Y Religion

By BYU Religious Education

What's Y Religion about?

Each year, religion professors at Brigham Young University (BYU) produce hundreds of publications on subjects related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This podcast brings this research into one place to enlighten the everyday seeker of truth. Interviewing the author, we discuss why the study was done, why it matters, and why the professor chooses to be both a scholar, and a disciple. This is Y Religion.

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Episode 76: Commemorating H...

03.15.2023

As Latter-day Saints, we commemorate Easter Sunday as the occasion of the Savior's Resurrection. But how often do we take time out of the week before Easter—Holy Week—and commemorate the events that happened during those days? In this episode, Professor ...

Y Religion episodes:

03.15.2023 Episode 76: Commemorating Holy Week (Eric Huntsman) As Latter-day Saints, we commemorate Easter Sunday as the occasion of the Savior's Resurrection. But how often do we take time out of the week before Easter—Holy Week—and commemorate the events that happened during those days? In this episode, Professor ...
03.01.2023 Episode 75: Holiness to the Lord (Gaye Strathearn) In many cities around the world, the temple stands as a symbol of Christ and the purity and spiritual growth He offers. But how can we access that purifying power for ourselves—and why is it such an important goal? Professor ...
02.16.2023 Episode 74: Defining Church Doctrine (Michael Goodman) Elder Robert D. Hales taught, “We need to know the official doctrine of the Church so we are not diverted from Christ’s leadership.” But how can we know what constitutes Church doctrine? That has been the driving question behind the ...
02.01.2023 Episode 73: Living the Law of Consecration (Steven Harper) How should we understand and live the law of consecration today? In this episode, Professor Steven Harper, a professor of Church history and doctrine, explains his research on the law of consecration. He articulates the revealed principles of the doctrine ...
01.16.2023 Episode 72: The Transmission of Faith from Parents to Children (Byran Korth) We have all inherited things from our parents: everything from genetics to family values. But how do parents pass on religious belief and faith to their children? Church history and doctrine professor Byran Korth talks about his research on religion ...
01.02.2023 Episode 71: Joseph Merrill, Truth Seeker (Casey Griffiths) As we seek truth, we are asked to harmonize seeming paradoxes: balance the mind and the heart; learn by study and faith; be in the world but not of the world. How do we do this? In this episode, Dr. ...
12.16.2022 Episode 70: A Modern Perspective on Ancient Christians (Jason Combs) It is easy to assume that the records of the early Christians fall silent after the end of the New Testament. However, abundant information exists describing the lives, faith, and sacrifices of these earliest believers, details which are often overlooked ...
12.01.2022 Episode 69: Religious Liberty and the Law (Robert Smith) Joseph Smith once said, “It is the love of liberty which inspires my soul, civil and religious liberty to the whole human race.” This sentiment is equally relevant today. Dr. Robert Smith has dedicated much of his professional life to ...
11.15.2022 Episode 68: Orson Hyde and the Church in Jerusalem (David Whitchurch) In 1841, after years of sacrifice and travel, Orson Hyde arrived in Jerusalem. His brief but impactful mission had innumerable effects on the Church in the Holy Land. In this episode, Professor of Ancient Scripture David Whitchurch takes us through ...
11.01.2022 Episode 67: Slavery and Sacred Texts (Jordan Watkins) America’s history with slavery is complicated and controversial, especially when considered in a religious context. On this episode, Professor Jordan Watkins takes us into antebellum America, showing how views over slavery were shaped by interpretations of the Bible and the ...
10.15.2022 Episode 66: D&C 84 and the Priesthood Power of Women (Barbara Morgan Gardner) Some Latter-day Saints believe that the oath and covenant of the priesthood only applies to men. But in this episode, Professor Barbara Morgan Gardner uses Doctrine and Covenants 84 and the words of prophets and apostles to share an important ...
10.01.2022 Episode 65: Revisiting Murder among the Mormons (J.B. Haws) Netflix’s 2021 docuseries Murder among the Mormons reached #2 on the most-viewed list in the week it came out. But how much did the documentary actually get right? In this episode, Professor J. B. Haws gives his perspective as a ...
09.15.2022 Episode 64: Theodore Roosevelt’s Defense of the Saints (Carter Charles) In 1903, Latter-day Saint Apostle Reed Smoot was elected by Utah to become a United States senator. However, many in the country and Senate did not want to seat Elder Smoot due to his leadership position in the Church and ...
09.01.2022 Episode 63: The Experience of Israelite Refugees (George Pierce) Although its stories took place thousands of years ago, the Old Testament provides potent lessons to help confront contemporary challenges, including the world’s growing refugee crisis. In this episode, Dr. George Pierce shares research insights about ancient Israel to help ...
08.15.2022 Episode 62: The Incommensurability of Translation (Michael Hubbard MacKay) How did Joseph Smith translate the Book of Mormon? Joseph’s brief answer was “by the gift and power of God,” sometimes adding that it was done by means of “Urim and Thummim.” Some have asked why Joseph Smith didn’t give ...
