In the nineteenth century, a fascination with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made Mormons and Mormonism a common trope in French journalism, art, literature, politics, and popular culture. Heather Belnap, Corry Cropper, and Daryl Lee bring to light French representations of Mormonism from the 1830s to 1914, arguing that these portrayals often critiqued and parodied French society. Mormonism became a pretext for reconsidering issues such as gender, colonialism, the family, and church-state relations while providing artists and authors with a means for working through the possibilities of their own evolving national identity.

The post Maxwell Institute Podcast #157: Latter-day Saints in the French Imagination, with Corry Cropper, Daryl Lee, and Heather Belnap appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

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One of the most interesting days of my life took place a few years ago when I co-conducted a tour of the Jordan River Temple in Utah for non-Latter-day Saint specialists in American religion. As we walked from room to room, my co-tour guide, my second mission president, did his best to anticipate questions that my scholarly friends may have had. He did a great job! The most interesting part of the tour, though, came well after we left the temple’s doorways. My friend Bob asked “what does the temple DO for Latter-day Saints?” I answered about eternal kinship networks, the binding of families, and more. No, he said, pointedly, what does the temple DO for individuals like you? That questions took me back–as you can tell, I still reflect on it several years later. I think, if I were to think of how to describe what the temple does in the lives of everyday Latter-day Saints is flourishing. The flourishing of relationships, of personal peace and reflection, of revelatory capacity, and of my faith in Jesus Christ. As we discuss Haggai and Zechariah today, let’s keep that question in mind: what does the gospel DO for Latter-day Saints? Why are we so anxious to build temples and invite all we can to participate in their sacred rituals and spiritual splendor?

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The Book of Mormon Art Catalog seeks to provide unprecedented access to visual imagery inspired by the Book of Mormon through a comprehensive, open access, and searchable digital database.

In this role, the Book of Mormon Art Catalog supports research and education, aids scholarly and artistic work, promotes a greater knowledge of artists worldwide, provides a study and devotional resource for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other interested individuals, and creates opportunities for increased understanding and collaboration.

You can view Jenny’s lecture introducing the catalog on the Maxwell Institute’s YouTube channel HERE: https://youtu.be/c1m_JnFrGXo

The post Maxwell Institute Podcast #153: The Book of Mormon Art Catalog with Jennifer Champoux appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

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We are blessed to live in a time of prophets. I define this in two ways. The first is that we are fortunate to live in a time where the priesthood has been restored and that the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints speaks for the Lord under priesthood authority. The second is to live in a time where God conveys His word to use through good people of all faiths or no faith at all. Prophecy, or speaking prophetically, can and must and does happen under the authority of the prophet, but also takes place in how we speak to each other, doing our best to align our wills to God and to care for Their children as They would have us do. We’ll discuss prophecy and much, much more on today’s episode of “Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast.”

The post Abide: Ezekiel 1–3; 33–34; 36–37; 47 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

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God delivers us. That’s one of the central takeaways of Exodus’s story. But what do we do to ensure that we remember that takeaway? In this episode of Abide: A Maxwell Institute Podcast, we discuss what it means to hold on in the face of adversity, to remember the actions that ensure our temporal and spiritual salvation, and much more.

The post Abide: Exodus 7-13 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

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In October 1995 at the General Relief Society meeting of LDS General Conference, then President Gordon B. Hinckley presented “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” It was the 5th of 6 proclamations–we now have 7. the most recent being the Proclamation on the Restoration in 2020. Church communications come in a variety of modes. Official Declarations as we talked about on out last podcast, are faced inwardly and dictate a significant shift in church doctrine or policy. They are then accepted by the body of the church by the law of common consent. The first proclamation in 1841 was given to the Saints scattered abroad–but in contrast since then proclamations have been generally oriented outwards toward the rest of the world. 

President Hinckley considered the proclamation a “reaffirmation of standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family.” While not canonized as scripture, the proclamation holds an important place in Latter-day Saint thought, practice, and belief. 

