Sat, 13 May 2017
Chantal Mukamurera is Rwandan. She was born in Burundi, raised in Rwanda and grew up in Germany where she joined the LDS Church and married. She's been Catholic, Mormon and is now preparing for the priesthood ordination in the Community of Christ. |
Wed, 10 May 2017
197: Global Mormonism: Azul Uribe (Part Two) - What Does Belonging Mean? (A Bicultural US Mexican Deportee)
When Azul Uribe was 11 years old she was sent from Mexico to live with her Grandmother in the US. She lived there for 15 years when she tragically discovered that she was undocumented. After a 2.5 year battle in the courts she was deported to the Mexico with a 10 year ban from reentering the US, leaving behind a life, friends and loved ones. |
Wed, 10 May 2017
196: Global Mormonism: Azul Uribe (Part One) - What Does Belonging Mean? (A Bicultural US Mexican Deportee)
When Azul Uribe was 11 years old she was sent from Mexico to live with her Grandmother in the US. She lived there for 15 years when she tragically discovered that she was undocumented. After a 2.5 year battle in the courts she was deported to the Mexico with a 10 year ban from reentering the US, leaving behind a life, friends and loved ones. |
Mon, 8 May 2017
During the month of May 2017, we look at Mormonism across the world and how an American religion makes its way into cultural, national and social systems beyond the United States. We discover that Mormonism isn't the clean and tidy fit that some have romanticised it to be. Mormons outside of the United States invariably pay a heavy tax in trying to negotiate the cultural, social, economic and political demands placed on them by their Utah-based faith tradition. Nepia Mahuika is a 6th generation LDS who was asked one too many times to choose between being Mormon or Māori. |
Sun, 30 April 2017
John Bonner (clinical social worker, singer and grower of flowers) joins me to talk about his growth into manhood as young and gay in one of the most religiously conservative areas in the Mormon corridor. He shares his story of trying to make sense of his young self in a religious and social context in which his kind of manhood was daily rejected. His story is heartbreaking but tinged with moments of delight as he gradually learns to accept, understand and love himself notwithstanding a faith tradition that has shown how little it values him. |
Mon, 24 April 2017
Blaire Ostler joins me to discuss God - God as feminine and masculine; God in Mormon theology; God as a plurality; God as a creator; God without the biological need to procreate; the God of our own imagination ...and much more. |
Fri, 21 April 2017
Daniel Hernandez, PhD Candidate at the University of Auckland, is Mayan but grew up in Rose Park, Salt Lake City, Utah among a mostly Tongan and Samoan community. As both observer and participant in the various cultures of 'Brown Utah' we discuss Kava and the importance of cultivating and preserving traditional practices that build connection to home islands. (Kava as a root extract from a plant found in the Pacific Islands and is consumed as a drink in ceremony. Both Kava drinks and the ceremonies associated have come under General Authority criticism from time to time. BYU-Hawaii and some local leaders have banned it outright.) |
Mon, 17 April 2017
The Rev. Dr. Fatimah Salleh began life as Muslim, converted as a teenager to the LDS Church, served a mission, taught LDS Institute and then, responding to a call, she attended Duke Divinity School. Following a period of discernment, she was recently ordained a Baptist minister. Her call to ministry is part of a colourful journey into finding a God for all and for the least. God is too often the product of a White Western Patriarchy and as a Black, Brown women whose spiritual life was percolated in the intersection of different faith traditions Fatimah is passionate about preaching a God that holds, loves and ministers to everyone. |
Thu, 23 March 2017
The Book of Mormon has been claimed by the LDS Church to be a history of Native Americans. While this proposition has been scaled back over the years it's still somewhat present in a literalist view of the text. But why is it that Native Americans are only rarely and then selectively consulted in the conversation as to the book's origins? Surely the church and Mormon scholars, if they take seriously this claim, should be beating a determined path to the door of Native Americans to receive their wisdom and input. But they aren't. |
