Student Reading: Moses 4:2, D&C 19:16–19; D&C 76:40–42; Job 38:4–7; D&C 138:55–56; Abraham 3:22–28; Alma 42:9, 14; D&C 29:40–43; Articles of Faith 1:3; Alma 40:11–14; Alma 42:11–13, 15; D&C 76:111; D&C 88:14–16

Additional Teacher Reading: Alma 24:14; 42:5; Moses 6:62; Alma 42:8, 16; Jacob 6:8; Alma 12:25–33; Alma 41:2; Alma 42:15, 31; Alma 42:8; D&C 76:24; 2 Nephi 2:24–26; Alma 34:8–9; Moses 4:1, 3; D&C 29:36; D&C 29:36–38; 76:25–27; Moses 4:4; Moses 5:11; Alma 12:24; Moses 2:28; D&C 93:40; 131:1–4; 138:48; D&C 29:39; 2 Nephi 2:11–13; D&C 58:27–28; 101:78; 2 Nephi 2:25–27; Alma 34:34; D&C 137:7–9; 138:30–34; D&C 128:6–8, 15; Alma 11:42; D&C 93:33; Alma 11:43–45; D&C 76:51; Alma 12:32

“The Plan of Salvation” broad in scope, puts this life in perspective. It places us as the main character in a cosmic drama and represents one of Mormonism’s greatest contributions to religious thought. We are eternal, spiritual beings at the crucial junction in our path to perfection. At the same time, this current life is what we know best. How does this perspective influence our lives and decisions? How should it? How can we balance working toward eternal goals with quality of life now, this life and the life to come? This episode will tackle these critical issues.

Please post your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access the Reading Notes here.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Recommended Resources 

• Encyclopedia of Mormonism on Plan of Salvation
• Terryl Givens’ book on the idea of the Preexistence in Western thought 
• Barry Schwartz on Wisdom 
• A Short Stay in Hell, a brief, disturbing, and profoundly paradigm shifting reflection on the nature of eternity
• “Save me from myself”, A Freakonomics episode on why we need to trick ourselves into making the decisions we really want to make
• A series of talks on what makes us happy 
• The documentary, Happy
• A beautiful reflection on the value of this life and how all we have is “now” 
• Two talks by Dan Ariely about how our environment influences our decisions, obstacles to making good ones, and what makes us feel good about the work we do.
• An entertaining summary of the “simple” Plan of Salvation
• Daniel Dennett on agency

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his quick post-production.

Laura and Brian are joined by Mormon Historian Devery Anderson. They begin by discussing the Explanatory Introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants and some of the differences in the several editions, followed by an examination of the circumstances behind Section 1, with emphasis on the phrase “the only true and living church” from verse 30.

Note: Text & Context will likely end up being a “miniseries” of episodes exploring the literary and historical context of the Doctrine & Covenants. As soon as we map out all the episodes we will put this in its own podcast stream.

Thanks to William Newman for doing the postproduction.

Student Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 95; 109; 110; Our Heritage, pages 33–36; D&C 88:119; D&C 97:15–16; D&C 101:22; D&C 124:39

Additional Teacher Reading: 2 Nephi 5:16; Mosiah 1:10; 2:1; 3 Nephi 11:1; Malachi 4:5–6; D&C 97:15–17  Acts 2:1–4 Abraham 2:9–11; D&C 138:53–56

Is there any aspect of Mormonism more simultaneously distinctive to outsiders, emphasized to insiders, yet misunderstood by pretty much everyone as the temple? These majestic edifices represent the pinnacle of Mormon worship and represent great sacrifice. Service at the temple involves high ritual and embodied worship to a degree unknown elsewhere in the faith. Yet far too often, members don’t feel empowered and illuminated in this House of God. The goal of this episode is to help listeners improve their relationship with the temple. 

In this episode we will discuss:

• The role of the temple in the contemporary Church
• What it means to us
• How we talk about it
• Temples in church history 
• Temples in the ancient world
• Temples in the Bible
• Thoughts on how we can make our relationship with the temple more meaningful and valuable

Look forward to coverage of points such as temple clothing, Adam and Eve, and the symbolism of the Plan of Salvation in the temple, as well as a discussion of how the experience may differ for men and women.

Please post your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes here

You can access my Reading Notes here

Suggested Resources

• Devery Anderson’s history of temple worship (and he will be on the podcast!) 
• Temple Ordinances entry in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism
• Matthew Brown, Symbols in Stone on Temple symbolism
• Michael Wilcox’s House of Glory
• Sacred Symbols: Finding Meaning in Rites, Rituals, and Ordinances 
• Richard Bennett on the commencement of endowments and sealings for the dead in BYU Studies
• An interview on the relationship between Mormonism and Masonry
• A longer, multi-part discussion on the connections between Mormonism and Masonry

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his amazingly quick post production. If he gets any faster, he will be editing before I record!

Student Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 59:13–14, 21; 119; 120; Genesis 14:18–20; Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:8–12 (cf. 3 Nephi 13:16–18); D&C 64:23; 119; Isaiah 58:5–11; D&C 59:13–16

Additional Teacher Reading: Matthew 6:16–18; 2 Corinthians 9:6–8; (JST Matthew 4:2) Luke 4:2–14

This lesson is about sacrifices, one easier than the other–tithing and fasting (guess which is which). Money is one of those topics considered impolite to discuss, and the message that all we have belongs to God and therefore God should be able to command what we should do with it is certainly a bold and often unwelcome claim!

In this lesson we will explore

• How tithing functions and is talked about at Church
• Tithing in early Church history
• Tithing in the Bible
• Personal approaches to tithing.
• Fasting and fast offerings
• The core question of how we can give of our substance to further God’s work in responsible, effective ways.

And above all this lesson will invite reflection on the relationship between tithing, fast offerings, and other worthy giving.

I am heartbroken to say that for the first (and only!) time, I forgot to push record for the discussion! So this is an unusual episode. Following the lesson, Bonnie and I try to reconstruct and give some of the feel of an earlier epic conversation with Bonnie, Rock, Kevin, and John. The episode then has my portion of the earlier conversation which was recorded.

Feel free to continue the conversation by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

You can access my Reading Notes here.

(I apologize neither is more complete than usual; I had a crazy week!)

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for heroic work getting this messy episode in shape.

Resources

Tithing

• Encyclopedia of Mormonism entry on Tithing
• History of Tithing
• Blog post about Church finances from a member in New Zealand
• Rock Waterman’s carefully researched post about the history and nature of tithing
• Thoughtful reflections about how what is “tithable income” at By Common Consent
• The benefits of tithing from a broader perspective

Fasting

• Medical benefits of fasting

Charity

• Guidelines for choosing a good charity
• Charity navigator
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Bill Gates voluntarily gave up his status as wealthiest person in the world because of his philanthropy.
• Kiva microloans.

