Faith Matters
Faith Matters is a podcast that explores the Restored Gospel of the Latter-day Saint (Mormon) tradition in a thoughtful, expansive way. Each episode takes on big and sometimes difficult questions about faith, scripture, and living a religious life in the modern world. While rooted in Mormon thought, the show welcomes insights from other Christian and religious traditions. The goal is to give listeners a platform for deeper engagement with their faith and with the wider world around them.
Episodes
The One Thing Necessary, with Thomas McConkie
Today we’re excited to welcome back Thomas McConkie to celebrate a new season of another Faith Matters podcast he hosts: One Heart, One Mind. Together, we dig into the story of Mary and Martha, which he recently explored in an episode there.Drawing on decades of contemplative practice, Thomas’s read of this story is that it may be inviting us to discover the kind of presence that allows us to carr
Are We Fasting Wrong? an episode of Proclaim Peace with Reverend Adam Russell Taylor
If Isaiah has ever felt impenetrable, start here. With Come, Follow Me taking us into Isaiah over the next couple of weeks, we’re sharing a special crosspost from Proclaim Peace, which is another Faith Matters podcast that we produce with Mormon Women for Ethical Government.In this episode, Jen and Patrick sat down with Reverend Adam Russell Taylor, president of Sojourners, a Christian nonprofit d
How to Give a Great Sacrament Meeting Talk | Isaac Richards and Ben Crosby
Hey everybody, this is Aubrey Chaves from Faith Matters.Maybe some of you relate to the stomach-dropping feeling I get when I’m asked to speak in church. If you’re anything like me, those 12 minutes can loom over your whole week.Today, Ben Crosby and Isaac Richards join us to talk about how to give a talk! How to prepare and deliver a talk with confidence and share a message that will be nourishin
Casper ter Kuile: The Future of Spirituality
Today, we decided to bring back one of our favorite conversations with Casper ter Kuile, because he'll be joining us this next week, September 24th through 26th, at Restore:Connect. Casper has spent years exploring the changing landscape of spiritual life in America, especially the new ways that people are finding belonging, meaning, transformation, and even sacredness as traditional religiou
Surrender Over Striving: Colette Lafia
Today we're joined by Colette Lafia, a spiritual director, poet, and author whose newest book Leaving the Shore: Experiencing Poetry as Prayer invites us into a different way of meeting the divine than we might be used to.Much of our faith language often centers on effort—perseverance, pressing forward, fighting the good fight. Colette offers a somewhat gentler direction: the idea that relati
A Theologian's Conversion | Dr. John White
Today we're joined by John White, a theologian and ethicist who is currently Research Fellow at BYU's Maxwell Institute — and who has a fascinating and unexpected story that led him to convert to the Church just under a year ago.For over a decade, John was a tenured professor of practical theology and ethics at Baylor's Truett Theological Seminary, where he directed the graduate ch
Impossible to Miss: How God Finds Us Anyway | Thomas McConkie at Restore 2025
Today we’re bringing you a session we loved from last year’s Restore with Thomas McConkie.There’s a particular overwhelm I know that often comes with learning something new—a low-grade worry that I’m already missing something, forgetting the important pieces, not going to be able to hang onto it all. When it comes to personal development or spiritual truth, that worry can feel especially high stak
The Art of the 25-Minute Lesson: Patrick & Melissa Mason
This week, we're asking: how do you fit a full Sunday School lesson into twenty-five minutes? Our worldwide church is shifting to shorter lesson blocks, and teachers everywhere are feeling nervous. Isaiah in 25 minutes? What do you cut, what do you keep?Today we're sitting down with Patrick and Melissa Mason to think through this transition and to really embrace it as an invitation to co
Unfiltered Before God: Praying the Psalms, with Ellen Davis
Most of us can probably recall a verse or two from the book of Psalms—something comforting, or words inside a hymn we know. But Psalms is the longest book in the Bible, and tucked inside this same book of scripture are psalms of rage, cursing, and despair that are a lot harder to make sense of.Today, Dr. Ellen Davis joins us to talk about this ancient, essential book, and describes the Psalms as a
Job and the Truth About Suffering: Mike Petrow