08.01.2022 Episode 61: Refugee Treatment under the Mosaic Law (Krystal Pierce) The Law of Moses gives divine direction for how God’s covenant people should care for displaced refugees, foreigners, and strangers, who are referred to in the Bible as ‘gēr.’ In this episode, Dr. Krystal Pierce of BYU’s Ancient Scripture Department ...
07.15.2022 Episode 60: Considering the Cross (John Hilton III) How do Latter-day Saints perceive images of Christ’s suffering on the cross? How does artwork influence their understanding of the Savior’s Atonement? What does it mean that Christ shed His blood for us? In this powerful episode, Dr. John Hilton ...
07.01.2022 Episode 59: The Value of Historic Sites (Scott Esplin) For many Latter-day Saints, there is a strong desire to visit sacred sites of the Restoration, such as the Sacred Grove or Carthage Jail. These historic places can help us better understand the past as we strive to live the ...
06.15.2022 Episode 58: The Gethsemane Grotto (Matthew Grey) The events recorded in the gospels took place in the Garden of Gethsemane are sacred to our faith. Although we can envision the olive trees of the garden, where did they press its oil, from which the translated word “Gethsemane” ...
06.01.2022 Episode 57: Hugh Nibley’s Contribution to Book of Mormon Studies (Joseph Spencer) It’s likely that many of you have heard of the name Hugh Nibley. Over a nearly fifty-year career as a BYU professor, he became one of the most prolific scholars and authors in the history of the Church. In this ...
05.15.2022 Episode 56: Community of Christ and the First Vision (Keith Wilson) The Community of Christ, formerly known as the “Reorganized” Church or “RLDS,” is a global restoration faith which traces its origins to the life and ministry of Joseph Smith. In this episode, Dr. Keith Wilson of BYU Religious Education provides ...
05.01.2022 Episode 55: The Best of BYU Studies (Steven Harper) For over sixty years, BYU Studies Quarterly has published scholarship informed by the restored gospel of Jesus Christ on a broad range of topics that are of interest to Latter-day Saints. In this episode, Dr. Steven Harper, the current editor ...
04.15.2022 Episode 54: Confronting Prejudice with Samuel the Lamanite (Jan Martin) Because we live in a day where prejudice and discrimination of all kinds remain fundamental problems across the globe, members of the Church have been counselled “to abandon all personal prejudices.” In this episode, Jan Martin of BYU Ancient Scripture ...
04.02.2022 Episode 53: A Strength to the Poor (Dana M. Pike) Although it is common to cite Isaiah’s remarkable prophecies about the Savior, Isaiah’s repeated teachings related to the poor usually don’t receive as much attention. In this episode, emeritus BYU Ancient Scripture professor Dana M. Pike shares his latest publication ...
03.15.2022 Episode 52: Living the Abrahamic Covenant (Kerry Muhlestein) Latter-day Saints are a covenant-centric faith, led by the oft-repeated messages of President Russell M. Nelson to continue “on the covenant path.” But what is this covenant path, and how is it a Restoration of “the covenants of the Father ...
03.01.2022 Episode 51: The Church in Washington D.C. (Ken Alford) This April, the newly remodeled Washington D.C. Temple will hold its public open house for hundreds and thousands of visitors, marking the latest in a long line of historical events related to the Latter-day Saints’ presence in the nation’s capital. ...
02.15.2022 Episode 50: Dating Jesus Christ’s Birth and Death (Jeff Chadwick) April 6th is commonly taught by Latter-day Saints to be Jesus’s birth date. Some Church leaders, however, have explored other options, saying the date “is not a settled issue.” In this episode, Professor Jeff Chadwick discusses his publications that academically ...
02.01.2022 Episode 49: Understanding Joseph Smith’s Bible Translation (Jared Ludlow) In the summer of 1830, the Prophet Joseph Smith began an audacious undertaking: to translate the Holy Bible. But what was this Bible “translation”? Was he reading from other languages? Was he restoring the Bible text to its earliest condition? ...
01.15.2022 Episode 48: The Complementary Nature of Mothers and Fathers (Jenet Erickson) Like complementary colors, women and men are meant to work in harmony to bring their inherent and unique qualities to parenting. Dr. Jenet Erickson specializes in research related to the distinct contributions of mothers and fathers in child development. In ...
01.01.2022 Episode 47: Expanding Understanding of Eve (Amy Easton-Flake and Mark Ellison) For centuries, some readers of Genesis have blamed Eve for the evils of the world because she ate the forbidden fruit in Eden. But Latter-day Saint scripture opens the way for different views, including seeing Eve’s decision as visionary and ...
12.15.2021 Episode 46: Answers About Patriarchal Blessings (Brad Wilcox) Every worthy, baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can and should receive a patriarchal blessing, which provides inspired personal direction from God. There are many common questions surrounding patriarchal blessings: Why should I get one? ...
12.02.2021 Episode 45: Remembering Samuel the Lamanite (Ryan Sharp) When we hear the name of Samuel the Lamanite, most of us know his epic story on the wall. That, however, is part of the problem. We know the drama of his escape, but often have overlooked the depths of ...
11.16.2021 Episode 44: Fifty Relics of the Restoration (Casey Griffiths) Many of us are familiar with the excitement of “show and tell” at school. There’s something potent in the combination of seeing an interesting object and hearing a good narrative related to it. Latter-day Saint history has produced many important ...