Student Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 59; Bible Dictionary, “Sabbath,” pages 764–65; 3 Nephi 18:6–7; Exodus 20:8–11;  Isaiah 58:13–14; Mark 2:23–28; Mosiah 18:23;

Additional Teacher Reading: D&C 20:77, 79; D&C 25:12; D&C 64:34; D&C 97:8;  D&C 109:13; Genesis 2:1–3;  Exodus 31:13–17; Matthew 12:12; Luke 13:10–17; John 5:1–19; 1 Corinthians 11:28–29; Topical Guide, “Sabbath,” 441; 3 Nephi 18:29; Mormon 9:29

The pace of modern life is unrelenting. Too many of us never stop. We never rest. We are always available, always on call–a text message away from work and distraction. There is wisdom is pausing, stopping for a moment, having times of quiet and reflection. And this is the purpose of the Sabbath, a term that means “to stop or rest.”

This lesson will review the history of the Sabbath in both Jewish and Christian contexts, discuss the role the Sabbath plays in current Church culture, and finally explore our need for times of rest and renewal.

Nathan, Dorothy and Michael discuss the lesson, with Michael providing an experienced take on the Sabbath from a Jewish perspective.

You can access my Lesson Notes here

You can access my Reading Notes here.

Resources:

• The Sabbath World by Judith Shulevitz
• 24/6, a book by a doctor about the need and health benefits of a weekly pause.
• Podcast on the Sabbath World (also can be found on iTunes)
• A TED talk on the importance of time off and rest
• A RadioWest episode about sleep, because the Sabbath is a “day of rest” in more ways than one, and similar principles to both types of rest.
• and RadioLab on sleep, just cause.

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his amazing work editing, with the fastest turnaround time ever!

Student Reading: D&C 46; Articles of Faith 1:7; 1 Corinthians 12–13; Moroni 10:8–18; Our Heritage, pages 42–43, 47–48, 63,

Additional Teacher Reading: D&C 42:13–14,D&C 43:8, D&C 50, D&C 88:122, 2 Nephi 33:1

• Spiritual gifts in Church History, including the manifestations of spiritual gifts to women
• Spiritual gifts in the Biblical tradition
• Spiritual gifts in other religions
• Spiritual gifts in human nature, with an emphasis on differing gifts

Carl, Jessica, Lisa and Ryan provide a rewarding and illuminating discussion.

And for the first time, download or listen to our bonus discussion here! Ryan’s gifted wife Christa shares her perspective.

You can access my Reading Notes here.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Continue the conversation by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

Resources

• Daughters of Light, a book by Carol Lynn Pearson about spiritual gifts among women in the early Church. Unfortunately out of print so you need to find it used.
• The moral roots of liberals and conservatives, a TED talk by Jonathan Haidt about how we are wired to be liberal or conservative, and how we desperately need both perspectives.
• William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience.

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his timely post-production.

Student Reading:  Doctrine and Covenants 42:30–42; 51; 78; 82; 104:11–18; Our Heritage, page 26; 4 Nephi 1:3; D&C 49:20; D&C 105:5

Additional Teacher Reading: D&C 19:26;D&C 29:34–35;D&C 64:34; D&C70:14; D&C72:3–4; D&C83:5–6;  D&C 92:1;D&C 104;D&C 107:99;  Moses 7:18;Acts 4:32, 34–35;  4 Nephi 1:1–3, 12–13, 15.Psalm 24:1;Jacob 2:17

Why is “mine!” often among our first words? One of the most sensitive, difficult, and important questions involves resource allocation. Who gets what? Who has the right to what? Is there a minimum of resources that every person deserves? What level of inequality is ethical? What makes possession ethical?

The Law of Consecration holds a complex status in Church practice and culture. Everyone understands tithing, but what is consecration? Is it the same as the United Order? Does it mean no one can have more than anyone else? We still promise to obey it, but how does that impact the way we live?

The powerful message of the Law of Consecration is that all things belong to the Lord, and that God desires that we use our property to care for those in need. This lesson will discuss:

• Scriptures relating to the Law of Consecration, including the themes of unity and equality in the New Testament and Book of Mormon 
• The theology behind the Law of Consecration
• The historical context of this principle
• The realities of economic inequality today which make this principle so vital to understand and responsibly implement

Jared, Jennifer, and Heber provide an insightful discussion.

Continue the conversation by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

You can access my Reading Notes here.

Resources

• Steven Harper’s discussion of the Law of Consecration
• Compelling video about wealth inequality in America
• TED talk on how wealth inequality harms societies
• Orson Scott Card parable about Consecration
• Economist article on problems with growing wealth inequality
• Inequality put in perspective, if the world were a village of 100 people
• Ways to help the poorest in the world
• Efforts to help and empower women–probably the most effective way to solve the world’s problems
• The Life You Can Save
• Kiva Microloans

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for post-production.

Additional Teacher Reading: D&C 5:10, Heading D&C 67, Heading D&C 69, eighth article of faith, 1 Nephi 13:24–28, D&C 35:20; 37:1; 45:60–61; 73:3–4; 93:53, Genesis 5:18–24, Luke 3:37, Hebrews 11:5, Jude 1:14–15, Moses 6:21–68, Moses 7:1–69, Matthew 4, Heading D&C 76, D&C 76:15–19, Matthew 3:16–17; John 4:24; Acts 7:55,  Joseph Smith—History 1:17; D&C 130:1, 22,  Genesis 1:27,  Moses 6:8–9,  Ephesians 2:20; 4:11–16,  D&C 107:23, 33, 35, 39, 58; 112:30–32,  Hebrews 6:20; 7:17,  D&C 84:19–25; 107:1–8, 18–19;  Hebrews 7:11,  D&C 13; 84:18, 26–27, 30; 107:1, 13–14, 20, Matthew 3:16,  3 Nephi 11:22–26; Moroni 8:8–12; D&C 20:71–74,  Acts 8:17;  D&C 20:41, 43; 35:6; 121:46,  Jeremiah 1:4–5,  D&C 93:29; Abraham 3:22–26,  1 Corinthians 15:29,  D&C 128:16–18,  Job 19:25–26; John 5:28–29; 1 Corinthians 15:22,  Alma 11:42–45,   1 Corinthians 15:40–42,  D&C 76:50–112; 131:1,  Genesis 2:24; 1 Corinthians 11:11,  D&C 131:1–4; 132:19,  Romans 8:17,  D&C 88:107; 93:20; 132:20–24

We usually don’t stop to think about it, but our conceptions of the nature of scripture play a key role in our understanding of spiritual reality. The fundamental question is: Do we use scripture to understand the rest of reality, or do we need to use other evidence first to understand the nature of scripture? Or is there a way where they can inform each other? So for example, do we take the scriptural descriptions of God at face value and try to understand life using that framework, or do we use our personal experiences and other sources to understand God and then use that understanding to engage with the scriptural accounts?

This lesson explores the scriptural contributions of Joseph Smith, and a key goal will be to explore the nature of Joseph’s revelations and the new scripture he brought forth, as well as their significance. This new scripture includes:

• Book of Mormon 
• Book of Commandments–>Doctrine & Covenants
• Book of Moses/Joseph Smith Translation
• Book of Abraham
• Lectures on Faith (remember, these were included in the D&C until 1921!)
• Theologically significant sermons such as the King Follett Discourse
• The temple endowment

Since we have already talked about the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine & Covenants, we will focus this lesson on the Joseph Smith Translation and Book of Abraham, while also touching on the idea of scripture as a whole and Joseph’s other contributions.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

You can access my Reading Notes here.

