Podcast appearances and mentions of Fiona Givens

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 to live a spiritually and intellectually honest life within the Latter-day Saint tradition.As Phil points out, challenges to faith are not new. Thoughtful people were wrestling with difficult questions decades ago in ways that still have power today. But, as he says, “the world has turned some” since then. The 2025 edition brings in a new generation of scholars and voices—Thomas McConkie, Melissa Inouye, Fiona Givens, Ben Schilaty, among others—who speak to today's distinctive challenges while honoring the wisdom and foundation of those who came before.At the heart of both volumes is an urgent and beautiful question: How can we hold together the integrities of our minds and our hearts and our spirits? That question—its weight, complexity, and quiet hope—sits at the center of this conversation today.Phil brings so much humility and clarity, and in this episode we get to hear a little about what's changed in his own faith, about the wisdom of surrendering the need to know, and why he still finds the Latter-day Saint tradition compelling, human, and a spiritual home he continues to choose with both heart and mind.We're so grateful to Phil for this conversation, and we hope you love it as much as we did. With that, here's Phil Barlow.Links for the show notes:Purchase the book through Bookshop.org (https://bookshop.org/a/108982/9781953677242) Amazon (https://amzn.to/4mgJsCf) or anywhere you get your books. Get a free look inside the book on our website: https://www.faithmatters.org/s/a-thoughtful-faith-vol-2

My friend Sharlee Mullins Glenn (noted author, former adjunct faculty at BYU, committed Latter-day Saint, married mother of 5, founder and former Executive Director of MWEG) joins us to talk about her important and groundbreaking new book, an expansive epic poem full of imagination and possibilities, centering the feminine divine. In the words of Fiona Givens, Sharlee's epic poem “is an ambitious and beautiful rendering of Latter-day Saint beliefs and yearnings regarding the feminine divine, the ethos of existence, and the centrality of agency, relationships and love.” Some of the ideas Sharlee shared include: Her book is fiction--a blending of theology, science, and imagination It is an offering of imagination, and does not purport to set forth doctrine Imagination is a spiritual gift and reflects God's divine nature The inclusion of the feminine divine was driven by two burning questions: 1) Where are the women in the grand, ancient story of our beginnings, and 2) What good is a doctrine if we never speak of it or seek greater light and knowledge concerning it? Her hope is that her "offering of imagination" will prompt others to examine the boundaries of their own paradigms and consider new possibilities Heavenly Mother “will be unveiled again” This is a unique and insightful podcast focused on a book (which is a beautiful poem) that is a reimagining of the entire scope of existence, centering the feminine divine and the preeminence of love. I learned so much from Sharlee and encourage our listeners to read her book and share it with others. Links: Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/1961471205/ Barnes and Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1147162041

We're finishing The God Who Weeps by Terryl Givens and Fiona Givens. This is the first book in a trilogy of Mormon theology and we want to leave room in the year to get through it all. What does today hold for us? We start with a long discussion on the pre-mortal existence, transitioning into existence, then ascending to perfection thanks to Mormon beliefs. We didn't realize until pretty late in the project that the 5 chapters of the book are structured around the different stages of the Mormon Plan of Salvation (PoS), but it become clear pretty early on in our discussion. All told, the book is a marker of modern orthodox Mormon belief: pray, pay, and obey. They even have an ultra-conservative take on abortion that makes the official stance of the church seem like bleeding-heart liberals in comparison. Then we talk about The Meaning of Life, a Monty Python movie from 1983 that has a much more healthy way of looking at the random cosmic soup that led to human existence. We wrap with some happy news about the success of a slightly higher tax in Massachusetts that raised a bunch of money for all the things for which taxes are used. We round out by going through some delightful listener mail from the April Fools episode!   MOGP:  Monty Python's The Meaning of Life   Happy News:  https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/04/28/massachusetts-millionaires-tax-institute-policy-studies-newsletter   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism. Here's the most recent episode on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDxjD7ucajI Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on “Store” here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10  

It's time to start a new year and new book for our long-form deep dive reviews of terrible Mormon books. And this one is… not terrible? The Givens present a form of Mormon theology which tries to “make sense of life” and we're here for any Mormon theology that doesn't include discrimination, sexism, and anything holding it over from its past. We dive into the introduction and first chapter of the book. But, what would a book review be without some due diligence about the authors? We spend the first portion talking about Terryl and Fiona Givens, their histories, publishing careers, and try to get a sense for what we can expect throughout this book.   Terryl and Fiona Givens: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiona_Givens https://www.fionagivens.com/about https://www.patheos.com/topics/2014-religious-trends/mormon/joseph-smith-on-mormon-women-and-the-priesthood-fiona-givens-071014?p=2 https://www.dialoguejournal.com/articles/the-perfect-union-of-man-and-womanreclamation-and-collaboration-in-joseph-smiths-theology-making/ https://www.dialoguejournal.com/articles/missing-and-restoring-meaning/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terryl_Givens https://www.terrylgivens.com/about https://web.archive.org/web/20110827023337/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705385222/Daniel-Peterson-Terryl-Givens-making-his-mark-in-Mormon-writing.html https://www.google.com/books/edition/By_the_Hand_of_Mormon/cC_RCwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA3&printsec=frontcover https://www.deseret.com/2012/11/15/20509757/scholars-terryl-and-fiona-givens-discuss-life-love-and-their-new-book-the-god-who-weeps/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA7kdkzW09c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yecCget_CNM   Sword of Laman:    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Bonhoeffer https://www.gotquestions.org/did-Jesus-go-to-hell.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthyphro_dilemma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-suvkwNYSQo   Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/glassboxpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlassBoxPod  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on “Store” here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: Shannon-Grover-10   

Send us a Positive Review!Happy holidays Latter Day Struggles listeners!  For the next four episodes you will enjoy a few "Classic" episodes that have received some of the highest number of downloads and waves of feedback that these are among some of the most impactful episodes for many listeners.Also, as a way to share my love and gratitude for all of you during this holiday season, the classic episodes dropped on Friday 12/27/24 and Monday 1/3/25 will be open to ALL listeners!  Thank you for your support as your subscriptions make this podcast possible and sustainable in the long run.  In this beautiful and tender episode, Valerie has the privilege of interviewing LDS theologian Fiona Givens about her early life, diverse experiences, important relationships, and classical education that eventually led her into the LDS faith and deeply into the study of many facets of the nature of God.This story is one of all of the typical ups and downs, seemingly insignificant events that lead to other more significant events, and finally a few moments where Valerie proposes to Fiona why her unique life distinctively prepared her for the work that she is doing now; something that is profoundly blessing thousands of faith-expanding Latter Day Saints in this era.  Perhaps Fiona is our own “Esther”, prepared for such a time as now.Don't miss this truly love-filled episode if you have found healing through the work of Fiona Givens.  It will endear you to her even more.Books referenced in this episode:The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of LifeThe Christ Who Heals: How God Restored the Truth that Saves UsThe Crucible of Doubt: Reflections On the Quest for FaithAll Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything in BetweenToday's Classic is episode: 126 Show notes: In this beautiful and tender episode, Valerie has the privilege of interviewing LDS theologian Fiona Givens about her early life, diverse experiences, important relationships, and classical education that eventually led her into the LDS faith and deSupport the show**More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**LEARN HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAY EPISODES(Watch a 2-minute how-to video)THEN subscribe to Fridays here. TROUBLE WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Email: support@buzzsprout.comCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support & processing group coming Spring 2025. Check back soon for details!OFFICE HOURS FOR FRIDAY SUBSCRIBERS: Register hereCLASSES: Visit our library.SUPPORT: Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo account⁠ or Patreon⁠.⁠

Send us a Positive Review!Happy holidays Latter Day Struggles listeners!  For the next four episodes you will enjoy a few "Classic" episodes that have received some of the highest number of downloads and waves of feedback that these are among some of the most impactful episodes for many listeners.Also, as a way to share my love and gratitude for all of you during this holiday season, the classic episodes dropped on Fridays 12/27/24 and  1/3/25 will be open to ALL listeners!  Thank you for your support as your subscriptions make this podcast possible and sustainable in the long run.  Today's “Classic” is episode 125: Show notes: Join Valerie and guest Fiona Givens as together they discuss a true prophetess and mystic, Julian of Norwich.Father Richard Rohr has often called Julian his "favorite mystic" and Fiona attributes this woman as one of the most personally influential to her in the development of her own whole and holy theology of the divine.  If these two recommendations aren't enough for you...then I don't know what to say!A few highlights of this episode:**Julian's “showings” really shine a light on God's inability to be angry with us for our humanness**Our current struggles with the nature of God in some brings up pain, anxiety, religious scrupulosity, and defection from the church**Our misunderstandings of the nature of God brings up generational trauma to the extent that we perpetuate a God concept that estranges us from Julian's God of infinite love**According to Julian's visions, sin is “no thing” in God's eyes.  Our missteps are the education that endears us to God**As a committed Catholic, Julian too struggles with heavenly visions that did not align with the teachings of her “holy church” and she [as do we] does the work of differentiating her church's imperfections with her personal revelations, choosing to align with the truth that was revealed to her directly from it's sourceBook referenced in this episode:Julian of Norwich: The Showings: Uncovering the Face of the Feminine in Revelations of Divine Love, by Mirabai StarrThe God Who Weeps: Support the show**More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**LEARN HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAY EPISODES(Watch a 2-minute how-to video)THEN subscribe to Fridays here. TROUBLE WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Email: support@buzzsprout.comCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support & processing group coming Spring 2025. Check back soon for details!OFFICE HOURS FOR FRIDAY SUBSCRIBERS: Register hereCLASSES: Visit our library.SUPPORT: Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo account⁠ or Patreon⁠.⁠

In the concluding episode of this groundbreaking series, Valerie and Fiona Givens uncover some beautiful and unique contributions within LDS theology that reveal a God of infinite love and compassion. They highlight obscure but profound… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: The Evolution of Latter-day Atonement Perspectives with Fiona Givens – Part 4 appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

In the concluding episode of this groundbreaking series, Valerie and Fiona Givens uncover some beautiful and unique contributions within LDS theology that reveal a God of infinite love and compassion. They highlight obscure but profound… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: The Evolution of Latter-day Atonement Perspectives with Fiona Givens – Part 4 appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

In the concluding episode of this groundbreaking series, Valerie and Fiona Givens uncover some beautiful and unique contributions within LDS theology that reveal a God of infinite love and compassion. They highlight obscure but profound… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: The Evolution of Latter-day Atonement Perspectives with Fiona Givens – Part 4 appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

In 2017, a Utah family began discussing some of the challenging questions facing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From those modest beginnings, a multidimensional platform emerged called Faith Matters, which defines itself as a “space in which an expansive, radiant approach to the restored gospel can be considered.” The effort now includes a popular podcast, book publishing, online courses, and, coming next week, its third in-person “Restore” conference. The giant gathering at the Mountain West Expo Center in Sandy has attracted more than 3,000 paid registrants and will feature speakers, poets, musicians and artists — including Astrid Tuminez, Jennifer Finlayson-Fife, Jennifer Walker Thomas, Terryl and Fiona Givens, Mauli Bonner, Neylan McBaine, Allison Dayton and Eboo Patel. It is, organizers say, meant to “inspire, enlighten and nourish faith.” On this week's show, Zachary Davis, executive director of Faith Matters, editor of its Wayfare magazine and co-director of the conference, discusses this organization, the upcoming conference and how they appeal to, help and inspire a range of Latter-day Saints.

