Maxwell Institute Podcast

The story of the Exodus begins not with miracles or plagues, but with acts of quiet courage. In this Old Testament Reflection on Exodus 1–6, Rosalynde Welch explores the network of women who ensure the survival of the infant Moses—midwives, a mother, a sister, a princess, and a wife—each acting at great personal risk to preserve a life that will one day help liberate a people.Welch reflects on how these early chapters of Exodus reveal a deeper pattern in sacred history: God’s saving work often unfolds through “small-s saviors,” ordinary men and women who cooperate to protect life, resist injustice, and prepare the way for deliverance. Drawing connections from ancient Israel to the abolitionist work of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, she invites us to consider how quiet acts of courage and partnership can shape the course of history.

In this study of Genesis 42–50, Kristian Heal explores themes of chosenness, favoritism, recognition, and reconciliation in the Joseph narrative, examining how hidden identity, repentance, and divine providence shape the theological meaning of the story.

What if your daily scripture study is actually ethical training? In this episode Rosalynde Welch sits down with editor and scholar Dr. Courtney Campbell to unpack Moral Visions: Ethics and the Book of Mormon (edited with Kelly Sorensen). They take the Book of Mormon seriously as an ethical text: not just a list of dos and don’ts, but a set of moral visions that shape who we are, how we live together, and what kind of communities we build.Campbell and Welch walk through three big moves in the book: how the Book of Mormon teaches (the “scene of instruction”), what it says about everyday ethics (from clothing and conspicuous consumption to prosperity), and why those moral teachings matter — prophecy as moral memory and social criticism aimed at creating flourishing, covenantal communities.What you’ll take away:A fresh lens for reading the Book of Mormon: ethics as vision, not only rule-following.How narrative, memory, and prophecy function as tools for communal moral formation.Concrete ethical concerns the book raises for the 21st century: social cohesion, economic justice, and peacemaking.A new appreciation for why the Book of Mormon’s stories still matter—because they aim to shape communities that last.

How should we read the story of Joseph in Genesis 37–41? This essay examines four distinct approaches—ancient Jewish narrative expansions, early Christian typology, Latter-day Saint restoration readings, and contemporary biblical scholarship—to reveal the richness and complexity of scripture across time.

In this interview, Rosalynde Welch and Andy Reed explore the impact of the information age on religious understanding, the importance of religious literacy, and how interfaith engagement can foster mutual respect and reduce conflict. Andy Reed shares insights on navigating religious diversity, the role of authentic sources, and practical steps for fostering deeper interfaith relationships.Key TopicsImpact of the information age on religious understandingKrister Stendahl's three rules of interfaith engagementThe importance of authentic sources and insider voicesMoving beyond religious tolerance to mutual encouragementThe role of religious literacy in reducing conflict

Jacob’s nighttime wrestle in Genesis 32 ends not in triumph, but in a limp—and a blessing that changes everything. Kim Matheson explores how weakness, ambiguity, and encounter with God prepare Jacob for reconciliation in ways his cleverness never could.

This rereleased 2022 episode of Abide revisits Moses 7—a chapter that expands the brief biblical mention of Enoch into a rich, prophetic narrative. In the Pearl of Great Price, Enoch’s visionary experiences with God profoundly influence Latter-day Saint understandings of the Father’s compassion, character, and relationship to humanity. This conversation explores how Moses 7 shapes key themes within Latter-day Saint thought.At the time of the original recording, the discussion was hosted by Joseph Stuart, then the public communications specialist at the Maxwell Institute, alongside Research Fellow Kristian Heal. Together, they examined each week’s Come, Follow Me scripture block—not to offer a full lesson, but to highlight meaningful ideas that support the Maxwell Institute’s mission to “inspire and fortify Latter-day Saints in their testimonies of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and engage the world of religious ideas.”The episode features special guest Terryl Givens, coauthor with Fiona Givens of The God Who Weeps and, more recently, The Doors of Faith in the Maxwell Institute’s Living Faith series with Deseret Book.

In this episode, Katie Paxman reflects on Genesis 18–23, focusing especially on the story of Abraham and Isaac. Rather than rushing to tidy explanations, she explores what it means to sit with sacred discomfort—and to read difficult scripture through the lens of empathy.Drawing connections to the weeping God of Moses 7 and the tears of Jesus in John 11, Paxman suggests that becoming a “friend of God” may require more than theological understanding. It may require the courage to feel.How might opening our hearts—rather than contracting them—change the way we encounter both scripture and suffering?

In this episode, Rosalynde Welch speaks with Dr. Miranda Wilcox about the Maxwell Institute’s Living Faith book series—nineteen volumes and counting—written for thoughtful Latter-day Saints seeking to integrate scholarship and discipleship.They discuss peacemaking and practical forgiveness in Seventy Times Seven, vocational discipleship in Counsel, Please Rise, and the enduring wisdom of Kate Holbrook’s Both Things Are True. Along the way, Miranda offers a moving new reading of the mustard seed parable and shares why books—slow, sustained, carefully shaped—still matter.A thoughtful conversation about faith that shelters, truth that binds, and the patient work of making discipleship real.

Terryl Givens reflects on Genesis 15 and its profound connection to the everlasting covenant fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Through a striking and singular sacrificial ritual, Abraham witnesses a symbol of divine passage—a pattern later realized when Christ consecrated “a new and living way” through the veil of His own flesh. Givens traces how this imagery helps illuminate the Restoration’s temple theology, where disciples move step by step through covenantal life toward adoption, sanctification, and the presence of God. A thoughtful, beautifully drawn meditation that complements your Come, Follow Me study of the Old Testament.