11.01.2021 Episode 43: Rabbinic Literature and the New Testament (Avram Shannon) Two thousand years after the mortal life of Jesus and the expansive global spread of Christianity, we must be careful to not overlook the fundamental nature of Judaism in Christianity, and that Jesus himself was Jewish. In this episode, BYU ...
10.15.2021 Episode 42: God’s Grace and Mental Health (Daniel Judd) Over the last few decades in the Church, there has been an increased emphasis on the grace of Jesus Christ. This coincides with global increases in societal rates of anxiety, depression, and other challenges to mental health, including within our ...
10.01.2021 Episode 41: The Perception of the Church in the Press (J.B. Haws) Latter-day Saints are often interested in the public perception of their faith. We’ve long been written about, defended, condemned, praised, or vilified in national press outlets. Professor J.B. Haws has researched extensively how the public perception of the Church has ...
09.16.2021 Episode 40: When the Saints Fled America (Gerrit Dirkmaat) Although some Latter-day Saints fly American flags on July 24th to celebrate settling in the Rocky Mountains, the irony is that the pioneer Saints were desperately trying to flee the USA. After years of being persecuted, Church leaders concluded that ...
09.01.2021 Episode 39: The Life and Ministry of President Nelson (Mark D. Ogletree) President Russell M. Nelson was sustained as the 17th president and prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in January 2018. Things in the Church have not been the same since. BYU religion professor Mark Ogletree has ...
08.16.2021 Episode 38: Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy (Gaye Strathearn) While many commandments are fairly clear, how to “remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” has been debated for millennia. Professor Gaye Strathearn from BYU Religious Education has researched this discussion during the centuries surrounding Jesus’s mortal ministry. This ...
08.01.2021 Episode 37: The Humanity and Divinity of Jesus Christ (Jason Combs) What does it mean that our Savior is both human and divine? This is a question Christianity has wrestled with for centuries, with profound theological implications. In this insightful episode, BYU religion’s Dr. Jason Combs explains four types of beliefs ...
07.15.2021 Episode 36: My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? (Shon Hopkin) My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Over the years, that spiritual cry has been felt internally and uttered verbally by many believers in their most pressing trials, including by Jesus upon the cross. But does it mean what we ...
07.01.2021 Episode 35: Study Bibles for Saints (Joshua Sears) Scriptures are a revelatory tool. Although using it may be intuitive to some, like any tool some expert instruction is often helpful to unlock its full capacity. While many Christians know what a “Study Bible” is to aid them in ...
06.15.2021 Episode 34: The Root of Gadianton’s Dissent (Dan Belnap) Although it is common to view Gadianton and his followers in the Book of Mormon as driven by a purely evil desire for power, there could be more to their movement. Why else could their rebellion persuade “the more part ...
06.01.2021 Episode 33: Mosaics of Faith (Matthew Grey) Since 2012, archaeologists at the Galilean village of Huqoq have been uncovering an intricate mosaic floor of an ancient synagogue. This 5th century mosaic depicts biblical scenes of Samson, Jonah, Noah’s ark, Pharaoh’s army, and snapshots of daily life in ...
05.15.2021 Episode 32: The Liminal Experience of the Brother of Jared (Charles Swift) The word “liminal” isn’t in most people’s everyday vocabulary. Although the word is rare, the experience it summarizes is not, particularly in religious life. Liminality means to be in an in-between space, on the verge of transformation, or at a ...
05.01.2021 Episode 31: The Chamber of Father Whitmer (Michael MacKay) The Prophet Joseph Smith once taught that “all priesthood is Melchizedek.” Thus, the restoration of the priesthood can be understood as a series of heavenly events, including a relatively unknown experience with the Lord at Peter Whitmer Sr.’s farmhouse. In ...
04.15.2021 Episode 30: Theology of the King James Language (Jan Martin) One of the great debates of the 16th century took place between William Tyndale and Thomas More over Tyndale’s translation of the Bible into English. Both men knew how words had the power to shape theology. Tyndale’s translation informed later ...
04.01.2021 Episode 29: Living the Parables of Jesus (Hank Smith) If we seek to teach in the Savior’s way, a common approach the Lord used was parables. In fact, Mark says that “without a parable spake he not unto them” (Mark 4:34). Good parables are multi-layered, and the teacher often ...
03.15.2021 Episode 28: God’s Voice to His Daughters in Doctrine and Covenants 25 (Carter Charles) Doctrine and Covenants 25 is unique and powerful. It is one of the two modern revelations directed specifically toward a woman, Emma Smith. It is also unique because of the progressive teachings it contains when studied in context, which makes ...
03.01.2021 Episode 27: Teaching Children to Believe in Christ (Byran Korth) The recent home-centered and Church supported plan that focuses on gospel teaching and learning in the family has re-emphasized that parents have the primary responsibility to teach the gospel to their children. In this episode BYU Religion’s Dr. Byran Korth ...

