Latter-day Faith

Latest Episodes:

031: What is "Doctrine"? Nov 19, 2019

Show notes

In two October 2019 General Conference talks, President Dallin H. Oaks shared thoughts about what constitutes church "doctrine," limiting it to what is taught by the entire First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. He also shared that we too often think we know more about things, such as the afterlife, than we actually do. This episode was prompted by his talks, and it features a conversation between Charles R. Harrell (Charley), author of the wonderful book "This is My Doctrine": The Development of Mormon Theology, and Latter-day Faith host Dan Wotherspoon. The two of them speak of many things, some at the meta level, such as why so many people want there to be settled doctrines, and showing that this is a desire that never has nor can ever be fulfilled. Doctrine, like revelation/inspiration, evolves because human beings are active participants in the process of trying to discern God's truth and will, and in then teaching what they feel inspired to, all the while burdened with leadership concerns such as protecting and warning the Saints, as well as their own biases and imaginations. Finally, Harrell and Wotherspoon go particular, speaking of the development of ideas about God and Godhead, showing that even this most fundamental concern of religion has undergone many iterations (and perhaps is on the cusp or an even more profound change than what has happened in the past). Listen in! You'll learn and have cause to think a lot!

030-Mormon Philosophy Simplified Nov 12, 2019

Show notes

Brittney Lowe Hartley has just published a long-awaited book, Mormon Philosophy Simplified: An Easy LDS Approach to Classic Philosophical Questions. In this episode, she joins Latter-day Faith host Dan Wotherspoon to discuss the book, its contents, and to dive into several of Mormonism's interesting, and, to many, expansive and ennobling angles on questions such as the nature of existence itself, the problem of evil, Atonement, Sin, Grace, Free Will, Gender, Ethics, and more. In addition, Brittney shares a terrific exegesis on the often-troubling story of Nephi slaying Laban, and they hint at a beautiful telling of the story of the Good Samaritan that is contained in the book's epilogue. All throughout they wax enthusiastically about the importance of philosophy and theology and how these disciplines can help all of us on our spiritual journeys, aiding in clarifying our intellectual and spiritual foundations and core values. You will love this conversation! Dig in!

029: Covenant Belonging Nov 05, 2019

Show notes

In the October 2019 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as the previous year at a conference at BYU, Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve introduced the phrase, "covenant belonging." In doing so, he offered us a term that suggests much deeper meaning is embedded in the now-common phrase, "covenant path." His messages about what covenant belonging might mean are absolutely beautiful and empowering.

Sensing this richness, Faith Journey Foundation board member and frequent guest on Latter-day Faith (and Mormon Matters previously) Mark Crego and LDF host Dan Wotherspoon came together for the discussion that is featured in this episode. In it, Mark takes us through the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) in order to discern the nature of the Covenant that God made with Israel. Moving from Adam to Noah to Abraham and Moses, he demonstrates that although each figure's covenant with God had different specifics, each still falls under the larger framework of Covenant (singular). This one Covenant is that God will be our God, and we will always be His/Her/Their people. It's a fundamental fact for every person on earth, and it is not a covenant of "works" but of "grace." The Covenant undermines the typical quid pro quo understanding of most Latter-day Saints that suggests that IF we keep our covenants (plural) THEN we will receive God's blessing/approval/reward. The Covenant, however, is not a transactional agreement. Through dynamic and excellent scriptural exegesis, Mark unpacks for us how the idea of God always considering Israel (and we are all Israel--those who wrestle with the Divine) as God's own has been present all throughout the Biblical narrative, ultimately repeated in the teachings of, and made manifest in the flesh by, Jesus Christ. God longs for us to come closer and be more intimate with Divine powers and life, magnifying our joys all along the way.

This episode's discussion is an example of how scriptural and pastoral theology can serve to enrich and clarify our own sense of who we are, drawing into the notion of the Covenant all persons regardless of their religion or no-religion, and shows that is it not contingent upon where a person might be along his/her/their faith path. The episode will likely be one that you will want to listen to more than once. What it unfolds is a thrilling vision, and affirms to us the inspiration that Elder Gong received (through his study and wrestles) as absolutely worth hearing and considering. Listen in!

