Ben and Shiloh talk about the letters from Joseph Smith to the Church while he was in hiding concerning the new and unique doctrine of baptism for the dead. These letters show an increasing complexity in Joseph's understanding of the "Mormon Cosmology" and in how the Plan of Salvation operates. By the time these letters were written in 1842, Joseph had already started secretly engaging in the practice of plural marriage (showing that he had been thinking of the eternal nature of men and women and of humanity's eternal relationships) and had participated in the rites of the newly established Freemasonry lodge in Nauvoo (which added a new layer of…

Shiloh and guest co-host Christopher Hurtado talk about the early Saints' consistent divine call to create sacred space. Whether in Kirtland, Jackson County, Caldwell County, Daviess County, or Nauvoo, the Saints are instructed to construct a temple in order to perform sacred ordinances or to have revealed sacred things. When, in the New Testament, the Jews asked for a sign of authority for Jesus Christ's actions in driving out the money changers of the temple, he answered by saying "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The people, thinking he was talking about the physical temple of stone, did not understand that "he spake of…

Ben and Shiloh are excited to talk about D&C 121, and they find that there are always new rich and beneficial conversations about the scriptures whenever we approach them with excitement. This week's readings come from the time when Joseph and his companions were in Liberty Jail. Liberty Jail becomes a pivotal moment in Joseph's life as he is not really the same person who comes out of that experience as he was when he went into it. In these particular sections we can see, hear, and feel Joseph's trauma, and we can see that God is responding to and comforting Joseph in specific ways that are unique to his…

Shiloh and Ben discuss some history of the early Saints' early persecution that is not often talked about in Sunday school. These sections comprise the period in Missouri after the Saints left Kirtland in 1837 until the Missouri "Extermination Order" in October 1838. While the relationship between the early Saints and the Missourians was not perfect in 1838 it was functional and, some historians argue, had begun to heal and mend since the Jackson County expulsion in 1834 and the Clay County expulsion in 1836. However, relationships between the Saints and their Missouri neighbors took a radical downturn in the summer and fall of 1838 leading to Governor Boggs' famous…

Ben is joined again by Christopher Hurtado in a discussion about D&C Sections 111-114. The Saints are anxious about their future and ability to establish the Church according to the revelations. The Lord tells them that they need not be concerned with outcomes. He will take care of their debts and the destiny of Zion. They are invited to simply labor with Him. They are to take of their cross and feed His sheep. As we take upon ourselves the name of Christ, the scriptures about Christ become scriptures about us. The priesthood is the power of God to redeem Zion through gentleness, meekness, and love, without compulsion. How does…

Ben is joined by Christopher Hurtado for a discussion about the Kirtland Temple dedication. How did the early Saints view the temple and what does the Lord invite us to by way of the symbolism of the temple itself? Does God need a building or is the structure a mode by which we manifest our intention as a people? Prayer is often perceived as a way to inform or persuade God, but if God's knowledge and will are perfect, prayer can only be a mode of changing us and our perceptions to align with God's. How does Joseph Smith's dedicatory prayer show us a pattern of worship and prayer? What…

Shiloh is joined with guest co-host Christopher Hurtado to discuss modality in terms of the priesthood. Modes are, in a sense, stories that we believe in as real and that we pour our intentionality into to produce experiences. By "story" it is not necessarily to say a "fiction," but it is a narrative that frames our belief(s) and that we combine with our faith unto action. When we say something as simple as "I am going to go pray to God," we often do not take into account the richness and complexities of the assumed stories and expectations that go into that short phrase. In that statement is the assumption…

Ben and Shiloh discuss some of the history and context of Zion's Camp. These were unprecedented times for the early Saints, and there was a lot of uncertainty about the problems in Missouri. Were they to abandon Jackson County entirely? But what of the prophecies of the New Jerusalem there? How would they get their property back? Would they have to fight? Would the law support them? The Missouri governor, Governor Dunklin, was somewhat sympathetic to the Saints and had made certain promises to help them regain their land, but these promises ultimately failed. There was a lot of violent rhetoric and metaphor used by the Saints and church leaders…

Shiloh and Ben open up about their experiences in studying the Constitution as BYU students and their journey into peace studies. Section 98 is a type of bridge in their life between the Lord's justification of his people to follow the principles in the Constitution that protects the rights and freedoms of all people and the Lord's command to "renounce war and proclaim peace." How often do we really "renounce war," and does it mean to "proclaim peace." How often do we unwittingly assume that "peace" is what naturally follows when everyone finally agrees with us? How often do we think that "peace" is what Jesus Christ brings when he…

Ben and Shiloh discuss the concepts of "unclean" and "chasten." Are these concepts to be taken as metaphysical reality, or are they epistemic ideas that help us break through the layers of perception of the false self? The gospel of Jesus Christ provides many modalities of experiencing God, and in the restored gospel narrative, such as in Section 89 with the Word of Wisdom, we have a front seat view in learning how many of these modes are created. As we pour our intentionality into these modes, we awaken and are made aware of the reality of God that is always already existent around us at all times. God's work…