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Y Religion

What's Y Religion about?

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Y Religion episodes:

Episode 76: Commemorating Holy Week (Eric Huntsman)

Episode 75: Holiness to the Lord (Gaye Strathearn)

Episode 74: Defining Church Doctrine (Michael Goodman)

Episode 73: Living the Law of Consecration (Steven Harper)

Episode 72: The Transmission of Faith from Parents to Children (Byran Korth)

Episode 71: Joseph Merrill, Truth Seeker (Casey Griffiths)

Episode 70: A Modern Perspective on Ancient Christians (Jason Combs)

Episode 69: Religious Liberty and the Law (Robert Smith)

Episode 68: Orson Hyde and the Church in Jerusalem (David Whitchurch)

Episode 67: Slavery and Sacred Texts (Jordan Watkins)

Episode 66: D&C 84 and the Priesthood Power of Women (Barbara Morgan Gardner)

Episode 65: Revisiting Murder among the Mormons (J.B. Haws)

Episode 64: Theodore Roosevelt’s Defense of the Saints (Carter Charles)

Episode 63: The Experience of Israelite Refugees (George Pierce)

Episode 62: The Incommensurability of Translation (Michael Hubbard MacKay)

Episode 61: Refugee Treatment under the Mosaic Law (Krystal Pierce)

Episode 60: Considering the Cross (John Hilton III)

Episode 59: The Value of Historic Sites (Scott Esplin)

Episode 58: The Gethsemane Grotto (Matthew Grey)

Episode 57: Hugh Nibley’s Contribution to Book of Mormon Studies (Joseph Spencer)

Episode 56: Community of Christ and the First Vision (Keith Wilson)

Episode 55: The Best of BYU Studies (Steven Harper)

Episode 54: Confronting Prejudice with Samuel the Lamanite (Jan Martin)

Episode 53: A Strength to the Poor (Dana M. Pike)

Episode 52: Living the Abrahamic Covenant (Kerry Muhlestein)

Episode 51: The Church in Washington D.C. (Ken Alford)

Episode 50: Dating Jesus Christ’s Birth and Death (Jeff Chadwick)

Episode 49: Understanding Joseph Smith’s Bible Translation (Jared Ludlow)

Episode 48: The Complementary Nature of Mothers and Fathers (Jenet Erickson)

Episode 47: Expanding Understanding of Eve (Amy Easton-Flake and Mark Ellison)

Episode 46: Answers About Patriarchal Blessings (Brad Wilcox)

Episode 45: Remembering Samuel the Lamanite (Ryan Sharp)

Episode 44: Fifty Relics of the Restoration (Casey Griffiths)

Episode 43: Rabbinic Literature and the New Testament (Avram Shannon)

Episode 42: God’s Grace and Mental Health (Daniel Judd)

Episode 41: The Perception of the Church in the Press (J.B. Haws)

Episode 40: When the Saints Fled America (Gerrit Dirkmaat)

Episode 39: The Life and Ministry of President Nelson (Mark D. Ogletree)

Episode 38: Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy (Gaye Strathearn)

Episode 37: The Humanity and Divinity of Jesus Christ (Jason Combs)

Episode 36: My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? (Shon Hopkin)

Episode 35: Study Bibles for Saints (Joshua Sears)

Episode 34: The Root of Gadianton’s Dissent (Dan Belnap)

Episode 33: Mosaics of Faith (Matthew Grey)

Episode 32: The Liminal Experience of the Brother of Jared (Charles Swift)

Episode 31: The Chamber of Father Whitmer (Michael MacKay)

Episode 30: Theology of the King James Language (Jan Martin)

Episode 29: Living the Parables of Jesus (Hank Smith)

Episode 28: God’s Voice to His Daughters in Doctrine and Covenants 25 (Carter Charles)

Episode 27: Teaching Children to Believe in Christ (Byran Korth)

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