The post Abide #25: The Family: A Proclamation to the World appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

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Following the Latter-day Saints’ expulsion from Missouri and while they worked to make a new home in Nauvoo, IL, Joseph Smith received several revelations that brought divine insight into earthly problems. For instance, what to do for those who could not afford to live in Nauvoo, or who desired to live in small cities surrounding the “City of Joseph?” How long could a person work before they needed a break? How do you ensure your life doesn’t fall apart when circumstances beyond your control take over your life? And how are you supposed to keep track of the many important things that you’ve been asked to do in your limited time?

In my mind, these revelations answer those questions by pointing to the importance of focusing on two audiences: God and our community. 

The post Abide #18: Doctrine and Covenants 125-128 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

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From acting as a scribe for the translation of the Book of Mormon to founding the Relief Society, Emma Hale Smith was a key figure in the Restoration. She was also her husband’s anchor and the love of his life. But how much do we really know about her role, teachings, and leadership?

Drawing upon letters written by Emma to Joseph and to many others, along with minutes from Relief Society meetings and other artifacts, this book sketches a more complete portrait of this elect lady. It allows each of us to become personally acquainted with Emma as we learn more about her essential work as a leader, a wife, and a mother in the early days of the Church.

Today’s guest is Dr. Jennifer Reeder, who wrote a biography of Emma Smith, entitled FIRST: THE LIFE AND FAITH OF EMMA SMITH from Deseret Book. Dr. Reeder will be delivering the Neal A. Maxwell Institute Lecture on November 13 at 7 PM at the Hinckley Alumni Center at BYU. Make plans to attend her lecture! And follow us on Instagram at @BYUMaxwell.

The post Maxwell Institute Podcast #131: An Elect Lady, with Jennifer Reeder appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

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Eugene England was many things: a scholar, a theologian, an essayist, a husband, father, and teacher. But, above all, he defined himself as a disciple of Jesus Christ and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Today, we speak with Terryl Givens, a Senior Research Fellow at the Neal A. Maxwell Institute, to discuss his biography of Gene England, entitled Stretching the Heavens: The Life of Eugene England and the Crisis of Modern Mormonism (UNC Press, 2021). We discuss Gene’s approach to discipleship, scholarship, and how he wouldn’t have separated his pursuit of knowledge and bridgebuilding from his very core beliefs in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Could you do us a favor and review, rate, and subscribe to the Maxwell Institute Podcast wherever you find podcasts? Thank you! Now, without any further do, let’s start our conversation with Terryl Givens.

The post Maxwell Institute Podcast #130: Stretching the Heavens with Eugene England appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

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In early 1835 the first Quorum of the 12 of the Restored Church were called and that spring were tasked with travelling “through the Eastern States, to the Atlantic Ocean, and hold conferences in the vicinity of the several branches of the Church for the purpose of regulating all things necessary for their welfare.” As they prepared to approach their first mission, they requested revelatory instruction from Joseph. This revelation came in response to that request, though the last part of the revelation had actually been received 4 years earlier. 

This revelation demonstrates the continuing process of revealing understanding of priesthood particularly building on some of the ideas introduced in section 84. This expanded administrative offices within the church including deacons, teachers, priests, and elders. As the JSP details, the first individuals were ordained to the high priesthood in June of 1831. It likewise opened the way for multiple bishops and a president of the high priesthood. In late 1831 Newell K. Whitney was appointed Bishop of Kirtland and in early 1832 JS became the president of the high priesthood–on the day the church was organized his position had been that of first elder. The ecclesial structure of the church would continue to expand. 

We aren’t here to present a lesson, but rather to hit on a few key themes from the scripture block that we believe will help fulfill the Maxwell Institute’s mission to inspire and fortify Latter-day Saints in their testimonies of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and to engage the world of religious ideas.”

The post Abide #12: Doctrine and Covenants 107 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

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