It’s difficult enough for youth to survive junior high, and these difficulties can be compounded for young people who are also discovering that they don’t conform to a heteronormative world. This presentation will highlight the resources available to secondary educators as they try to make their classroom and school welcoming for everyone. The presentation will …
Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2018
Thoughts and Prayers: A Panel on Speculative Theology
Last year, I gave a prayer at Affirmation’s international conference, framing it as a possible future theology. I find myself speculating on ways that different views of a radically inclusive God could be expressed in prayers and discussion. This presentation will share possible future theologies, especially as part of our tradition of a living church, …
Why Evangelical Ministries to Convert Mormons Lose to Secularism
According to the “Why Mormons Question” survey, 55% of Mormons who leave the LDS Church become atheist/agnostic while only 11% find another Christian church. There are countless Christian ministries that train on how to evangelize Latter-day Saints, organize protests at Mormons functions, publish tracts and books, etc. Yet Christians lose to atheism at a nearly …
Truth and Reconciliation: Late Night Thoughts on the 40 th Anniversary of the Lifting of the Priesthood and Temple Ban
Just as the Civil Rights Act of 1968 did not end racism in the United States, so the lifting of the priesthood and temple ban for blacks of African descent in 1978 did not end racism in the LDS Church. Even with the Official Declaration in 2012 and the publication of “Race and Priesthood” in …
Mormonism and the Tradition of Change
First Paper: Change and Evolution in Mormonism Presenter: H. Michael Marquardt This paper explains a variety of changes that occurred in the Mormon tradition, including some of the early revelations, summarizing some of the more interesting changes. Understanding the changing historical record opens a door to new modes of interpretations. Second Paper: Anti-Mormon Influence on …
Writing Through Faith Transition: Exploring Your Unique Thread
Research shows that when people put emotional upheavals into words, mental and physical health improve markedly. It also demonstrates that stories constructed when a person was young or in the midst of trauma may be insufficient later in life when new information is discovered or broader perspectives are adopted. This workshop examines the role of …
The Great Day of the Lord: The Importance of the Millennium in Salvation
One of the main obstacles to faith in God is the problem of evil. How could a just and loving God create a world in which so much evil exists? Clearly there are great inequities among people, and many people have little opportunity to develop the characteristics required to live in the kingdom of God. …
Smith-Pettit Lecture: Ned Blackhawk: Great Basin Indian History as American History
Award winning author and Scholar Ned Blackhawk will re-visit the framing of American history to incorporate a more complete narrative that includes the impact and interaction with indigenous history. Ned Blackhawk
MormonLeaks: The LDS Church and Transparency
With MormonLeaks quickly approaching its two-year anniversary, Ryan and Ethan invite all to join them as they discuss the journey and share what they have learned during the process in this “ask-me-anything”-style presentation. Ryan McKnight, Ethan Dodge
Reflections on Thoughtful Faith in Community: Staying Meaningfully Engaged in the Struggle
This panel from A Thoughtful Faith Facebook Support Group will explore how struggle builds faith and community. The participants’ collective experience is that both online and in-person communities can help reconstruct thoughtful faith and forge bonds of loving support as we deal with challenges to cherished beliefs. Mark Crego, Jeralee Renshaw, Richard Ostler, Susan Meredith …