A Thoughtful Faith - Mormon / LDS

Latest Episodes:

286: Abducted in Plain Sight: The Broberg Women Speak Out Apr 19, 2019

Show notes

When the crime documentary 'Abducted in Plain Sight' was released on Netflix, Jan Broberg (the woman at the centre of this seemingly bizarre story of multiple kidnappings, an alien mission and sexual assault while a child) was full of regret and worry. Her parents, Maryann and Bob Broberg, were publicly mocked and vilified for what seemed to be their complicity with the abuser Robert Berchtold.

But a 90-minute crime documentary cannot hope to capture the complexity and nuance of a story that has spanned several decades. This was a story, not just about the violation of a child, but about the manipulation and grooming of a whole family.

The Broberg women sit down with me in order to set the record straight about their beloved parents. Their only motivation in telling this sometimes excruciating story is to have families, churches and communities speak up courageously about the banality of grooming and sexual abuse among our own.

285: Fowler's Stage 6: A Universalizing Faith: Sara Hughes-Zabawa Mar 25, 2019

Show notes

Sara Hughes-Zabawa joins me for the final episode of the Fowler's Stages of Faith series.
In this episode we discuss the failings of Fowler's stages. We also talk about how we can notice or engage stage 6 without falling into the trap of imagining that a universalizing faith is the terrain of the political and religious luminaries alone..

284: The Next Mormons: Jana Riess Mar 12, 2019

Show notes

Jana Riess discusses her study 'The Next Mormons' and how the changing worldviews of Millennials will impact the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints.
From 'The Next Mormons':
"American Millennials--the generation born in the 1980s and 1990s--have been leaving organized religion in unprecedented numbers. For a long time, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was an exception: nearly three-quarters of people who grew up Mormon stayed that way into adulthood. In The Next Mormons, Jana Riess demonstrates that things are starting to change."

283: We Hold Your Name: Joanna Brooks and Kalani Tonga Mar 03, 2019

Show notes

Joanna Brooks and Kalani Tonga join me to discuss their book of women's blessings and poetry, 'We Hold Your Name' (2019)
From the jacket:
"A collection of blessings and poetry written by Mormon women responding to the announcement of Gina Colvin's disciplinary council. This work of love features the voices of established authors like Carol Lynn Pearson and Joanna Brooks, as well as first time poets, and renowned visual artists. It is designed to lend comfort and courage to those who feel unwanted by their religious community, and was written specifically for those facing excommunication from the Mormon Church."

282: Fostering LDS Restoration Ecumenism: Apostle Richard James Feb 25, 2019

Show notes

Richard James is a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles, the lead missionary quorum of Community of Christ. He is assigned to the Eurasia Mission Field.

Richard was born in Swansea, South Wales.

In the spirit of LDS Restoration ecumenism Richard joins me to discuss how Community of Christ has developed as a vital expression of the Restoration.

281: God Invites our Disappointment: Praying the Psalms: Katie Langston Feb 21, 2019

Show notes

The Psalms are unique in scripture. The Psalms strip away all decorum and show the fragility and wildness of the human condition. The Psalms tell us that God invites our disappointment, our anger and our confusion. The Psalms tell us that sometimes, there's no polite way of talking to God and that God is fine with that!
Katie Langston, LDS Church returned missionary and now a Lutheran seminarian joins me to discuss her spiritual journeying and her developing prayer practice through the Psalms.

280: A Cathedral Surrounded By Temples: Episcopalian in Utah: The Rev Tyler Doherty and Cody Hatch Feb 18, 2019

Show notes

The Rev. Tyler Doherty, Priest in charge at St. Marks Cathedral Church in downtown Salt Lake City and parishioner Cody Hatch.
Tyler and Cody join me in this ecumenical/interfaith conversation to talk about what the Episcopal Church has to offer a community that is home to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

279: Finding the Divine and Community Again: John Hamer Feb 12, 2019

Show notes

John Hamer comes from a family who has long been a part of the Latter-day Saint movement. Once a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, today, John pastors a bustling downtown Toronto Community of Christ congregation.
We explore John's personal journey of how he reconstructed his faith, found community and rediscovered the Divine.

278: To Win at All Costs: The LDS Church and its Heartless Legal Machine: Craig Vernon Jan 29, 2019

Show notes

Craig Vernon has represented clients in several high profile church and clergy perpetrated sexual abuse cases including cases involving the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Litigating cases against the LDS Church shows them to be formidable adversaries who are motivated to win at all costs - after all - they are defending the Kingdom of God.
But, what puzzles Craig, like so many other others, is where is the pastoral care for the victims of LDS church and clergy related sexual abuse?
Why is the defence of the institution more important that care of the abused?
And, why do the LDS Church's public statements about their zero-tolerance for sexual abuse not square with how they handle sexual abuse cases involving their own members?

277: It's Not Faithless to Doubt: Spiritual Formation & Faith Crisis: Katie Harmon McClaughlin Jan 21, 2019

Show notes

We shouldn't be more worried about Faith Crisis than we are about our response to it. A poor response to faith crisis can cause spiritual havoc and immense emotional damage.
From our LDS cousins (who have had their own institutional journey of deconstruction and reconstruction in the LDS Restoration movement) Community of Christ Spiritual Formation specialist Katie Harmon-McClaughlin discusses the important work of reconstruction and spiritual formation after a faith and belief deconstruction.
Katie discusses Community of Christ's pastoral approach that supports the process of questioning rather than makes a sin of doubt. This is essential listening particularly for those in the LDS Tradition who are looking for a pastoral response that doesn't make doubt a reason for exclusion or an issue of worthiness.

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