Mon, 20 March 2017
Chris Smith is not LDS but has been fascinated with the tradition since he dated the local Mormon bishop's daughter in high school. His research as a religious historian has lead him to the conclusion that Joseph Smith sought to resolve 19th Century America's political conundrums allegorically through the Book of Mormon. He argues that Joseph's hope was that one day the church he established would redeem the USA and become the Kingdom of God on Earth. |
Mon, 20 March 2017
David Conley Nelson has written an extensive account of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nazi Germany in his book "Moroni and the Swastika'. Desperate to keep the church alive during World War II the Mormons exploited congruences between the faith and the Nazi Party with shocking results. |
Mon, 20 March 2017
I catch up with Sam Brown for a very quick chat about this cultural moment that sees us grappling with the question of the Book of Mormon as a 'translation'. |
Wed, 15 March 2017
Philip Barlow, Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, and the 2017 fellow at the Maxwell Institute at BYU joins me to discuss the state of Mormon Studies. We discuss the need for new conversations regarding the Book of Mormon and the place of Joseph Smith in the tradition. |
Tue, 14 March 2017
Professor Richard Bushman's contribution to contemporary Mormon Studies cannot be overstated. In this interview we discuss the need for a refreshed understanding of the idea of the 'translation' of the Book of Mormon; the imperative for a more supple Mormon conversation, and the urgency for us to speak up with candor at church. We also talk about the upcoming Mormon Art Center Festival at Riverside Church in New York City. |
Thu, 9 March 2017
Carolina Allen, founder of Big Ocean Women, discusses the motivation behind her desire to find a space for women away from some of the more aggressive politics that progressive feminism is known for. Rather than seeing a more gentle and inclusive feminism as weak, she sees a peaceful, non-combative posture as more powerful, inviting and intuitive. |
Wed, 8 March 2017
Natasha Helfer Parker, Mindy Gledhill, Jana Spangler, Andrea Radke-Moss and Rachel Hunt Steenblik discuss their experiences at the Women's March in Washington DC and New York City. Contrary to Sister Elaine Dalton's observation each of these women found the event to be sacred, peaceful and transformative. |
Wed, 8 March 2017
How did The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints become an over-bloated corporate bureaucracy? What are the implications for the way in which the church practices religion, and for the way it inspires faith? Ron and Josh Madson address these questions and share some reflections about how all of this squares up with the God's passion for justice and Jesus' call for the relief of the poor. |
Sun, 26 February 2017
A conversation about the the Disney film 'Moana', its meaning and its significance and as 'Polynesian' Mormon women. |
Fri, 24 February 2017
Mormon women, particularly those from Utah, aren't necessarily known for their assertiveness. Socialized in a heavy patriarchy, too many women are socialized to accept that surrender to the authority of masculinity is necessary for their salvation. Julie de Azevedo Hanks takes this cultural habit on in her recently published The Assertiveness Guide for Women. Drawing from her extensive research and work in this area Julie joins Gina to discuss the religious and cultural influences that might complicate a woman's desire to be assertive along with good advice about what to do about that. |
Thu, 12 January 2017
179: The Truths About Marital Intimacy: A Critique of Wendy Nelson's Sex Talk: Helfer-Parker and de Azevedo-Hanks - Part Two
A candid chat with sex, marriage and family therapists Natasha Helfer-Parker and Julie de Azevedo Hanks about Wendy Nelson's controversial talk at the January 2017 Young Single Adult World Wide Broadcast - part two |
Thu, 12 January 2017
178: The Truths About Marital Intimacy: A Critique of Wendy Nelson's Sex Talk: Helfer-Parker and de Azevedo-Hanks - Part One
A candid chat with sex, marriage and family therapists Natasha Helfer-Parker and Julie de Azevedo Hanks about Wendy Nelson's controversial talk at the January 2017 Young Single Adult World Wide Broadcast. |
