Category: Come Follow Me

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Doctrine and Covenants New Testament

What Does D&C 77 Say About the Age of the Earth?

A split image featuring an hourglass contrasted with a view of the earth from space, illustrating the literal-symbolic tension about the age of the earth in D&C 77.

Section 77 of the Doctrine and Covenants contains statements indicating that the Earth will exist for 7,000 years. Some Latter-day Saints interpret this literally, while the revelation’s historical context also allows for scientific understandings of how old the Earth is. For instance, Joseph Smith’s focus in D&C 77 was the Book of Revelation, known for its symbolism. His later teachings also seem to challenge a strict 7,000-year timeline. In this interview, Nicholas Frederick examines the background of Doctrine and Covenants 77, emphasizing the central role of Jesus Christ.

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Doctrine and Covenants

Rosalynde Welch on 7 Visions of Christ in the Doctrine and Covenants

The Doctrine and Covenants reveals Jesus Christ through themes of glory, suffering, intimacy, and presence. A new book from Deseret Book portrays a Savior whose power comes through submission, whose bleeding body crosses porous boundaries, and whose nearness is both cosmic and personal. In this interview, Rosalynde Welch explains how writing Seven Visions: Images of Christ in the Doctrine and Covenants with co-author Adam Miller helped her recognize an invitation to see Christ—here and now.

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Devotional Theology

What I’ve Learned From 30 Years of Interfaith Dialogue

A group photo of Robert L. Millet, Richard Mow, and many other interfaith leaders.

Beginning in 1991, when I was appointed dean of Religious Education at BYU, and continuing well past my retirement from BYU in 2014, my interactions with men and women of various faiths have profoundly impacted me. They have broadened my horizons dramatically and reminded me—a sobering reminder we all need once in a while—that we are all sons and daughters of the same Eternal Father.

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Latter-day Saint History Theology

What Did the First Presidency Say About Evolution in 1909 and 1925?

Sepia illustration of early 20th-century Latter-day Saint leaders symbolizing the Church’s evolution discourse—featuring Joseph F. Smith, B.H. Roberts, James E. Talmage, and Joseph Fielding Smith, with background elements representing science and scripture.

In 1909 and 1925, the First Presidency stated that the Church has no official position on evolution. Shaped by their historical contexts, these statements reflected a range of views among Church leaders at the time. Decades later, Joseph Fielding Smith reinterpreted the statements, promoting a rigid anti-evolution stance that was not originally intended. Due in part to his prominence, this interpretation soon became the prevailing view among many Latter-day Saints. In this interview, Dr. Ben Spackman discusses his chapter about the First Presidency statements in a new BYU evolution book.

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Book of Mormon

How Many Chapters Are in the Book of Mormon?

Stacked gold plates symbolizing the structure of the Book of Mormon, referencing 239 chapters across 15 books.

The Book of Mormon contains 239 chapters, divided into 15 books. Interpretations of its length vary: Mark Twain joked that it put him to sleep, while Brigham Young wished he had “the voice of seven thunders to wake up the people” to its importance. In modern times, scholars like Dan Vogel criticize its long-winded repetitiveness, while Grant Hardy praises its unexpected sophistication. This article presents key statistics about the Book of Mormon’s structure, reading difficulty, listening time, and other relevant details.

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Quotes

Wilford Woodruff Quotes: A Prophet’s Insights

A side by side graphic featuring Wilford Woodruff next to a prophetic quote.

This collection of Wilford Woodruff quotes highlights his teachings on revelation, temple work, record keeping, the Holy Ghost, and more. He kept a detailed journal that has served as a core resource for historians, enabling the compilation of Woodruff sayings similar to our Dallin H. Oaks quotes page. This curated collection deals with topics ranging from the afterlife to true religion. Please leave a comment if there’s a quote you’d like considered for inclusion.

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Ancient history New Testament

How Close Were Jesus and the Pharisees?

A painting of Jesus healing a blind man while surrounded by Pharisees, as portrayed by Jorge Cocco in "I was Blind, but Now I See."
"I Was Blind, but Now I See," by Jorge Cocco. Used by permission.

The relationship between Jesus and the Pharisees is often reduced to hostility and hypocrisy. But the New Testament tells a more complicated story—one of shared meals, theological debate, and overlapping commitments to the Torah. Far from being outsiders to Judaism, Jesus and the Pharisees were part of the same religious world, sometimes clashing, sometimes converging. In this interview, New Testament scholar Jens Schröter helps unpack that complexity.

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Latter-day Saint History Scriptures Theology

Are There 3 Degrees in the Celestial Kingdom?

A symbolic depiction of layered heavenly light representing the possible degrees within the Celestial Kingdom, with radiant tiers ascending into celestial blue.

Did Joseph Smith teach that there are three degrees within the Celestial Kingdom? Modern Latter-day Saints often interpret Doctrine and Covenants 131 as supporting that view, referencing “three heavens or degrees.” However, historical evidence—including the original William Clayton journal entry—suggests this interpretation may be based on a misunderstanding of early terminology like “celestial glory.” In this interview, Bryan Buchanan builds on Shannon Flynn’s research to explore what Joseph Smith may have actually meant and how the idea of levels within the Celestial Kingdom evolved over time.

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Intellectualism Latter-day Saint History Theology

What Should Latter-day Saints Know About BYU’s Evolution Book?

Composite image showing a DNA strand, open scriptures, and the BYU campus—representing the themes of faith, science, and education in the BYU evolution book.

The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and Evolution is designed to help students reconcile faith in the Savior with scientific understanding of evolution. Published by BYU Life Sciences, the book affirms the Church’s neutral stance on evolution, corrects common misconceptions, and offers practical tools for bridging religion and science. In this interview, co-editor Jamie Jensen shares the book’s origins, purpose, and why this kind of reconciliation matters.

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Bible

“The Bible Says So”: An Interview with Dan McClellan

A headshot of Data Over Dogma podcast host, Dan McClellan, who also authored the religion book, "The Bible Says So."

Biblical scholar Dan McClellan invites readers to reconsider the idea that the Bible speaks for itself in his new book, The Bible Says So. Driven by a love for the ancient text, McClellan works to make scholarship more accessible, both through his writing and his “data over dogma” approach on social media. In this interview, he explains why the Bible’s meaning depends on interpretation, how authority is understood, and how readers sometimes bring their own assumptions to the text.

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