Job is probably one of the most difficult and haunting books in scripture, and this summer as we read it together, we wanted a guide—so we invited Mike Petrow back to join us. With doctoral degrees in psychology and mythological studies, Mike helps us understand Job as an ancient text, and as a story that continues to speak in our own lives.Today Mike takes us straight into one of the most strikin
When Your Child Comes Out as Gay: A Story of Belonging, Faith, and Family with Dave and Kirty Zimmerman
When Dallin Zimmerman was four years old, he memorized every Article of Faith. As a teenager, he studied Portuguese and Spanish, and had long been the family's peacemaker — a bright, fun-loving light that people gravitate toward. Today he's serving a full-time mission in South America. And at thirteen, years before any of that, he sat down with his parents and asked a question that would
Has Politics Become Your Religion? with Pete Wehner
Today we’re honored to share a conversation with Peter Wehner. We want to acknowledge that this conversation explores territory that is going to feel personal, political, and, probably at some points, challenging. Our hope that it creates honest and faithful wrestling where where we need it.Today, we explore what it means to follow Jesus in a time when political identities increasingly compete wit
Pete Enns: The Sin of Certainty
Today we’re pulling out one of our favorite episodes from the archives. Our guest is Pete Enns, a well-known bible scholar and the Abram S. Clemens professor of Bible Studies at Eastern University in Pennsylvania.In recent years, Pete has become well known for several highly popular books, including How the Bible Actually Works, The Bible Tells Me So, and the book we discussed with him in this epi
Permission to Rest: Melissa Mason and Amanda Ford
Today we’re joined by two thoughtful therapists, teachers, peacebuilders, and friends, Amanda Ford and Melissa Mason.Together with their spouses, Patrick Mason and Chad Ford, Melissa and Amanda have dedicated years to the work of building peace in families, communities, and faith spaces. But in this conversation, they invite us to consider the foundation of all lasting peace: the quiet, often diff
Ryan Burge: The Vanishing Church
Today we’re joined by Ryan Burge, one of the country’s leading data analysts on religion and politics, to talk about his new book, The Vanishing Church: How the Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations Is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us.For decades, we’ve measured the decline of American religion by empty pews and shrinking membership rolls. Ryan invites us to see another, deeper loss. As moderate
Declare Independence from Enmity: Patrick Mason at Restore 2025
As we approach America's 250th birthday, we're reminded that every generation inherits the responsibility of shaping the nation's future. At a moment marked by fear, division, and distrust, the invitation to become peacemakers has never felt more urgent.Today, we're sharing a powerful message from Patrick Mason, that he shared at our Restore Gathering at Utah Valley University
Robin Ritch: Using Friction to Grow
Today we're delighted to share a conversation with Robin Ritch about her new book, Using Friction to Grow: Stories of Strength and Resilience.Many of us spend our lives trying to avoid friction. We want our faith to feel clear, our communities to feel supportive, and our spiritual lives to move forward without too much tension or uncertainty. But today Robin's asking, "What if our d
Witnesses from the Margins: Tom Christofferson and Darius Gray
Today we’re sharing a special conversation courtesy of our friends at Lift+Love. This is a conversation recorded at their first ever Gather Conference in 2023, the world’s largest Christ-centered gathering of LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and those who love them.In this session, two men sat down together: Tom Christofferson and Darius Gray. Both are devoted Latter-day Saints who know what it is to love
Sacred Stories: Three Gay Latter-day Saints, Three Paths | Alisha Anderson, Steven Kapp Perry, & Ben Schilaty at Restore
Today we’re honored to share a special session from Restore 2025 featuring Steven Kapp Perry, Alisha Anderson, and Ben Schilaty—three gay Latter-day Saints who have each taken different paths, and who share a deep commitment to following God with honesty, courage, and faith.In this on-stage conversation, Steve, Alisha, and Ben share personal and vulnerable reflections on what it means to seek God
Judge Thomas Griffith: Is the Constitution Hanging by a Thread?