Mon, 9 January 2017
Guest's from across the world share their objection to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's forthcoming appearance at Donald Trump's inauguration. |
Tue, 27 December 2016
Peter Bleakley has had an intriguing journey in Mormonism, born at BYU to British parents he grew up in England loving the Mormon theology and teachings and enjoying a life in the church that he treasures. Of late he's less pleased with the church's departure from the Mormonism he came to love and has much to say these days about the seemingly uninspired corporatization of the church. Yet, he remains on the pews, faithfully serving, but with hope that one day Mormonism will recapture the vision that once had his heart. |
Tue, 20 December 2016
Recently 16-year-old Abel Nelson's Sunday School Teacher asked her students to submit questions that they might have about the church. Abel discusses these questions with host, Gina Colvin. |
Sat, 17 December 2016
Recently released Bishop, Richard Ostler reflects on his ministry to the hundreds of young people on the fringes of the church in his YSA Ward in Magna, Utah. |
Wed, 7 December 2016
While in the United States LDS church finances are not publically accessible, this isn't the case in Commonwealth countries where the LDS church is usually registered as a charitable trust. In this episode Chris Mace gives an overview of the annual financial reports of Canada, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland. |
Mon, 5 December 2016
When Isabella Parker (Witchita, Kansas) was 14 years old she joined her school's Gay Straight Alliance and she submitted a profile to Ordain Women. At the same time she was also called to be the Mia Maid Class President. When her bishop discovered Isabella's social justice activities, things changed dramatically for her and her family. |
Sun, 27 November 2016
Part Two of Enmeshed Family Systems. A discussion with psychoanalyst Wendy Christian about enmeshment and differentiation in the Mormon context. |
Sun, 27 November 2016
Part one of the Enmeshed Mormon Family Systems episode. In this episode Lacey, Paula and Delilah discuss their experiences being in enmeshed families and they reflect on the effect on their family when their engagement with the church shifted or when they differentiated. |
Fri, 18 November 2016
The Open Stories Foundation Podcast team gather together to discuss the fall-out over the US Elections. They offer some advice on how to get through this somewhat divisive and challenging time. |
Wed, 16 November 2016
A conversation with Mormon political commentators Brad Kramer, Joshua Madson, Mehrsa Baradaran about the US Presidential elections. They tackle the question 'What happened to America?' & 'What happened to the Mormons?' |
Tue, 15 November 2016
Mica McGriggs, Kalani Tonga and Fatimah Salleh discuss what it means to be women of colour in an American church that so overwhelmingly voted for a candidate who leveraged American's deep-seated racism to win the 2016 Presidential election.
Direct download: 167_Racism_Mormonism_and_the_US_Presidential_Election.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:47pm NZDT |
Sat, 12 November 2016
One of the core teachings of the LDS church is that everyone is born with an essential gender identity based on one's biological sex. Either you are male or female. Intersex upsets the notion that there are always clear biological sex distinctions. Emily Quinn has XY chromosomes, she has no ovaries, no uterus but identifies as a girl - with testes, demonstrating how muddied the idea of the binary male/female can be. |
Wed, 2 November 2016
A discussion with Dakota Professor Elise Boxer about the Dakota Access Pipeline and the sacred work of protecting our environment in a world filled with corporate greed. |
Mon, 31 October 2016
A conversation with contemporary spiritual artist J.Kirk Richards about the power of art to create social disruption. |
Sun, 30 October 2016
In late October 2016 the LDS replaced their Mormons and Gays orphan/unofficial website with a new site linked to LDS.org. While softer in tone Kimberly Anderson, Lisa Tensmeyer Hansen and Natasha Helfer Parker raise some important critical questions about its usefulness particularly in therapeutic contexts.