Continue the conversation by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

Recommended Resources

Scripture

•  Philip Barlow, Mormons and the Bible (a 2nd edition is coming out soon that will likely be cheaper)

Joseph Smith Translation /Book of  Moses

• Encyclopedia of Mormonism article on the Joseph Smith Translation
• Excellent References in EoM article:
• Jackson, Joseph Smith’s Cooperstown Bible
• Jackson and Jasinki, Two JST passages translated twice
• LDS Creation narratives as “Mormon Midrash”
• Wayment and Lambert, Nature of pen and pencil markings in NT of Joseph’s translation 

Book of Abraham

• Michael T. Walton, “Professor Seixas the Hebrew Bible and the Book of Abraham, Sunstone, 6, No. 2 (1981): 41-43.
• Response to Walton by Milan Smith
• Egyptian Grammar available through the Church History Dept 

Lectures on Faith

• An entire book available online on the Lectures on Faith in Historical Perspective
• Encyclopedia of Mormonism article on the Lectures on Faith
• Van Wagoner, Richard S.; Steven C. Walker; and Allen D. Roberts. “The “Lectures on Faith’: A Case Study in Decanonization.” Dialogue 20 (Fall 1987):71-77.
• Gentry, Leland H. “What of the Lectures on Faith?” BYU Studies 19 (Fall 1978):5-19. 

King Follett

• Encylopedia of Mormonism article on the King Follett Discourse 
• Larson, A Newly Amalgamated Text of the King Follett Discourse
• Cannon, Donald Q. “The King Follett Discourse: Joseph Smith’s Greatest Sermon in Historical Perspective.” BYU Studies 18 (Winter 1978):179-92. 
• Hale, Van. “The Doctrinal Impact of the King Follett Discourse.” BYU Studies 18 (Winter 1978):209-225.
• The King Follett Sermon in the 1971 Ensign, Part 1 and Part 2.

Kinderhook plates

• Ensign article: http://www.lds.org/ensign/1981/08/kinderhook-plates-brought-to-joseph-smith-appear-to-be-a-nineteenth-century-hoax?lang=eng (See Rough Stone Rolling pp. 489-490)

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his timely efforts with post-production.

In this inaugural episode, Laura discusses the vision and purpose of the podcast, and then Brian provides an overview of the history of the Doctrine & Covenants. John Hamer and Brian survey the 1876 revisions by Orson Pratt, and finally they discuss the usage of the D&C among various Latter-day Saint Churches including differences among versions. The conversation concludes by addressing the recent updates to the LDS canon. We hope you enjoy listening! The plan is to launch a new episode about once a week.

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his excellent work post production.

Student Reading: D&C 29:1–8; 33:3–7; 37; 38:24–41; 52:2–5,42–43; 57:1–3; 110:11; Articles of Faith 1:10; Our Heritage pages 16–23, 37–39, D&C 39:15, D&C 95:8; 105:33; 110:9, D&C 123:12, 1 Nephi 15:12–17, 1 Nephi 22:11–12

Additional Teacher Reading: D&C 31:3, D&C 45:71, 39:11; 88:81,Isaiah 2:2–3; 3 Nephi 20:22; 3 Nephi 21:22–28; Ether 13:2–12; Moses 7:61–62,D&C 63:24, 36–48, D&C 28:9, D&C 30:5–6; 32:1–3, D&C 42:62, D&C 54:8, D&C 115:6 Isaiah 11:12  2 Nephi 25:15; 2 Nephi 25:14 3 Nephi 20:33; 1 Nephi 15:19–20; 2 Nephi 9:1–2; 2 Nephi 10:8 D&C 109:62–67

Belonging is one of our greatest human needs, and there aren’t many more poignant and powerful ideas than that of “coming home.” This lesson will explore the concept of “gathering”, or more poetically put, our Heavenly Parents bringing us together so we can help each other come home. We will discuss:

• The concepts of exile and return/gathering in the Jewish Scriptures
• The history of the twelve tribes
• the role of the idea of the twelve tribes in the ministry of Jesus (hint: How many disciples did he have?)
• the concept of gathering in early Mormonism
• the place of gathering in the current church, including declarations of lineage in Patriarchal blessings

Jenne and Ryan contribute an engaging and enjoyable conversation that balances out the lesson.

Continue the conversation by posting your questions and comments here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes here

You can access my Reading Notes here.

Recommended Resources

• Conference talk by Elder Nelson on the scattering and gathering of Israel
• Article by Armand Mauss on the early search for the “tribe of Ephraim”
• Article by Armand Mauss on Mormon conceptions of race and lineage 
• Article by Irene Bates on Patriarchal blessings 
• An amazing National Geographic resource about the history and interrelatedness of humanity
• A Nova program and Guardian article on some of the speculative but fun explorations of genetics and quests for the Lost Tribes

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to Nathan Jones for the audio editing and James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for adding the finishing touches.

Student Reading: D&C 4; 11–12; 14–18; 31; 33; 75; Our Heritage, page 11, 42:12; 52:8–9, Alma 17:2–3, Alma 26:22

Additional Teacher Reading: D&C 100:4, D&C 60:13; 38:41, 42:6, 14, D&C 100:7–8, Alma 38:10–12, D&C 30:11; D&C 30:5; D&C 60:2; D&C 19:38; 84:60–61, 109:55–57, 84:85; 100:5–6, 84:88, D&C 71:9–10, D&C 84:80, D&C 100:7–8, D&C 6,  

Along with majestic temples, nothing is more iconic of Mormonism than black-tagged missionaries. Missionary work has from the beginning played a vital role in the life of Mormonism. This lesson will discuss

• The early history of missionary work in the Church, including the historical background of the assigned sections
• Stories of tremendous sacrifice by early leaders to preach the gospel
• A discussion of current approaches to missionary work including the recent change in missionary age
• Exploration of the intersection of theology and preaching the gospel
• Reflections on how we can share gospel principles most effectively

Benefit from the unique perspectives of Libby and Nathan who join the class.

Please continue the conversation by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes here

You can access my Reading Notes here.

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his excellent work post production. Nathan Jones did a great job editing the discussion portion.

Resources: See Lesson Notes

Student Reading: D&C 25, D&C 23:1, 38:39, 90:17, 98:19–20, D&C 1:28, 19:23, 112:10, 124:97, 1 Nephi 19:23, D&C 61:36–37, D&C 82:1–6, D&C 93:49

Additional Teacher Reading: D&C 3:5, Alma 38:12; 3 Nephi 12:30, Helaman 6:17; D&C 58:41, Alma 7:23, D&C 29:5, D&C 68:6, D&C 78:18, D&C 136:29

The theme of this lesson is to “liken the scriptures to ourselves”, which means it is about nothing less than how to study the scriptures. How do we apply the scriptures to our lives? How do we determine what to focus on, what is valuable? What is our standard to determine which stories are good examples, and which bad?