This week, wards across the United States will be having a really unique 5th Sunday discussion centered on the Constitution, moral agency, and peace-building. So today, we wanted to reshare a conversation that originally aired in 2021.In this episode, Faith Matters co-founder Bill Turnbull joins Judge Thomas Griffith, an expert in constitutional law, to explore the Constitution and the rapid erosi
The Earth Wants to Heal You: Karl Ebeling
They call him the Mr. Rogers of farming, and I think you’ll understand why. Karl Ebeling spent 33 years as a chemical engineer before feeling an undeniable pull back to the land and to a childhood love of farming that had never really left him. He combined his love of the earth with desire to help and heal and founded Eden Streets in 2020, a community farming initiative that helps individuals rela
Tish Harrison Warren: What Grows in Weary Lands
Today, we’re honored to share a conversation with Tish Harrison Warren on her beautiful brand new book, What Grows in Weary Lands.From the very first pages of this book, Tish gives us language for something so familiar. She writes about aridity—those seasons of spiritual drought, exhaustion, or distance from God, when prayer feels flat, faith feels heavy, and the life we once found nourishing sudd
Ritual, Wisdom, and our Divine Mother: Kathryn & Bob Sonntag
Today, as we celebrate our mothers and motherhood, we’re exploring the symbols of our Divine Mother hidden throughout ancient Christianity, and what it might mean for each of us—men and women—to cultivate and integrate divine femininity into our own souls.Our guests are Kathryn and Bob Sonntag, who joined us at Restore last year for a powerful session on ritual, wisdom, and our Divine Mother. Toda
Torn: A Conversation About Who We're Losing and Why, with Jeff Strong
Today, we’re really excited to share a special episode with Jeff Strong on his new book, Torn: Why People We Love Are Leaving the Church and What We Can Learn From Them.Research suggests that roughly 40% of formerly active, faithful members have stepped away from the Church in the last twenty-five years—and the pace is accelerating. Jeff Strong is asking why. Drawing on hundreds of interviews, he’
Learning to Trust Your Own Inspiration: Deidre Green
Hey everyone, this is Aubrey from Faith Matters. Today’s episode is a personal one for me—and probably for many of you—especially if you’ve ever found yourself deferring to someone else’s inspiration, or noticing a tendency to believe that someone else’s knowing is more trustworthy than your own.Our guest, Deidre Nicole Green, is a professor at Graduate Theological Union and a theologian and schol
Fr. James Martin, SJ: Moral Courage in an Age of Approval
Today, we’re honored to share a conversation with Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest, a New York Times bestselling author, and the founder of Outreach, a ministry for LGBTQ Catholics.His new memoir is called Work in Progress: Confessions of a Busboy, Dishwasher, Caddy, Usher, Factory Worker, Bank Teller, Corporate Tool, and Priest. And yes, he held every one of those jobs before he found his cal
Nurturing a Faith Your Kids Don’t Have to Heal From: Meredith Miller
Today we’re exploring a tender question so many parents are carrying: how do we help our kids grow in faith when we’re still figuring it out for ourselves? And underneath that—what if we get it wrong? What if we hand them something they’ll spend years trying to untangle?Today, we’re joined by pastor, author, and researcher Meredith Miller, who has spent her career thoughtfully engaging these quest
What to Say When Your Kid Leaves the Church: Joseph Grenny & Jeff Strong
Today we’re asking: what do you do when someone you love tells you they’re leaving the Church? What do you say? How do you stay grounded and connected when the stakes feel high or you’re caught off guard?We sat down with two longtime friends of the podcast—authors and researchers Joseph Grenny and Jeff Strong—to explore these high-stakes moments when someone is ready to talk about their shifting f
Terryl Givens: The God Who Waits
We live in a world that prizes activity: being productive, staying in control, always doing something. So when life brings seasons of waiting—through illness, loss, or circumstances we didn’t choose—it can feel unsettling, even threatening to our sense of self. But what if those seasons are actually inviting us into a deeper understanding of God?Today, we’re joined by Terryl Givens to explore an e
Won't You Be My Neighbor? An episode of Article 13