In the third episode of the series, Valerie and Fiona Givens dive deep into the implications of atonement theology on the human soul and the criminal justice system. They emphasize the need for a healing-focused… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: Trauma-informed Atonement Theology with Fiona Givens Part 3 appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

In the third episode of the series, Valerie and Fiona Givens dive deep into the implications of atonement theology on the human soul and the criminal justice system. They emphasize the need for a healing-focused… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: Trauma-informed Atonement Theology with Fiona Givens Part 3 appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

In the third episode of the series, Valerie and Fiona Givens dive deep into the implications of atonement theology on the human soul and the criminal justice system. They emphasize the need for a healing-focused… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: Trauma-informed Atonement Theology with Fiona Givens Part 3 appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

In the second episode of the series, Valerie and Fiona Givens continue their exploration of atonement theology by delving into its historical and theological underpinnings. Fiona provides a rich context, explaining the shift from early… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: The Evolution of Atonement Theology with Fiona Givens Part 2 appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

In the second episode of the series, Valerie and Fiona Givens continue their exploration of atonement theology by delving into its historical and theological underpinnings. Fiona provides a rich context, explaining the shift from early… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: The Evolution of Atonement Theology with Fiona Givens Part 2 appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

In the second episode of the series, Valerie and Fiona Givens continue their exploration of atonement theology by delving into its historical and theological underpinnings. Fiona provides a rich context, explaining the shift from early… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: The Evolution of Atonement Theology with Fiona Givens Part 2 appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

In the first episode of this enlightening four-part series on Latter Day Struggles, host Valerie Hamaker welcomes back esteemed LDS theologian Fiona Givens. Together, they delve into the development of various atonement theologies and their… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: Exploring Eastern and Western Atonement appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

In the first episode of this enlightening four-part series on Latter Day Struggles, host Valerie Hamaker welcomes back esteemed LDS theologian Fiona Givens. Together, they delve into the development of various atonement theologies and their… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: Exploring Eastern and Western Atonement appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

In the first episode of this enlightening four-part series on Latter Day Struggles, host Valerie Hamaker welcomes back esteemed LDS theologian Fiona Givens. Together, they delve into the development of various atonement theologies and their… The post DPN Featured Episode: Latter Day Struggles: Exploring Eastern and Western Atonement appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

Subscriber-only episodeIn this capstone episode concluding their groundbreaking four-part series treating the intersection of atonement theology, trauma healing, and the penal justice system, Valerie and Fiona Givens dive into some beautiful and unique contributions that can be found in LDS theology.  They highlight some obscure but profound ideas hidden within Mormon doctrine that uncovers a God who loves infinitely, has compassion for the wounds that impact us throughout life, and who ultimately welcomes us all home.  Please join Valerie and Fiona as they uncover some beautiful LDS gems hidden in plain sight that add to the larger Christian and spiritual conversation helping us find peace, healing, and spiritual transformation.  MORE LATTER DAY STRUGGLES RESOURCES:SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAYS HERE! DON'T MISS A SINGLE WORD! : https://www.buzzsprout.com/2363568/subscribe3-step (2 minute) process:1: Click link and set up your account2: Select your preferred podcast app where you listen3. Click Follow to link the podcast to your listening appCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support group starts Wednesday evenings this September. ONLY 5 SEATS LEFT. To pre-register click on this link⁠.⁠CLASSES: Discover ways, learn new concepts, and build skills that will help you grow and strengthen your relationships. Visit the class library.SUPPORT: Like what you're hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo account⁠ or become a recurring donor ...

Welcome to part III [of a four-part series] where Valerie and special guest Fiona Givens dive deep into atonement theology, its implications on the growth of the human soul in general, the criminal justice system in particular, and the need for a healing-focused approach within the church and society.A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the impact of trauma on individuals, especially those within the criminal justice system. Fiona brings insights from scholars and trauma experts, emphasizing that what is often perceived as deviant behavior is deeply rooted in trauma and human woundedness. Fiona and Valerie advocate for a theological vision committed to healing and redemption, affirming that a compassionate approach can lead to true transformation and restoration. Support the Show.MORE LATTER DAY STRUGGLES RESOURCES:SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAYS HERE! DON'T MISS A SINGLE WORD! : https://www.buzzsprout.com/2363568/subscribe3-step (2 minute) process:1: Click link and set up your account2: Select your preferred podcast app where you listen3. Click Follow to link the podcast to your listening appCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support group starts Wednesday evenings this September. ONLY 5 SEATS LEFT. To pre-register click on this link⁠.⁠CLASSES: Discover ways, learn new concepts, and build skills that will help you grow and strengthen your relationships. Visit the class library.SUPPORT: Like what you're hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo account⁠ or become a recurring donor ...

Subscriber-only episodeIn this enlightening episode two [of a four-part series] Valerie and Fiona Givens delve deep into the historical and theological underpinnings of atonement theology and its profound impact on the American penal justice system. Fiona provides a rich historical context, explaining the shift from early Christian views that emphasized Christ's life, incarnation, and resurrection to the later Western focus on crucifixion and suffering, which laid the groundwork for a theology of substitution and punishment. They critically examine how these beliefs manifest in punitive practices, advocate for a shift towards a more rehabilitative approach, and set the stage for further discussion in the next episode on the need to reconcile atonement theology and treatment of criminals with contemporary understandings of neuroscience and trauma. MORE LATTER DAY STRUGGLES RESOURCES:SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAYS HERE! DON'T MISS A SINGLE WORD! : https://www.buzzsprout.com/2363568/subscribe3-step (2 minute) process:1: Click link and set up your account2: Select your preferred podcast app where you listen3. Click Follow to link the podcast to your listening appCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support group starts Wednesday evenings this September. ONLY 5 SEATS LEFT. To pre-register click on this link⁠.⁠CLASSES: Discover ways, learn new concepts, and build skills that will help you grow and strengthen your relationships. Visit the class library.SUPPORT: Like what you're hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo account⁠ or become a recurring donor ...

Welcome to a podcast series that has been months in the making and one that you will NOT want to miss if you desire to find health and healing in your relationship with God, atonement, hope, and healing.  In this four part series, Valerie welcomes return guest and gifted LDS theologian Fiona Givens. Together they delve deeply into the development of various atonement theologies and their impact on both the average Christian "sinner" as well as the "criminal", especially and how each "deserves" to be punished.  This series explores roots of atonement theology; how, why, where, and when it changed, and how the atonement theology that came to North America eventually impacted the criminal justice system.  They further explore how modern neuroscience has become an unexpected partner in revealing the infinite goodness and inevitable woundedness of all human kind and how our understanding the nature of the brain can bring about lasting reform of our atonement theology and our criminal justice system.  Don't miss this entire series packed with cutting edge scholarship and a windfall of hope and healing on our ongoing reimagining of God's infinite love for all of their children.  Support the Show.MORE LATTER DAY STRUGGLES RESOURCES:CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support group starts Wednesday evenings this September. ONLY 5 SEATS LEFT. To pre-register click on this link⁠.⁠CLASSES: Discover ways, learn new concepts, and build skills that will help you grow and strengthen your relationships. Visit the class library.SUPPORT: Like what you're hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo account⁠ or become a recurring donor on Patreon⁠.⁠

This conversation with author, mother, grandmother, scholar, and kind soul Fiona Givens, was healing. If you have not read the books she co-authored with her husband, Terryl Givens, you are missing out on some beautiful and poetic explorations of theology within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Their most recent work, All Things New: Rethinking Sin and Salvation and Everything in Between, explores early christian history to see where some truths became hidden or distorted over time, and how some truths continue to emerge in the restoration of the gospel as we give renewed breath to words that merit new definitions. We will talk of God, both Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, who in drafting the plan of salvation, provided us with a healer, Jesus Christ. In our woundedness, often caused by inherited trauma or conditions, he is the Christ who heals infermities--be they mental, physical, spiritual, or emotional.