We will discuss the following steps of scripture study:

1. Literary: What do the words mean? Seems like an obvious step but hey, sometimes it is harder than others to figure out. How does the passage in question relate to those around it, its immediate literary context? 
2. Personal: What personal meaning and value can you draw out of the passage you are reading? 
3. Theological: What insights about theology/doctrine or the gospel does the passage contain? 
4. Historical: What is the historical context of the passage? Are there any historical references, allusions, or presuppositions in the passage? 
5. Critical/Ethical: This is the chance to engage with the scriptures, to “challenge and be challenged by.” Is there anything in the passage that makes you rethink your views, that grants insights or shifts in perspective? Is there anything in the passage that is disturbing or problematic? 

Because we are covering D&C 25, we will be focusing this episode on Emma Smith as well, a central and complicated figure within Mormonism. Marriage, pride, and a positive attitude are also themes in the lesson.

Please continue the conversation by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonStories at gmail.

 Join Danielle, Emily, Ben and Aaron for a lively discussion of these important topics (Note: Aaron had to leave part way in and I forgot to mention it, so that is what happened).

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his excellent work post production. Nathan Jones did a great job editing the discussion portion.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

You can access my Reading Notes here.

Resources:

An Ensign article written by Emma’s great-great-granddaughter.

A superb pair of posts by Joseph Spencer at fMh (Part II)

Also see this post on the organization of the early Relief Society

and Women in Church History 

Carol Cornwall Madsen, Sperry Symposium piece on D&C 25

Podcasts on Emma Smith at fMh (Part II)

Suggested resources put together by descendants of Joseph and Emma

Important Dialogue article on Emma 

Chapter on Emma and Brigham Young

Mormon Enigma

Women of the Covenant

Women of faith in latter days

Daughters of my kingdom, lds.org site about Relief Society

A series of posts on taking notes during scripture reading. Part I, Part II, Part III.

Student Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 20:1–36, 68–69, 75–79; 21; 27; 115:1–4; Our Heritage, pages 14–16, Isaiah 29:14, Daniel 2:44, Revelation 14:6–7, D&C 65:2

Additional Teacher Reading: Isaiah 11:11–12; 29:13–14; Jeremiah 31:31–33; Daniel 2:44–45 D&C 20, heading to D&C 20, 3 Nephi 27:8, D&C 1:38  Luke 22:19–20; 3 Nephi 18:7, 10–11, Heading to D&C 27

It is a shame we shorten this phrase to “The only true Church”, because I think “living” is a very important part of the statement. What does it mean to say the LDS Church is the “only true and living Church”? How do our Heavenly Parents interact with their children? What is the relationship between the different religions of the world? Why does it matter if we are a member of one religion rather than another?

Join a rich and inspiring discussion with Geoff, Mike, and Amber.

Continue the conversation by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

You can access my Reading Notes here.

Resources:

• A Church-produced podcast on the topic.
• Mormon Matters episode on the One True Church
• Don Bradley, The Grand Fundamental Principles of Mormonism
• 1978 First Presidency Message, God’s Love for All Mankind
• Givens, The God Who Weeps (see Chapter 4, “None of them is lost”)
• Mormonism as the Most True Church 
• Usage of “only true Church” 

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio who once again got this episode edited crazy fast! (I think he pulled another all-nighter)

Additional Teacher Reading: 128:20,Moroni 7:35–372 Nephi 32:33 Nephi 7:18;3 Nephi 17:23–24;Moroni 7:25, 29–31D&C 84:88,Matthew 3:1–6, 1184:111,D&C 107:85,D&C 107:86,D&C 107:13–17, 68, 71–72, 87–88D&C 107:89;124:137D&C 124:133, 136D&C 107:25–26124:138–39

The priesthood permeates pretty much everything we do in the LDS Church. Much of the reason to be a member is tied up in the power and authority restored through Joseph Smith, culminating in saving temple ordinances. For these reasons, this lesson is a very important one. I confess that this is a lesson I have wrestled with how to teach responsibly–the subject of power and authority from God is very important, but our sources and the history behind them get complicated and messy. This lesson will cover:

• Thoughts on the relationships between history, theology, and legitimacy 
• close reading of the accounts of the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods as well as other keys
• A exploration of priests, prophets, and authority in the Bible to which our narratives are so closely linked

We were amazingly fortunate to have Greg Prince join us for this discussion. He, Emily and Dan provide a vital and even paradigm shifting discussion of the story of priesthood authority.

Please continue the conversation and post your questions and comments here, in our facebook group, or email them to me at mormonsundayschool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

You can access my Reading Notes here.

Suggested Resources:

See Lesson Notes.

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio who got this episode finished faster than I even hoped! (I think he pulled another all-nighter)

Student Reading: D&C 18:10–13; D&C 18:22;  D&C 19:15–19;  D&C 19:23;D&C 20:37; D&C49:13–14; D&C 58:42–43; D&C88:118; Alma 32:27;  2 Nephi 2:6–9;   Bible Dictionary, “Holy Ghost,” 704; 2 Nephi 25:23;  Alma 42:13–24;   Articles of Faith 1:3

Additional Teacher Reading: D&C 1:32, 33;  D&C 8:10; D&C 10:46–52;  D&C 11:12,13;   D&C 14:7;  D&C 18:11–13, 18;   D&C 19:16–19;  D&C 20:41, 69, 71;72-74,77;  D&C 22;  D&C 24:8; D&C 27:15, 17;   D&C 29:17,46-47;  D&C 31:11; D&C 33:15;  D&C 35:5–6, 9;   D&C 39:6;  D&C 42:14,17, 48-51;  D&C 61:2;  D&C 63:9–11;  D&C 68:25; D&C 75:10, 27;  D&C 76:10, 51 ;  D&C 79:2;  D&C 84:33, 85;  D&C 100:8; D&C 109:53;  D&C 128:21;  D&C 130:22;  fourth article of faith;  Joseph Smith—History 1:11–14;  Joseph Smith—History 1:29; Moroni 7:33; Moroni 8:9–12; Moroni 10:5; Alma 5:13;  Alma 5:46; Alma 7:14; 1 Nephi 10:19; 2 Nephi 9:23; 2 Nephi 31:10–13, 17; 2 Nephi 31:19–20; 3 Nephi 27:20; Mosiah 18:17; Mosiah 18:8–10;  John 3:3–5; John 14:26; John 16:13; John 14:16; John 15:26;  Romans 6:3–4;   James 2:14–17 (Good thing we put the nice reader together, right?!) 

This lesson covers topics so frequently reviewed that we risk taking them for granted. We will dig deeply into the issues of faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. What is faith? Why does it need to be in Jesus Christ? How do we repent effectively? And the topic of repentance touches on key related issues–sin and forgiveness. Why is baptism necessary? Is it magic? What do we know about the Holy Ghost? What is the difference between the influence and Gift of the Holy Ghost?

Continue the discussion by posting your comments and questions here, in our facebook group, or email me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can find the Reader here.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

You can access my Reading Notes here.

Many thanks to Devin Roth for the beautiful bumper music. Check out his arrangement of hymns and other work at DevinRothMusic!

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio as always for his hard work in post-production.