This version has the correct audio--thanks to those who let us know the last one wasn't right! From time to time we like to share episodes from other shows in the Faith Matters network that we think you’ll really love, and today we’re highlighting one of our new favorites from Article 13, the podcast hosted by Zach Davis.If you haven’t discovered it yet, Article 13 is one of the most beautifu
Reading the Bible Through the Jesus Lens
One of the real challenges of studying the Hebrew Bible is figuring out how to make sense of stories of divine violence—where a God of love seems hard to find. These passages raise real questions about the nature of God and what it means for us as we try to live faithfully.Our guest today is Riley Risto, director of Latter-day Peace Studies, who joined the Church after a powerful mystical experien
“Yes, And”: Creativity as a Spiritual Practice, with Lisa Valentine Clark and James Rees
In today’s conversation, we explore creativity as a spiritual practice—not something reserved for artists, but a way of living.Our guests are Lisa Valentine Clark, a comedian, actor, and host of The Lisa Show, and James Rees—artist, educator, researcher, and passionate advocate for the arts.Both Lisa and James have spent their lives creating—in front of audiences on stages, in studios, in classroo
When Your Faith Breaks: Tucker Boyle
Today we’re grateful to share a conversation with our friend Tucker Boyle—a longtime seminary and institute teacher and the founder of Harmony Road Retreats, a nonprofit creating safe, supportive spaces for people in faith crisis.As a young missionary, Tucker fell in love with teaching the gospel and knew he wanted to become a full-time seminary teacher. He stepped into that role with his whole he
When Faith Meant Trust, with Teresa Morgan
We’re so excited to share a conversation that our friend and Executive Director, Zach Davis, had with Teresa Morgan, Professor at Yale Divinity School and a leading scholar of early Christian history.Teresa invites us to reconsider one of the most central words in Christianity: faith. She explains that for the first generations of Christians, “faith” didn’t mean signing on to a list of beliefs. It
Bruce Tift: Already Free
Today we’re so excited to share our conversation with Bruce Tift, author, psychotherapist and longtime practitioner of Vajrayana Buddhism. This summer, our friends at Uplift Kids introduced us to Bruce’s fascinating book Already Free, and we’ve been thinking about it ever since.In this conversation, Bruce dives into some of the ideas in the book. He explores how to make peace with being human. He
Terryl Givens: Wrestling with the Word
As we explore the Old Testament this year, we’ve found ourselves returning to a past conversation with our friend Terryl Givens. It felt grounding and expansive and we're really excited to share it with you again.The Old Testament can be incredibly rich—full of beauty, poetry, and profound spiritual insights. But it can also sometimes feel bewildering or even faith-shaking. We get glimpses of
Choosing Community over Ideological Purity: Lessons from Exponent II with Katie Ludlow Rich & Heather Sundahl
Hey everyone, this is Aubrey Chaves from Faith Matters. Today I’m excited to share my conversation with Katie Ludlow Rich and Heather Sundahl about 50 Years of Exponent II, their new book tracing the history of a space where Latter-day Saint women have engaged the most urgent questions of their time—while also honoring the dailiness of life.The roots of this effort go back to 1872, when women bega
Jeff Strong: Un-Sifting the Saints
We’ve all heard it called a sifting—the language that sometimes surfaces when someone is struggling or steps away from the Church. Wheat from tares, sheep from goats, a sorting in the last days that reveals truly elect.But today, our good friend and contributor Jeff Strong is back to invite us into a deeper reflection on that idea—and what he sees as the more essential question: Who is the Church
An Inconvenient Faith: Robert Reynolds and Patrick Mason
Today we’re joined by our friend Patrick Mason and filmmaker Robert Reynolds. Rob is the director and producer of the new docu-series An Inconvenient Faith—a project that’s already opening hearts and starting some long-overdue conversations.This series is raw and honest. It takes on some of the most difficult and tender topics in our faith tradition—things like women and authority, LGBTQ belonging
A Deeper Look at the Creation Story: an episode of Sanctuary with Jared Lambert
Today, we want to introduce you to another podcast in the Faith Matters Podcast Network called Sanctuary: Discovering the Temple, hosted by Larkin Swain. Larkin brings a candid, curious, and thoughtful approach to conversations about the temple, and this episode felt especially fascinating and timely as we begin a new year studying the Old Testament.In this episode, Larkin speaks with historical l