In this beautiful and tender episode, Valerie has the privilege of interviewing LDS theologian Fiona Givens about her early life, diverse experiences, important relationships, and classical education that eventually led her into the LDS faith and deeply into the study of many facets of the nature of God. This story is one of all of the typical ups and downs, seemingly insignificant events that lead to other more signifiant events, and finally a few moments where Valerie proposes to Fiona why her unique life distinctively prepared her for the work that she is doing now; something that is profoundly blessing thousands of faith-expanding Latter Day Saints in this era.  Perhaps Fiona is our own “Esther”, prepared for such a time as now. Don't miss this truly love-filled episode if you have found healing through the work of Fiona Givens.  It will endear you to her even more.   Books referenced in this episode by the Givens':  The God Who Weeps, The Christ Who Heals, Crucible of Doubt, All Things New  ___________________________________To financially support Valerie's ongoing ability to provide this content to you and others, become a patron of Latter Day Struggles here:  https://patreon.com/LatterDayStruggles________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________  Contact Valerie at info@valeriehamaker.com or jump onto latterdaystruggles.com to JOIN her AUGUST 2023 support and processing faith expansion group…Join now & meet some lifelong friends & spiritual allies!  __________________________________________________  NEW!! Go to latterdaystruggles.com and purchase a brand new online course moderated by couples therapist Valerie Hamaker titled “An LDS Couple's Guide to Faith Crisis and Expansion.” ____________________________________________________  ____________________________________________________

Join Valerie and guest Fiona Givens as together they discuss a true prophetess and mystic, Julian of Norwich.   Father Richard Rohr has often called Julian his "favorite mystic" and Fiona attributes this woman as one of the most personally influential to her in the development of her own whole and holy theology of the divine.  If these two recommendations aren't enough for you...then I don't know what to say!  A few highlights of this episode:   **Julian's “showings” really shine a light on God's inability to be angry with us for our humanness.   **Our current struggles with the nature of God in some brings up pain, anxiety, religious scrupulosity, and defection from the church.  **Our misunderstandings of the nature of God brings up generational trauma to the extent that we perpetuate a God concept that estranges us from Julian's God of infinite love. **According to Julian's visions, sin is “no thing” in God's eyes.  Our missteps are the education that endears us to God.  **As a committed Catholic, Julian too struggles with heavenly visions that did not align with the teachings of her “holy church” and she [as do we] does the work of differentiating her church's imperfections with her personal revelations, choosing to align with the truth that was revealed to her directly from it's source. Book referenced in this episode:   **Julian of Norwich: The Showings: Uncovering the Face of the Feminine in Revelations of Divine Love Edited by Mirabi Starr. **The God Who Weeps by Terry and Fiona Givens  ___________________________________To financially support this high quality content, become a patron of Latter Day Struggles here:  https://patreon.com/LatterDayStruggles________________________________________________ Contact Valerie at ⁠info@valeriehamaker.com⁠ or jump onto latterdaystruggles.com to JOIN her AUGUST 2023 support and processing faith expansion group…Join now & meet some lifelong friends & spiritual allies!  __________________________________________________  NEW!! Go to latterdaystruggles.com and purchase a brand new online course moderated by couples therapist Valerie Hamaker titled “An LDS Couple's Guide to Faith Crisis and Expansion.

For today's episode, we thought we'd bring you a really special story that we think we can all learn from, especially during this Easter season as we ponder concepts like redemption and new life.Our guest was Dave Durocher, the Executive Director of The Other Side Academy in Salt Lake City. If you're an especially up-to-date listener, or you went to Restore last year, you've heard a little bit about The Other Side's story from Joseph Grenny, Dave's partner and the Academy's Chairman.But with Dave, you'll get to hear about “the other side” of The Other Side. By the time he was 38, Dave had been to prison four times for a total of 15 years. Not long after his release, Dave was arrested again and facing a 29-year prison sentence — but there was one last chance to turn his life around.We'll let Dave tell the rest of the story, but we can tell you that it's just as wild and inspiring as you are imagining.Dave's story seems to teach us that while we like to tell dramatic stories of conversion and change, the reality is that there are many lives in which God seems to be doing slow, patient, redemptive work. The manner in which it happens and the timeline it's on can be as surprising as Jesus's resurrection was to his disciples; the journey can be excruciating, but as Terryl and Fiona Givens are so quick to point out — God never seems to give up on anyone.It's clear that Dave is now doing exactly what he was meant to do all along — and there may have been no other way to get there. Also, quick note about this episode- there's actually a little bit of swearing. So if you are sensitive to that or have little ears who may be listening with you, we just want to make sure you have a heads up. 

Join this wide ranging discussion with acclaimed authors Terryl and Fiona Givens as they chat with Ganel-Lyn & John about the following topics:-        Reframing how we view the Restoration and Christ's true gospel, the loss of the plain and precious things in Christianity-        Disciples of the “Second Sort”: Joseph Smith laid the seeds of the Restoration, but we are responsible for expanding, developing, enriching, and reframing Christianity -        The various versions of the First Vision and the invitation for our own Sacred Grove experiences for revelation (individual faith journeys)-        Understanding who God is and the common misconceptions about Him, and our relationship with Him-        How the Atonement is more about HEALING us from our mortal woundedness rather than saving us from our wickedness -        How theology impacts mental, emotional, and spiritual health -        Healing from mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, and scrupulosity -        Viewing this mortal life as a test (pass/fail) vs. a classroom/educative process with God as a mentor with whom love NEVER ceases-        How to respond when loved ones (or ourselves) wrestle with organized religion and/or when faith feels ambiguous, when it's not based in love -        Ideas for continuing the conversion process on a daily basis  About Dr. Terryl Givens (https://www.terrylgivens.com/about): Terryl L. Givens was born in upstate New York, raised in the American southwest, and did graduate work in Intellectual History (Cornell) and Comparative Literature (Ph.D. UNC Chapel Hill, 1988), working with Greek, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and English languages and literatures. As Professor of Literature and Religion and the Jabez A. Bostwick Professor of English at the University of Richmond he taught courses in Romanticism, nineteenth century cultural studies, and the Bible and Literature. Currently, he is a Neal L. Maxwell Senior Fellow at Brigham Young University. Dr. Givens has authored or edited 21 books, primarily through Oxford University Press and Deseret Book. During non-pandemic times, he travels extensively with his wife, Fiona, to give firesides and strengthen the faith of members worldwide. About Fiona Givens (https://www.fionagivens.com/about):  Fiona Anne Givens (née Bulbeck) was born in Nairobi, Kenya as the oldest of three children. She grew up in Nairobi, Tanzania, and the Seychelles and was educated in British convent schools. She converted to the LDS church in Frankfurt am Main.  She graduated phi kappa beta from the University of Richmond with degrees in French and German, then earned an M.A. in European History while co-raising the last of her six children. She has published essays and articles in Exponent II, Sunstone, LDS Living, Journal of Mormon History, Dialogue, and Kofford Books. A longtime collaborator in the books of her husband, Terryl Givens, she is the co-author of The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life; Crucible of Doubt: Reflections on the Quest for Faith; The Christ Who Heals: How God Restored the Truth that Saves Us; and All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything in Between. You can find Terryl and Fiona's latest books here: https://www.terrylgivens.com/fiona-and-terryl

In this episode Val and Nathan focus on the section in the pamphlet that outlines the LDS church's teachings on the atonement of Jesus Christ and riff about some positives in this section as well as what they feel might be a generalized misunderstanding about the nature of Christ's truly infinite power to heal us through love. They start with Val breaking down 3 atonement theories: 1) Ransom Theory 2) Satisfaction Theory 3) Penal Substitution Theory, and talk about which of these theories seem to be most generally accepted in LDS thought… and why this is problematic. They then address several questions, including: Must we do something to activate the healing power of the atonement? Does God really demand justice of their children and does Jesus Christ really intervene to protect us from our own justice-demanding parents [and why would we worship that kind of God?] Is this stance possibly a product of centuries of patriarchy? Why would “sin/repentance” language be better replaced with “wounded/healing” language to connect us with Christ? Who truly demands justice and struggles the most receiving Christ's mercy [hint: look in the mirror]? What keeps people from sinning their lives away if they aren't motivated by fear, punishment, or disappointment from God and Christ? The essence of this episode is that the atonement is founded in love, was performed through love and heals us through love even before we have a chance to mess up. Buckle up and maybe catch this episode twice because it's likely atonement ideas you never heard in church. Brilliant books referenced: The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr, All Things New by Terryl and Fiona Givens, and Dialogues with Myself by Eugene England. *********** Due to the rapid growth of this podcast and the obviously huge need for members of our faith to have more support in our faith-expansion experience, Valerie is currently piloting a few 3 month long weekly online support groups to help you connect with her and others who are in a similar place in your faith experience. Space is limited and first come first served. 25 people per group. For more information e-mail Valerie at info@valeriehamaker.com.

In this episode I explore how faith and doubt can co-exist without it being a problem. We cannot have and exercise FAITH if uncertainty and doubt do not exist. When we resist, deny or ignore our questions/doubts, we are being dishonest to ourselves. We give ourselves permission to have them through acknowledging their presence. We can choose to let go of the shame that often accompanies having questions/doubts. When we release the shame, and give ourselves permission to have them, we are then on our way to owning our questions and doubts and cultivating authenticity. The ability to be authentic makes it possible to claim our personal authority which I define as part free will and also part “the light of Christ” which is within each of us. By leaning into this personal authority is how we tap into and connect w/ our inner wisdom or knowing. And ultimately this is what allows us to examine our questions and doubts, own them and even learn to ask better questions or the “right” questions. "Disciples too must persevere until we get the questions right. We are all prisoners of our preconceptions and faulty models. Those are frequently the problem in faith crisis—not the questions that arise from them." --The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections on the Quest for Faith, Terryl Givens, Fiona Givens. Show Notes: “A Paradox of Faith and Doubt,” written by Joanna Mercuri, based on the examining the relationship between faith/doubt through a lecture and panel discussion by Fordham's Center of Religion and Culture entitled: “Uneasy Grace: Can Faith and Doubt Co-exist?” (https://news.fordham.edu/living-the-mission/a-paradox-of-faith-and-doubt/); The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections on the Quest for Faith, Terryl Givens, Fiona Givens; “The Beyond the Shadow of Doubt" podcast is a proud member of the Dialogue Podcast Network: DialogueJournal.com/podcastnetwork.

