patience, grace, and deep affection.
We hope this episode might just help you love your ward a little moreâwith all its quirks and imperfections. We hope it helps you see the people around you with a little more grace, a little more humor, and a little more tenderness.
And with that, hereâs our conversation with James Goldberg.
https://www.wayfaremagazine.org/p/tales-of-the-chelm-first-ward-introduction
Affiliate link for Chelm: https://bookshop.org/a/108982/9781961471030
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This week, weâre joined by Mike Petrow, who serves as the Director of Formation, Faculty Relations, and Theological Foundations at the Center for Action and Contemplation. The CAC is a nonprofit founded by Father Richard Rohr that introduces seekers to the contemplative Christian path of transformation.
Mike is intimately involved with the CACâs Living School, a core educational offering from the CAC that last year offered a course called Essentials of Engaged Contemplation that Tim and I participated in. Mike is one of the primary hosts in the conversations that make up much of the program, often conversing with people like Richard Rohr and our friend Brian McLaren. Frankly, we found the work that Mike and the rest of the CAC team did on this course to be truly life-changing, and engaging it has been one of the most uplifting and transformative spiritual experiences weâve had in our lives. In addition to his work at the CAC, Mike holds degrees (including a PhD) in psychology, mythology, and religious studies.
This conversation is a sample of just how deeply insightful Mike is. He invited us to see curiosity as something âimplanted in our hearts by Godâânot as a threat to faith, but as an invitation to let the divine meet us in unexpected ways. He challenged the idea that âcommunity is formed around uniformity of beliefâ and instead argued that real connection happens when we learn to be with each other, even in our differences â that everyone belongs even, or perhaps especially, when they fall somehow outside the norm. And he brought so much depth to the idea of the wounded healer ââif you deeply commit to your own healing,â Mike told us, âat a certain point you realize itâs not just for you.â
In one of the most powerful moments of this conversation, Mike describes a moment of profound lossâsitting at his motherâs bedside as she passed awayâand then, just hours later, holding his newborn niece for the first time. These moments of symmetry revealed a truth that is at the heart of this entire conversation: that loss, and grief, and pain carve out a space in our hearts that can eventually be filled with love, joy and connection.
We hope this conversation offers the same sense of healing, hope, and clarity that it did for us. And with that, letâs jump into this beautiful conversation with Mike Petrow.
Thanks so much for listening, and we want to send a huge thanks to Mike for coming on. For those of you who might have been wondering more about the Living School, the Essentials of Engaged Contemplation that Aubrey and I participated in, the course is not currently open for enrollment, but if youâre interested in learning more or getting updates, you can head to cac.org.
And if Faith Matters content is resonating with you and you get a chance, weâd love for you to leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. We love reading reviews and they definitely help get the word about about Faith Matters.
Thanks again for listening, and as always, you can check out more at faithmatters.org.
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This week, weâre excited to share a conversation between Zach Davis and New York Times columnist and author David French.
David French began his career as a constitutional litigator, with a special focus on religious liberty. He has since become known for his thoughtful, principled political writing, having worked previously for The National Review, The Dispatch and The Atlantic.
In their conversation today, David emphasizes the need for Christians to move from a fear-based political culture to one centered on care and compassion for our neighborsâand that instead of seeking political control or domination, Christians should embrace equality for Americans of any or no religion.
David also addresses the rise in misinformation and distrust in institutions, highlighting the importance of truth-seeking and constructive political engagement. He concludes with a prayer that Christians will reject the politics of fear and help renew the world by living a counter-culture of love.
Wherever you find yourself across the political spectrum, we hope this conversation offers an empowering way forwardâone grounded compassion. And with that, letâs jump into our conversation with David French.
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This week, weâre welcoming back our good friend Jeff Strong.
Last year, Jeff and his team sent out a survey to the Faith Matters audience as part of a larger research project on faith and church participation. Over 1,600 of you responded, and the results were fascinating! Weâre excited to share them with you today. What emerged was a picture of a significant and often unheard cross-section of the Churchâa community of people who are deeply devoted but also wrestling, holding both conviction and complexity, faith and struggle, all at once.
In this conversation, Jeff walks us through some of the most powerful insights from the survey, with a special focus on culture and aspects of our faith experience that are shaping our sense of belonging, meaning, and connection. He explores what people love most about being part of this tradition, where they encounter real challenges.
One of the clearest themes in the survey is the tension between tradition and changeâa familiar story in faith traditions across the world. Jeff explores what it means to hold that complexity well, in our families, community, and our own hearts. He addresses the power of finding others who are walking a similar path, and why recognizing weâre not alone in this wrestle can be so meaningful.
I want to mention that there are a few visuals in this conversation that Jeff does a great job describing but you can see the slides he talks about in the YouTube version of this episode. To everyone who participated in the survey, thank you. It has been such a gift to see that none of us is alone here. Weâre so grateful to be in it with youâasking hard questions, holding onto what we love, and finding our way forward together.
And with that, hereâs our conversation with Jeff Strong.