Finding Nourishment in the Old Testament, with Sarah and Josh Sabey
Today we’re sharing a conversation with writers and filmmakers Sarah and Josh Sabey about their new project, The Bible Storybook, a two volume collection of 50 stories from the Old Testament.You might remember their Book of Mormon Storybook. Like those earlier volumes, this new project is guided by a simple and beautiful idea: “These are stories about a real God who loves real people”—people who a
Let's Talk About Money, with Carl Richards
Today we’re bringing you a conversation with Carl Richards, and we think this one might just change the way you think—and feel—about money.You might know Carl as The Sketch Guy from his decade-long New York Times column, where he offered disarmingly relatable insights about money using just cardstock and a Sharpie.For Carl, money isn’t about spreadsheets and savings accounts—it’s a mirror, reflect
In the Bleak Midwinter, by Peter Conti-Brown
As we move into Christmas week, we wanted to offer something a little different. Today’s episode is a reading of “In the Bleak Midwinter,” written and read by Peter Conti‑Brown, and originally published in the Faith Matters magazine, Wayfare.It tells the true story of a Christmas that unfolded in unexpected ways—marked by absence, uncertainty, and pain. And yet, it’s also a story about how grace f
The Four Tendencies with Gretchen Rubin
Today, we’re thrilled to share a conversation with New York Times bestselling author and happiness expert Gretchen Rubin, where we explored one of her most practical and game-changing frameworks: the Four Tendencies.Gretchen explains that we all face two types of expectations—outer expectations, like a church calling or a request from a boss or family member, and inner expectations, like a persona
Rooting Out “It Was Right for Its Time” : Paul Reeve and Ramesus Stewart-Johnson
Today, in light of the upcoming Come Follow Me lesson which covers Official Declaration 2, we’re honored to share a conversation with W. Paul Reeve and Ramesus Stewart-Johnson about race, the priesthood and temple restriction, and what it really means to root out racism in our church community today.Since lifting the priesthood and temple ban in 1978, we have witnessed a great flourishing of the c
Advent: A Season of Sacred Longing, with Cecelia Proffit
Today, we’re so excited to share a conversation with our good friend and teammate at Faith Matters, Cece Proffit. If you’ve followed Faith Matters for a while, you’ve felt Cece’s influence—her energy, creativity, and care shape so much of what we do behind the scenes. And so today, we’re thrilled she’s stepping in front of the mic to talk about one of her very favorite subjects—Advent.In this conv
Humor as Wisdom: Mallory Everton at Restore
Today we are so excited to share a session from this year’s Restore Gathering with Mallory Everton. Mallory is best known for her work on the sketch comedy show Studio C, and in this session, she asks a question she says she’s been asking her whole life: do Latter-Day Saints have a problem with laughter? She explores how in the context of spirituality, humor sometimes gets sidelined—dismissed as l
The Prophet and the Priest, with Matt Bowman
We’re really excited to share this week’s episode with you—a conversation with scholar and historian, Matt Bowman. Matt is the Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies and an associate professor of religion and history at Claremont Graduate University. In this conversation, he draws on ancient scripture to explore two archetypes that show up again and again: the prophet and the priest.The prophet,
"Truth and Treason" with filmmaker Matt Whitaker
Today we’re bringing you a special live episode recorded at the Compass Gallery in Provo with filmmaker Matt Whitaker.Matt is the director and one of the writers and producers of the new film Truth & Treason, which tells the astonishing true story of Helmuth Hübener—a 16-year-old Latter-day Saint in Nazi Germany. After secretly tuning into forbidden BBC broadcasts on his brother’s radio, Helmu
Unpacking Polygamy: Wrestling with 132, with Bethany Brady Spalding, Patrick Mason, and Bill Turnbull
Today we’re wrapping up our week of Unpacking Polygamy with a very honest, illuminating and challenging conversation among three faithful friends: Bethany Brady Spaulding, Patrick Mason and Bill Turnbull. Together, they tackle the profound theological problems that polygamy presents, particularly as it is laid out in what is perhaps the most challenging scripture in our canon—Section 132 of the Do
Unpacking Polygamy: The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy, with Carol Lynn Pearson