Restore, an upcoming Faith Matters gathering is happening in Salt Lake City, UT October 7th & 8th, 2022. In collaboration with Faith Matters, we spoke with featured Faith Matters speakers Aubrey and Tim Chavez about Fiona Givens, who will be presenting at the gathering.Listen to the full episode with Tim and Aubrey Chavez on October 2nd, 2022For more information on Faith Matters and the Restore gathering visit https://faithmatters.org/

Eugene England seemed to one of those crossing the brethren's line with some of theological musings. Recently, Fiona Givens did as well with her discussion of Heavenly Mother. I asked Dr Terryl Givens if it was easy to unintentionally cross the brethren's line. GT:  Well, now it feels like the Church just kind of vacillates […]

Joseph Smith taught that faith is a “principle of action.” Although the world is full of crises and challenges, as Latter-day Saints, we are called to care for those in need with love and courage. In this week's episode, Fiona Givens and Britta Ellwanger share stories from their recent efforts to put their faith into action. When Russia launched its attack on Ukraine, Fiona felt an inspired pull on her heart to help this situation however she could. That led her to catalyzing prayer and relief efforts in her ward and beyond, and then, in the last two weeks, journeying to Ukraine to join Britta and deliver humanitarian aid directly to those who need it.Fiona Givens is the author of several books, including All Things New which was published by Faith Matters last year and The God Who Weeps, both co-authored with her husband Terryl. Britta Ellwanger has been living, working, and investing in Ukraine for ten years. Britta's organization, forPEACE, focuses on the frontline needs of this war because it is the first piece in the domino effect that leads to the refugee crisis. Britta's written an article on Faith Matters' website that gives a really up-to-date synopsis about the situation on the ground, and gives actionable ways to help the effort on the front lines. You can find that article, and our other published material on the war in Ukraine, at faithmatters.org/ukraine.

*** Links to buy "The Mother Tree" ***Softcover version: https://faithmatters.org/themothertreeAudible and Kindle version: https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Tree-Discovering-Wisdom-Divine/dp/B09YCDHTDZ/Today, we're excited to announce the latest offering from Faith Matters Publishing, following our previous books All Things New by Terryl and Fiona Givens, Restoration by Patrick Mason, and Better Than Happy by Jody Moore.This book is called The Mother Tree: Discovering the Love and Wisdom  of Our Divine Mother, and was written by Kathryn Knight Sonntag. It is a truly beautiful book and a great read.The timing of this release is interesting. First, we're coming up on Mothers Day and we love that this book is a profound recognition of  our Divine Mother. Second, Elder Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently gave an important talk to the women of the church on the doctrine of Heavenly Mother. While celebrating with us this unique doctrine, he also had words of caution about demanding further revelation on Heavenly Mother theology, among other things. Though this book was obviously completed well before that recent address, it strikes us as very much in the same spirit. It is a celebration of our unique doctrine, which is beautifully outlined in the church's Gospel Topics essay on Heavenly Mother. But the book values experiencing her presence in the world and in our lives over theological speculation. It is about how accessing different ways of knowing–through the languages of art, nature, poetry and stillness–can lead to a personal relationship with our Divine Mother. And it points to surprising ways in which, as the Church's essay points out, She has always been there in our scriptures.So today we spoke with the author of The Mother Tree, Kathryn Knight Sonntag. Kathryn's book of poetry The Tree at the Center was a 2019 Association for Mormon Letters Awards finalist. Her poetry and essays have appeared in many publications including Colorado Review, Rock & Sling, and Dialogue. She holds a master's degree in landscape architecture and environmental planning, and works as a landscape architect and freelance writer in Salt Lake City.Just a note on where you can purchase the book. As of today, the Kindle version is available on Amazon but the print version is just coming off the press. It will be a few weeks before you can buy it on Amazon. Since we know that many of you will want a physical copy of the book for Mother's Day, we've set up a special shipping operation where you can buy the book and have it shipped to you right away. In order to do that, head to faithmatters.org/themothertree. You'll be sent straight to a product page where you can buy the book, and Faith Matters is paying the cost of shipping for all US customers so that nothing gets in the way if you'd like to have this book as a gift in time for Mother's Day.

#044 - Let's Talk About "All Things New" by Fiona and Terryl GivensLanguage is important. The meanings of words are important. This book by the Givens explains how many of the words we use at church do not mean what we traditionally think they mean. The words we use are wounding many members, especially our children as the words they are hearing at church do not feel spiritually in alignment for them. Let's get back to the true meanings of words like: forgiveness, sin, atonement, heaven, salvation, obedience, repentance, and many more. “All Things New” is an essential book to become familiar with if you are struggling at church, or if someone you love is struggling at church (which probably captures 99% of you).Get on my email list CLICK HEREMy website: tinagosney.comPurchase "All Things New" on AmazonEpisode 5, “How to Approach Your LGBTQ Child with Love and Understanding"Episode 41, “What the Heck is Trauma at Church?! A Conversation with Lindsay Poelman”

Moses 7 features Enoch, a figure that receives scant attention in Genesis, but has an overwhelming impact on the Pearl of Great Price. Importantly, Enoch's experience with God also shapes how we view the Father, His relationship to us, and recognize his character and disposition. In today's episode of Abide, we discuss Moses 7 and how it contributes to Latter-day Saint ideas.  My name is Joseph Stuart, I'm the public communications specialist at the Maxwell Institute. Kristian Heal is a Research Fellow at the Institute, and each week we will be discussing the week's block of reading from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' “Come, Follow Me” curriculum. We aren't here to present a lesson, but rather to hit on a few key themes from the scripture block, so as to 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 engage the world of religious ideas.” Today we are joined by special guest Terryl Givens, who with Fiona Givens has written The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life and, recently, The Doors of Faith from the Maxwell Institute's Living Faith series and Deseret Book.  The post Abide: Moses 7 appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Understanding the God Who Weeps as explained by Terryl and Fiona Givens

Review of Fiona Givens and Terryl Givens, All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything In Between (Faith Matters Press, 2020). 188 pages. $12.95 (paperback). Abstract: Fiona and Terryl Givens once again deliver a book worthy of the comparatively wide readership they have gained within Latter- day Saint circles. Their orderly treatment of individual gospel concepts […] The post The Good God Hermeneutic: A Reconsideration of Religious Vocabulary first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Review of Fiona Givens and Terryl Givens, All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything In Between (Faith Matters Press, 2020). 188 pages. $12.95 (paperback). Abstract: Fiona and Terryl Givens once again deliver a book worthy of the comparatively wide readership they have gained within Latter- day Saint circles. Their orderly treatment of individual gospel concepts […] The post The Good God Hermeneutic: A Reconsideration of Religious Vocabulary first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Fiona Givens recently resigned her position at BYU's Maxwell Institute under pressure from Church leaders over her speculation that the Holy Ghost might be Heavenly Mother. Dr. Margaret Toscano says this is an ancient Christian belief and wonders why Church leaders were bothered by Givens bringing it up.  Are Church leaders scared of Heavenly Mother? […] The post *Are Church Leaders Scared of Heavenly Mother? (Part 9 of 9) appeared first on Gospel Tangents.

Terryl and Fiona Givens most recent book, All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation and Everything in Between has received a remarkable amount of positive attention since it was published by Faith Matters a few months ago. We've been delighted to see that it's resonated with so many people. Because of its bold scope, it has also sparked some wonderful debate. In this week's podcast episode, we collected some challenging questions from readers and posed them to Terryl. What followed was a really illuminating exploration of the book's main ideas. As you might expect, Terryl had some really good answers to some really challenging questions. Fiona is in Guam visiting her daughter's family and was not able to join the conversation, but Terryl was as articulate, well-versed, and insightful as always. Enjoy this conversation with one of today's most brilliant and engaging Latter-day Saint scholars.

In September of 2020, professional Mormon apologists Terryl and Fiona Givens were invited to speak at a Mormon church fireside for the Sunderland England Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  During this fireside Terryl Givens was asked to recount an experience he once had with a Mormon missionary woman who was doubting her testimony because of troubling things she learned about Mormon church founder Joseph Smith,  Terryl's recounting of the story was as follows: "I was fortunate that there was a mission president in our area who knew us and our work.  And there was a sister missionary who decided that she was going to leave the church.  She was finishing her mission the next week and she'd made the decision to go home and leave.  And her companion of course deeply distraught over this and asked the mission president "Could we go talk to brother Givens?"  And he gave them permission to come and stay as long as they needed so they stayed long into the night.  And I listened to one after another question and then finally it occurred to me to ask this one question.  And I said to her in regard to one question in particular about Joseph Smith, and I said "Sister" I said, "Why does the answer to that question matter?"  And it changed everything.  It just caught her up short.  And she thought for a minute and she said, "I don't know" (Terryl chuckles).  "I don't know." Many (including myself) were disturbed by Terryl Givens' story/response - particularly since it was directed at currently doubting Mormon church members.  We were primarily puzzled, shocked, and somewhat disturbed that the Mormon church's leading professional apologist - who has spent many years writing books for, and speaking/ministering to doubting Mormons - would provide such a glib and seemingly uninformed response.  That said, we understand that belief issues are complex, and take Terryl at his word that he sincerely does not understand why troubling aspects of Mormon history, including newly-discovered details about Joseph Smith's life, would matter to a questioning or doubting Mormon. Consequently, I am launching a new social media campaign with which I could use your help.  The goal of the campaign is to help educate Terryl, Fiona, other Mormon Church apologists, and the Mormon church leadership about as to why "Informed Consent" is crucial to both active Mormons and Mormon investigators.

Terryl Givens joins the SU Podcast with Jake to talk about his and his wife's, Fiona Givens, newest book, "All Things New!" Jake one day several months ago, found himself reading their book, and in chapter 5, Jake read that in the race of life so to speak, God isn't at the finish line waiting to see if we'll cross it, or that He'll deny or grant us the "winning cup." He is running the race with us. After Jake read that, he knew he had to get Terryl or Fiona on the podcast. Here is the full conversation. Jake asks what a relationship with God looks like when going through a faith crisis. What the relationship can be, and what it might look like. Will the relationship with God be different as a result? Is that a scary thing?

In this clip from the conversation with Jake and Terryl Givens, Jake asks Terryl about a quote in his and his wife, Fiona Givens' newest book, "All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation and Everything In Between," from chapter 5. Jake briefly talks about how it refers to God as running the race with us in this life. And of course, Terryl gives an amazing answer.

One of Mormonism's distinctive teachings is that of a Heavenly Mother, a female divinity who is God the Father's wife and the mother of all humanity.  Long shrouded in mystery and considered by many a taboo topic, there has been a resurgence in interest in Heavenly Mother in contemporary Mormonism.  Is this just a fad, or are we witnessing the reshaping of Mormon doctrine and culture with a greater emphasis on the inherent divinity and spiritual power of women?  Guests include Fiona Givens, co-author of All Things New and Research Fellow at the Maxwell Institute at Brigham Young University; Bethany Brady Spalding, author of several books including A Girl's Guide to Heavenly Mother; and Rachel Hunt Steenblik, author of the poetry collection Mother's Milk: Poems in Search of a Heavenly Mother.