Recommended Resources

• JStapley on Rebaptism at BCC
• The Church Addiction Recovery Program, based on the 12 Steps
• See other resources in the Lesson Notes

Student Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 6; 8; 9; 11; D&C 85:6; 50:23–24; D&C 42:61; D&C 128:1; D&C 136:32–33

Additional Teacher Reading: 1 Kings 19:12; 1 Nephi 17:45; Helaman 5:30;   Luke 24:32;   D&C 98:2, 12;  D&C 109:44. Matthew 6:10; D&C 88:68;  D&C 28:2, 6–7; D&C 43:2–4; Official Declaration 2–paragraph 2; Isaiah 59:2; D&C 58:25–28; 60:5; 61:22; 62:5

In this lesson we will discuss a topic of vital importance. How do we interpret revelation? How do we distinguish inspiration from God and our own thoughts, feelings, and desires? Once we can identify that we are receiving a prompting from a source greater than ourselves, how do we interpret it? How should we act on it? What is the relationship of personal revelation and teachings revealed through scripture and Church leaders?

Please post your questions and comments here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access the Reader for this lesson here.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Recommended Resources:

• Edward Kimball in BYU Studies on the priesthood revelation
• Richard G. Scott, “Revelation for your personal life”
• Rational Faiths post on revelation (also see their posts on Book of Mormon, Blacks and the Priesthood, and temple)
• An illuminating collection of talks (some which align with a faithful perspective better than others) summarizing research on how our brain works
• Summary of Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow with links
• A podcast that covers critical thinking skills
• Mormon Matters episode on recognizing the Spirit

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for pulling a near all-nighter to get this out so fast.

Student Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 6; 8; 9; Joseph Smith—History 1:8–17;  D&C 25:10 ; D&C 30:2; D&C 5:24;  D&C 9:8;  D&C 63:23 ; D&C 88:63–64; D&C 138:1–11

Additional Teacher Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 14; 42:61; 88:63–64;  1 Nephi 15:11; Moroni 10:4.);  D&C 42:61; Doctrine and Covenants 63:23; 76:5–10; 93:1, 28; 101:7–8; Doctrine and Covenants 5:24; 19:23; 112:10; 136:32–33; Doctrine and Covenants 25:10; 30:2;

I would submit that the topic of the next two lessons is the single most important subject in all the gospel. Simply put, revelation is our access to everything else. It is our conduit and connection to spiritual life, to inspiration, to wisdom and guidance. It is the key to learning, to living well and serving others.

It is also complex and difficult. Lesson 5 will discuss how we can prepare ourselves to receive revelation, and Lesson 6 will discuss how we interpret revelation once we have it.

In addition to exploring the personal impact and historical context of the assigned reading, we will tackle key questions about revelation:

• How do we prepare ourselves to receive revelation?
• What is our role in receiving revelation?
• How does our language and cultural context influence the revelation we receive?
• Can we receive revelation utterly foreign to anything we currently know?
• How do our own expectations and desires impact the revelation we receive?

This is an important topic that impacts us all. Please post your questions and comments here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

Here are a few pieces to get us thinking (including two short essays I wrote on the topic for a conference Richard Bushman organized).

Revelation and Language 

Revelation according to our Expectations 

A Freakonomics episode on how what we know influences what we learn

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

You can access my Reading Commentary here.

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for making quick work of post production.

Student Reading: Joseph Smith—History 1:27–65; Doctrine and Covenants 3; 5; 10; 17; 20:5–15; 84:54–62; Our Heritage, pages 5–10., 1 Nephi 9:6, Moroni 10:3–5 “The Testimony of Three Witnesses” and “The Testimony of Eight Witnesses” in the introductory material of the Book of Mormon, D&C 1:29, D&C 19:26–27,   D&C 33:16,   D&C 42:12

Additional Teacher Reading: D&C 30:1–2; 1 Nephi 9:2–5; Words of Mormon 1:3–7; 2 Nephi 27:12–14; Ether 5:1–3; Ether 5:4; Moroni 10:3–5; Malachi 3; Malachi 4;  Isaiah 11; D&C 113:1–6; Acts 3:22–23;  Joel 2:28–32; D&C 1, 11, 18, 20, 27, 42, 84, 135   

We spent all last year digging deeply into and “feasting upon” the Book of Mormon. Virtually all readers of the Book of Mormon would agree that this is the most important use of the Book of Mormon–to read it to nourish us spiritually and gain inspiration from it, to use it as a catalyst to expand our souls and improve our lives. These are the functions of the Book of Mormon.

The readings of this lesson invite us to go “behind the scenes” a bit and examine some of the more technical questions. How did Joseph translate the Book of Mormon? What are our sources for this process? What does internal evidence suggest about the nature of the Book of Mormon? What can we know about the plates? What do we make of the “Reformed Egyptian” characters Joseph took to Charles Anton? What can we know about the lost 116 pages? And why does any of this matter?

This amazing episode will open your eyes to all there is to learn about the Book of Mormon that you think you know. KC and Lisa discuss with historian Don Bradley who contributes his expertise.

Continue the conversation by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

Recommended Reading

• Terryl Givens, By the Hand of Mormon (Deseret Book or Amazon; Kindle is under $10)
• Brandt Gardner, The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon
• See the Lesson notes for more recommendations.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

You can access my Reading Notes here.

In addition to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio, thanks are due to William Newman for his postproduction refinement.

Student Reading:

• Joseph Smith—History 1:1–26; Our Heritage, pages 1–4. Acts 20:28–30; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3; 2 Timothy 4:3–4;   Mormon 1:13–14; Amos 8:11–12; Acts 3:20–21; D&C 1:14–17; D&C 128:20–21

Additional Teacher Reading:

• 1 Nephi 13:12–19, D&C 101:77–80

This lesson covers the story that started it all… Joseph’s account of his first vision of God. I feel a close connection to this story since I am from the Palmyra stake! In this lesson we will:

• Explore the powerful lessons in this narrative about the role of seeking, asking questions, scripture study, and personal revelation.
• Examine not only the Joseph Smith-History account of the First Vision, but the other historically important accounts Joseph made.
• Discuss the way scripture is used in gospel teaching.

Post your questions and comments here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at mormonsundayschool at gmail.

Recommended Reading:

• Richard L. Anderson, “Joseph Smith’s Testimony of the First Vision” Ensign, 1996.
• Dean Jessee, “The Earliest Documented Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision” (available from BYU Studies for $2)
• Rough Stone Rolling, pages 30-41.
• James Allen, “The Significance of Joseph Smith’s First Vision in Mormon Thought” Dialogue 1 (1966)
• Steven Taysom, “Approaching the First Vision Saga“, Sunstone.

Go here for the Sunday School Reader with all the passages.

You can access my Reading Notes here (which also form the bulk of my Lesson notes).

You can access my Lesson Notes here

Thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his work in postproduction and thanks as well to Carl Youngblood who did a great job with last minute audio editing.