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For todayâs episode, weâre releasing a fascinating conversation that Aubrey had with Rich Hanks about the life and legacy of his father, Marion D. Hanks. For those who know his name, youâll know exactly why this conversation matters so much to usâMarion D. Hanks embodied so many of the values we hold dear. He was a leader of immense integrity, a champion for those on the margins, and a disciple of Christ in the truest sense. Even today, the ripples of his influence continue to shape the Church and the lives of so many.
President David O. McKay once gave him a blessing with a simple but powerful charge: âLet your voice be heard, even if it is in opposition to the stated norms.â And he did. For forty years, he consistently pushed for changeâadvocating for humanitarian work long before it became a priority, fighting against the priesthood and temple ban, and insisting that sustaining leaders meant honest engagement, not silent agreement.
Rich shared incredible stories about his fatherâthe ways he stood up to cultural and institutional pressures, his deep reverence for the individual, and his unwavering belief that true discipleship is rooted in love, not conformity. He also spoke movingly about his fatherâs final years, as dementia slowly took hold, and the lessons of grace and devotion that emerged even in that difficult season. More than anything, we were struck by how Marion D. Hanksâ entire life was centered on lifting, healing, and servingâjust as Christ did.
We are so grateful to Rich for sharing these stories. We think this conversation will be inspiring to anyone who has ever wrestled with how to live their faith with integrity, courage, and compassion. And with that, weâll jump right into our conversation with Rich Hanks.
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We have been waiting a long time for this episode with our friend Thomas McConkie. As many of you know, Thomas is an incredibly skilled meditation teacher and guide on the path of spiritual awakening. Faith Matters produced his very popular online course Transformations of Faith and also published his incredible book At-One-Ment, which has deeply impacted so many readers.
For the last several years, Thomas has been doing graduate work at Harvard Divinity School. All the while, we have been exploring with Thomas the possibility of creating a podcast to help us all hit the pause button in our busy daily lives and give time to a rich meditation and prayer practice. As Thomas is coming to the end of his program at Harvard, the time seemed right to launch this series. And so we are excited to share with you today the first episode of this new podcast, named One Heart, One Mind.
Thomas is a teacher and researcher who is fascinated by consciousness, growth and transformation. He is especially interested in Christian contemplation and what it means to re-embody Christâs teachings in new and unique ways for these challenging timesâways that will lead to deeper connection to God and to those around us. In One Heart One Mind, we will join Thomas in searching Christianity and the worldâs Wisdom traditions for gems and insights into awakening, transformation, and the soulâs journey Home. The episodes are designed to be relatively brief, 15 to 30 minutes or so, and will generally include a teaching followed by a guided meditation.
So, if youâve been intending to cultivate a more regular spiritual practice of meditation and prayer, this might be the perfect place to start. You can subscribe to One Heart, One Mind on whatever podcast platform you use. We think youâre going to love this journey with Thomas McConkie.
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This week, Tim and I are sharing a fascinating conversation with therapist and researcher Janeen Martin about the complex and deeply personal ways that religion and mental health intersect.
Janeen has spent years working with clients navigating the full spectrum of religious experienceâsome who find their faith to be a source of deep resilience and healing, and others for whom it has been a source of pain and struggle. That contrast led her to ask some big questions: What makes religion a protective factor for some and a source of distress for others? How do individual personality, family dynamics, and church culture shape the way we engage with faith? And most importantly, how can we cultivate a relationship with God and our faith that supports our mental and emotional well-being?
One of the most interesting ideas we explored was the concept of attachment stylesâhow the way we relate to God often mirrors the way weâve experienced relationships with authority figures in our lives. Janeen also introduced us to three different religious orientationsâextrinsic, intrinsic, and questâand how our approach to faith can evolve over time. We talked about how religious communities can create spaces for both conviction and curiosity, how parents can help their kids develop a healthy and secure faith, and how we can each pay attention to the signs that our relationship with God is either building us up or weighing us down.
This conversation was rich with insight and practical tools for anyone wanting to engage with their faith in a way that is both deeply meaningful and emotionally healthy. We hope you find it as valuable as we did. And with that, weâll jump right into our conversation with Janeen Martin. -
This week, we are thrilled to welcome back Terryl Givensâone of our all-time favorite guests and collaborators and someone we always have a running list of topics for. This time, weâre finally diving deep into the topic of agency and free will: itâs something that has come up in many of our past conversations but never had its own dedicated discussion.
Terrylâs new book, Agency, is part of the Maxwell Instituteâs Doctrine & Covenants theological series, and it explores some of the most profound and challenging questions about what it truly means to have agency. For centuries, theologians and philosophers have debated whether free will truly exists or if what we call agency is merely an illusionâ our choices predetermined by the unfolding of the universe, or so shaped by our biology and past that we don't have real choice. Terrylâs work in this book finds that Mormonism has some compelling and unique insights on that central question, and explores some others: what role does community and authority play in expandingâor limitingâour agency? And how do we navigate the tension between obedience and authentic personal choice?
In this conversation, we explore the dangers of turning scripture or prophets into idols, how our perception of God can sometimes become so skewed that itâs actually a âfalse God,â and why Terryl doesnât believe that weâll ever be judged based on our beliefs alone. We also get into some fascinating intersections between agency, neuropsychology, philosophy, and even Darwinian evolution.
This discussion left us with so much to think about, and we hope it does the same for you. So with that, letâs dive in!
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