The role of women, particularly in the areas of priesthood and leadership, has changed radically over the past four decades. Section 156 of Doctrine and Covenants, given in 1984, introduced ordination of women in the denomination. The panel will analyze these changes from two different approaches: 1) the institutional and historical contexts, with emphasis on …
Category: Podcasts
Psychobiography of Joseph Smith: Two Secular Views United
More than a decade ago, each of us independently published a psychobiographical study of Joseph Smith, using contemporary models of behavioral science to provide alternative explanations to the mystical narrative that is the foundation of Mormonism. In this session, we update our findings and further clarify our understandings of Smith’s psychological profile as expressed in …
Mark Hofmann: 25 Years Later
More than 25 years have passed since Mark Hofmann’s bombings and murders exposed his Mormon and Americana documents as forgeries. This presentation will discuss: 1) what has occurred in the story since Hofmann went to prison; 2) the discovery of additional Hofmann forgeries or possible forgeries; and 3) the impact of Hofmann’s forgeries and crimes …
Parody Never Faileth: The Role Of Humor, Satire, And Kitsch In Mormon Culture
Mormons love a good laugh—and sometimes are willing to laugh at themselves. Join us for a lighthearted and light-minded Thursday evening plenary session wherein we will enjoy a closer look at the amusing, the humorous, and the absurd in Mormon creations. We will examine Jana Riess’s Twible project, a slide show featuring LOLcats with a …
Searching For Gene England
Eugene England is remembered by tens of thousands as one of twentieth-century Mormonism’s most significant influences on culture, literature, and practical religion. When Gene participated in the founding of Dialogue, elder Joseph Fielding Smith said it would not be good for the Church. And Gene’s essays and sermons were as troubling to some as the …
A Psychobiography of Joseph Smith: Two Secular Views United
With no historical, archeological, or genetic evidence supporting either the Book of Mormon or the Book of Abraham, the most prominent naturalistic theory of their creation is that they came from Smith’s own mind. Over a decade ago, each of us independently published a comprehensive psychobiographic study of Smith, using contemporary models of behavioral science …
The Social And Economic Teachings Of Mormonism: Social Justice Is Alive And Well
In the 1980s, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops issued their pastoral letter about our responsibility as Christians to assist the poor. In 2010, the LDS Church stated its new Fourth Mission “to serve the poor and needy” in a new handbook that emphasizes ministering to others. Similar strong traditions exist in many other Christian …
The Spin of Art: How Art Influences the Message of History
By framing what you see and how you see it, a painter is in charge of history. Similarly, a composer can ‘spin’ our understanding of what ‘really’ happened. Considering examples from centruies of Catholic and LDS art and music, we will look at how artists have left their (often subversive) mark on the historical record …
The Life and Work of Chieko Okazaki
Many LDS women mourned the August 2011 passing of former General Relief Society presidency member, Chieko Okazaki. Chieko’s visual aids, lively writing, authoritative speaking style, and fearless approach to tackling difficult issues such as abuse made her a well-known and much-beloved leader during her tenure from 1990 to 1997. Join us as we celebrate her …
Games Mormons Play
Board games by and for Mormons have found significant commercial success over the past 25 years. one genre that has seen various iterations is the trivia game. These games highlight what is considered Mormon culture and what a Mormon might be expected to know. This paper considers the content and nature of the questions of …