How was the Book of Mormon created? Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park explore different approaches to the Book of Mormon with historians Sheldon Kent and Christopher C. Smith. Listen to this Episode here. Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: Manuscript Found: The Complete Original “Spaulding Manuscript” Manuscript Found | Religious Studies …
Category: Sunstone
E23: Striking a Balance: Finding the Podcast’s Voice
As the Sunstone Podcast hits its six-month mark, Lindsay Hansen Park and John Larsen discuss the podcast’s successes and difficulties and their vision for going forward.
E22: You’re Not Alone: A Conversation with the Mama Dragons
When a child comes as as LGBTQIA+ what is a Mormon mother to do? John Larsen talks with some of the founding members of the Mama Dragons, a growing group of women who ferociously defend their queer children.
Episode 7: The Bad Girls of Early Mormonism
Not every woman in early Mormonism was obedient, submissive, nor compliant. Who were these “huffy” women? Join Bryan Buchanan, Lindsay Hansen Park, Christopher C. Smith, and Maxine Hanks as they discuss the “Bad Girls” of early Mormon history. Listen to this episode here. Additional resources and information about topics discussed in this episode: “‘Seizing Sacred …
E21: The Art of a Skillful Faith Transition: A Conversation with Stephen Carter
More than 20 years ago, Stephen Carter met Eugene England, starting a relationship that altered the course of his spiritual life. Now, Stephen is an award-winning author and editor in Mormon Studies, who attends both LDS and Unitarian Universalist congregations. In this episode John and Stephen talk about how Gene taught him the art of …
E20: The Case for Therapy: A Discussion with Jenny Marrow
For a long time, going into therapy has had a stigma attached to it in the LDS Church. In this episode, John Larsen and Jenny Marrow argue that that should change—both for Mormons and ex-Mormons.
Episode 6: Bad Boys of Early Mormonism
In early Mormonism, it was often hard to parse out the Saints from Scoundrels. Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park discuss some of the early “bad boys” in the Mormon movement including Hiram Page, Oliver Cowdery, William McLellin. This episode features commentary by historians Cheryl L. Bruno and Christopher C. Smith. Listen to this episode …
Episode 14: Lifting Up the Hands that Hang Down: A Conversation with Kathy Carlston
A Columbine shooting survivor, Kathy Carlston is a self-identified queer woman who was raised within Mormonism and became married to her wife Berta Marquez. In this podcast she discusses candidly and with raw honesty her battles with conversion therapy, depression, her own suicidality, and the death by suicide of her beautiful wife ‘Bear’. Kathy shares …
E19: Our Favorite (Weird) Kirtland Stories
At a session of the 2019 Sunstone Kirtland conference, John Larsen and Lindsay Hansen Park team up to tell (and elicit from the audience) their favorite stories from the the Kirtland Period. Hint: it was dangerous to stand beneath a temple window back then. The episode includes a poem from Tom Kimball, Mormonism’s resident Allen …
Episode 13: Mixed-Orientation Marriages
Gay individuals who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and who wish to remain in good standing have two options as it relates to romance and marriage. Pursuing a same-sex relationship is considered a grievous sin and is contrary to as-of-yet revealed doctrine. Celibacy during this life is one option. …