Since the Church teaches that membership is necessary for salvation, is it possible to see people who leave the Church as anything but lost sheep at one extreme, or enemies of the truth at another? Many who leave the Church consider themselves to be not lost sheep, not enemies of the truth, but seekers who feel truth can be discovered down another path. How can orthodox Mormons respect the vision such people have? Given that many have friends and family members who are still devout, and that their past understandings were shaped by Mormonism, how much should people who don’t believe Mormon theology be expected to divorce themselves from Mormon culture? Is it possible to leave the Church and still respect its members and its gifts to its members? This panel seeks to explore balanced answers to these questions.

Holly Welker, Troy Williams, Maxine Hanks, Derek Larsen, William Dobbs, Mary Ellen Robertson