Maxwell Institute Podcast

The Old Testament names more women, and has more books named for women, than any of the other texts in the Latter-day Saint canon. They fulfill their roles as disciples, family members, and in following their personal integrity with living up to their commitment within community relationships. How do they fulfill those roles? And how can Latter-day Saint better fulfill these roles by following these disciples’ examples? We’ll discuss that, and much more, on today’s episode of “Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast.” The post Abide: Ruth; 1 Samuel 1-3 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

There’s a difficulty in reading the scriptures. I’m not referring to words on the page. I’m also not referring to the habit of scripture reading, though that could certainly apply, too. No, I’m referring to making the scriptures, whose figures and narratives are familiar to many Latter-day Saints, new and refreshing and insightful. In today’s episode of “Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast,” we discuss two figures, and use the tools of academic research to better understand what their stories might mean and our disciples’ hearts to find out what their stories might mean for us. The post Abide: Judges 2-4; 6-8; 13-16 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

“This Church will stand, because it is upon a firm basis. … The Lord has shown it to us by the revealing principle of the Holy Spirit of light.” Lorenzo Snow, April 1900 That quotes embodies much of what is going on in the third volume of SAINTS, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ ongoing history being produced by the Church Historical Department. In it, we find Latter-day Saint Christians confronting new information, ideas, and grappling with changes required of the Saints as they entered the twentieth century and globalized throughout the early twentieth century. We learn about the end of sanctioned plural marriages and how African American converts lived with racism in their local congregations. We’ll also learn about how Saints around the world embraced the challenges brought on by Revolution, Depression and world wars, and came out as stronger Saints with vibrant testimonies of the restored gospel. In today’s episode, we speak with two of the writers and editors of the Saints project, Lisa Olsen Tait and Scott Hales, about how and why the Saints project as created, resources available to deepen Latter-day Saints’ understandings of the past through approved resources, and much, much more. The post Maxwell Institute Podcast #143: Saints in a Modernizing World, with Lisa Olsen Tait and Scott Hales appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Scholars spend entire careers debating texts, their origins, their impact, and the most valuable contributions they make to broader understanding. At the Maxwell Institute, we participate in these debates, but recognize that a text’s value cannot be narrowed down to observable fact–the long-lasting test of scripture is how it shapes the readers’ or hearers’ faith. In today’s episode of “Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast,” we discuss the book of Joshua, exploring the meanings of the Promised Land, archaeological possibilities and limits, and early Christians understanding of Joshua as a type of Christ. The post Abide: Joshua 1-8; 23-24 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Deuteronomy is the final book in the Pentateuch, containing Moses’ last sermons, as well as poetry regarding Israel’s future. Moses pleads with Israel not to repeat their past mistakes, such as falling into idolatry. They must keep their covenants and keep the law given by Yahweh, or else they will lose the Promised Land. What does that mean for Latter-day Saints today? We’ll discuss that, and much more, on today’s episode of “Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast.” The post Abide: Deuteronomy appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell once preached, “Faith also includes trust in God’s timing, for He has said, “All things must come to pass in their time.” (D&C 64:32.) Ironically, some who acknowledge God are tried by His timing, globally and personally!” We certainly see that in the Book of Numbers. The Israelites were thirsty but had no water. God directed Moses to provide for them. Aaron helped to lead Israel to the Promised Land, but his priestly vestments were taken from him and he died before Israel entered their destination. God sent fiery serpents but he also sent the brazen serpent to deliver His chosen people. We’ll discuss these events, and much more, in this episode of “Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast.” The post Abide: Numbers 11-14; 20-24 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

When someone brings up Leviticus, my mind turns almost automatically to the Law of Moses. Which, I admit, doesn’t always seem like the most applicable thing to my life. However, when reframing it to think about the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, I can’t think of anything more important for Latter-day Saints to know about. We’ll discuss the end of Exodus and parts of Leviticus in this episode of “Abide” A Maxwell Institute Podcast The post Abide: Exodus 35-40; Leviticus 1; 16; 19 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Knowing how to transform conflict is critical in both our personal and professional lives. Yet, by and large, we are terrible at it. The reason, says longtime mediator Chad Ford, is fear. When conflict comes, our instincts are to run or fight. To transform conflict, Ford says we need to turn toward the people we are in conflict with, put down our physical and emotional weapons, and really love them with the kind of love that leads us to treat others as fellow human beings, not as objects in our way. We have to open ourselves up with no guarantee that anyone on the other side will do the same. While this can feel even more dangerous than conflict itself, it allows us to see the humanity of others so clearly that their needs and desires matter to us as much as our own. Ford shows dangerous love in action through examples ranging from his work in the Middle East to a deeply moving story about reconciling with his father. He explains why we disconnect from people at the very time we need to be most connected and the predictable patterns of justification and escalation that ensue. Most importantly, he gives us a path to practice dangerous love in the conflicts that matter most to us. In today’s episode of the Maxwell Institute podcast, we explore the meaning of dangerous love, how it works on a theological and a practical level, and how we can be Latter-day Saint peacebuilders in the world. As always, please follow us on social media at @byumaxwell on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter at https://mi.byu.edu/monthly-mi-news/. Without any further ado, here’s Professor Chad Ford. The post Maxwell Institute Podcast #141: Loving Dangerously, with Chad Ford appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Often, when we speak about matters of religion, we discuss belief. “I know the Church is true. I have received a witness for myself that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I have had these experiences and share them in Sunday school and other venues. For me, though, faith also takes place in the fleshy here-and-now. My religion is taking the sacrament on Sunday with all the ties poking out of shirt collars, special trays for those who can’t have gluten, and the silent nod of a bishop signaling that the sacramental prayer has been offered correctly. It’s laying grass for a service project or the smell of campfire from youth conferences past. I suspect that as you’ve been listening to this that you, too, have been able to think of the physical, earthy stuff of Latter-day Saint belief, practice, and culture.  Today we are going to explore the “stuff” of religion, what scholars call material culture. Through an exploration of the mundane, what some might call the ordinary, we discover God’s presence and the faith of ancient Israel. I suspect that we also learn something about our own modern faith, too. The post Abide: Exodus 24; 31-34 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

President Spencer W. Kimball said in 1976 that “Few men have ever knowingly and deliberately chosen to reject God and his blessings. Rather, we learn from the scriptures that because the exercise of faith has always appeared to be more difficult than relying on things more immediately at hand, carnal man has tended to transfer his trust in God to material things. Therefore, in all ages when men have fallen under the power of Satan and lost the faith, they have put in its place a hope in the “arm of flesh” and in “gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know” (Dan. 5:23)—that is, in idols. This I find to be a dominant theme in the Old Testament. Whatever thing a man sets his heart and his trust in most is his god; and if his god doesn’t also happen to be the true and living God of Israel, that man is laboring in idolatry.” What can we learn from the Old Testament about worshiping God and rejecting idols? We’ll explore that, and much more, in today’s episode of “Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast.” The post Abide: Exodus 18-20 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.