Today we’re joined by Carol Lynn Pearson—poet, playwright, and author of The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy.With extraordinary honesty, clarity, and compassion, Carol Lynn shares her deeply personal perspective on this chapter of our history and why she believes polygamy was a great mistake—one that continues to “haunt the hearts and heaven” of many Latter-day Saints today.In this episode, we learn how
Unpacking Polygamy: Polygamy from Nauvoo to Utah, with Brittany Chapman Nash & Patrick Mason
Today we’re welcoming back Patrick Mason for a conversation with author and historian Brittany Chapman Nash.In this episode, Patrick and Brittany explore what plural marriage looked like in the early Utah period—how it was lived, how it was taught, and why so many Latter-day Saints practiced it with such deep conviction. Brittany shares stories from women whose voices often go unheard, and helps u
Unpacking Polygamy: Our Evolving Sealing Practices, with Nate Oman
Today, we’re honored to welcome Nate Oman—law professor, scholar, and co-founder of the pioneering Latter-day Saint blog, Times and Seasons.Our conversation begins with a bold idea: that experiencing a stupor of thought, or being troubled, is very often a prelude to revelation. For Nate, facing discomfort head-on—naming it and wrestling with it—has become a sacred part of his discipleship and a pa
Unpacking Polygamy: Joseph Smith's Polygamy, with Laurel Thatcher Ulrich & Patrick Mason
Today’s episode kicks off our five-part series Unpacking Polygamy—a deep dive into one of the most complex and sensitive topics in our church’s history. We hope you’ll listen to the full series, where you’ll hear from a variety of voices and perspectives that help illuminate this part of our shared story.To start us off, we’re honored to bring together two remarkable thinkers. Patrick Mason is a h
Beyond Thoughts and Prayers: A Conversation with Sharon Eubank
Today, we’re sharing a conversation that feels especially urgent. In fact, we’d planned to release this episode later in the month—but this week, as a major hurricane moves through the Caribbean and the U.S. government shutdown is causing massively disruptive ripples in the daily life of countless families, we know so many are asking, What can I do? We hope this conversation offers real practical
Faith on the Frontier of AI: A Conversation with Medlir Mema
Today, we’re bringing you what we think is one of the most important conversations we could be having right now. We’re talking with our friend and scholar Medlir Mema about artificial intelligence—and what it means for people of faith.Now whether you’re already fascinated by AI, cautious, or ready to turn this episode off, this episode is for everyone. Medlir makes the case that AI is a human issu
The Spiritual Practice of Speaking Up: A Conversation with Cynthia Winward & Susan M. Hinckley
We sometimes reduce “faith-promoting” stories to those tidy endings—where miracles show up just in time, doubts vanish, and testimony replaces tension. But sometimes growth begins when the script falls apart. For Susan Meredith Hinckley and Cynthia Winward, these stories are nourishing a faith that looks like trust and transformation. Susan and Cynthia are co-hosts of the At Last She Said It podc
The Last Book Written By a Human — a conversation with Jeff Burningham
Today, we’re sharing a conversation with Jeff Burningham—entrepreneur, former candidate for governor, and now author of a new book called The Last Book Written by a Human.This conversation begins with an unforgettable scene Jeff witnessed in India on the banks of the Ganges—a place where death, life, and the mundane all unfolded side by side. That image becomes a frame for everything we discussed:
How to Love Your Enemy: Arthur Brooks at Restore 2025
Today we’re sharing Arthur Brooks’ keynote from Restore this last weekend. This message was so powerful—it will stop you in your tracks, and feels so essential for this exact moment. We believe it needs to be heard everywhere—in our homes, our communities, and across the country—so we’re sharing it with you now.This year we gathered at Utah Valley University for Restore, where just two weeks earli
Peacemaking and Discipleship: A Live Conversation from Proclaim Peace with Jennifer Thomas and Chad Ford
This week, we’re sharing a special live episode of Proclaim Peace recorded in person at the Compass Gallery on Peacemaking and Discipleship with Jennifer Thomas and Chad Ford.We’re also excited to announce the first-ever Waymakers conference, REPAIR, is taking place October 23–25 in Provo, Utah. This is such an incredible opportunity to learn from world-class peacemakers leading intensive workshop