In this episode of Culture Shock: Awakening the Humanity in Our World host, Michelle Werner, discusses The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Dr. Terryl Givens. Terryl Givens' Website: https://www.terrylgivens.com Conversations with Terryl Givens: https://faithmatters.org/category/conversations-with-terryl-givens/ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/?lang=eng Dr. Dr. Terryl Givens is a senior research fellow at the Neal A. Maxwell Institute of Religious Scholarship at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT. Prior he was a professor of literature and religion at the University of Richmond in Richmond, VA. Dr. Givens is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has served the Church as a bishop. He served missions in Brazil, prior to graduating from BYU with a degree in comparative literature. He later did graduate work in intellectual history at Cornell and earned a PhD in comparative literature from the University of North Carolina, working with Greek, German, Spanish, Portuguese and English languages and literature. Publications: All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything in Between (with Fiona Givens), The Christ Who Heals: How God Restored the Truth that Saves Us (with Fiona Givens), Wrestling the Angel: The Foundations of Mormon Thought: Cosmos, God, Humanity, The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections On the Quest for Faith (with Fiona Givens), The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life (with Fiona Givens), Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul of Mormonism (with Matthew J. Grow), When Souls Had Wings: Pre-Mortal Existence in Western Thought, The Book of Mormon: A Very Short Introduction, People of Paradox: A History of Mormon Culture, The Latter-day Saint Experience in America, By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion, The Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy, Dragon Scales and Willow Leaves, Mimesis and the Limits of Semblance, Blind Men and Hieroglyphs: The Collapse of Mimesis, Aristotle's Critique of Mimesis: The Romantic Prelude, Romantic Agonies: Human Suffering and the Ethical Sublime, This Great Modern Abomination': Orthodoxy and Heresy in American Religion, Joseph Smith: Prophecy, Process, and Plenitude, Lightning Out of Heaven': Joseph Smith and the Forging of Community, New Religious Movements and the Orthodoxy: The Challenge to the Religious Mainstream, There Is Room for Both': Mormon Cinema and the Paradoxes of Mormon Culture, Common Sense' Meets the Book of Mormon: Source, Substance and Prophetic Disruption, Joseph Smith's American Bible: Radicalizing the Familiar, Paradox and Discipleship, Fraud, Philandery, and Football: Negotiating the Mormon Image, The Prophecy of Enoch as Restoration Blueprint --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michelle-werner/support

For this Easter holiday, we wanted to do something a little different — so today, we’re sharing a chapter from the audiobook version of Fiona and Terryl Givens’ new book, All Things New, which was published by Faith Matters. The chapter is titled “Atonement: From Penal Substitution to Radical Healing.”It may be the most important chapter in the book. They walk us through the history of poorly translated texts and a medieval worldview that really emphasized a jealous, angry, and retributive God, and then Fiona and Terryl show how we’ve been passed this conception of Atonement that focuses on being “saved,” rather than being “healed.”By looking at more appropriate translations, restoration doctrine, and the details of Jesus’s life, they show that an emphasis on healing can emerge and, in the words of theologian Delores Williams, give “humankind new vision to see the resources for positive, abundant relational life.”Happy Easter to each of you, and we really hope you enjoy this excerpt from All Things New.

For the last decade, Fiona and Terryl Givens have brought to light wonderful and expansive doctrines in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ by drawing upon literature and other faith traditions. Their work helps Latter-day Saints appreciate the beauty of what we believe. On this week’s episode, we talk with these scholars about many of their books, how those books are influenced by their life experiences, and how their studies have brought us greater appreciation for our faith tradition and the faith traditions of others. “If something harrows the mind and constricts the heart, that I don’t think is of God—that is not of the Spirit. But if something—an idea, a thought, a song, a book—enlarges your mind and awakens your heart to joy then we can know that that is true.” Show Notes 1:52- Fiona’s Story 8:47- Terryl’s Story 11:21- The Influence of Life Experiences 14:58- What the Restoration Brings to the Table 21:10- Doubt as a Catalyst 26:23- “The Greatest Act of Self-Revelation” 30:10- The Atonement is Not a Back-up Plan 38:17- Approach to Questions 41:40- “An All-Embracing Gospel” 47:41- Remorse Vs. Guilt 51:48- Desires in Doctrine and Covenants 54:42- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Terryl L. Givens is a Neal A. Maxwell Institute Senior Research Fellow and Fiona Givens is a member of the Institute's research staff. Together and individually they are the authors of many books about Latter-day Saint history and culture. Their latest book, All Things New, explores the roots and flawed inheritance of our religious vocabulary and suggests healthy ways of reformulating our language. Fiona and Terryl have co-authored three other books: The God Who Weeps, The Christ Who Heals, and The Crucible of Doubt. In this podcast they discuss examining our religious vocabulary and relearning pure doctrine. Highlights 3:30 About writing a book together 4:30 Where it started: going back to the beginning and pulling together concepts from their other books; a celebratory hymn to the Restoration 6:00 Examination of our religious vocabulary and its Protestant roots; example of repentance 8:00 The idea of a wrathful God compared to the weeping God of Moses 7 and recuperating a theology of love 11:45 Trying to put words and concepts together that don't fit together, creating a rift between us and God, making us feel less worthy and lovable 14:30 The Restoration is telling a different story; example of "the fall" 20:00 Precious doctrines are easily understood; reverting the vocabulary to a clearer definition empowers us and turns our focus outward to others 22:45 Misreading of the earth being consumed with fire 25:30 The tragedy of the tribalism of politics being mirrored in the church culture: the early Christians were diverse but renowned for loving each other 29:40 Guarding against creating idols and keeping Christ front and center; not taking religious texts completely factually 32:45 Dealing with discordance in scripture 37:00 Recognizing our woundedness and psychological traumas; returning to the love of God 41:30 The Book of Mormon as a bridge from the 19th century sensibilities to today 42:50 George Q. Cannon quote 44:20 God is our father, not our sovereign 45:20 Mormon was a general in a war of genocide and this influenced his voice 46:45 Christ healing a wounded world, changing hearts and minds; growth of our understanding of trauma and generational trauma 49:50 Paradigm shift from sin to woundedness 52:50 The rite of Atonement is a healing ritual; stuck on the concept of death rather than the miracle of healing 55:00 "No soul will be saved in isolation": the community of Zion 56:45 The American church and the focus on the individual; spirituality compared to religion 58:20 Community-building and Zion-building; the baptismal covenants and the godhead 1:01:10 Slow paradigm shift transitioning to an ability to speak of our own woundedness; authenticity in bearing testimony 1:06:00 Going back to the Restoration church solidified a testimony of Christ 1:07:15 Traversing the field of voices brings a familiar voice Links All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything in Between, by Terryl and Fiona Givens Restoration: God's Call to the 21st Century World, by Patrick Mason Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Note: This transcript was machine-produced. We would be grateful for help correcting errors. You can help! Simply copy/paste the transcript text into a document, make the corrections, and then copy/paste the corrected text into a comment on the page (below) and we will get the corrected text published!

Terryl L. Givens is a Neal A. Maxwell Institute Senior Research Fellow and Fiona Givens is a member of the Institute’s research staff. Together and individually they are the authors of many books about Latter-day Saint history and culture. Their latest book, All Things New, explores the roots and flawed inheritance of our religious vocabulary and suggests healthy ways of reformulating our language. Fiona and Terryl have co-authored three other books: The God Who Weeps, The Christ Who Heals, and The Crucible of Doubt. In this podcast they discuss examining our religious vocabulary and relearning pure doctrine. Highlights 3:30 About writing a book together 4:30 Where it started: going back to the beginning and pulling together concepts from their other books; a celebratory hymn to the Restoration 6:00 Examination of our religious vocabulary and its Protestant roots; example of repentance 8:00 The idea of a wrathful God compared to the weeping God of Moses 7 and recuperating a theology of love 11:45 Trying to put words and concepts together that don't fit together, creating a rift between us and God, making us feel less worthy and lovable 14:30 The Restoration is telling a different story; example of "the fall" 20:00 Precious doctrines are easily understood; reverting the vocabulary to a clearer definition empowers us and turns our focus outward to others 22:45 Misreading of the earth being consumed with fire 25:30 The tragedy of the tribalism of politics being mirrored in the church culture: the early Christians were diverse but renowned for loving each other 29:40 Guarding against creating idols and keeping Christ front and center; not taking religious texts completely factually 32:45 Dealing with discordance in scripture 37:00 Recognizing our woundedness and psychological traumas; returning to the love of God 41:30 The Book of Mormon as a bridge from the 19th century sensibilities to today 42:50 George Q. Cannon quote 44:20 God is our father, not our sovereign 45:20 Mormon was a general in a war of genocide and this influenced his voice 46:45 Christ healing a wounded world, changing hearts and minds; growth of our understanding of trauma and generational trauma 49:50 Paradigm shift from sin to woundedness 52:50 The rite of Atonement is a healing ritual; stuck on the concept of death rather than the miracle of healing 55:00 "No soul will be saved in isolation": the community of Zion 56:45 The American church and the focus on the individual; spirituality compared to religion 58:20 Community-building and Zion-building; the baptismal covenants and the godhead 1:01:10 Slow paradigm shift transitioning to an ability to speak of our own woundedness; authenticity in bearing testimony 1:06:00 Going back to the Restoration church solidified a testimony of Christ 1:07:15 Traversing the field of voices brings a familiar voice Links All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything in Between, By Terryl and Fiona Givens

