Standard of Truth
Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat
The purpose of this podcast is to help Latter-Day Saints better understand their history and increase their faith. The podcast hosted by Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat, associate professor of Church History and Doctrine at BYU.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 25, 2023 • 25min
S3B5 Merry Christmas
We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas...our present to you...which is like getting coal in your stocking, is a bonus episode in which we read a letter from an early pioneer about what Christmas was like for the early Saints in Utah.
If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in the summer of 2024 please sign up at: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
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Dec 21, 2023 • 1h 10min
S3E51 Christmas Extravaganza
If you ever wondered how rabbit pies and Puritanism affected the history of Christmas in America and Europe, then this is the podcast for you. We examine Wilford Woodruff's Christmas celebration over the years.
If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in the summer of 2024 please sign up at: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Subscribe to our free newsletter - https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/
Please visit our website at www.standardoftruth.com
Dec 14, 2023 • 58min
S3E50 Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith
We started off with a plan to provide some addendums to our Moroni episodes, but a listener's touching email kind of derailed us into a discussion about faith, testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and President Ballard. We also discuss the 1st Punic War.
President M. Russell Ballard's 2023 conference address:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/41ballard?lang=eng
If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in the summer of 2024 please sign up at: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Subscribe to our free newsletter - https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/
Please visit our website at www.standardoftruth.com
Dec 7, 2023 • 1h 7min
S3E49 Walking on Water Part 2
We continue our discussion about antagonistic claims against Joseph Smith that were eventually repeated in the 20th century in a pseudo-academic source.
If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in the summer of 2024 please sign up at: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Subscribe to our free newsletter - https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/
Please visit our website at www.standardoftruth.com
Nov 30, 2023 • 60min
S3E48 Walking on Water Part 1
We respond to a question from a sister serving her mission in Pennsylvania who had someone call them up and share an outlandish story about Mormons attempting to trick people by faking the ability to on water.
If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in the summer of 2024 please sign up at: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Subscribe to our free newsletter - https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/
Please visit our website at www.standardoftruth.com
Nov 23, 2023 • 1h 2min
S3B4 Every Time A Bell Rings, An Angel Doesn’t Get Their Wings
This episode that was referenced in Moroni Part 5 and so we wanted to make it easier to find by dropping it as a bonus episode. We hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving.
During the Christmas season, believers talk more about angels than they usually do. Latter-day Saints might not know just how radically different their understanding of angels is from the beliefs of other Christians. Joseph Smith received many revelations that provided a new understanding of angels.
The article referenced in the episode is called "The Development of Winged Angels in Early Christian Art" by Dr. Therese Martin and the link is below:
https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/17726/1/eserv.pdf
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at:
questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Nov 23, 2023 • 1h 9min
S3E47 Moroni Part 5
In this podcast, they conclude the series on the Angel Moroni and discuss scolding and training given by Moroni to Joseph Smith. They also delve into the belief of Latter-day Saints regarding angels. Additionally, they talk about feeling inadequate in graduate school, missionary emails, Joseph's love for college football, enjoying hate mail, childhood memories with 'Living Scriptures' videos, and the importance of trusting in God and following the prophet's guidance.
Nov 16, 2023 • 59min
S3E46 Moroni Part 4
We conclude our four-part series on the Angel Moroni by admitting that there will be at least one more episode on the Angel Moroni. We talk about the temptation that Joseph Smith has to use the Gold Plates to solve the Smith family’s financial problems and the additional instruction he receives from Moroni.
If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in the summer of 2024 please sign up at: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Subscribe to our free newsletter - https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/
Please visit our website at www.standardoftruth.com
Nov 9, 2023 • 1h 7min
S3E45 Moroni Part 3
In this episode, we discuss the book I gave Gerrit for his birthday. The book was a review of the opinion that the Supreme Court rendered in 1878 in the case of George Reynolds on the issue of polygamy. It was a ploy to get Gerrit to discuss polygamy...which he did. We also continued our discussion on the things Moroni taught Joseph Smith that prepared him to receive the Gold Plates.
If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in the summer of 2024 please sign up at: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Subscribe to our free newsletter - https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/
Please visit our website at www.standardoftruth.com
Nov 2, 2023 • 1h 1min
S3E44 Moroni Part 2
In this episode, we continue our discussion about Moroni’s interaction with Joseph Smith.
If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in the summer of 2024 please sign up at: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Subscribe to our free newsletter - https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/
Please visit our website at www.standardoftruth.com