Student Reading:

• D&C 6:20–21, 32–37; 19:1–3; 29:1–2; 38:1–3; 45:3–5; 50:44; 93:5–19; 133:42–52 (also D&C 19:16–19; 18:10–11; 19:19, 24; 34:3. D&C 88:14–18; 93:33; Alma 11:42–44. D&C 18:11–12; 19:16–17, 20; 58:42; 76:62–70)

Additional Teacher Reading:

• D&C 122:8  Alma 7:11–12; D&C 62:1; 133:53; D&C 88:6; D&C 136:22; D&C 19:23

Jesus Christ permeates LDS Scripture in a unique way that members may not fully appreciate. Christians have the New Testament and especially the gospels, and the Old Testament with passages that are interpreted as prefiguring and prophesying the coming of Jesus. The Savior saturates modern scripture–virtually every chapter of the Book of Mormon mentions him, and in the Doctrine & Covenants, almost every section is written in the first person with Jesus as speaker!

This episode will focus on the contribution of revealed LDS scripture on understanding Jesus’ role in the Plan of Salvation. We will also explore what we learn about Jesus from each of the standard works and each of the gospels (including the meaning of Jesus’ mortal ministry), as well as focus on the importance of a personal relationship with the Savior.

Please join Jenn, Tresa, and Wagner for a powerful and moving discussion.

Please continue the conversation here, in the facebook group, or email me at mormonsundayschool at gmail.

You can find my Lesson Notes here.

You can access my Reading Notes here.

Student and Teacher Reading: Explanatory Introduction to the D&C; D&C 1; Introduction to Our Heritage

We have a lot to introduce in this introductory lesson!

1) Structure and Resources. The selective, thematic approach of the Gospel Doctrine student and teacher’s manuals necessitates two Sunday School podcasts this year.

The two podcasts are:

Engaging Gospel Doctrine: EGD will continue to follow the schedule and reading of the standard curriculum (working to get a week or two ahead), modeling a “best version” of Sunday School and providing supplementary resources.

Text and Context. This companion podcast T&C will explore all the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants in sequential order modified for chronology and topic, and provide further historical context. It will fall under our “ward library” category Excavating Scripture.

The teacher’s manual states “because this year’s lessons are thematic, some sections of the Doctrine and Covenants are not included in the reading assignments. Nevertheless, class members should plan to read the entire Doctrine and Covenants during the year”, but doesn’t provide any suggestions as to how to accomplish this reading. This podcast fills this void. Think of it like a “special features” project. Most importantly, it models a contextually sensitive, thorough approach to scripture.

This introductory podcast will explain and outline all three resources and approaches–the manuals, EGD, and T&C.

For both Engaging Gospel Doctrine and Text and Context,  Go to the Resource Page for a list of recommended books, articles, and websites. These will be updated as new content becomes available.

2) Doctrine and Covenants and Church History. This episode will give a brief overview of the pre-history of the D&C, the contents of the current version, and the Church history we will be covering this year.

3) Terms, Methods, and Approaches. Understanding the framework and approaches to studying scripture and history are at least as important as the facts and details covered. This episode will conclude with a discussion of terms such as Past, History/Historical, Accurate, True, Myth, Theology, Revelation, and Critical. We will also review approaches to the text including literary, theological, historical, ethical, and critical.

Post your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can find my Lesson Notes here.

You can access my Reading Notes here.

So much to discuss as we conclude our study of the Book of Mormon this year. Points we will explore this lesson:

• Mormon’s sublime letter on faith, hope, and charity in Moroni 7
• Moroni’s promise in chapter 10–perhaps the most read section of the Book of Mormon. How do we know what is true? What does it mean if this promise doesn’t pan out?
• Relatedly, a discussion of good and evil. How do we discern between the two? What role does intention play? More importantly, how do we “cleave unto every good thing”?
• Spiritual gifts
• Mormon’s diatribe against the baptism of “little children”. What do we learn about theology from chapter 8? What does this letter teach us about agency, choice, accountability, covenants, and salvation?

Emily, Danny, and Davey provide a satisfying and thoughtful discussion to conclude our study of the Book of Mormon.

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These chapters are straightforward–Moroni, shocked he hasn’t been killed yet, shares information about the organization of the church. He teaches about:

• The Gift of the Holy Ghost
• Ordination of priests and teachers
• Gives the sacrament prayers
• Baptism and Church order

This is an ideal time to discuss the question: Why do we go to Church? What is the purpose and value of a religious community? Why isn’t the increasingly popular “spiritual but not religious” adequate?

Join a satisfying and motivating discussion with Emily, Chelsea, Rolf, and Jared.

Please continue the discussion by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Thanks as always to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

This lesson contains one of the crown jewels of the Book of Mormon–the sublime verse on weakness and strength in 12:27.   There are other gems worthy of study, discussion, and application in this chapter. We have the idea that we can be the angels whom God uses to answer prayers, and Moroni comments on how God speaks to us within our language and limitations (12:39; cf. 2 Ne. 31:3), and of course his treatise on faith.

We also have the story of another civilizational collapse: through generations of political intrigue, captivity and war the Jaredites destroy themselves. Other points include the New Jerusalem in Ether 13 and once again the relationship between the Book of Mormon and the Bible.

Open your hearts and prepare yourselves for an amazing and vulnerable conversation with Jessica, Aaron, Brooke and William. It will touch your heart and may change your life.

Continue the conversion here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail. And remember to take our survey so we can get to know you!

You can find my Lesson Notes here.

A few of the resources mentioned in the Lesson:

The Conference talks are linked in the Lesson Notes.

Terryl and Fiona Givens’ groundbreaking book The God Who Weeps

Brené Brown’s TED talk , her site, and On Being interview.

Jewel’s Hands video 

RadioLab’s piece about why we help each other, The Good Show

Thanks as always to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

What We Have Accomplished

We launched a podcast! We went from nothing and hit the ground running putting out a podcast a week. We pushed our production so that we are at least a few days ahead of almost all lesson schedules. Friends and strangers emailed me to tell me that this project is needed, fulfilling, even spiritually healing. Permit me to share two of my favorite comments:

Listeners are responding to the way this podcast models an approach where we challenge and are challenged by the scriptures, and where we bring together scripture and gospel principles with real life and its issues. I think we have succeeded at striking a balance of pointing to critical issues while focusing on the nourishing substance of the scriptures. Though I designed this podcast to be faithful and at home in a Church context, I was taken aback by how quickly people began to incorporate it into their lesson preparation and Sunday School involvement. We have invited over forty class members on the podcast, many of whom had not been on a podcast before. We have modeled equitable participation by men and women. We have brought your comments and questions into the discussion. We have a facebook group of over four hundred members which has hosted some amazing discussions. We are getting over sixty thousand downloads an episode and probably have about five thousand listeners. We are meeting needs, educating and touching individuals, and building momentum. Thank you for all you have done to make this possible.

Producing this podcast has proved both more challenging and more rewarding than I anticipated. It takes time, study and thought as well as a great deal of emotional energy. Your feedback and donations do a great deal to validate my efforts. Next year’s curriculum presented me with a dilemma: Between my training as a Biblical scholar and intimate familiarity with the Book of Mormon, I can efficiently prepare three years of Gospel Doctrine lessons. But American or Church history are not my specialties. I do not have the details about the history of the Doctrine and Covenants or Mormonism internalized, so preparing the lessons myself would require a prohibitive amount of time. I seriously considered skipping the year and picking up again with the Old Testament.

