Many people who transition from orthodox Mormonism to either post or nuanced positions often look back on their sexual journey and feel that a lot of their decisions were co-opted by the Church. And now they’re dealing with grief, anger, feelings of betrayal, and the “what if?” syndrome. This episode addresses some of the common …

Sunstone Podcast

E101: The Sexual “What-if” Syndrome

To believe is to be human. But belief has a price—one that has risen higher and higher in recent years. Can we afford it anymore? That’s the question Stephen Carter asks as he explores Amanda Montell’s book “Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism.”

E100: Joining a Cult Is Fun to Do, Fun to Do, to Do to Do.

“Queer polygamy” is probably one of the most provocative phrases you could throw into an LDS conversation. But Blaire Ostler thinks it can open up constructive new ways of reimagining the ways we relate to each other. In this episode, Ostler and professor of religion Taylor Petrey unpack this phrase and explore its possibilities.

E99: Queer Polygamy: A Conversation with Taylor Petrey and Blaire Ostler.

The idea that our spirits are the literal offspring of heavenly parents is found nowhere in LDS scripture or the writings, sermons, and contemporaneous teachings of Joseph Smith. In fact, the theology of Smith’s King Follett Discourse undermines the doctrine. Drawing from LDS scripture and Smith’s famous sermon, Rob Lauer presents a Mormon theology that …

E98: Joseph Smith Led Me Out of the Closet

Liz Brown MacDonald interviewed fifteen young adults from rigidly religious homes who had left the LDS Church and was amazed by how many similarities their stories had. For example, the lengths the children would go to to cover up their disaffiliation with the church; the way their parents would blame themselves for the children’s disaffiliation; …

E97: The Impact of Religious Rigidity on Disaffiliated Young Adults.

Displays showing the remains of Native Americans were pretty normal in LDS museums for many decades. In this episode, Thomas Murphy gives a brief history of how these displays came to be, who protested them, and why repatriation is finally starting to happen. This episode is from the 2021 Sunstone Summer Symposium.

E96: Mad Bear at Temple Square: Unprecedented Protest

Is an LGBTQ worldview more Mormon than Mormonism these days? After reading Blaire Ostler’s book “Queer Mormon Theology,” Stephen Carter thinks so. In this episode, Stephen follows some of Ostler’s concepts to discover some startling compatibilities between the LGBTQ and LDS worldviews.

E95: Queer Mormon Theology: Not an Oxymoron.

The LDS Church used to run on belief. But things have changed so drastically in the past five years that Stephen Carter believes only doubt can save it now. But it must be a very deep kind of doubt. One that would change the church forever.

E94: Do You Doubt Deeply Enough?

It’s incredibly frustrating when groups construct a version of history that ignores documented facts. Why do we do it? Stephen Carter analyzes a recent article from the Atlantic showing why the descendants of Confederate veterans, Mormons, and the rest of us ignore facts.

E93: The Connection Between the Descendants of Confederate Veterans, Mormons … and the Rest of Us.

In his new book, Patrick Mason argues that the best way to move the Restoration forward is to start … the Renovation? In this episode, Stephen Carter delves in to Mason’s ideas to see if a renovation will be enough to move Mormonism forward, and, if so, how we might actually go about it.

E92: Viva la Renovation!: A Response to Patrick Q. Mason’s Book “Restoration: God’s Call to the 21st Century.”

One of the biggest stars of the Netflix documentary “Murder Among the Mormons” is Shannon Flynn, who was Mark Hofmann’s close friend. In this episode, Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park talk with Flynn about his relationship with Hofmann, and Flynn’s behind-the-scenes role in the making of the documentary.

E91: “Murder Among the Mormons:” A Conversation with Shannon Flynn.

Mormonism has long been suspicious of the concept of grace, choosing to focus instead on worthiness. But worthiness culture was toxic for Katie Langston. During a 10-year spiritual journey, Katie learned about, experienced, and finally embraced grace. Stephen Carter talks with Katie about her journey and the book she’s publishing about it.

E90: Sealed: An Unexpected Journey into the Heart of Grace: A Conversation with Katie Langston.

Turn a spotlight on all the newest thought and scholarship in Mormon studies. Hosted by John Larsen.

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Sunstone Podcast

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