Join Tiffany and Allyson for this week's episode as they talk about a man who set up a homeless shelter on his front lawn, "the least of these" among us, a fabulous berry pie recipe, and as always, they will share spotlight of an inspiring SISTER.     News:  Utah man invites homeless to set up camp on is front lawn Main Topic:  Resources to learn more about the perspectives of the marginalized in our church and the world in general:  LGBTQ community:  Listen, Learn and Love podcast Questions from the Closet podcast BYU Devotional by Eric Huntsman Women:  Neylan McBaine’s book “Women at Church” "Mormon Feminism: Essential Writings" by Joanna Brooks and Rachel Hunt Steenblik Sarah Bessey's "Jesus Feminist" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich's "A House Full of Females"  Dr. Julie Hanks IG account  Single Women:  Rosie Card's IG account  People of Color:  Exhaustive list provided by YoungMormonFeminists.org Immigrants and Refugees: Those with untraditional families: mixed race, mixed faith, divorced, step, adoption, disabilities:  Those who are going through a faith crisis/journey/transtion: Patrick Mason's "Planted" Thomas McConkie's "Navigating Mormon Faith Crisis"  Terryl and Fiona Givens' "Crucible of Doubt"  Progressives: What you can do:    Peruse the many resources linked here to listen and learn in order to love and understand.  Share our podcast episodes and IG posts about these groups and issues on your own social media feeds or with people in your circles who you would like to help understand these perspectives.    Be more vocal yourself. Standing up for the marginalized may be unpopular or uncomfortable in certain circles (which is crazy!!), but if we truly believe it is what Christ would do and DID do, we should be able to call on Him for courage and strength to    Favorite Things    Tiffany Kool-Aid mix-in Zebra mildliner pens Leather strap cable organizers Allyson 1. Rachel Parcell's triple berry pie recipe 2. Mrs. Meyers Clean Day dryer sheets 3. Sharonsaysso IG account and her monthly Government for Grownups class Inspiring Sister  Incredible Black women in history 

Abstract: In a pair of recent books, Patrick Mason and Terryl and Fiona Givens seek to revitalize, reinvigorate, and deepen our understanding of basic terms and concepts of the Restoration. I welcome such efforts, convinced (even where I sometimes quibble) that the conversations they will engender among faithful and committed believers can be very healthy. Now that “the […] The post Two Essays on Sustaining and Enlarging the Doctrine first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Abstract: In a pair of recent books, Patrick Mason and Terryl and Fiona Givens seek to revitalize, reinvigorate, and deepen our understanding of basic terms and concepts of the Restoration. I welcome such efforts, convinced (even where I sometimes quibble) that the conversations they will engender among faithful and committed believers can be very healthy. Now that “the […] The post Two Essays on Sustaining and Enlarging the Doctrine first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Abstract: In a pair of recent books, Patrick Mason and Terryl and Fiona Givens seek to revitalize, reinvigorate, and deepen our understanding of basic terms and concepts of the Restoration. I welcome such efforts, convinced (even where I sometimes quibble) that the conversations they will engender among faithful and committed believers can be very healthy. Now that “the […] The post Two Essays on Sustaining and Enlarging the Doctrine first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Abstract: In a pair of recent books, Patrick Mason and Terryl and Fiona Givens seek to revitalize, reinvigorate, and deepen our understanding of basic terms and concepts of the Restoration. I welcome such efforts, convinced (even where I sometimes quibble) that the conversations they will engender among faithful and committed believers can be very healthy. Now that “the […] The post Two Essays on Sustaining and Enlarging the Doctrine first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

2:35    Rethinking Sin 21:23  Rethinking Salvation 40:05 Everything in Between Terryl's Original Episode of The Cultural Hall  Fiona's Original Episode of The Cultural Hall Buy “All Things New – Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything in Between” Robert MacFarlane has... The post Terryl and Fiona Givens Ep. 473 The Cultural Hall appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

We are thrilled to have Fiona Givens teach the next Dialogue Sunday Gospel Study on Mosiah 18-24 from the “Come Follow Me” manual. Fiona Givens is a member of the BYU Maxwell Institute's research staff.… The post Dialogue Book of Mormon Gospel Study with Fiona Givens on Mosiah 18–24 appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

We are thrilled to have Fiona Givens teach the next Dialogue Sunday Gospel Study on Mosiah 18-24 from the “Come Follow Me” manual. Fiona Givens is a member of the BYU Maxwell Institute’s research staff. She was born in Nairobi, educated in British convent schools, and converted to the LDS church in Frankfurt-am-Main. She earned Continue Reading »

Discussion of Enos’s wrestle before God and how we can apply his experience to our own lives as we confront challenges and questions that cause us to do the same. Interestingly, the answer that Enos received was a remission of his sins, which expanded his soul and brought his will in line with God’s. This is the solution we should all seek in our struggles. Also discuss the translation process of the Book of Mormon and how it may have resulted in the last few verses of Mosiah chapter 2 accidentally ending up in the Words of Mormon. In addition to the covered chapters, this lesson also draws from (i) The Crucible of Doubt by Terryl and Fiona Givens, (ii) “Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father” by Elder Neal A. Maxwell in October 1995 General Conference, and (iii) “When Pages Collide: Dissecting the Words of Mormon” by Jack M. Lyon and Kent R. Minson in BYU Studies Quarterly 51, No. 4 (2012).

This episode continues our special series of episodes on the Maxwell Institute's brief theological introductions to the Book of Mormon. Terryl Givens is author of the volume on what many readers consider to be the most challenging part of the scripture—Second Nephi. The authors of our Brief Theological Introductions are “seeking Christ in scripture by combining intellectual rigor and the disciple's yearning for holiness.” About the Guest Terryl L. Givens is a Neal A. Maxwell Senior Research Fellow. He formerly held the Jabez A. Bostwick Chair of English and was Professor of Literature and Religion at the University of Richmond. He is the author of many books about Latter-day Saint history and culture, including Wrestling the Angel: The Foundations of Mormon Thought, Feeding the Flock: The Foundations of Mormon Practice, and By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture That Launched a New World Religion, each with Oxford University Press. He is also co-author, with Fiona Givens, of The God Who Weeps, The Crucible of Doubt, and The Christ Who Heals. The post Briefly Second Nephi, with Terryl Givens [MIPodcast #99] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

In this episode, we talk with Fiona Givens about the beauty inside the restored gospel tradition. Fiona is a convert to our faith, and in this conversation, she talks about what drew her to the Church, what has kept her here, and why she feels hopeful about the future. Fiona is the co-author of the Crucible of Doubt, the God Who Weeps, and The Christ Who Heals.Thanks for listening to the Faith Matters podcast — if you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to help out by subscribing or leaving us a rating on Apple Podcasts. You can find more content, including essays, podcasts, and videos from our Big Questions project, on faithmatters.org.

Does Christ cry for us, and why is the most powerful being in the universe so meek? Answers in this episode of Jesus in Books. The book reviewed is "The God Who Weeps" by Terryl and Fiona Givens.

Happy New Year, Mormon Matters listeners!  To start 2018, I asked many of my friends if they would consider writing prayers for the new year or share favorite prayers they have gained strength from in the past. More than twenty responded! Recordings of them reading these prayers are included in this three-part episode, along with brief introductions of each person and a bit of background about the prayer they wrote or chose to share. They are diverse, and range from prayers in pretty standard Mormon forms, to prayer-poems, and prose essays. The participants represent a variety of voices and perspectives: women, men, believers, agnostics/atheists, engaged Latter-day Saints, lapsed Mormons, and two women who are attending divinity school. All share one thing, though: They have been on marvelous, integrity-filled journeys with God/Spirit/the Universe. I know you will really enjoy getting to know them and their hearts in this intimate way. Part 1 (Ep. 438) features prayers from: Susan Hinckley, Eric Samuelsen, Lisa Scott, Rick Jepson, Sonja Farnsworth, Tom Kimball, Megan Kjar Christiansen, and Richard Ostler. Part 2 (Ep. 439) features prayers from: Laurie Lee Hall, Scott Turley, Gina Colvin, Scot Denhalter, Jody England Hansen, Stephen Carter, Merrie Smithson, John Gustav-Wrathall, Fiona Givens, and Joseph Stanford Part 3 (Ep. 440) features prayers from: Becky and Shannon Linford, Mark Crego, Katie Langston, Leon Maynard, Sydnie Olsen, Greg Olsen, Carol Lynn Pearson, and Dan Wotherspoon  

Happy New Year, Mormon Matters listeners!  To start 2018, I asked many of my friends if they would consider writing prayers for the new year or share favorite prayers they have gained strength from in the past. More than twenty responded! Recordings of them reading these prayers are included in this three-part episode, along with brief introductions of each person and a bit of background about the prayer they wrote or chose to share. They are diverse, and range from prayers in pretty standard Mormon forms, to prayer-poems, and prose essays. The participants represent a variety of voices and perspectives: women, men, believers, agnostics/atheists, engaged Latter-day Saints, lapsed Mormons, and two women who are attending divinity school. All share one thing, though: They have been on marvelous, integrity-filled journeys with God/Spirit/the Universe. I know you will really enjoy getting to know them and their hearts in this intimate way. Part 1 (Ep. 438) features prayers from: Susan Hinckley, Eric Samuelsen, Lisa Scott, Rick Jepson, Sonja Farnsworth, Tom Kimball, Megan Kjar Christiansen, and Richard Ostler. Part 2 (Ep. 439) features prayers from: Laurie Lee Hall, Scott Turley, Gina Colvin, Scot Denhalter, Jody England Hansen, Stephen Carter, Merrie Smithson, John Gustav-Wrathall, Fiona Givens, and Joseph Stanford Part 3 (Ep. 440) features prayers from: Becky and Shannon Linford, Mark Crego, Katie Langston, Leon Maynard, Sydnie Olsen, Greg Olsen, Carol Lynn Pearson, and Dan Wotherspoon  

Happy New Year, Mormon Matters listeners!  To start 2018, I asked many of my friends if they would consider writing prayers for the new year or share favorite prayers they have gained strength from in the past. More than twenty responded! Recordings of them reading these prayers are included in this three-part episode, along with brief introductions of each person and a bit of background about the prayer they wrote or chose to share. They are diverse, and range from prayers in pretty standard Mormon forms, to prayer-poems, and prose essays. The participants represent a variety of voices and perspectives: women, men, believers, agnostics/atheists, engaged Latter-day Saints, lapsed Mormons, and two women who are attending divinity school. All share one thing, though: They have been on marvelous, integrity-filled journeys with God/Spirit/the Universe. I know you will really enjoy getting to know them and their hearts in this intimate way. Part 1 (Ep. 438) features prayers from: Susan Hinckley, Eric Samuelsen, Lisa Scott, Rick Jepson, Sonja Farnsworth, Tom Kimball, Megan Kjar Christiansen, and Richard Ostler. Part 2 (Ep. 439) features prayers from: Laurie Lee Hall, Scott Turley, Gina Colvin, Scot Denhalter, Jody England Hansen, Stephen Carter, Merrie Smithson, John Gustav-Wrathall, Fiona Givens, and Joseph Stanford Part 3 (Ep. 440) features prayers from: Becky and Shannon Linford, Mark Crego, Katie Langston, Leon Maynard, Sydnie Olsen, Greg Olsen, Carol Lynn Pearson, and Dan Wotherspoon  

In this Mormon Stories Podcast episode we interview Scott Turley and Carey Foushee who recently attended a Terryl and Fiona Givens Fireside in Arizona. We discuss the Givens' new book, The Christ Who Heals, and the role of both the Givens' and the Neo-Apologetic movement in modern Mormonism.

