Faith Matters

Latest Episodes:

The Ongoing Tug-of-War Between Tradition and Change - A Conversation with Jeff Strong Mar 08, 2025

Show notes

This week, we’re welcoming back our good friend Jeff Strong.

Last year, Jeff and his team sent out a survey to the Faith Matters audience as part of a larger research project on faith and church participation. Over 1,600 of you responded, and the results were fascinating! We’re excited to share them with you today. What emerged was a picture of a significant and often unheard cross-section of the Church—a community of people who are deeply devoted but also wrestling, holding both conviction and complexity, faith and struggle, all at once.

In this conversation, Jeff walks us through some of the most powerful insights from the survey, with a special focus on culture and aspects of our faith experience that are shaping our sense of belonging, meaning, and connection. He explores what people love most about being part of this tradition, where they encounter real challenges.

One of the clearest themes in the survey is the tension between tradition and change—a familiar story in faith traditions across the world. Jeff explores what it means to hold that complexity well, in our families, community, and our own hearts. He addresses the power of finding others who are walking a similar path, and why recognizing we’re not alone in this wrestle can be so meaningful.

I want to mention that there are a few visuals in this conversation that Jeff does a great job describing but you can see the slides he talks about in the YouTube version of this episode. To everyone who participated in the survey, thank you. It has been such a gift to see that none of us is alone here. We’re so grateful to be in it with you—asking hard questions, holding onto what we love, and finding our way forward together.

And with that, here’s our conversation with Jeff Strong.

The Christmas issue of Wayfare is now available to preorder! Order your copies (bulk discounts are available—it's the perfect gift!) or become a paid Wayfare subscriber by October 31 to receive them by the first Sunday of Advent, and get a look inside the issue here!

When Sustaining Means Speaking Up: The Life and Legacy of Marion D. Hanks Mar 01, 2025

Show notes

For today’s episode, we’re releasing a fascinating conversation that Aubrey had with Rich Hanks about the life and legacy of his father, Marion D. Hanks. For those who know his name, you’ll know exactly why this conversation matters so much to us—Marion D. Hanks embodied so many of the values we hold dear. He was a leader of immense integrity, a champion for those on the margins, and a disciple of Christ in the truest sense. Even today, the ripples of his influence continue to shape the Church and the lives of so many.

President David O. McKay once gave him a blessing with a simple but powerful charge: “Let your voice be heard, even if it is in opposition to the stated norms.” And he did. For forty years, he consistently pushed for change—advocating for humanitarian work long before it became a priority, fighting against the priesthood and temple ban, and insisting that sustaining leaders meant honest engagement, not silent agreement.

Rich shared incredible stories about his father—the ways he stood up to cultural and institutional pressures, his deep reverence for the individual, and his unwavering belief that true discipleship is rooted in love, not conformity. He also spoke movingly about his father’s final years, as dementia slowly took hold, and the lessons of grace and devotion that emerged even in that difficult season. More than anything, we were struck by how Marion D. Hanks’ entire life was centered on lifting, healing, and serving—just as Christ did.

We are so grateful to Rich for sharing these stories. We think this conversation will be inspiring to anyone who has ever wrestled with how to live their faith with integrity, courage, and compassion. And with that, we’ll jump right into our conversation with Rich Hanks.

Thomas McConkie's back, and this could change your life Feb 22, 2025

Show notes

We have been waiting a long time for this episode with our friend Thomas McConkie. As many of you know, Thomas is an incredibly skilled meditation teacher and guide on the path of spiritual awakening. Faith Matters produced his very popular online course Transformations of Faith and also published his incredible book At-One-Ment, which has deeply impacted so many readers.

For the last several years, Thomas has been doing graduate work at Harvard Divinity School. All the while, we have been exploring with Thomas the possibility of creating a podcast to help us all hit the pause button in our busy daily lives and give time to a rich meditation and prayer practice. As Thomas is coming to the end of his program at Harvard, the time seemed right to launch this series. And so we are excited to share with you today the first episode of this new podcast, named One Heart, One Mind.

Thomas is a teacher and researcher who is fascinated by consciousness, growth and transformation. He is especially interested in Christian contemplation and what it means to re-embody Christ’s teachings in new and unique ways for these challenging times–ways that will lead to deeper connection to God and to those around us. In One Heart One Mind, we will join Thomas in searching Christianity and the world’s Wisdom traditions for gems and insights into awakening, transformation, and the soul’s journey Home. The episodes are designed to be relatively brief, 15 to 30 minutes or so, and will generally include a teaching followed by a guided meditation.

So, if you’ve been intending to cultivate a more regular spiritual practice of meditation and prayer, this might be the perfect place to start. You can subscribe to One Heart, One Mind on whatever podcast platform you use. We think you’re going to love this journey with Thomas McConkie.

