Selecting the books of the New Testament canon was an ongoing process that wasn’t complete until hundreds of years after the time of Christ. In this interview, biblical scholar Thomas A. Wayment explains how the New Testament came to have the texts that are in it today.
Patriarchal blessings have been given in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since the time of Joseph Smith. In addition to declaring a person’s lineage, the blessings can also serve as a source of guidance and comfort. In this interview, historian Keith Erekson shares patriarchal blessing examples from history and offers perspectives on how to understand them.
The Talk of Him podcast (formerly Real Talk–Come, Follow Me) is now in its fourth year producing Come, Follow Me Resources in an audio and video format. In addition to beginning 2023 on a brand new set, Ganel-Lyn Condie and John Fossum have also released a Find Him study guide. In this interview, Ganel-Lyn Condie talks about their podcast and New Testament companion book.
Robert Alter recently completed a translation of the Hebrew Bible. The Old Testament work is widely respected by scholars, including some who think it’s the most accurate Bible translation in English. Alter’s attention to the literary form of Hebrew helps bridge the gap between contemporary readers and ancient writers. In this interview, he talks about his multi-decade translation of the Hebrew Bible.
Billions of people read the Christmas story in the Bible each year. The Gospel of Luke in particular tells the oft-repeated story of Joseph, Mary, and the nativity. In this New Testament interview, S. Kent Brown discusses the events leading up to the Christmas story in Luke.
Susa Young Gates was one of the first members of the church to learn about the vision of the redemption of the dead. Joseph F. Smith told her about his revelatory experience before it was publicly known. In this interview, historian Lisa Olsen Tait tralks about the relationship between Susa Young Gates and the prophet—and what happened the night she learned about the vision.
Most Latter-day Saints know about Truman G. Madsen. His Joseph Smith tapes continue to influence the rising generation—and it’s hard to talk about Latter-day Saint theology without mentioning his influence. But his wife, Ann Madsen, is every bit the disciple-scholar that he was. In this interview, she describes the bookend years of their lives—including the three things Truman told her just before he passed away.
Faith and science are often seen as conflicting approaches in the search for truth—including within the Latter-day Saint community. For example, Joseph Fielding Smith and B. H. Roberts disagreed about whether science or scripture should take priority in the debate over evolution (see the story in Saints 3). In this interview. Dr. Jamie L. Jensen explains that faith and science are symbiotic pathways to truth.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that faith is the first principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And yet many people struggle to understand their own beliefs. Furthermore, the importance of belief seems to be on the decline, as evidenced by the rise of those leaving organized religion. In this interview, Terryl Givens, and his son, Nathaniel, explain that admitting “belief is hard” could be a step toward accessing the power of faith—and balancing faith and intellect.
Brandon Sanderson is one of today’s most popular fiction writers. Books like Mistborn and Way of Kings have captured the hearts of millions—and some of Sanderson’s fans have asked if his Latter-day Saint faith influences their favorite storylines. In this interview, BYU’s Nick Frederick ponders a fun hypothetical: What if Nephites from the Book of Mormon had found an inspiring record like The Way of Kings?