By Dan Wotherspoon Dan Wotherspoon is the host of the Mormon Matters podcast and former editor of Sunstone. He has a Ph.D. in religion from Claremont Graduate University. Or download the audio here: Why Ritual “Makes Sense” At first blush, the word “ritual” doesn’t usually conjure much excitement. We often connect …
Tag: myth
Former Mormons Catechize their Kids
By Dayna Patterson In the beginning was— Chaos. Cyclone. Sky. In the beginning was— Death. Hunger. The Void. A thought. A Word. Matter unorganized. A Big Bang. An expanding universe. Heavy elements formed in supernovan heat. A lotus on a lake of milk. A mass of water humming Nun. Fire of Muspell and ice …
Sacred Sci-Fi: Orson Scott Card as Mormon Mythmaker
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Leaderlore
A two-sentence version of this piece appeared as Aaron C. Brown’s 9 February 2011 Facebook status update. Nothing drives me crazier than hearing a well-meaning Latter-day Saint earnestly explain how some popular Mormon teaching doesn’t count as official—or as a “doctrine”—because it belongs to some other—supposedly inferior—category of teaching: “Culture.” “Policy.” “Speculation.” “Folklore.” It’s …
Approaching the First Vision Saga
By Stephen C. Taysom Art by Galen Dara Or right-click to download audio file here: Approaching the First Vision Saga Joseph Smith’s First Vision stories constitute a key element of contemporary Mormon self-conception. Anyone seeking to understand Mormonism will have to grapple with the complexities surrounding this event and the stories told …
SL10152: A Field Guide for Turning History into Myth
The LDS Church has released a guide for journalists titled Approaching Mormon History. The document acknowledges that some journalists “have questioned the miraculous aspects of the faith” and wonder “why Latter-day Saints continue to believe them as reality and not myths.” The document argues for the historical reality of the Mormon foundational stories, namely the …
Myth, Legend, And Reality: Personal Reflections On The Mormon Experience
Myth, Legend, And Reality: Personal Reflections On The Mormon Experience John Sillito, Russell Burrows, Craig Oberg, Mikel Vause
Myth and Reality: What Mormons Should Know About the Constitution
Myth and Reality: What Mormons Should Know About the Constitution
Reflections on Priesthood and Equality of the Sexes in Mormonism -&- History, Faith and Myth
Reflections on Priesthood and Equality of the Sexes in Mormonism -&- History, Faith and Myth
Personal Reflections on Joseph Smith’s First Vision -&- History, Faith, and Myth
Personal Reflections on Joseph Smith’s First Vision -&- History, Faith, and Myth