028: Mental Illness and Religious Discomfort Oct 29, 2019

Show notes

Mental illness and other mental health issues are common among the human population, including among those who attend church and wrestle with religious questions. Sufferers may struggle to feel beloved and "seen" within their faith communities. In this episode, Susan Hinckley and I talk about our experiences growing up in homes deeply affected by mental illness. We also discuss the ongoing challenge of navigating these illnesses in our personal lives, as well as ways we each feel blessed by our unique difficulties and the wrestles into which they have led us. We explore some of the reasons mental illness is perhaps considered more taboo and something to hide within religious (including Mormon) communities. What theological hurdles does mental illness bring into play? How might it create real or assumed distance from other members of our congregations? We talk about bright spots that indicate an effort to normalize these struggles for Latter-day Saints, but also dive into the challenging effects of mental illness on personal spirituality and one's sense of connection with the Divine. This is a very personal episode but one we hope you'll connect with, and share with anyone who might benefit from an open discussion of this topic. We'd love to foster increased awareness and conversation—in our homes, church communities, and within ourselves.

027: Characteristics of Religious Experience and Profound but Low-Key Ways of Talking about What We Hold Most Dear Oct 24, 2019

Show notes

With quite a bit of help from the early twentieth century intellectual giant William James, in this episode host Dan Wotherspoon introduces two framings that assisted him greatly when his faith first began to shift. One is a model that contains four characteristics of religious/mystical/direct experience and helps differentiate such events from emotional experiences or other day-to-day moments when we feel close to God, feel God or the Spirit is "with" us, comforting us, etc. The second is the down-to-earth way that James, a skeptic by nature (but one who chooses to go where ever the evidence seems to lead rather than trying to fit what he sees and experiences into certain already-circumscribed and confining boxes), speaks about religion and its power in human lives. And he does this without feeling the need to get specific and express the dynamics of religious experiences in terms of "God's" actions in the world and in us. Wotherspoon introduces James' term, the MORE, as a much broader and yet very powerful category to elucidate that "something" that is beyond what our physical senses and intellectual faculties can touch. James speaks of an "intimacy" with this MORE that far exceeds that which we experience through other means. It's beautiful, and it's very helpful for anyone who feels uncomfortable or triggered by God-talk or typical spiritual/religious terminology. It can even help us explain to more traditionally believing family and friends what is going on within ourselves as we wrestle, and do it in ways that they might be able to understand and not be offended by. Please give this episode a listen!

026: Healing Journeys Oct 15, 2019

Show notes

This episode takes on the topic of healing, but foremost through the sharing of two healing journeys and the new world and sense of self that can open up when we find the courage to explore those messages and wounds that we pick up through life that distort our vision of reality, and especially our own sense of self worth. Too often, we choose to keep on functioning with certain stories of ourselves and others simply because they are known to us, they form the world we know that isn't great but at least it's predictable. Luckily God/Life/Love keep serving up to us invitations to go inside and figure out what is hidden in the shadows so we might heal from negative experiences and integrate in healthy ways the lessons and perspectives these have given us. Sometimes it is great love that causes us to start exploring our patterns and views, but far more often it takes great suffering and finding ourselves at the end of our own resources to deal with it that forces us to confront what we've tried so hard to hide from ourselves and others. That's not what we went to hear, but it is pretty close to universally true. In the discussion you are about to listen to, Carma Hyde and Shelly Wilkinson, two wonderful and brave women who have chosen to risk being vulnerable about their healing journeys, share sadnesses and messages and events in their past that have led them to seek and eventually find peace through going inward, facing shadows, and trusting that light and love would be with them all the way through. Both have now emerged as healers themselves, with one of them, Shelly, formally becoming a sought-out healer in the Salt Lake Valley. In addition to hearing their stories, we got to a more objective view, drawing from all our experiences to reflect on aspects of healing in general. Please listen in! You'll be glad you did! Dan

025: The Importance of Having One's Own Spiritual Connection Oct 01, 2019

Show notes

Kajsa Berlin-Kaufusi is a wonderful example of someone whose spiritual connection has guided her and encouraged her even through her many spiritual wrestles. She has a varied and rich background, familial as well as scholarly, and in addition to being a mom of three, she teaches Ancient Scripture courses at the BYU Salt Lake Center. I know you'll very much enjoy getting to know her and learning about the various ways she has come to be able to bring together her faith and academic understandings, in addition to multi-cultural and multi-religious experiences.