When Faith Heals and When it Hurts -- A Conversation with Janeen Martin Feb 15, 2025

Show notes

This week, Tim and I are sharing a fascinating conversation with therapist and researcher Janeen Martin about the complex and deeply personal ways that religion and mental health intersect.

Janeen has spent years working with clients navigating the full spectrum of religious experience—some who find their faith to be a source of deep resilience and healing, and others for whom it has been a source of pain and struggle. That contrast led her to ask some big questions: What makes religion a protective factor for some and a source of distress for others? How do individual personality, family dynamics, and church culture shape the way we engage with faith? And most importantly, how can we cultivate a relationship with God and our faith that supports our mental and emotional well-being?
One of the most interesting ideas we explored was the concept of attachment styles—how the way we relate to God often mirrors the way we’ve experienced relationships with authority figures in our lives. Janeen also introduced us to three different religious orientations—extrinsic, intrinsic, and quest—and how our approach to faith can evolve over time. We talked about how religious communities can create spaces for both conviction and curiosity, how parents can help their kids develop a healthy and secure faith, and how we can each pay attention to the signs that our relationship with God is either building us up or weighing us down.
This conversation was rich with insight and practical tools for anyone wanting to engage with their faith in a way that is both deeply meaningful and emotionally healthy. We hope you find it as valuable as we did. And with that, we’ll jump right into our conversation with Janeen Martin.

How Free is your Will? A Conversation with Terryl Givens Feb 08, 2025

Show notes

This week, we are thrilled to welcome back Terryl Givens—one of our all-time favorite guests and collaborators and someone we always have a running list of topics for. This time, we’re finally diving deep into the topic of agency and free will: it’s something that has come up in many of our past conversations but never had its own dedicated discussion.

Terryl’s new book, Agency, is part of the Maxwell Institute’s Doctrine & Covenants theological series, and it explores some of the most profound and challenging questions about what it truly means to have agency. For centuries, theologians and philosophers have debated whether free will truly exists or if what we call agency is merely an illusion— our choices predetermined by the unfolding of the universe, or so shaped by our biology and past that we don't have real choice. Terryl’s work in this book finds that Mormonism has some compelling and unique insights on that central question, and explores some others: what role does community and authority play in expanding—or limiting—our agency? And how do we navigate the tension between obedience and authentic personal choice?

In this conversation, we explore the dangers of turning scripture or prophets into idols, how our perception of God can sometimes become so skewed that it’s actually a “false God,” and why Terryl doesn’t believe that we’ll ever be judged based on our beliefs alone. We also get into some fascinating intersections between agency, neuropsychology, philosophy, and even Darwinian evolution.

This discussion left us with so much to think about, and we hope it does the same for you. So with that, let’s dive in!

Can God Speak Through AI? - A Conversation with Carl Youngblood Feb 01, 2025

Show notes

This week, we’re thrilled to talk with Carl Youngblood— longtime technologist, software engineer, and president of the Mormon Transhumanist Association.

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant, futuristic idea—it’s already shaping the way we learn, work, and even practice our faith. And just this past week, AI made big headlines again in the tech world with the release of vastly improved models and increasing belief among technology leaders that artificial general intelligence (AGI) is just around the corner. Whether or not that's the case, the exponential progress of AI is undeniable, and it’s sparking some of the biggest questions of our time. If God can speak through the written word, could God speak through AI? How do we discern when it's a tool for growth versus a shortcut that stunts it? And if AI frees us from certain types of work, could it deepen our relationships and spirituality—or will it leave us searching for new sources of meaning? It’s worth noting that many of the people most deeply concerned about AI’s effects on humanity and society are those who were involved in creating it.

In this episode, we’ll talk about some of those concerns, but we’ll mostly explore ways we can use it constructively.

Carl brings a sharp and thought-provoking perspective to these questions. He challenges us to approach AI with both curiosity and caution—seeing how it can deepen connection or drive isolation, spark creativity or dull our own discernment. Rather than dismissing it as just a tool or blindly embracing it, Carl pushes us to wrestle with its real impact on our thinking, relationships, and spiritual growth.

This is a conversation full of nuance, curiosity, and a lot of open-ended questions, and we hope it sparks new reflections for you. We’ll have links in the show notes to tools we mention throughout the episode, so be sure to check those out. And with that, here’s our conversation with Carl Youngblood.

Chat GPT

Google NotebookLM

Readwise

Church Newsroom: Guiding Principles for Use of AI

Elder Bednar on AI

Is it Rational to Believe? - A Conversation with Ross Douthat Jan 25, 2025

Show notes

This week, Zach Davis is joined by New York Times columnist and author Ross Douthat to talk about his new book, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious.

Ross has spent his career bridging worlds—explaining faith and conservatism to a largely secular audience while also translating secular ideas back to religious readers. In this conversation, he makes a compelling case for why belief isn’t just a leap into the unknown, but a rational and maybe even necessary response to the world as we actually experience it.