Loving Your Neighbor: Jared Halverson at Restore 2024
This week, we're bringing you a special episode recorded live from the Restore gathering in 2024, where we were joined by Jared Halverson. This one one of my very favorite topics to hear Jared talk about. His session was on what he calls “contraries” or paradoxes that are inherent in a life of faith. His message feels especially timely this week. He offers the powerful image of the cross as a
Article 13 - A Church Where We Belong
Before we jump in, we wanted to acknowledge that so many in our community and across the world have been stunned and horrified by the murder of Charlie Kirk at UVU. It feels to us like a particularly difficult moment in this country, and we find ourselves grasping both for hope, and for the message to share in a moment like this.It’s in that spirit that we wanted to share this week’s episode — a c
The Honest Truth About Our Messy Families: Joseph Grenny at Restore 2024
This week, we’re re-sharing what we thought was an “instant classic” from last year’s Restore Gathering; a deeply personal and thought-provoking message about family, faith, and the complexity of life from Joseph Grenny, author of Crucial Conversations and co-founder of The Other Side Academy.Drawing from his own experience with his own “messy” family, Joseph speaks openly about moments of despair
Why We Love Conspiracy Theories: A Conversation with Sharon McMahon
You’ve probably heard the old joke—we caught it again recently on Ezra Klein’s show. A conspiracy theorist dies and goes to heaven. At the pearly gates, God tells him he can ask one question—anything at all. The conspiracy theorist says, “Who really killed JFK?” God replies, “Lee Harvey Oswald and he acted alone.” The conspiracy theorist pauses, nods, and says, “Wow. This goes higher than I though
Holiness to the Lord: A Conversation with Jonathan Stapley
We’re excited today to talk about the temple. It’s a topic we love—one that sits at the heart of our faith—but because of its sacred nature, it can sometimes be difficult to explore openly.Our guest today is historian Jonathan Stapley, who has spent the past two decades studying the temple and its role in Latter-day Saint life. His new book, Holiness to the Lord, is coming out this fall, and it in
That We Might Have Joy: Desire, Divinity, and Intimate Love, a conversation with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife
We’re so happy to welcome back Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife—someone whose voice and work have shaped our thinking in really lasting ways.Today we’re talking with Jennifer about her brand-new book, published by Faith Matters: That We Might Have Joy: Desire, Divinity, and Intimate Love. The book offers an honest look at how sexual intimacy can reveal the truth of a relationship—and how, for those wil
A Fresh Look at the Word of Wisdom—a conversation with Ali Essig and Bill Turnbull
Nearly 200 years ago, Joseph Smith gave us a holistic code of health called the Word of Wisdom. But over the next century, we largely reduced that revelation to a list of don’ts—one that came to define us as a church and serve as a kind of status marker within the Church. As we look ahead to the next hundred years, we’re asking: is it time to rethink how we see this revelation? Today, we face an o
Joy is Our Birthright—Astrid Tuminez at Restore
Today, we’re so excited to share a powerful session from last year’s Restore gathering, given by Astrid Tuminez, president of Utah Valley University.Astrid’s story is truly extraordinary. She was born in a small village in the Philippines and raised in the slums of Iloilo City. Her journey has taken her from Catholic convent schools to Harvard and Wall Street to leading a major public university—a
The Last Voyage—A conversation with Brian McLaren
Today we’re so happy to share a conversation with our friend Brian McLaren about his brand-new novel, The Last Voyage. The book is set in the future, as Earth nears collapse and a final crew is sent to Mars in a last-ditch effort to begin again.It’s a compelling story on its own, but it also opens up space for deeper questions—about what happens when we try to leave everything behind, only to disc
Leap of Faith: Mauli Bonner at Restore 2024
Today we’re sharing another fun session from last year’s Restore gathering—one of the most unforgettable moments from the whole weekend—featuring Mauli Bonner.Mauli has spent the past two decades in the entertainment industry, developing and writing for Grammy-winning artists and directing music for film and TV, and he also co-founded the nonprofit Lift Up Voices to empower young voices through cr
