Mormon Stories Podcast

BYU Professor Brings CES Letter To Life | Ep. 1985

Jan 21, 2025

BYU Professor Anthony Sweat brings art to life, exploring troubling truths about church history as outlined in the CES Letter. The discussion delves into Joseph Smith's controversial practices, including treasure digging and polygamy. Sweat's artwork reveals the discrepancies in traditional narratives, challenging accepted church teachings. The conversations also reflect on transparency in church history and the evolving perceptions of significant figures, all while highlighting the emotional turmoil created by past practices.

02:36:23

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Quick takeaways

BYU Professor Anthony Sweat's artwork vividly illustrates underrepresented and controversial aspects of LDS church history, challenging sanitized narratives.

The CES Letter, authored by Jeremy Runnels, raises significant questions about church doctrine and history often sidelined by church apologists.

LDS Discussions fosters informed conversations on church history, highlighting the necessity of addressing complex truth claims for contemporary members.

The podcast critiques historical inaccuracies surrounding Joseph Smith's portrayals, advocating for authentic artistic representations of the church's past.

A focus on the neglected roles of women in early LDS history reveals their significant influence, challenging modern portrayals within the church.

Deep dives

Anthony Sweat's Artistic Contributions

Anthony Sweat, a BYU professor, has created artwork that aims to depict previously underrepresented aspects of LDS church history, particularly concerning the restoration. His illustrations provide a visual representation of significant but often omitted narratives, aligning closely with the critiques articulated in the CES Letter by Jeremy Runnels. In light of sustained efforts by church apologists to undermine the credibility of these critiques, Sweat's work emerges as a counterpoint that corroborates many of Runnels' concerns about the church's historical narrative. By painting events that the church has historically obscured, Sweat not only brings attention to these issues but also challenges the portrayal of church history that has been shaped by selective memory.

Intro

4min

Reflections on Objectivity and LDS Discussions

3min

Exploring Historical Narratives Through Art

5min

Exploring the Dynamics of Church History and Education at BYU

2min

Exploring Visual Learning and Historical Narratives in the Church

3min

Exploring Mormon Origins and Cultural Narratives

14min

Artistic Depictions and Historical Realities

17min

Uncovering Historical Narratives

17min

Joseph Smith: Art, History, and Perception

18min

10.

Exploring Translation Methodologies and Historical Narratives

15min

11.

Exploring Historical Justifications for Priesthood Policies

3min

12.

The Turmoil of Polygamy: Joseph and Emma Smith

21min

13.

Authenticity and Representation in Church History

22min

14.

Unpacking Mormon History and the CES Letter

9min

15.

Thriving in St. George

4min

In this episode of LDS Discussions, we explore how BYU Professor Anthony Sweat’s artwork reflects the troubling aspects of church history found in the CES Letter by Jeremy Runnells. Despite being excommunicated for questioning the church, Runnells’ CES Letter, published in 2013, exposes discrepancies in the official narrative. Meanwhile, Sweat’s art, starting in 2014, delves into controversial topics like Joseph Smith's treasure digging, the use of a seer stone, and polygamy. We compare Sweat's paintings to the CES Letter's criticisms, highlighting how the church’s history is often presented inaccurately. Join us as we discuss these bold portrayals and the ongoing tension between church teachings and historical truth.

Show Notes

YouTube

00:00:00 Intro

00:06:55 This is episode 60 of LDS Discussions

00:10:50 Introduction to Anthony Sweat

00:15:20 Historical overview with these controversial topics being covered

00:22:30 Earlier artwork depicting images of the restoration

00:34:30 The CES Letter by Jeremy Runnells was published in 2013

00:35:50 How members were taught the translation happened versus how it actually happened

00:41:33 First painting - “The First Visions” by Anthony Sweat

00:54:46 Quote from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

00:57:22 “Gazelem, A Stone” by Anthony Sweat, Joseph obtaining his brown seer stone

01:06:13 The Harmony Treasure Searcher by Anthony Sweat01:15:25 Joseph Smith’s white stone and brown stone

01:18:46 Clip of Anthony Sweat sharing concerns from a BYU student

01:22:07 CES Letter and Anthony Sweat saying correct artwork wouldn’t communicate what the Church wants to communicate

01:26:45 “Oliver Cowdery and the Gift of the Rod” by Anthony Sweat

01:33:44 “The Ordination of Q. Walker Lewis” by Anthony Sweat

01:39:09 “An Angel with a Drawn Sword” by Anthony Sweat

01:48:06 “Destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor” by Anthony Sweat

01:52:25 “Purgatory: Joseph, Emma, and the Revelation on Plural Marriage” by Anthony Sweat

01:59:44 Clip of Anthony Sweat talking about painting controversial aspects of church history

02:02:35 The church is still trying NOT to show the rock in a hat during translation

02:07:25 Clip of Anthony Sweat and the translation process (the church telling an artist to change his painting)

02:13:13 Other depictions from Anthony Sweat

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At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor todayOne-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/joinOur Platforms:🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF Contact us:📧 MormonStories@gmail.com📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

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Mormon Stories Podcast

BYU Professor Brings CES Letter To Life | Ep. 1985

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Anthony Sweat's Artistic Contributions

Defending the CES Letter

The Role of LDS Discussions

Confronting Historical Inaccuracies

Engaging with Polygamy and the Angel with a Sword

Voice of the Female Experience

Censorship and Artistic Freedom

Historical Context and Current Relevance

The CES Letter's Lasting Impact

Final Reflections

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts