In the Bible, the prophet Nathan used a story about lambs to help King David recognize his errors with Bathsheba. Why did he take that approach rather than being direct? In this episode, Dr. Stephan Taeger shares his research on the power of teaching using the concept of “distance” in stories to help learners recognize truth and overcome self-deception, leading to positive Christ-like change.  Publications: “Alive to the Other: Using Distance to Help Listeners Overcome Self-Deception” (Homiletic, 2023) “Using Narrative Distance to Invite Transformative Learning Experiences” (Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, 2020) “Using Elements of Narrative to Engage Students” (Religious Educator, 2015) Click here to learn more about professor Stephan Taeger

Do members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have better, the same, or worse mental health when compared to members of other religions, or those of no religion?  Despite some popular narratives, what does peer-reviewed academic research find? In this episode, professor Justin Dyer takes us into what the collective scholarly publications between 2005-2022 have to say on this important subject, and the reasons why more active Latter-day Saints tend to have better mental health.  Publications: “Religion, Mental Health, and the Latter-Day Saints: A Review of Literature 2005–2022” (Religions, 2023) “Perspective: What 18 years of research tells us about the mental health of Latter-day Saints” (Deseret News, 2023) “Perspective: Faith is a factor in good mental health. Why are so many people unable to see this?” (Deseret News, 2023) “Choosing Christ’s Light Burden” (BYU Devotional, 2023) Click here to learn more about professor Justin Dyer

About one third of the book of Isaiah is quoted in the Book of Mormon. A challenge can arise, however, with what is known as Deutero-Isaiah. This is a theory that there were additional authors who wrote portions of Isaiah after Lehi and his family fled Jerusalem with the brass plates. Because the Book of Mormon quotes from these portions, some have thought that these quotations are out of place. In this episode, professor Joshua Sears summarizes Latter-day Saint approaches to Deutero-Isaiah in the Book of Mormon. Publications: “Deutero-Isaiah in the Book of Mormon: Latter-day Saint Approaches” in They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon (RSC, 2022) Click here to learn more about professor Joshua Sears

Readers often approach the Book of Mormon spiritually, seeking for inspiration and application, or apologetically to know or defend its truthfulness. Those are excellent and needful ways to approach the text. But they aren’t the only ways.  The Book of Mormon can also be approached narratively, literarily, theologically, historically, politically, or socially, to name a few. In this episode, Dr. Joseph Spencer guides listeners into the current world of Book of Mormon studies and the myriad ways the inspired text can, and should be, explored. Publications: Book of Mormon Studies: An Introduction and Guide (RSC/Deseret Book, 2022) Click here to learn more about professor Joseph Spencer

"Mother" is a role that takes on many forms as women guide and nurture the human family. While many of us have mother figures we admire in the present day, what about our motherly role models from the past? In this episode, Professor Avram Shannon from the BYU department of ancient scripture and his wife Thora Shannon examine the examples of several mother figures in the Old Testament, how these women shaped and blessed the whole human family and the House of Israel--and why their examples are crucial for us today. Publications: “Models of Motherhood: Expansive Mothering in the Old Testament” (Religious Educator, 2022) Click here to learn more about professor Avram Shannon