Latter-Day Saints

For Mormons in a faith crisis, the Gospel Topics essays try to answer the hard questions
For the first time, there is a resource to help ordinary LDS members understand the Gospel Topics essays—what they say (which is often a leap forward in the church’s transparency about its history) and, just as importantly, what they don’t say (which is often a lot).

Retired BYU professor denounces Donald Trump in viral video
Fox’s video outlines five reasons why he thinks Trump is a threat to America’s democratic principles. He does not mince words.

Suicide, complicated grief and the hidden darkness of the heart
(RNS) — Do we ever truly know people?

10 years after Elder Packer’s anti-LGBTQ talk, have Mormons turned the corner on gay rights?
(RNS) — We’ve certainly come a long way since 2010, but it remains to be seen if the LDS church charted a new course on LGBT issues.

‘Give Me My Colored Coat’: Donny Osmond performs wedding in amazing technicolor dreamcoat
(RNS) — For a wedding ceremony performed by ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ star Donny Osmond, not just any robe will do.

How did Mormons become so Republican?
(RNS) — What explains more than a half-century of ruby-red Republicanism in the Mormon-dominated state of Utah? How did Latter-day Saints become so Republican in the first place? A new book about Ezra Taft Benson sheds some light.

For Mormons, a wonderfully boring opening day of General Conference
(RNS) — Saturday’s General Conference was like Corn Flakes—nutritious, fortified, and blissfully predictable. After a tumultuous week in our nation, boring was helpful. Boring gave me time to think.

General Conference would be a good time for the LDS church to apologize to the Black community
(RNS) — ‘Racist statements and policies were once made by prophets and apostles, and we specifically need prophets and apostles to overturn them now,’ says guest columnist Kristin Lowe.

For adult Mormons, there’s more to spirituality than ‘endure to the end’
Feeling burned out? A new online course from author Thomas McConkie casts a wide net to help Latter-day Saints deepen their faith through meditation, theology and psychology.

Does serving a Mormon mission make people want to help developing countries?
(RNS) — Does serving a Mormon mission to a place like Africa make someone more supportive of global development? Yes … and no.

How fundamentalist Mormons recovered after the trauma of Warren Jeffs
(RNS) — As the polygamist sect’s members and ex-members recover from the trauma inflicted by Warren Jeffs, an excellent new podcast goes behind the scenes to document the FLDS community’s transformation.

Biden campaign targets Mormons, evangelicals
(RNS) — In 2016, 81% of white evangelicals supported Donald Trump, as did 61% of Mormons. The Biden campaign is making a direct appeal to some of these voters.

Controversial Mormon book pulled from publication
(RN) — Last month, the BYU Religious Studies Center halted publication of ‘Saving Faith’ because of author John Gee’s statements about homosexuality and child sexual abuse. But the book’s problems run even deeper.

The problems with ‘Latter-day Saints for Trump’
What Mormons do in this election matters – not only politically, in swing states such as Arizona, but in terms of the church’s own reputation and even its missionary efforts.

I’m loving the LDS Church’s new online temple prayer roll system
If Mormons are a people who believe that the “true order of prayer” is what exists in the temple, it makes sense for that blessing to be offered to every member of the church, no matter where they live.