But thanks to some brilliant and helpful friends, several other alternatives are possible. One option would be to have four teachers of which I was one, each teaching a lesson a month. A second option, the most promising solution right now, involves having a “research and production team”. The team will assist me in preparing the lessons, filling in the gaps in my knowledge with their expertise, and I would still teach most of the lessons, keeping mine the main voice of the podcast.

1) a series of twelve brief audio visual presentations that introduce the ways that History, Philosophy, Sociology, and other disciplines inform the study of religion and Mormonism as well as addressing specific topics such as Scripture, Revelation, and Agency. These presentations will serve as a “toolbox” of resources that help provide a framework for a healthy, mature faith. Mormon Stories and other resources provide a wealth of information but not the tools to process that information. These presentations seek to meet that need.

3) Tell us about yourself and how we can make Mormon Stories Sunday School even better. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey so we know who is listening and how we can serve you better.

We are going to examine these chapters on several levels.

• Theological: The insights we gain from the brother of Jared’s amazing interaction with the pre-mortal Jesus, especially regarding the relationship between personal responsibility and divine assistance
• Allegorical: How we can apply the narrative of the Jaredite journey to our own lives
• Historical: How do these chapters relate to the Bible? If the Biblical narratives turn out not to be historical, what does that do to the Book of Mormon?

Other points of discussion include the importance of adversity and the idea of everything good as part of Mormonism.

Continue the discussion by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes Here.

Thanks as always to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

Moroni’s main points present more of a challenge however. These chapters are filled with judgments and warnings. He condemns latter day Churches and those who do not believe in Christ or miracles. Who makes up the audience for these warnings? What can lessons can we learn from the final Book of Mormon prophet’s inaugural words?

Amanda, Derek, and Laura join the class discussion.

You can continue the conversation by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Thanks as always to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

This is not going to be a pleasant lesson, but it should be an important one. What is the root of human evil? Why do we commit such sickening atrocities? What factors remove our native empathy? When is rehabilitation possible? Is there hope to become better as cultures and a species?

Natasha, Emily, and Allen provide able discussion of an extremely difficult topic.

Continue the conversation here, in our facebook group, or email comments and questions to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Thanks as always to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

In addition to talking about this Zion society, we will also discuss:

• The Three Nephites!
• Fun thought exercise: If you could ask God for any “desire of your heart”, what would it be? What do you think are reasonable constraints for this question?
• The idea of “gospel” and “Church” of Jesus Christ
• The sobering end-times admonitions in 3 Nephi 29-30

Many thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

Come back for the discussion and several links to pertinent resources.

In addition to going over the meaning of these quotes both in their Book of Mormon and Biblical context, we will take this opportunity to explore the question of scripture. What is scripture? What are the implications of our “open canon”? Can we have personal scripture? How do activities like journal writing and family history tie in? Oh, and we talk a bit about the end of the world and tithing too.

Join an engaged discussion with Emily, Whitney, Michael and Jeff.

Continue the conversation here by posting your comments and questions here, in the facebook group, or email them to me at MormonSundaySchool at gmail.

You can access my Lesson Notes Here.

Information about how to help those in need per our discussion:

Half the Sky 

The Life You Can Save 

Charity Navigator 

Many thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

These chapters in brief talk about how in the latter days Israel (including the descendants of the Nephites) will overthrow the Gentiles if they don’t repent. If you noticed that was in the Book of Mormon, well done.

In this lesson we will explore

• How we can apply these chapters as individuals and societies–in this scriptural choose your own adventure, are we moving towards Zion or destruction?
• The idea of “salvation history” including its presentation in the Book of Mormon
• The role of “Israel and Gentiles” in the last days
• Conditional prophecies and promises in these chapters
• Worship: the sacrament and prayer
• The Biblical context of these passages

Join Jessica, Emily, Brian and Michael for a thoughtful discussion.

Note: I need to finish going through the Biblical parallels but otherwise my notes are complete. You can access a draft here and I will update them when I am finished.

Many thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction. And thanks to all who donated, he was able to get his improved software so enjoy the improved production quality!

Please continue the discussion by posting comments and questions here or in the facebook group!

Listen to the engaging class discussion with Debbie, Rolf, and Jason.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Jonathan Haidt’s talk on Self Transcendance.

Many thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

• The commandment to “be perfect” (the answer is more encouraging that you might expect!)
• The relationship between the King James Bible and Book of Mormon

Listen to an engaging discussion with Jennifer, Ali, Carl and KC and then join the conversation by posting comments here on the blog!

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

A link to the comparison between Matthew 5-7 and 3 Nephi 12-14 (also in the Lesson Notes)

Many ancient versions of the Golden Rule.

Much thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

But before that ministry, there is destruction. Lots of cataclysmic destruction. The combination of devastation, divine pleading, and then personal visitation provide rich material for discussion on the nature of God. Who is the God of the Book of Mormon? What do we make of these passages? Is Jesus the vengeful God paralleling the activity in the Old Testament? Is Jesus the entreating, loving God (in striking imagery of Jesus as mother!). Is the the God who appears personally to each of us one by one? All of these?

This discussion will take center stage, as well as the following additional points.

• The life changing power of cataclysmic events
• Having a “broken heart and contrite spirit”
• Biblical parallels (this will go into high gear next lesson)
• Avoiding contention
• the “doctrine of Christ”

Much thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

• Signs of Jesus’ birth
• Lessons from the Gadianton war
• Insights from Mormon’s autobiographical aside
• What led to the collapse of society?
• More comments on the devil
• Wickedness and Righteousness at extremes
• 3 Nephi as a type of the Second Coming

Look forward to discussion with TJ, Chawntelle, Wagner, and Aaron, and please feel free to continue the discussion here on the blog.

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

I will be including the links about wealth inequality shortly.

Much thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

• Samuel and intertextuality (the teachings he refers back to and prophecies he points toward)
• Steadfastness and firmness
• God and destruction
• Freedom of choice

Prepare yourself for a thought-provoking discussion with Natasha, Amber, and Kenton.

After you listen to the lesson and class discussion, please post your comments and questions here on the blog and continue the conversation!

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Much thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

• Lessons from Lamanite and Nephite reactions to the Gadianton Robbers
• Book of Mormon perspective on prosperity
• Scriptural portrayals of Satan and God
• Nephi receiving the sealing power
• The character of human nature

Prepare yourself for a thought-provoking discussion with Amanda, Matthew, Jessica and Aaron.

After you listen to the lesson and class discussion, please post your comments and questions here on the blog and continue the conversation!

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Much thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for his hard work in postproduction.

• Lessons from Helaman to his sons
• A bright episode in dark chapters–the miraculous ministry of Lehi and Nephi
• The beginning of an extreme “pride cycle” and Mormon’s commentary
• Mormon’s provocative use of the term “church”
• The connection between adversity and sanctification

Prepare yourself for a thoughtful and heartfelt discussion with Chelsea, Gwenevere, Whitney and Jonathan.