Direct download: 163-_Mormon_and_Gay-__A_response_to_the_LDS_Church_Website.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:54pm NZDT |
Fri, 28 October 2016
What happens when a life that seemed so perfect implodes and you are left to reassemble everything? Suzy Benson Billies tells her story about her recovery and growth and the joy that waiting for her on the other side of suffering. |
Wed, 12 October 2016
Part two of a collaboration with Lindsay Hansen Park from 'A Year of Polygamy' where we discuss the new book 'The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy' with author Carol Lynn Pearson.
Direct download: Carol_Lynn_Pearson-__The_Ghost_of_Eternal_Polygamy.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:28am NZDT |
Wed, 12 October 2016
Part One of a collaboration with Lindsay Hansen Park from 'A Year of Polygamy'. We discuss Carol Lynn Pearson's new book - 'The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy.' |
Thu, 6 October 2016
Assistant Director of Sunstone, Lindsay Hansen Park and Gina Colvin discuss the state, purpose and future of progressive Mormonism. |
Sat, 10 September 2016
A discussion with Ordain Women Chair Bryndis Roberts about the latest OW actions along with a consideration of the feminine divine in Mormonism.
Direct download: Bryndis_Roberts_-_Awakening_the_Mother_God_in_the_Church_Track_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:35pm NZDT |
Mon, 5 September 2016
Noah Rasheta shares his thoughts on Buddhist practice and how it can be integrated into a Mormon life.
Direct download: Noah_Rasheta_Secular_Buddhism_for_Mormons.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:59am NZDT |
Sun, 4 September 2016
A conversation with writer and philosophy professor Adam Miller about his new book Future Mormon. |
Mon, 15 August 2016
A conversation with a co-director of the Mormon Women's Oral History Project, Liz Johnson about what it means to collect stories from ordinary Mormon women, the power and the importance of them for Mormon women's history. |
Wed, 10 August 2016
Gary McNaughton, Roy Hann and Nathan McCluskey discuss American Mormon Cultural Imperialism and its effects in Scotland. |
Fri, 1 July 2016
In this discussion we talk about the issues related to LGBTQ Mormon Youth suicide and how we can build more loving, inclusive and compassionate communities for all regardless of sexual orientation.
Direct download: 153-Parkinson_and_Christofferson-__Talking_LDS_LGBT_Youth_Suicide.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:34pm NZDT |
Wed, 29 June 2016
Executive Director of the Kaizan Foundation - an American non-profit who specializes in sending groups of young people to orphanages in the Global South.
Direct download: Josh_Brazier-_Missions_American_Saviors_Serving_and_Becoming_Teachable___.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:04am NZDT |
Tue, 21 June 2016
A further conversation with Thomas McConkie, author of Navigating Mormon Faith Crisis: A Simple Development Map about developing a compassionate response in hard spiritual times.
Direct download: Thomas_McConkie-_A_Compassionate_Response.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:55pm NZDT |
Sat, 21 May 2016
A discussion with Exponent II board member Suzette Smith about her faith journey, and her passion for Mormonism's oldest and most well established feminist magazines. |
Fri, 13 May 2016
A discussion with American and Religious Artist Greg Olsen about his work and what it means to paint Jesus. |
Tue, 10 May 2016
A discussion with Brad Levin, a founder of Free BYU, about the practices and policies that discriminate against st udents who change their beliefs or disaffiliate from the LDS Church, and what FreeBYU are doing about it. |
Mon, 25 April 2016
Gina's interview with Lynn Packer about his book "Lying for the Lord" that covers the story of Paul H. Dunn's sanction. |
Mon, 25 April 2016
Part two of Henning Muller's interview with Lynne Packer. |
Mon, 25 April 2016
In the Parts One and Two Henning interviews Lynn about his life, work with broadcasting in Vietnam, his interaction with and feelings for his uncle Boyd and the events that led up to the publication of the Book “Lying for the Lord – The Paul H. Dunn Stories” as well as the AFCO Fraud scandal where Paul Dunn had acted as co-president. We also discuss Lynn’s thoughts on the LDS Church’s stance on contemporary issues. |
Thu, 14 April 2016
Jensen and McKay have recently edited a collection of essays from 33 US Mormons about their thoughts on 21st century Zion. We discuss contemporary notions of Zion and discover there is still much to say about this transcendent idea. |
Sun, 10 April 2016
Tariq Khan an anti-authoritarian and anti-colonial activist and Mormon with Muslim Pakistani roots discusses the current political context that has lead to the rise of fascism in the United States fueled by Donald Trump. |
Sat, 2 April 2016
Mormon Millennial and Blogger Jon Ogden challenges us to find a balanced intersection between truth, beauty and goodness as a way of managing faith crisis. |
Mon, 21 March 2016
Atlanta based attorney Bryndis Roberts is the chair-elect of Ordain Women. In 2008 Bryndis joined the LDS church from the Black Baptist church, served for a number of years as a Relief Society President in an inner city Atlanta Ward soon discovering several concerns with gender inequality in Mormon leadership. In this podcast Bryndis talks about why she is so passionate about women's ordination. We discuss the hope that she believes gender equality will offer the church in terms of its spiritual health and survival.
