Where is Jesus in the parable of the Prodigal Son? Think about it with me in this week's podcast.

Let me know what you think of this and other episodes through any means available to you. If nothing else, send me an email at [email protected]

In this episode, I talk about the Church of Jesus Christ's recent acquisition of the Kirtland, OH Temple and other historic sites and the novel Dune, by Frank Herbert. Also I mispronounce some words.

Some questions discussed:

Will the Kirtland Temple feel more spiritual now that the Latter-day saints control it?

Should the church rededicate the Kirtland Temple?

Is it good or bad that Dune doesn't explicate any of its lore?

Is it realistic that novel religious ideas can inspire life-giving sacrifice over the course of just 1-2 generations?

If you listen, please let me know! Do the normal podcast things, but also reach out at [email protected]

Who was "Immanuel" prophesied by Isaiah? Who is Pekah and why does Isaiah insist on calling him "the son of Remeliah" all the time? As a member of #teamephraim, how do you feel about Isaiah 7? Is the progress of the collective more important than the salvation of the individual?

Should we cancel Joseph Smith??

Listen as I fail to answer any of these questions definitely, but instead wrestle with them in unique ways as we enter the fascinating world of King Ahaz's Judah in the time of Isaiah and Joseph Smith's Nauvoo as it relates to our time, today.

Hey also, do me a favor, will you? If you listen to this (or any) episode of my podcast, can you let me know what you think? If you don't have another way to contact me, email [email protected].

In this episode, I use the podcast to talk through some late-night preparation for teaching the deacon's quorum in my ward about 2 Nephi 9 in the Book of Mormon. Why such late preparation? I have an excuse, I promise! Tune in to find learn more about it!

Ultimately, I get more in the weeds than I think I will for the deacons, but I sort out Jacob's theology of salvation and opine on what I think, and what Latter-day saints think, it means to be saved, and how that compares to theology in in broader Christianity.

I join forces with my sister Kate to discuss our family history, the wild doctrines we know (FOR A FACT!!!!), and the twists and turns in the "low valley" / "plain road" Nephi spoke of in his well-known lament in 2 Nephi 4 of the Book of Mormon.

You can hear more from Kate on her podcast, Keeping up with Kate on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and on Instagram.

Was there a literal fall of Adam and Eve? Does it matter if there was? I engage these questions by looking at the genre an composition of the first few chapters of Genesis and 2 Nephi 2 in the Book of Mormon.

I wrote a blog post a few years ago that included a quick and dirty explanation of the Documentary Hypothesis: https://jchandle.blogspot.com/2022/01/terms-i-wasnt-taught-as-latter-day.html

But I highly recommend Who Wrote the Bible by Richard Elliot Friedman on this subject.

Satan's War on Free Agency is by Greg Wright

I realized a couple years ago that even though I consider myself a Christian, I don't understand non-mormon Christianity almost at all. Since then I've dedicated a lot of time learning about and thinking about the doctrines and practices of Christianity, and I want to share some of that with you.

What is the Trinity anyway? What are the traditional attributes of God? Do we have free will? I don't think it's fair to say that I answer all of these questions, but I TALK ABOUT THEM!

Let me know if any of it was comprehensible and what you think.

What do trading card games like Magic: The Gathering and Disney Lorcana have to do with the Book of Mormon?

In this episode, I'll tell you, as I use TCG playing and Nephi's vision of the tree of life as a lens through which to understand myself and the central restorations of the restoration scripture.

I promise the tone of this episode gets back to what you're used to, but I start by inviting you to think about scripture and prayer in a new, possibly uncomfortable, way: a time-tested Christian tradition foreign to Latter-day Saints called Lectio Divina.

I guide you though a Lectio prayer based on 1 Nephi 10, and then discuss the historical context for the Book of Mormon, insights on Lehi's dream, and the give and take of religious centralization both ancient and modern.

Come Follow Me through the biblical/historical context for the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi.

How did Lehi--a descendent of Manasseh--end up living in Jerusalem all his days? Who was king when Lehi grew to adulthood and how did that affect him? Why did he feel so confident performing priesthood functions outside of the Levitical priesthood and outside of Solomon's temple? Why were Laman and Lemuel shocked at the idea that Jerusalem could be destroyed when Jerusalem was sieged less than a year ago--all of the wealthy elites already taken captive?

These questions and more are discussed at length.

I also have much to say about the books I've read so far this year, including The Heart of the Matter, by Latter-day Saint Prophet Russel M Nelson.