She is powerful, and our discussion throughout highlights again and again just how vital it is that we first and foremost ground ourselves in and remain connected with the Divine. I believe you will also find fascinating the way she approaches scripture in her college classrooms, as well as those times in which personal and institutional revelations don't mesh. She is a great model for thoughtful, prayerful, soulful wrestling alongside a deep commitment to engagement and service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Please listen in!

024: A Paradigm Shift in Today's Mormonism, Part 2 Sep 17, 2019

Show notes

This episode follows up on the notion that we are experiencing a transition time in today's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during which the outlines of one dominant way of being Mormon, thinking Mormon, living Mormon is losing sway, with another, a more experiential way, slowly rising and establishing itself as here to stay. Two great conversationalists, active church members, and astute trend watchers, Susan Hinckley and Mark Crego, join LDF host Dan Wotherspoon to share reactions to the earlier podcast and its proposal. What did they hear about the proposal? What were their own reactions to it and how it was presented? How have they experienced the shift in their own wards or circles? What cautions do they have for those who feel called to be part of this movement to model new ways of interacting at church and in other typically Mormon settings they find themselves in? The episode is also full of broad themes that go beyond just the paradigm model, such as stepping into our own spiritual development, learning to experience God/Christ and speak of these in language that doesn't move into "correlation speak," and the call to be patient in trusting the slow work of God. Please listen in and comment below!

023: Spiritually Surviving/Thriving as a Latter-day Saint Sep 12, 2019

Show notes

This short(ish) episode contains the announcement of a change to the upcoming Latter-day Faith retreat for October 11th to 13th. Natasha Helfer Parker cannot be part of that event, so Jana Spangler, Jody England Hansen, and LDF host Dan Wotherspoon have re-designed it to focus more on spirituality, development, possibilities for reframing what we had previously experienced only in limited ways, various spiritual practices, and more. And though the episode was launched because of the changes needed for the upcoming event, the panelists all try to make what they share here relevant for those who might not even be able to consider coming to the retreat. What are some of the larger issues at play in LDS lives and faith journeys that serve as excellent jumping off points for our own spiritual reflections?

022: A Paradigm Shift in Today's Mormonism Sep 03, 2019

Show notes

Latter-day Faith host Dan Wotherspoon goes solo this week to talk about some of the dynamics he sees at play in today's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Specifically, he utilizes the language of paradigm shifts to try to make sense of this current period, arguing that what we see fits the pattern often found when an all-encompassing vision of "the way things are" (a very strong, well-articulated paradigm that a majority of people think, react, and think out of) begins to show its limits when it can't any longer reach and satisfy the curiosity and priorities and values of people who have begun to operate from a different paradigm. Ideally, this is a natural process and does not have to fraught with conflict, with the result being the instantiation of a new paradigm that honors and builds on the strengths of the previous one even as it shows how much "more" can be discovered and explored via the new one. What cracks are beginning to show themselves in today's current LDS paradigm? What is happening to reassure members of the church that today's paradigm can explain and still inspire, protect, and bring peace at this time. What things are signaling that the current reactions are not at all satisfactory, and that the paradigm needs expanding to accommodate new data, events, trends, discoveries, and enrichments? If someone is experiencing tension with the old paradigm but does not want to abandon it or the church it dominates, what can they do to assist in a smooth transition from the one to the other? What are some of the values and methodologies and blessings that lie at the core of the new paradigm? This presentation is intended as a beginning to a discussion and does not pretend to be polished and well-articulated. Observations, hunches, sensibilities, and hopefulness are its hallmark, and Dan invites you all to suggest, challenge, tweak, and in any way you'd like become an active voice in identifying the issues and assisting in making a stronger case for the needs showing themselves in today's church dynamics. Or, again, fight back. Propose alternative visions that frame things differently. However you react, please share!

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