The Interpreter Foundation Podcast

Abstract: Holy stands come in all shapes and sizes. We need to be careful that we don’t unknowingly fashion a Rameumptom that blinds us to the ways in which God works with imperfect people of all eras.

The post Atop the Rameumptom first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

In the May 14, 2026, 2026 episode of The Interpreter Insights Podcast, our host Terry Hutchinson begins a survey of the previous Interpreter Journal articles from its inception in 2012. The survey reintroduces past articles to the current listenership. The first four volumes of the Interpreter Journal are included in this episode.

The post Interpreter Insights Podcast — May 14, 2026 first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

How did Emma’s deeply personal, spousal view of Joseph differ from Brigham Young’s reverent, disciple-like view of the Prophet?

In what ways did both Emma and Brigham remain deeply loyal to Joseph Smith, even though they expressed that loyalty very differently?

Our hosts reflect on the contrasting ways Emma Smith and Brigham Young related to Joseph Smith and how those differences contributed to tension after his death. Camrey and Johnny discuss how Emma knew Joseph intimately as his young wife — seeing both his prophetic calling and his human weaknesses — while Brigham knew him primarily as a disciple knows a prophet, showing deep reverence and unwavering loyalty to every revelation Joseph taught. And yet, despite their differences, both Emma and Brigham died calling upon the name of Joseph, each cherishing the Restoration in their own way.

The post Becoming Brigham Episode 16: Sweeter than Honey first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Abstract: Based on Doctrine and Covenants 131:1, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that there are three degrees within the celestial kingdom. There has been a proposal that this teaching is incorrect and instead this scripture should be interpreted as a reference to the three kingdoms described in Doctrine and Covenants 76 (celestial, terrestrial, and telestial). This proposition is based on two claims. First, the word celestial, in Joseph Smith’s day, meant heavenly or belonging to heaven, so Doctrine and Covenants 131:1 should be interpreted to mean “in heaven there are three degrees.” The second claim is that interpreting Doctrine and Covenants 131:1 as referring to three degrees in the celestial kingdom is a twentieth-century innovation based on one sermon by one Apostle, with almost no other apostolic support before or after that sermon. This article shows that the first claim is very likely incorrect and the second is demonstrably false. The article then briefly addresses the question of degrees in the terrestrial and telestial kingdoms.

The post Multiple Degrees within the Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial Kingdoms first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Camrey interviews historian Dr. Casey Griffiths about the complex and often misunderstood relationship between Brigham Young and Emma Smith. He highlights trauma, grief, and clashing priorities as central causes of the tension. Emma was a widowed mother trying to protect and provide for her children in Nauvoo, while Brigham felt responsible for leading thousands of Saints safely west. Griffiths emphasizes that there are no clear villains in the story. Both Emma and Brigham were acting from sincere, faithful places amid immense loss and pressure.

The post Becoming Brigham Episode 15: The Lion and the Lady first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Abstract: Given that only four colors are mentioned in the Book of Mormon (white, black, red, and gray), readers may ask, “Where are all the other colors?” But this is a distinctively modern question, that is, one keyed to the early modern understanding of color pioneered by Isaac Newton. The Book of Mormon does not embody this understanding. Instead, it reenacts difficulties associated with grasping color meanings intrinsic to the Bible and Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. These difficulties support the claim that we are reading an ancient record.

The post Color in the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

In the April 30, 2026, 2026 episode of The Interpreter Insights Podcast, our host Martin Tanner surveys the Doctrine of a Mother in Heaven in LDS, Christian and Jewish Belief.

The post Interpreter Insights Podcast — April 30, 2026: Mother in Heaven first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

John Wilson continues his conversation with historian Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat. They explore Brigham Young’s deep, unwavering loyalty to Joseph Smith and how it shaped his life and leadership. The discussion highlights how Brigham wrestled with some of Joseph’s most radical doctrines, such as the three degrees of glory, baptism for the dead, and plural marriage. Even when these teachings conflicted with his previous beliefs, Brigham ultimately chose to accept them because they came through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

The post Becoming Brigham Episode 14: The Prophet’s Shadow first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

In this episode of Conversations with Interpreter, Dr. Kent Jackson, Emeritus Professor of Ancient Scripture at BYU, looks at the translation of Genesis 4:15. Dr. Jackson has published his own translation of Genesis, which gave him important insights into the biblical text. He points out that the translation is the King James Version of the Bible is misleading in this verse and that by translating the verse differently, a clearer understanding observes. Bible readers since Late Antiquity have wrestled with this verse, but Dr. Jackson argues that it is actually straightforward and the KJV reference to a “mark” on Cain should be understood as a “sign” for Cain. We also discuss Bible translations and the value in modern Bible translations. Kent Jackson’s article was recently published in

The post Conversations with Interpreter: Kent Jackson — The Lord Gave Cain a Sign first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Abstract: Based on Lehi’s teachings in 2 Nephi 2, many Latter-day Saints conclude that it was necessary for Adam and Eve to partake of the forbidden fruit to acquire the ability to have children. While this appears to be a straightforward reading of the text, it sets up the dilemma of conflicting commandments—obedience to one of the two commandments they were given in the Garden of Eden would require that they disobey the other. In this article, the author argues that the larger rhetorical context presents a different framework in which these teachings may be read—one that does not raise this dilemma. Lehi presents his teachings on the consequences of the Fall in two parallel chiasms. The rhetorical links within and between these chiasms (and with the other sections of Lehi’s teachings) suggest that God’s purposes for mankind may not have been frustrated if Adam and Eve had obeyed him. While their Fall was likely inevitable, it may not have been a required element in God’s eternal plan for his children. Rather, it might have been something he expected and for which he prepared.

The post A New Reading of Lehi: A Rhetorical Context for Understanding His Teachings about the Fall of Adam and Eve first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.