One way to track the evolution of Mormon culture is to look at trends in both what is said and not said over the pulpit at general conference. Using modern data analytics tools, it is possible to observe terms, phrases, and citations going in and out of use over time. This talk will review some …
Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2020
Pastoral Hope for Spiritual Abuse
The name of God should never be invoked to coerce, shame, or frighten people into compliance—yet in a culture of “worthiness interviews” and high-demand religious expectations, this is an experience that is far too frequent. In this session, Gina Colvin and Katie Langston, seminarians and ministers, will explore how spiritual abuse damages a person’s relationship …
A Marvelous Work and…I Wonder: Finding Solid Footing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ While Walking through Shadows of Doubt about the Restoration
Many church members will reach a point in their faith journey where they ask if what they believe is true. This crossroad will come with feelings trust and betrayal, confidence and confusion. The pain of such times can cause many people to divorce themselves from both their faith and source of that faith. Being able …
Grief & Gratitude in Poetry: A Reading of Signature Books Poets
Signature Books has a rich history of publishing high quality poetry from a broad range of Mormon poets. In this reading, poets published by Signature over the past 25 years will gather together to read poems of grief and gratitude.
Healing Mormon Trauma Through Self-expression
“Art is a wound turned into light.” ~ Georges Braque This presentation will explore how art, personal expression, and narrative therapy can be used as a modality for healing from trauma.
Entheogens in Occult Traditions and the Visionary World of First Nephi
Post-enlightenment magic and occult grimoires and handbooks seamlessly blend the spiritual and physical, often obscuring naturalistic mechanisms to achieve incantations, spells, hexes, or conjurations. The Book of Mormon similarly blends the spiritual and physical to obscure the presence of entheogens to uninitiated readers. Early Mormon experiences suggest the use of hallucinogenic substances, common at the …
Transforming Our Grief-filled Mormon Experiences into Gratitude
Sometimes the difference between feeling grief or gratitude about our Mormon experience is our perspective. How do we perceive the meanings and consequences of our faith journey? How do we view our relationships with the various Mormons in our lives? In this session, we will draw from social psychology to identify some ways we can …
Ask the Truth and Transparency Foundation
The Truth & Transparency Foundation is responsible for revealing the pay rates of LDS General authorities, tying $32 billion to the LDS Church, and revealing the abuse that eventually led to the imprisonment of Sterling Van Wagenen. Come ask the founders anything.
Social Liberals, Church Patriarchs, and Mormon Racial Dogma, 1945-1978
No issue caused the LDS Church more grief in the twentieth century than restricting people of black African origin from receiving priesthood ordination and temple rites. Following World War II there was an energetic movement to eliminate segregation and discrimination everywhere in the United States. LDS Church leaders stubbornly opposed this powerful movement in spite …
LDS Artists of Color: An Introduction
The future of Mormon art, like the future of the Mormon people, lies with its global, diverse, and multicultural population. This session highlights the work of five women of color whose work is transforming the landscape of Mormon visual art. All of these artists invite and challenge questions about culture and faith. View and shop …