Direct download: Bryndis_Roberts-__The_Future_of_Ordain_Women.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:49pm NZDT |
Tue, 15 March 2016
Author and scholar Charles Inouye discusses his book The End of World: Plan B, A Guide for the Future. |
Thu, 3 March 2016
A discussion with feminist theologian and scholar Caroline Kline. |
Sun, 21 February 2016
Author and academic Mehrsa Baradaran joins me to discuss her unique Mormon upbringing, her work on Wall Street, and the Christian ethics of the financial system. |
Mon, 15 February 2016
A Discussion with change designer Russ Osmond. |
Mon, 15 February 2016
A discussion with change designer Russ Osmond. |
Sat, 6 February 2016
A discussion with author Patrick Mason about his book "Planted": Belief and belonging in an age of doubt.
Direct download: Patrick_Mason_Tackling_the_Hard_Questions.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:06pm NZDT |
Mon, 25 January 2016
In this discussion we talk about faith and its meanings in Mormonism. We consider Robin Meyer's 2013 Beecher Lectures at Yale at wonder together about his proposition that Faith IS Crisis.
Direct download: Re-articulating_Faith-__A_Discussion.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:08pm NZDT |
Mon, 18 January 2016
A frank and open conversation with three insightful Mormon lesbian and gay youth. |
Fri, 8 January 2016
A discussion with author Patrick Mason about his book 'Planted - Belief and Belonging in an Age of Doubt.' Including co-host Dan Wotherspoon of Mormon Matters and Boyd Peterson editor of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon thought.
Direct download: Patrick_Mason-_Planted_-_Belief_and_Belonging_in_an_Age_of_Doubt.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:35pm NZDT |
Fri, 1 January 2016
A discussion with Greg Prince about this cultural moment in Mormonism.
Direct download: Greg_Prince-_Analyzing_this_Mormon_Moment.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:54pm NZDT |
Thu, 17 December 2015
A conversation with Mormon subversive and Mormon social media celebrity Jerilyn Hassell Pool.
Direct download: Jerilyn_Hassel_Pool-__Plumbing_the_Depths.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:36pm NZDT |
Tue, 8 December 2015
Indie pop musician Mindy Gledhill joins us at A Thoughtful Faith to discuss her life, her career, her personal politics and her changing world view. |
Sat, 21 November 2015
A discussion with Mormon feminist scholar Joanna Brooks. |
Thu, 12 November 2015
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Mon, 9 November 2015
Direct download: Church_Policy_Changes_and_their_Legal_Contexts.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:46pm NZDT |
Wed, 4 November 2015
A discussion with Julie Hanks from Hollywood to Utah, from music to counselling. |
Sun, 25 October 2015
Author Thomas McConkie discusses his book "Navigating Mormon Faith Crisis: A simple developmental map.
