2025
50 Years of Sunstone We're celebrating a half century of Sunstone Sunstone was started to “raise the questions, pursue the discussions, and bear the witness worthy... Read more.
E180: Is Conversion a Type of Trauma?
Religious conversion and trauma have very similar structures, but with one important difference. In this episode, Stephen Carter draws on Adam Phillips, Julie Hanks,... Read more.
2025 Schedule
Schedule Explore this year's theme with us in over 80 sessions and workshops across three days! Join us July 31st - August 2nd at the University of Utah Student... Read more.
E166: What Makes the True Believer Tick?
Using Eric Hoffer’s book “The True Believer,” Stephen Carter explores how Mormonism became a mass movement and the surprising way its cycle is... Read more.
Giving
Help us Keep Sunstone Thriving Donate Here Something really interesting happened at the 2023 Summer Symposium. The two most popular sessions were “Why I Stay”... Read more.
E165: His Eye Is on the Sparrow.
The New Testament is full of healing stories. But in real life, not so much. Dana Haight Cattani talks about her struggle with cancer.... Read more.
E164: In the Mountains, No One Can Hear You Swear.
After a tour of the Orem Temple’s art with Stephen Carter, Michael Stubbs talks about how difficult it is for him to find God in nature—even when hiking... Read more.
E163: Nephite Treasure in the Mountains: Utah County’s “Dream Mine.”
Treasure digging did not stop with Joseph Smith. In this episode, Kevin Cantera tells us about John Koyle, a Mormon visionary who started a mine that he said would... Read more.
E162: In the Garden God Hath Planted: Remembering Lavina Fielding Anderson
This episode honors the life, thought, and spirit of Lavina Fielding Anderson with one of her best Sunstone articles: “In the Garden God Hath Planted: Explorations... Read more.
E161: How the Barbie Movie Rewrites the Faith Crisis Script.
Are you a Barbie, a Ken, or a Gloria? Stephen Carter, who watched the Barbie movie five times in the theaters, argues that these three characters typify some of... Read more.
Sunstone’s Ugly Sweater Fundraiser
Sunstone's Ugly Sweater Fundraiser Ugly Sweaters, Beautiful Cause Support Sunstone and cross off everyone on your Christmas List The best part of the holidays used... Read more.
E160: The Plan of Saw-vation: What the Movie “Saw” Reveals about What Truly Terrifies Mormons.
As the old Primary song goes, “I’m trying to be like Jigsaw.” In this episode, Stephen Carter explores the peculiar reason why so many Mormons... Read more.
E159: Why the Heck Don’t Mormons Swear?
Jana Riess grew up in a household where swearing was the norm. And she wonders if bringing a little of that spice over to our religious devotions might not kick... Read more.
E158: How to Listen to a Man: And Other Things I Learned from “Fascinating Womanhood.”
Buckle up as Stephen Carter takes you on a ride through Mormonism’s most popular, and notorious, marriage manual on its 60th anniversary. ... Read more.
E157: The Excommunication of Charles William Kingston.
How did the one of richest Mormon polygamous groups get its start? With one man, Charles William Kingston. In this episode, his great-grandson, Charles Elden Kingston,... Read more.
E156: Should We Save the Provo Temple?
Yes, the mothership temple of Utah County has been the butt of many jokes. But what will we lose if the LDS Church goes ahead with its renovation of the Provo Temple?... Read more.
E155: Are There Jokes in Heaven? Are They Better than General Conference Jokes?
Our intuition tells us that there must be humor in heaven, but the D&C has specific injunctions against laughter. Using theories of humor and stories from the... Read more.
E154: Passive-aggression Among the Latter-day Saints
When Michael Stevens started teaching university courses in Utah, he noticed that passive-aggressive behavior was significantly higher there than at the midwestern... Read more.
E153: Jesus Christ (Almost) Visits the Mormons.
Would Jesus pass muster to visit an LDS ward? Ryan Shoemaker doesn’t think so. But for reasons that have more to do with Whole Foods than the whole gospel.... Read more.
2023 Digital Symposium
2023 Digital Symposium The 2023 Symposium was amazing, and absolutely jam-packed with incredible sessions. We had such a great lineup that we were forced over and... Read more.