Fiona Givens' and Terryl Givens' most recent book, The Christ Who Heals: How God Restored the Truth That Saves Us, is remarkable. But it’s not because very many of the ideas they present are unheard of, undiscussed, or absolutely foreign to Latter-day Saints. Instead, the triumph of this book is in its distillation from many ancient and modern sources of a vision of Christ and the other members of the Godhead (Heavenly Mother and the extended Divine Council) that is gorgeous, ennobling of humankind, empowering for us in this earthly sphere, and reveals Gods who are in solidarity with us in our pains and suffering and whose only project (“work and glory”) is to patiently teach us, model for us the scope of a truly abundant type of life, and help us discern what is keeping us from seeing, understanding, and choosing steps that will help us move forward toward it. The ideas and vision that is in this book is my (host Dan Wotherspoon) favorite depiction of the Plan of Salvation (Happiness) and Christ’s Atoning work. In engenders deeper love within me for my Heavenly Parents, Savior/Healer, and Holy Companion/Paraclete/Comforter and all beings who are venturing along a Godward path—which, ultimately, is or will be everyone (with only very few exceptions). And this is so, especially as we see in it that at every step we are collaborators with the Gods in their project. And even if the depictions of Gods’ work and glory in this book aren’t exactly on the nose, or even if the whole Christian drama is purely a mythic presentation that fails to correspond with anything in the eternal realm, this vision of the Gods and Heavens are ones that I hope are true.  Yet even if not, I am inspired in wonderful ways to want to deepen my relationship with my fellow human beings and to immerse myself even more deeply into the energies I’ve felt as I have tasted experiences that seem far deeper to me than anything my senses could generate or brain could present to me. I hope you’ll listen to this podcast and consider Christ anew—or if not exactly anew as much here will be familiar to you, at least to consider what it means in your life to sense the presence at every step of a loving God, who even if you feel alone in your struggles and pain, is with you every step, and sees you and all that is blocking you from a fuller understanding. Imagine what it would be like to be “healed”!

Fiona Givens' and Terryl Givens' most recent book, The Christ Who Heals: How God Restored the Truth That Saves Us, is remarkable. But it’s not because very many of the ideas they present are unheard of, undiscussed, or absolutely foreign to Latter-day Saints. Instead, the triumph of this book is in its distillation from many ancient and modern sources of a vision of Christ and the other members of the Godhead (Heavenly Mother and the extended Divine Council) that is gorgeous, ennobling of humankind, empowering for us in this earthly sphere, and reveals Gods who are in solidarity with us in our pains and suffering and whose only project (“work and glory”) is to patiently teach us, model for us the scope of a truly abundant type of life, and help us discern what is keeping us from seeing, understanding, and choosing steps that will help us move forward toward it. The ideas and vision that is in this book is my (host Dan Wotherspoon) favorite depiction of the Plan of Salvation (Happiness) and Christ’s Atoning work. In engenders deeper love within me for my Heavenly Parents, Savior/Healer, and Holy Companion/Paraclete/Comforter and all beings who are venturing along a Godward path—which, ultimately, is or will be everyone (with only very few exceptions). And this is so, especially as we see in it that at every step we are collaborators with the Gods in their project. And even if the depictions of Gods’ work and glory in this book aren’t exactly on the nose, or even if the whole Christian drama is purely a mythic presentation that fails to correspond with anything in the eternal realm, this vision of the Gods and Heavens are ones that I hope are true.  Yet even if not, I am inspired in wonderful ways to want to deepen my relationship with my fellow human beings and to immerse myself even more deeply into the energies I’ve felt as I have tasted experiences that seem far deeper to me than anything my senses could generate or brain could present to me. I hope you’ll listen to this podcast and consider Christ anew—or if not exactly anew as much here will be familiar to you, at least to consider what it means in your life to sense the presence at every step of a loving God, who even if you feel alone in your struggles and pain, is with you every step, and sees you and all that is blocking you from a fuller understanding. What would it be like to be “healed”?

Fiona Givens is a retired modern language teacher with undergraduate degrees in French and German and a graduate degree in European history. She is now an independent scholar who has published in several journals and reviews in Mormon studies. Along with her husband, Terryl, she is the author of The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life and The Crucible of Doubt. In this extended episode, Fiona Givens discusses one of the most important concepts restored by Joseph Smith -- a Christ who heals our woundedness. Extra Resources: Episode 62 Transcript The Christ Who Heals

Fiona Givens is a retired modern language teacher with undergraduate degrees in French and German and a graduate degree in European history. She is now an independent scholar who has published in several journals and reviews in Mormon studies. Along with her husband, Terryl, she is the author of The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life and The Crucible of Doubt. In this extended episode, Fiona Givens discusses one of the most important concepts restored by Joseph Smith -- a Christ who heals our woundedness. Download Transcript

In a world increasingly prone to doubt, a foundation in Christ is the only sure basis of a durable discipleship. And for Latter-day Saints, the Jesus Christ revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith is, in some very significant ways, a different kind of Christ than the Jesus of modern Christianity. The Christ of the restored gospel collaborated with Heavenly Parents for our salvation even before the foundation of the world, "does not anything" save it be for our benefit (2 Nephi 26:24), and is determined to patiently guide and nurture every one of God's children into an eternal heavenly family. Most significantly, this Christ does not rescue us from a condition of original sin or depravity. Rather, He is primarily a healer of the wounds incident to a long-planned sojourn, one intended to immerse us in the trials, pains, and soul-stretching of this mortal schoolroom. He is not only the most remarkable being in the history of religious thought; He is, in fact, The Christ Who Heals. KSL NewsRadio's Doug Wright talks to authors Terryl and Fiona Givens about their newest book.

Join Dan Wotherspoon, Brian Birch, and Patrick Mason in part 1 of a Mormon Stories Podcast series on Mormon apologetics. In this episode we will provide a brief history of Mormon apologetics, and discuss the emergence of a new style of apologetics sometimes referred to as "Neo-Apologetics," which includes the work of Richard Bushman, Terryl and Fiona Givens, and Patrick Mason.

Join Dan Wotherspoon, Brian Birch, and Patrick Mason in part 1 of a Mormon Stories Podcast series on Mormon apologetics. In this episode we will provide a brief history of Mormon apologetics, and discuss the emergence of a new style of apologetics sometimes referred to as "Neo-Apologetics," which includes the work of Richard Bushman, Terryl and Fiona Givens, and Patrick Mason.

For many who find themselves in the middle of a faith crisis, casting about for new footing and ways of orienting to life and others, one of largest stumbling blocks is often their view of God. All of a sudden, as they find themselves far more aware of the confusion that marks life on earth, of the horrendous suffering experienced by so many, or the multitude of paths and choices we all must face, the idea of an omnipotent God who is also loving begins to crack. A frequent refrain we’ll hear is for the need to dismiss the idea of a God who regularly helps people with small things such as finding their lost keys yet who does not stop the terrible evils all around, such a that of people being sold into sexual slavery. Interestingly, for Mormons who encounter this disconnect between a God of power and God of love, already built into its theology—however, one that is too often overlooked—is a radically different view of God that mitigates some of this sting. This episode is designed to serve as a reminder of the fundamentally different view of God, God’s power, God’s life, God’s relationship with persons and other existents in this world that Mormonism holds.  And it is these views that, though they don’t make suffering go away, for many Latter-day Saints still allow them to have a deep and abiding faith in a God. For them, it is a wonderful God, even in this God's vulnerability. Fiona Givens, James McLachlan, and Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon are three such Latter-day Saints who find the LDS framing of God to be rich, deep, and empowering. They find themselves drawn toward this God who is “in the fray” with the rest of creation rather than being outside it, a God who cannot, even if God wanted to, control what unfolds in life, yet who will always return love for hate, largeness whenever faced with smallness, and who suffers “with” us as we meet life’s vicissitudes. In this two-part discussion, they describe this God and why they are attracted to this Being. They also discuss God’s power and its limits, and how this affects their views of scripture (which often depicts an angry God who destroys cities and persons), and God’s ways of intervening in things like healing. In the final section, they argue as well for the superiority of time over eternity and why a God who exists in time alongside other free agents is the only one they could ever truly love.

For many who find themselves in the middle of a faith crisis, casting about for new footing and ways of orienting to life and others, one of largest stumbling blocks is often their view of God. All of a sudden, as they find themselves far more aware of the confusion that marks life on earth, of the horrendous suffering experienced by so many, or the multitude of paths and choices we all must face, the idea of an omnipotent God who is also loving begins to crack. A frequent refrain we’ll hear is for the need to dismiss the idea of a God who regularly helps people with small things such as finding their lost keys yet who does not stop the terrible evils all around, such a that of people being sold into sexual slavery. Interestingly, for Mormons who encounter this disconnect between a God of power and God of love, already built into its theology—however, one that is too often overlooked—is a radically different view of God that mitigates some of this sting. This episode is designed to serve as a reminder of the fundamentally different view of God, God’s power, God’s life, God’s relationship with persons and other existents in this world that Mormonism holds.  And it is these views that, though they don’t make suffering go away, for many Latter-day Saints still allow them to have a deep and abiding faith in a God. For them, it is a wonderful God, even in this God's vulnerability. Fiona Givens, James McLachlan, and Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon are three such Latter-day Saints who find the LDS framing of God to be rich, deep, and empowering. They find themselves drawn toward this God who is “in the fray” with the rest of creation rather than being outside it, a God who cannot, even if God wanted to, control what unfolds in life, yet who will always return love for hate, largeness whenever faced with smallness, and who suffers “with” us as we meet life’s vicissitudes. In this two-part discussion, they describe this God and why they are attracted to this Being. They also discuss God’s power and its limits, and how this affects their views of scripture (which often depicts an angry God who destroys cities and persons), and God’s ways of intervening in things like healing. In the final section, they argue as well for the superiority of time over eternity and why a God who exists in time alongside other free agents is the only one they could ever truly love.