Zach and Ross also explore some of the major barriers that keep modern, intellectually serious people from embracing faith—things like the Copernican and Darwinian revolutions, which many see as having displaced humanity from the center of the universe. But Ross challenges these assumptions, showing how science, rather than disproving faith, could actually deepen the mystery of our existence in a way that makes belief more compelling than ever. And he points out something undeniable–– that even as religious affiliation in the West declines, people across all backgrounds continue to report profound, life-altering encounters with the divine. Ross suggests that these experiences, far from being irrational, may be one of the strongest indicators that something real is at work in the universe.

This conversation was a fascinating mix of theology, philosophy, and cultural analysis, and we think Ross offers an important and thought-provoking perspective—one that invites both skeptics and believers to take faith seriously.

And with that, let’s jump into our conversation with Ross Douthat.

Mercy at the Margins - A Conversation with Shima Baradaran Baughman Jan 18, 2025

Show notes

This week, we’re joined by Shima Baradaran Baughman, a nationally renowned expert on criminal justice reform and a law professor at BYU. After years focusing on shaping public policy and reforming systems, Shima began to recognize that the deepest and most lasting change wasn’t coming from legislation alone, but from the quiet, compassionate efforts of faith communities and individuals who were directly transforming lives one by one.

In this conversation, Shima shares her astonishing life story—how her family fled Iran after her mother’s imprisonment for political activism, their conversion to Christianity after arriving in the United States, and how those experiences have fueled a passion for justice and mercy.

Shima also shares insights from her current research, which examines the profound impact faith communities are having on those often forgotten by society. Whether it’s through prison ministries, sitting beside strangers during bail hearings to bear witness and offer solidarity, or ward families welcoming and supporting formerly incarcerated individuals, she highlights how these simple, Christlike acts of radical mercy are breaking down barriers, healing hearts, and bringing light to some of the darkest corners of our world.

Shima reminds us that living like Jesus will often take us to the margins—to uncomfortable, messy spaces where true transformation begins. And that it’s in those spaces where both hearts and lives can be changed, including our own.

Be Ye Therefore a Perfectionist? - A Conversation with Justin Dyer Jan 11, 2025

Show notes

This week, we’re so grateful to share a conversation with Justin Dyer, a professor of religion at BYU and a researcher who has spent years exploring the intersection of faith and mental health. Justin’s most recent work focuses on perfectionism, especially within the church. He recently edited a special issue of BYU Studies Quarterly dedicated entirely to this subject, and you can find a link to it in our show notes.

In this conversation, Justin shares some compelling research, including the striking finding that high levels of toxic perfectionism can triple the likelihood of leaving one’s religion. He offers some profound insights into why this is the case and he talks about gospel principles that could help us replace unhealthy perfectionistic beliefs.

One of Justin’s most powerful insights is that our perceptions become a physiological reality. Stress responses not only shape how we think but also affect our ability to connect with others and feel the Spirit. This underscores the vital importance of creating church communities that are unconditionally loving, judgment-free spaces where people feel truly accepted. Justin highlights the critical difference between guilt and shame: guilt can guide us toward growth and change, while shame erodes our sense of worth and connection to God.

Most importantly, Justin offers practical, hopeful steps for healing from perfectionism, embracing a view of self-worth firmly rooted in God’s infinite love. He also shares a vision for how we can help our wards to become a place of healing and welcoming where everyone can feel like they belong.

Justin’s thoughtful research is a gift for anyone navigating these challenges or striving to build stronger, healthier relationships in faith communities. We’re so excited to share this meaningful and hopeful conversation with you. And with that, let’s dive in with Justin Dyer.
Link to BYU Studies issue on perfectionism: https://byustudies.byu.edu/issue/63-4

How to Stop Running from Your Feelings - A Conversation with Jana Spangler Jan 04, 2025

Show notes

This week, we’re joined by Jana Spangler for a powerful and practical conversation about emotions—especially the ones we’ll do just about anything to avoid feeling.

Jana explains that emotions aren’t our enemies; they’re signals—messages from deep within us, rooted in ancient systems designed to guide and protect us. While emotions can feel overwhelming or even painful, learning to pay attention to them—rather than suppress or ignore them—helps us understand what’s really going on and respond with greater clarity, wisdom, and connection.

She breaks down what emotions actually are, how they begin in our bodies, and why listening to them is key to living a healthier, more wholehearted life. Jana shares practical tools for processing even the most uncomfortable emotions and teaches us how to build emotional resilience by sitting with discomfort instead of running from it. This practice, she explains, not only strengthens our ability to face life’s challenges but also nourishes our relationships, our physical and mental well-being, and our communities, creating space for greater connection and healing.

This episode is full of tools to help you navigate the hardest days and we hope it inspires you like it did us. With that, here’s our conversation with Jana Spangler.

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