Direct download: Thomas_Wirthlin_McConkie-_Navigating_Mormon_Faith_Crisis.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00pm NZDT |
Sat, 24 October 2015
Direct download: Kristy_Money-_Processing_Church_Essay_Exasperation.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:26pm NZDT |
Wed, 21 October 2015
A Discussion with popular blogger C.Jane Kendrick.
Direct download: C.Jane_Kendrick-_Life_Under_the_Spotlight.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:58am NZDT |
Mon, 12 October 2015
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Mon, 12 October 2015
Sermons by Trace Rogers (Come Unto Christ), Doug Christensen (Holiness) and Fatimah Salleh (The Book of Mormon). |
Wed, 7 October 2015
Kristina Tenney, Marion Fust Saeternes and Wiktoria Heinz discuss the tensions when trying to negotiate their own culture and Mormon culture.
Direct download: Mormonism_through_the_eyes_of_Swedish_Woman_Part_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00pm NZDT |
Wed, 7 October 2015
Kristina Tenney, Marion Fust Saeternes and Wiktoria Heinz discuss their experiences negotiating the tensions between their birth culture and Mormon culture.
Direct download: Mormonism_through_the_eyes_of_Swedish_Women_Part_One.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:59pm NZDT |
Mon, 21 September 2015
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Mon, 21 September 2015
Direct download: Jana_Riess_-_The_Roots_of_a_Vibrant_Faith_Life.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:59am NZDT |
Wed, 9 September 2015
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Fri, 4 September 2015
John Dehlin discusses the evolution of his faith life, his work as founder and host of Mormon Stories and his subsequent excommunication. |
Fri, 4 September 2015
John Dehlin discusses the evolution of his faith live, his work as founder and host of Mormon Stories and his subsequent excommunication. |
Fri, 4 September 2015
John Dehlin discusses the evolution of his faith life, his work as the founder and host of Mormon Stories and his subsequent excommunication. |
Tue, 1 September 2015
Award winning psychiatrist discusses her new book 'Mission Possible' and the issue of mental health disorders among missionaries.
Direct download: Marlene_Payne-Mental_Health_and_the_Missionary.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:37pm NZDT |
Sun, 30 August 2015
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Tue, 25 August 2015
Mormonism, Liberation Theology, and Womanism: A conversation with Fatimeh Salleh and Janan Graham Russell
A conversation with Fatimeh Salleh and Janan Graham Russell about black liberation theology and womanism within (or without) Mormonism
Direct download: Mormonism_Lliberation_Theology_and_Womanism.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:12am NZDT |
Mon, 24 August 2015
Corbin Volluz, Emily Thorne and Brian Dillman talk the Atonement, pornography and grace. |
Sun, 26 July 2015
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Mon, 13 July 2015
Direct download: 106-_Joseph_Peterson_Talking_Church_Public_Relations.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:13pm NZDT |
Sun, 12 July 2015
A regular series of church talks from around the world. |
Sun, 28 June 2015
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Sun, 28 June 2015
Kris Black discusses her her resignation from the LDS church and her recent rebaptism.
Direct download: Kris_Black_-_on_her_resignation_and_her_rebaptism.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:46pm NZDT |
Sat, 20 June 2015
A discussion with Bryndis Roberts about the June 17th 2015 murders at that Emmanual AME Church in Charleston South Carolina.
Direct download: Bryndis_Roberts_-_Processing_the_Charleston_Church_Murders_as_a_Black_LDS_Woman.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:51pm NZDT |
Mon, 15 June 2015
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Mon, 15 June 2015
Rock Waterman discusses his excommunication
Direct download: 101_Rock_Waterman_-_On_Being_Excommunicated_Part_Two.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:12am NZDT |
Mon, 15 June 2015
Rock Waterman discusses his excommunicated
Direct download: 101_Rock_Waterman-_On_Being_Excommunicated_Part_One.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:09am NZDT |