This episode (in two parts) is a continuation of an earlier discussion of Mercy (episode 332, March 2016) but also very different, focusing this time on “mercy” as it functions for so many as a theological concept rather than the way it should: as something transformative in our spiritual lives. The conversation starts out a bit nerdy, with host Dan Wotherspoon laying out some framings about mercy that he senses are very much in play within Mormonism, but it soon turns into a very approachable and insightful discussion of far more powerful understandings of God and the plan of salvation, and especially the concept of “sin,” than one typically encounters. Joining us again are wonderful scholars, authors, and conversationalists Mat Schmalz, Fiona Givens, and Alonzo Gaskill. This episode represents very well the wideness of views possible within Mormonism and wider Christianity, in this case Catholicism, as well as their power. If in the past you’ve been turned off by “thin” discussions of religion and the way it is presented, I think this is an episode that could help you reconsider the richness that is present but that only needs a bit of prodding to burst forth.

This episode (in two parts) is a continuation of an earlier discussion of Mercy (episode 332, March 2016) but also very different, focusing this time on “mercy” as it functions for so many as a theological concept rather than the way it should: as something transformative in our spiritual lives. The conversation starts out a bit nerdy, with host Dan Wotherspoon laying out some framings about mercy that he senses are very much in play within Mormonism, but it soon turns into a very approachable and insightful discussion of far more powerful understandings of God and the plan of salvation, and especially the concept of “sin,” than one typically encounters. Joining us again are wonderful scholars, authors, and conversationalists Mat Schmalz, Fiona Givens, and Alonzo Gaskill. This episode represents very well the wideness of views possible within Mormonism and wider Christianity, in this case Catholicism, as well as their power. If in the past you’ve been turned off by “thin” discussions of religion and the way it is presented, I think this is an episode that could help you reconsider the richness that is present but that only needs a bit of prodding to burst forth.

Mercy is a fundamental tenet of the Christian gospel and its descriptions of the attributes of God, and it certainly is a topic familiar to Latter-day Saints. But how often do we actually reflect upon it? Do we imagine it as simply a quality and an characteristic of God that we, too, should strive to attain and embody? Do we mostly think of it only in relationship to the Atonement and God’s grace? In a wonderful book, Mercy Matters: Opening Yourself to the Life-Changing Gift, Mathew N. Schmalz, a Catholic theologian and teacher, as well as a frequent conversation partner with Mormons (including here on Mormon Matters), speaks of these things but also explores mercy in many other deep and compelling ways. What is mercy’s relationship to reconciliation with others, with "letting go" of ego and our desires to be right, with compassion? How might mercy interact in revealing ways with freedom, dignity, kindness, and truth? In the realm of our relationship with God, how does mercy mesh with forgiveness, suffering, death, and life? Mercy Matters explores all of these topics, but for a theological book, it does it in a very unusual way: it is not at all abstract! Instead, it is completely immersed in Schmalz’s own life, featuring reflections on incidents (many very difficult and not the sort of things one typically expects an author to reveal about himself) as well as on various moments of mercy he has experienced. It is personal, and vulnerable, and all the more powerful for it. I highly recommend this book--as do Fiona Givens and Alonzo Gaskill, my conversation partners, along with Mathew Schmalz, in this episode.

Terryl and Fiona Givens joined me back in July of 2013 for the first episode of the Maxwell Institute Podcast, and it seems fitting that they're back on the nice round number of episode 30. Here we talk about their latest book The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections on the Quest for Faith. One of the fundamental [...] The post #30—Terryl and Fiona Givens on The Crucible of Doubt [MIPodcast] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Hip hop hurray Hooo, Hey ho. The Givens' have arrived and did not disappoint we've got conversion stories, we talk about the book "The Crucible Of Doubt" and lots of fan questions it would be hard not to, but please enjoy. And share.  

Today we sit down with LDS Scholars, Authors, and rolemodels within Mormonism, Terryl and Fiona Givens.  We talk about their book “The Crucible of Doubt”.   More specifically we speak about the themes of their book which is an effort to adjust paradigms and assumptions.  As they testify of, this is the crux of the […] The post 103: Fiona & Terryl Givens: Crucible of Doubt appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

  Terryl Givens holds the James A. Bostwick chair of English and is Professor of Literature and Religion at the University of Richmond and the author of several books. His writing has been praised by the new York Times as “provocative reading” and includes the most recent title, When Souls Had Wings, a history of […] The post Mormon FairCast-Book Review: The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections on the Quest For Faith by Terryl and Fiona Givens appeared first on FairMormon.

Part 1 of a 2-part series wherein Fiona Givens, Maxine Hanks, Margaret Young, and Neylan McBain discuss alternative Feminist approaches to the Ordain Women movement.

Part 2 of a 2-part series wherein Fiona Givens, Maxine Hanks, Margaret Young, and Neylan McBain discuss alternative Feminist approaches to the Ordain Women movement.

Among the most important and difficult wrestles in a faith transition are the struggles to move into new, better nuanced, and richer understandings of previously held concepts, as well as learning to gain greater and greater trust in our own spiritual experiences as the essential authoritative force in our lives. As Latter-day Saints in transition, two of the key areas we must wrestle with if we are to continue to find Mormonism to be a healthy home are the nature and scope of prophets and scripture. In our younger years (and to a strong degree it is still an attitude quite present in Mormon culture and Sunday instruction) we likely, and without too much personal investigation, granted great authority to prophets and scripture as reliable guides to the mind and will of God. As we’ve gotten older, we have had to face challenges to this assumption. To at least some degree, we’ve come to recognize incompatibilities among prophetic teachings and scriptural texts, and/or we’ve come to hold views that feel "right" to us (even to have been confirmed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost) that are not in alignment with current prophetic statements or scriptural interpretations. And because of this, we feel great strain upon our souls. How do we honor prophets and scripture while recognizing that their teachings are sometimes quite wrong about God’s will, or even harmful to those who either from their own over-beliefs in their infallibility or the words and attitudes of others with such over-beliefs are made to feel worthless ("worth less") to God or unwanted as members of the community? Can we still "rely" on prophets and scriptures to teach us essential truths about God, ourselves, and the keys to the greatest possible happiness? In this episode, three incredible thinkers and spiritual adventurers--Boyd Petersen, Fiona Givens, and Terryl Givens--join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon for a spirited discussion of these issues. They share their own stories in coming to trust that it is "faithful" to deconstruct unhealthy cultural assumptions and pressures regarding prophetic utterances and scriptural texts. How do they, if they do, still view prophets and scripture as "special" in some ways, even if this doesn’t mean granting them authority above their own sense of what life and Spirit are teaching them? How are they able to communicate the perspectives they have gained about these things in Sunday or other interactions with fellow Latter-day Saints?

This first episode of the Maxwell Institute Podcast features Fiona and Terryl Givens, authors of The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life. We talk briefly about the book—subjects like the character of God, premortality, and human agency—which you can learn more about in Episode 23 of “The Mormon Book Review.” This interview focuses […] The post #1- Terryl and Fiona Givens, on faith, doubt, and The God Who Weeps [MIPodcast] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Fiona Givens (MA European History, University of Richmond) recently retired from directing the French Language program at Patrick Henry High School in Ashland, Virginia. Besides education, she has worked in translation services, as a lobbyist, and as communications director of a nonprofit. A longtime collaborator in Terryl Givens' previous books, The God Who Weeps is her first co-authorship.

Anyone desiring to understand more about Mormon Christianity could find no better guides than Terryl and Fiona Givens. By masterfully weaving together insights from the best books scripture and literature, theology and philosophy Terryl and Fiona Givens bring new depth to the fundamentals of their faith. Whether you know a lot or a little about Latter-day Saint doctrine, this book will both educate and inspire you. The authors, Terryl and Fiona Givens, share five fundamental truths about the universe that their Mormon faith has taught them.

This episode was planned to be an exploration of the joys and perils of being a public face of Mormonism, especially as a woman, and in particular as women who write and speak about Mormon theology. What it ended up being is a rich, wise, affectionate, celebratory, pragmatic exploration of LDS theology, community life, and connections with ideas and people that truly are among the lovely and of good report in wider religious discourse. Using the jumping off point of Fiona and Terryl Givens’ new book, _The Good Who Weeps: How Mormons Make Sense of Life_, Fiona Givens, Joanna Brooks, Jana Riess, and Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon go deep, laugh, commiserate, but mostly celebrate the depth and richness of the Mormon vision of God, life, purposes, and possibilities.

We are proud to release Sarah Collett's recent interview of Terryl and Fiona Givens. In this episode we are introduced to some of the beautiful themes in the Givens' new book The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life. Terryl and Fiona also express their concern, empathy, and encouragement for those who experience doubt as a integral part of their relationship to faith and Mormonism. Terryl Givens (PhD Comparative Literature, UNC Chapel Hill) holds the James A. Bostwick chair of English and is professor of literature and religion at the University of Richmond. Author of several books, his writing has been praised by the New York Times as provocative reading, and includes, most recently, When Souls Had Wings, a history of the idea of premortal life in Western thought, and a biography (with Matthew Grow) of Parley Pratt (winner of the 2012 Best Book Award from the Mormon History Association). Fiona Givens (MA European History, University of Richmond) recently retired from directing the French Language program at Patrick Henry High School, in Ashland Virginia. Besides education, she has worked in translation services, as a lobbyist, and as communications director of a non-profit. A longtime collaborator in Terryls previous books, this is her first coauthorship. We are incredibly grateful for the Givens, who graciously gave of their time and thoughts for our new podcast. Please check out The God Who Weeps, as well as Terryl's recent Letter to a Doubter referenced in the interview.