Mormon Stories Podcast

This international edition of Mormon Stories Podcast includes our interview with Amanda and Matt Ireland about their experiences as Mormons in Australia. This story includes their relatively recent faith crisis, and their being threatened as apostates by their local leadership for speaking openly about their doubts/questions with the church.  Amanda and Matt also speak openly and bravely about how they dealt with issues of mental health in their marriage and how they now find happiness in life outside the Mormon faith.

In this Mormon Stories Podcast episode, Christopher Swallow tells his story. During the 1980s and 1990s, Lowell Robison engaged in predatory sexual behaviors with several male cousins/BYU students. In 1995 Lowell Robison was called to serve as a mission president to the Mexico Leon mission (1995-1998). Christopher Swallow and his brother were two of his victims. When Christopher and his brother learned that Lowell Robison had been called as a mission president, they met with Elder Earl C. Tingey (LDS General Authority) at LDS church headquarters to report Lowell Robison's sexual abuse. Zero support was given to them as abuse victims, and no change was made to Lowell Robison's assignment, and he served out a full term as mission president.  

Join us as we talk with Bishop Sam Young about the recent changes to interview protocol and sexual abuse issues for LDS bishops. Sam will also share information about the Protect LDS Children March this Friday.

Greg Prince, author of three books, including the award-winning David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism, discusses topics such as the evolution of the concept of God in Mormonism, the significance of the temple, safety for LGBT youth, reflections on discouragement and hope in Mormonism, and expressing gratitude and appreciation for Greg Prince's work and contribution.

Guest Greg Prince, a pediatric infectious disease researcher and author of books on Mormon history, discusses topics such as the need for positive changes in the Mormon church, redefining family and the challenges of traditionalism, addressing racism and equality within the church, the role of religion in experiencing God, challenges faced by Christian women in science, and anticipation for big changes and diversity in leadership.

Guest Greg Prince, author of David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism, discusses contemporary Mormonism and suggested improvements. Topics covered include Mormon churches' responses to homosexuality, the punishment of change instigators in institutions, treatment of authors, the worthiness of the LDS Church and its leadership, opportunities and challenges for change in the Church, doubt and decline, and faith journeys and finding truth.

Returning to Mormon Stories, Dr. Greg Prince delves into the life and legacy of Leonard Arrington—considered by many to be the foremost twentieth-century historian of Mormonism. This interview follows closely the abstract of the book: "Leonard Arrington’s career was not without controversy. Gregory Prince takes an in-depth look at this respected historian and, in telling Arrington’s story, gives readers insight into the workings of the LDS Church in the late twentieth century. In 1972, during a major reorganization of the LDS Church, Arrington was asked to serve as the official church historian, thereby becoming the first—and thus far the only—professional historian to hold that title. He immediately set out to professionalize the entire Church History Division and open its extensive archives to scholarly researching. While the output of and from that division moved Mormon studies to a new level, the shift of historiography from faith promotion ecclesiastical, to scholarly and professional research and analysis was unacceptable to a handful of powerful senior apostles. In 1980 the History Division was disassembled and moved to Brigham Young University. That led to a shift in the professionalization of the Church History Division and Archives and in Arrington’s career but not to a loss of his broad influence." ________________________ Part 1: Greg discusses why he chose to write this book and describes how Leonard Arrington became LDS Church Historian Part 2: Greg discusses significant events that occurred during Leonard Arrington's administration Part 3: Greg describes the legacy of Leonard Arrington and shares his thoughts on where the LDS Church presently stands in its presentation of church history ________________________

Returning to Mormon Stories, Dr. Greg Prince delves into the life and legacy of Leonard Arrington—considered by many to be the foremost twentieth-century historian of Mormonism. This interview follows closely the abstract of the book: "Leonard Arrington’s career was not without controversy. Gregory Prince takes an in-depth look at this respected historian and, in telling Arrington’s story, gives readers insight into the workings of the LDS Church in the late twentieth century. In 1972, during a major reorganization of the LDS Church, Arrington was asked to serve as the official church historian, thereby becoming the first—and thus far the only—professional historian to hold that title. He immediately set out to professionalize the entire Church History Division and open its extensive archives to scholarly researching. While the output of and from that division moved Mormon studies to a new level, the shift of historiography from faith promotion ecclesiastical, to scholarly and professional research and analysis was unacceptable to a handful of powerful senior apostles. In 1980 the History Division was disassembled and moved to Brigham Young University. That led to a shift in the professionalization of the Church History Division and Archives and in Arrington’s career but not to a loss of his broad influence." ________________________ Part 1: Greg discusses why he chose to write this book and describes how Leonard Arrington became LDS Church Historian Part 2: Greg discusses significant events that occurred during Leonard Arrington's administration Part 3: Greg describes the legacy of Leonard Arrington and shares his thoughts on where the LDS Church presently stands in its presentation of church history ________________________

Returning to Mormon Stories, Dr. Greg Prince delves into the life and legacy of Leonard Arrington—considered by many to be the foremost twentieth-century historian of Mormonism. This interview follows closely the abstract of the book: "Leonard Arrington’s career was not without controversy. Gregory Prince takes an in-depth look at this respected historian and, in telling Arrington’s story, gives readers insight into the workings of the LDS Church in the late twentieth century. In 1972, during a major reorganization of the LDS Church, Arrington was asked to serve as the official church historian, thereby becoming the first—and thus far the only—professional historian to hold that title. He immediately set out to professionalize the entire Church History Division and open its extensive archives to scholarly researching. While the output of and from that division moved Mormon studies to a new level, the shift of historiography from faith promotion ecclesiastical, to scholarly and professional research and analysis was unacceptable to a handful of powerful senior apostles. In 1980 the History Division was disassembled and moved to Brigham Young University. That led to a shift in the professionalization of the Church History Division and Archives and in Arrington’s career but not to a loss of his broad influence." ________________________ Part 1: Greg discusses why he chose to write this book and describes how Leonard Arrington became LDS Church Historian Part 2: Greg discusses significant events that occurred during Leonard Arrington's administration Part 3: Greg describes the legacy of Leonard Arrington and shares his thoughts on where the LDS Church presently stands in its presentation of church history ________________________

In these Mormon Stories episodes, we interview Bert Fuller – PhD student and former researcher for the Maxwell Institute of Religious Scholarship at Brigham Young University. In Part 1, Bert shares his background as a Mormon and provides an insider’s view of the Maxwell Institute.  Part 2 includes his critique of Mormon Neo-Apologetics and compares its approach to the more traditional form of Mormon apologetics.  Finally in Part 3, Bert shares what his life is like now in terms of spirituality.