045 Seekers Wanted: Interview with Dr. Anthony Sweat
Jan 9, 2024
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Dr. Anthony Sweat, author of Seekers Wanted, discusses the importance of thinking skills for a strong faith. They explore topics such as seeking knowledge, guidance from God, sustaining the prophet, embracing ambiguity, gratitude, belief in restoration, and the value of church history.
Developing good thinking skills is crucial for maintaining a robust faith.
Seeking truth requires honesty, humility, and trust along with a patient and persistent effort.
Seekers should evaluate information using guideposts and checks, balancing personal responsibility, teachings of Church leaders, and covenants.
Deep dives
The Importance of Good Thinking and Faith
This podcast episode delves into the importance of developing good thinking skills to strengthen and maintain our faith. Dr. Anthony Sweat's book, 'Seekers Wanted: The Skills You Need for the Faith You Want,' provides insights into principles of truth-seeking and good thinking, emphasizing the need to think clearly about church history and doctrine. The episode highlights the value of clear thinking in finding and maintaining a robust faith.
The Definition of a Seeker
The podcast explores the definition of a seeker, noting that it refers to someone who is willing to search and dig for truth. Seeking is a long, patient, and persistent process that requires effort and involves searching for Jesus and the truth. The episode emphasizes the importance of honesty, humility, and trust in the journey of seeking truth.
Avoiding Deception and Discerning Truth
The episode discusses how to avoid deception and discern truth. It suggests using guideposts or checks to evaluate information, such as considering if it aligns with personal responsibility, the teachings of the Brethren, and covenants. The focus is on valuing the product of truth rather than the process, and ensuring that truth-seeking leads to following and becoming more like Jesus Christ.
The Importance of Evaluating Feelings
Feelings can be misleading and should not always be trusted at face value. It is crucial to analyze and evaluate our thoughts and emotions, considering factors such as culture, assumptions, and stewardship. Rather than relying solely on emotions, we should also consider the counsel of Church leaders and align our decisions with the teachings of scripture. By following these checks and balances, we can make more informed and spiritually-guided choices.
Navigating Ambiguity in Church Teachings
When encountering teachings that may not be clearly supported in scripture, but are taught in church publications or by some leaders, it is important to approach them with flexibility and discernment. We should strive to harmonize seemingly conflicting ideas and doctrines, recognizing that not every detail is explicitly addressed in the scriptures. Balancing scripture, teachings of Church leaders, and personal revelation can help us navigate doctrinal ambiguity and continue seeking truth.
What kind of thinking skills do we need to develop in order to gain and maintain the kind of robust faith we desire? This question is the central subject of a book by Dr. Anthony Sweat entitled, “Seekers Wanted, the Skills You Need for the Faith You Want.” In this book Dr. Sweat offers keen insights into many of the principles of truth-seeking we have been exploring throughout this series as well as many others we didn’t cover!
Casey and I were excited to interview Dr. Sweat for this episode of Church History Matters to discuss his book and to dig deeper together into what good thinking looks like—especially regarding doctrinal seeking. And, as usual, we were not disappointed.
