In the 1930s, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent teachers to learn theology at the University of Chicago. In some cases, the Latter-day Saints returned with academic tools to supplement their faith. But, in others, they experienced faith crises and set aside critical components of the Restoration like miracles and angels. In this interview, Casey Griffiths explains more about the Chicago Experiment and why issues of faith and intellect are still relevant.
It can be challenging to find Joseph Smith quotes drawn from reliable historical sources. Our quotes page gives you access to his teachings about topics like love, trials, and the Holy Ghost. What makes them especially unique is that every quote is taken from dependable scholarly research such as the Joseph Smith Papers Project.
Perhaps no one has influenced Latter-day Saint scriptural literacy more than Bruce R. McConkie. His writings were both prolific and authoritarian. Consequently, 20th-century intellectuals sought an alternative voice, paving the way for a New Mormon History which may have intentionally downplayed the Apostle’s influence. In this interview, Joseph Spencer examines Elder McConkie’s influence and suggests that it may be time to set aside unfair narratives and reexamine his legacy.
The Book of Mormon has a complex relationship with the Christian Bible. It interacts with and, in some cases, reinterprets the stories and texts of the Bible in unique ways. In this interview, Michael Austin describes some of the ways in which the Book of Mormon reinterprets the Bible.
Prophets, priests, and kings were anointed in the Old Testament. And the title Christ in the New Testament literally translates as “anointed one.” But what does that mean? This post draws from the comments of Tim Mackie and John Collins in a seven-part series by the Bible Project explaining that anointing is a ritual in which people and places are set apart as portals between heaven and earth. The story starts in the Garden of Eden and ends with contemporary Christian disciples.
The Book of Mormon is a religious text translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith in the 1800s. Latter-day Saints view the scripture as canon—alongside the Bible, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants. It clarifies the role of Jesus as the Son of God, details his visit to the Americas, and sheds light on the afterlife and Latter-day Saint theology. This compilation of resources provides academic and devotional insight into the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Alma is one of the richest books in the Book of Mormon in both theology and narrative. Alma2 is a powerful preacher who has a remarkable conversion story and dramatic (albeit tragic) missionary journeys. Similarly, the sons of Mosiah, also have dramatic stories of missionary work. In this interview, Kylie Nielson Turley discusses the theology in Alma 1–29 found in the stories of figures like Alma, Amulek, and Abish.
Latter-day Saints claim unique understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ thanks to the ongoing Restoration initiated through Joseph Smith. Yet we’re also influenced by Christian traditions that emphasize the very notions of equity and fairness repudiated by Jesus in the New Testament—which can lead to flawed perceptions of salvation. In this interview, Terryl Givens traces the history of atonement theology and explains why it matters to Latter-day Saints.
Joseph Smith recognized that preparation to receive an expansive view of the afterlife as presented in the Vision in the Doctrine and Covenants was still limited. Later, he acknowledged: “I could explain a hundred fold more than I ever have of the glories of the kingdoms manifested to me in the vision, were I permitted, and were the people prepared to receive them.”
When the Urim and Thummim are identified [in the Old Testament] with the gems of the breastpiece, light is often associated with them. 4QpIsa i 4–6 can be interpreted in this way. Josephus clearly links a miraculous light with the divine revelation. The oracular shining or dimming of a stone on the breastpiece is also found in subsequent Jewish and Samaritan tradition.