This session is sponsored by the Smith-Pettit Foundation, and is free and open to the public. To watch this session without registering for the symposium, go to https://www.facebook.com/SunstoneMagazine at 7:00 pm Mountain Time. To enter a questions for the Q&A, you must be registered for the symposium, and submit your question through the Whova app. …
Event: Salt Lake Symposium 2020
The Struggle When Faith in Christ Exceeds Faith in the Church
I will begin this session by recounting my personal journey of loss and joy as my faith in Christ began to exceed my faith in church. Church can provide important instruction for living. However, historically members rely on church to be a roadmap for salvation. Challenges and debate ensue when church dogma conflicts with the …
Make Your Own Manual: A Painting & Writing Workshop
Church manuals are created by committee for a wide audience. Let’s create a manual just for you, based on your thoughts, experiences, and values! Using paint (watercolors, or watered down acrylics) and paper, we will create the “container” to hold your insights, resulting in an inspirational manual for life! No talent or experience needed! It …
“I’ll Never Not Be Mormon”: The Impact of Disaffiliation on Identity and Womanhood
When women leave the LDS Church many are left navigating changes regarding what womanhood means to them and how it impacts their daily choices. This presentation summarizes the results of Emily Janes’ thesis on how the process of disaffiliation from the Church impacts women’s views of their womanhood. Interviews with 25 women who have disaffiliated …
The 3000 year old Shemitah of the Bible and the Mysterious Economic Effect Today
As a financial services professional, and someone who studies religion, I was easily attracted to a book about the Mystery of the Shemitah by Jonathan Cahn that promised to cover both subjects with a bold unveiling of “last days” connections. When I found this mystery of the Shemitah in 2015 it put me on a …
Achieving Zion: The Impact of Racism on Becoming One
Systemic racism is present in all communities, and Mormonism has uniquely benefitted from white-supremacy. During this session Dr. Mica McGriggs a psychologist and racial equity educator, will lead an exploration of the theological, relational, and personal aspects of racism. “Zion” cannot be achieved unless the sin of racism is rooted out and repented of. Restitution …
Mormon Bigfoot: Searching for Something to Believe In
When a post-Mormon finds out that a compelling Bigfoot “documentary” is actually a work of fiction, he must again deal with doubt. Soon after returning from my mission, I sat down on a curb in downtown Atlanta and wept over my lost faith. I have since made peace with my Mormonism and now view it …
Self-Compassion: Bringing Healing and Growth to Your Faith Journey
Having compassion for yourself means honoring and accepting the messiness of your own human experience. This messiness is often painfully present as our faith evolves. In this session, we will explore how to integrate the practice of self-compassion when challenging experiences arise. Through discussion, meditation, and experiential exercises, we will learn how to treat ourselves …
Eternal Damnation, Outer Darkness, and the Reorganization of Intelligence
While lacking the lake of fire from mainstream Christianity, Mormonism proposes an equally terrifying “outer darkness.” What is the nature of this particular damnation and what have Mormon authorities and scholars said concerning it? Are some spirits really going to be lost forever in the depths of space? Is this a bad thing? How do …
Finding Peace & Gratitude Amidst the Calamities of Life
When others afflict us, when life afflicts us, we can find peace and gratitude amidst the pain and loss