After you listen to the lesson and class discussion, please post your comments and questions here on the blog and continue the conversation!

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

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Thanks again to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for postproduction.

Look forward to an engaging discussion with Danielle, Jared, Amanda and Jason.

After you listen to the lesson and class discussion, please post your comments and questions here on the blog and continue the conversation!

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Read an important and plausible interpretation of the Stripling Warriors story by a member of the military here. http://rationalfaiths.com/war/

Thanks to Jared Mooney of Dirty Water Sound & Music and James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for their postproduction work with an amazing turnaround.

With this lesson we march into the “War chapters” of Alma. Sometimes it seems readers of the Book of Mormon don’t know quite what to do with these twenty odd chapters, but there are many important lessons and intriguing details we can glean.

Highlights of this lesson include:

• Important themes about motivation (which are not always so simple as they seem)
• Observations about covenants and honor.
• We spend time with amazing people (Teancum and above all Moroni)
• and one pretty terrible one, Amalickiah
• Look for some interesting details about Alma’s family, a reward of close reading “connecting the dots”
• Preparation is a key theme
• Reflections on coercion and freedom, and the ethics of war

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Thanks again to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for postproduction.

First, this lesson has both “007″ and “42″. Win.

These chapters are chock full of doctrinal substance touching upon the “Great Plan of Happiness”. We will explore:

• Resurrection and Spirit World
• Justice and mercy
• Role of this life
• The nature of God, including the unusual and compelling idea of a “limited God”.

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Thanks again to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for postproduction.

Note: My voice has some static during the discussion portion; I think have worked the technical issue out so thank you for bearing with that.

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This lesson and the next provide a precious and intimate window in the family life of Alma, one of the great Book of Mormon prophets. These chapters fit into the genre of “Testament”, which records the wisdom and blessings imparted by the patriarch of a family (unfortunately, we don’t have any records of  a matriarch sharing her wisdom or blessings that I know of). Alma’s counsel to his sons Helaman, Shiblon, and Corianton provide us some of his final words in the Book of Mormon (before he gives his final blessings and mysteriously disappears in Alma 45).

Highlights of this lesson include

• Alma’s reflections on conversion and the Atonement in poetic form (the strongest example of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon)
• Gems on patience and trust, self-discipline, and humility
• Tackling head on the idea that sexual sin is ranked “next to murder”.

Here is some extra reading for those interested. If not, feel free to ignore it.

Highlights of the lesson will include:

• Detailed exploration of the idea of Alma’s “experiment upon the word”. What are reliable ways to know a principle is true? What does “true” mean in this instance?
• Discussion of prayer, worship, and mercy
• Engagement with Amulek’s sermon as we discuss human nature, the Atonement, and role of this life

Look forward to an engaging discussion with Kristine, Matthew, KC and Greg.
After you listen to the lesson and class discussion, please post your comments and questions here on the blog and continue the conversation!

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Many thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for the excellent post production work and to Rob Kent for further editorial input.

I jokingly call this lesson “Apostates week”. The key exchanges this lesson are Alma vs. Korihor and then Alma and his companions vs. the Zoramites. We are going to push a bit in approach with this lesson, use these scriptures to challenge us a touch. Kind of like how so many enjoy likening ourselves to Nephi, but what can we learn by likening ourselves to Laman and Lemuel?

Key points in this lesson include:

• What compelling evidence is there for the existence of God? Is there anything that might be problematic about God debates?
• Sure it is easy to write off Korihor and Mormon wants us to, but what are the elements of his worldview?
• What are the Zoramites’ shortcomings? Is there anything we can learn from them, perhaps even see elements familiar in our own Church culture?
• What *is* the most productive way to interact with those who disbelieve?

Look forward to an engaging discussion with Jessica, Meredith, Sterling and Chris.
After you listen to the lesson and class discussion, please post your comments and questions here on the blog and continue the conversation!

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Many thanks to James Estrada of Oak Street Audio for pulling an all nighter to get the post-production work done so fast!

These chapters tell of the dramatic conversion experience of an entire group of people, the so-called Anti-Nephi Lehis. We will discuss conversion and transformation. How do we change? What baggage do we bear from our upbringings that may hinder this transformation?

There are also terrible stories of violence in these chapters… what is the relationship between conversion and death? Should martyrdom ever be considered worth the cost? What is worth dying for? Pacifism and Violence are key related issues.

Finally, Alma concludes with a beautiful prayer with implications concerning redemption history, agency, and how God interacts with different groups of his children.

Look forward to an engaging discussion with Debbie, Whitney, Adam and Jason.

After you listen to the lesson and class discussion, please post your comments and questions here on the blog and continue the conversation!

You can access my Lesson Notes here.

Thanks to Jared Mooney of Dirty Water Sound & Music for the excellent postproduction work.

These chapters begin the story of the missionary efforts of the sons of Mosiah. Ammon and Lamoni take center stage, but the Lamanite woman Abish and her queen play key roles and Mormon emphasizes the contrasts between missionary and conversion experiences by paralleling the stories Ammon and Lamoni, Aaron and Lamoni’s father.

Highlights of this lesson include

• Parallel stories of transformation of Lamoni and his father
• Two of the strongest female protagonists in the Book of Mormon
• Focus on the “Plan of Redemption”
• An example of an “agnostic prayer”

For each lesson I will be posting my Lesson and Reading notes in case you are interested in looking at them. My Lesson Notes will outline my plan for the lesson so you can follow along. My reading notes consist of transcriptions of the notes I write in the margins of my Book of Mormon as I read. You should be aware that these are usually more detailed and critical since I put the central, gospel-based messages in the lesson itself (After finishing transcribing my reading notes once I realized it takes too much time, so enjoy “reading over my shoulder” once).

You can access my Lesson Notes here 

You can see my Reading Notes here.

Thanks to Jared Mooney of Dirty Water Sound & Music for the excellent postproduction work.

In this first episode of Mormon Stories Sunday School, Bible scholar Jared Anderson outlines the vision, tone, goals, and proposed content of this Sunday School podcast. There will be a weekly Gospel Doctrine podcast entitled “Engaging Gospel Doctrine”, as well as a “ward library” of expanding content under the title “Excavating Scripture”. He also introduces skills for “close reading” of the scriptures as well as suggests resources, to which you can find links below.

This project models Sunday School teaching that is substantive and engaging while remaining faith-friendly, something that would be at home in a ward environment (though the coolest ward ever). Content will be produced in the following order:

• A weekly Sunday School lesson published about two weeks before the Church schedule
• A series of twelve audio-visual presentations that explore the intersection of key disciplines and topics with religion and Mormonism
• Mormon Stories-style interviews that will focus on the Standard Works and related topics
• A podcast commentary of the Standard Works

Here is a link to Dr. Sophia McClennen’s Close Reading Guide

The “Super Quad” list of books:

• A Study Bible, either Harper Collins or Oxford (Harper Collins has more footnotes, Oxford is slightly easier to read because of font size and layout)
• Grant Hardy’s Readers Edition of the Book of Mormon
• Steven Harper’s Making Sense of the Doctrine & Covenants
• H. Donl Peterson’s Pearl of Great Price: A History and Commentary