Maxwell Institute Podcast

Today I'm joined by Dr. Amy Harris, a professor of family history in the Department of History at Brigham Young University. Amy studies families, women, and gender in early modern Britain. And she's written a number of books on some fascinating topics, including the dynamics of singleness and siblinghood in 18th century England. She's also an expert in the ethics, theology, and techniques of family history and genealogical research. And so she was the perfect person to write Redeeming the Dead, her recent book for the Maxwell Institute, part of our Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants series. Amy had some great insights to share. I didn't realize, for instance, that the Church's focus on genealogy only began in 1894, 60 years after its founding, or that in the Doctrine and Covenants, baptism for the dead is the primary form of baptism, not just an optional extra. Dr. Harris jokes that family history is not just a hobby, but a subversive power to bring on the revolution, because it can help us relate to all human beings as children of God, not objects to be used. She believes that even the most disturbing historical records can be redeemed through temple work, but only if we focus on relationships rather than just names and dates as we do family history. This discussion will change how you think about family history and its role in the Restoration. I hope you enjoy it.

In this engaging conversation, Justin Collings, academic vice president of BYU and a distinguished scholar, explores his new book, Divine Law. He discusses how divine law is intertwined with love and grace, reshaping the understanding of commandments as uplifting rather than burdensome. Collings dives into the eternal role of Christ, emphasizing mercy, and shares transformative insights on family life through spiritual blessings. He also highlights the significant impact of poetry in conveying spiritual truths and enhancing one's relationship with divine law.

Terryl Givens, a prolific author and expert on Latter-day Saint thought, joins to explore the profound concept of agency in the Doctrine and Covenants. He delves into the nature of free will and its relational aspects, making compelling arguments about how our choices impact community and personal identity. The conversation navigates traditional versus Latter-day Saint views, emphasizing love and mutual influence. Givens also challenges conventional notions of worthiness and justice, ultimately rethinking how we understand grace and forgiveness in our spiritual lives.

Thank you for listening to the Book of Mormon Studies Podcast this year. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Welcome to our last episode of the Book of Mormon Studies Podcast as we wrap up this Book of Mormon year. For this episode, Rosalynde Welch, Associate Director of the Maxwell Institute and Host of the podcast talks with Joseph Spencer, Associate Professor of Ancient Scripture at BYU.In this episode, they discuss the scholarship of the book of Moroni, giving it context for readers of the Come, Follow Me curriculum for 2024.

Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Book of Mormon Studies Podcast as we wrap up this Book of Mormon year. For this episode, Rosalynde Welch, Associate Director of the Maxwell Institute and Host of the podcast talks with Christopher Blythe, Assistant Professor of Humanities at BYU. In this episode, they discuss the text of the book of Moroni, giving it context for readers of the Come, Follow Me curriculum for 2024.

Welcome, and thanks for listening to another episode of the Book of Mormon Studies Podcast. In this episode, Rosalynde Welch, Associate Director of the Maxwell Institute and Host of the podcast talks with Morgan Davis, Neal A. Maxwell Research Fellow at the Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship.In this episode, they talk about the scholarship of the book of Ether, giving it context for readers of the Come, Follow Me curriculum for 2024.

Hello, thanks for listening to another episode of the Book of Mormon Studies Podcast. In this episode, Rosalynde Welch, Associate Director of the Maxwell Institute and Host of the podcast talks with Rachael Johnson, Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Humanities, and former Postdoctoral Fellow for the Maxwell Institute.In this episode, they talk about the text of the book of Ether, giving it context for readers of the Come, Follow Me curriculum for 2024.

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Book of Mormon Studies Podcast. For this episode, Rosalynde Welch, Associate Director of the Maxwell Institute and Host of the podcast talks with Terryl Givens, a Senior Research Fellow at the Maxwell Institute.In this episode, they discuss the scholarship of the book of Mormon, giving it context for readers of the Come, Follow Me curriculum for 2024.

Welcome back to another episode of the Book of Mormon Studies Podcast. For this episode, Rosalynde Welch, Associate Director of the Maxwell Institute and Host of the podcast talks with Shon Hopkin, Department Chair of Religious Education at BYU.In this episode, they discuss the text of the book of Mormon, giving it context for readers of the Come, Follow Me curriculum for 2024.