Maxwell Institute Podcast

In this episode, we continue our streak of interviews with the authors of our new book series, Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants. And today we've got a fascinating conversation with Dr. Mason Allred about his volume, Seeing.Dr. Allred is an Associate Professor of Communication, Media and Culture at Brigham Young University, Hawaii. He studied history with an emphasis on film and media studies, and he's published a number of books on visual culture. Basically, how everything from movies and TV to social media, art, print publications, and even advertising, shapes our lives and our society. So this made him the perfect person to write about spiritual sight in the Doctrine and Covenants. Not just the amazing visions of Joseph Smith, but how the ordinary act of looking can become a sacred practice for each one of us.

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.

Welcome back to the Maxwell Institute Podcast! We are thrilled to be back with you for another series of conversations on "The Questions We Should Be Asking." When–and only when–we ask the right questions can we find the answers we need.In 2025, we'll return to a broader focus for our interviews–but never fear, we'll have plenty of discussion about the Doctrine and Covenants as we study it together in the global Church.Today, I talk with Terryl Givens, author of Agency in our new series, Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants. We'll get into all the knotty questions about agency: what actually is it, does free will really exist, and what does it mean to say that agency is relational?Purchase at the links below.https://www.deseretbook.com/product/6075134.html?srsltid=AfmBOoo1ejtN94I-MqlDGGmGETf1eKBIrNwWcLaUQYnHnvx_Yg6ReZkohttps://www.amazon.com/Agency-Doctrine-Covenants-Terryl-Givens/dp/0842501339

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.