A Candid Portrait of Joseph Smith - A Conversation with John Turner
Today, we’re really grateful to share a conversation with historian John Turner about the brand new biography he’s just published: Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.John is a professor of Religious Studies and History at George Mason University. While not a member of the the Latter-day Saint faith, he has had a particular fascination with the early history of Mormonism, and w
Holy Envy - David Butler at Restore
Today, we’re excited to bring you a special episode—a replay of one of our favorite sessions from last year’s Restore Gathering, featuring Dave Butler.We’re also thrilled to let you know that Restore 2025 is happening this September 25–27 in Orem, Utah, and this episode is a great preview of the kind of experience you can expect—thoughtful, joyful, expansive, and rooted in a deep desire to love an
The Untold Story of the Church’s Young Women Organization - Lisa Olsen Tait and James Goldberg
Today we’re so excited to share a conversation about the new book Carry On, a rich and thoughtful history of the church’s Young Women organization. This project has been ten years in the making, created by historians Lisa Olsen Tait, James Goldberg, Amber C. Taylor, and the late Kate Holbrook. Joining us today to talk about the project are Lisa and James.In this conversation, they trace the arc of
I'm Still Here - John Gustav-Wrathall and Allison Dayton at Restore
Today, we’re sharing a really special session from last year’s Faith Matters gathering, Restore.This conversation has really stayed with us, and we're so grateful we get to share it with you now. It begins with a short, beautiful film—we’d highly recommend heading to our YouTube channel if you’d like to watch it. You’ll hear John Gustav-Wrathall share his journey as a gay Latter-day Saint—a p
Divorced in a Family-Centered Church - A Conversation with Anna Lott
Today we’re excited to share our conversation with Anna Lott, and we’re especially thinking of those who are walking—or have walked—the path of divorce.Anna is the host of the Solo Saints podcast and retreats, and she’s become a thoughtful and compassionate voice in our community—especially for those who often feel like their experiences don’t quite fit the mold. As a divorced mother of four, Anna
Lifting the Ban: The Untold Story of the 1978 Revelation - A Conversation with Matthew Harris
This week—June 9th—marks the 47th anniversary of the 1978 revelation that ended the Church’s 126-year ban on Black members receiving the priesthood and entering the temple. It’s a moment we often point to with reverence and gratitude—but the story we’ve inherited about how it happened is, in many ways, incomplete.To help us understand more fully what led to that pivotal moment, we’re joined by Dr.
What We Owe Each Other - An Episode from Article 13
Today, we’re so excited to share something brand new with you—the very first episode of a new podcast we’re launching here at Faith Matters. It’s called Article 13.This new narrative podcast brings together cutting-edge research and spiritual wisdom to explore creative paths toward a more connected and compassionate world. As our society grows increasingly divided along political and cultural line
God Loves your ADHD - A Conversation with Steven Sharp Nelson
This week, we got to sit down with someone we’ve long admired and are so thrilled to finally have on the podcast—Steven Sharp Nelson, known to millions around the world as “The Cello Guy” from The Piano Guys. He’s a creative force and a pioneer in "cello-percussion"—where rhythm, melody, and movement come together in such creative and beautiful ways.If you’ve ever seen Steve perform, you
A Thoughtful Faith - A Conversation with Philip Barlow
This week, we’re sharing a conversation with Phil Barlow about his new book, published by Faith Matters, called A Thoughtful Faith for the 21st Century. If that sounds familiar, it may be because Phil published the first volume back in 1986. That original collection included essays by Eugene England, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Francine Bennion, Richard Bushman, and others—each exploring what it means
Can Doubt be a Spiritual Gift? A Conversation with Terryl Givens & Jared Halverson
This week, we’re excited to share a special live episode recorded at the Compass Gallery in Provo, as part of our Big Questions series with Terryl Givens. Each month, Terryl is joined by a guest for a conversation about some of our biggest theological and historical questions.In this episode, he’s joined by scholar and teacher Jared Halverson. Together, Terryl and Jared explore the question: can d
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