Flunking Sainthood

Mormon tithing, revisited

By Jana Riess — November 30, 2021

(RNS) — When I paid tithing to the church, the logistics of sitting down to do it might take up five minutes of my month. Now, it requires a good deal more time and consideration.

For US Mormons, religiosity has declined over time, study shows

By Jana Riess — November 23, 2021

Why was last week’s speech on LGBTQ rights ‘the most difficult’ of LDS apostle Dallin Oaks’ career?

By Jana Riess — November 15, 2021

Jacqui Lewis: In a divided America, no one is saved until everyone is saved

By Jana Riess — November 9, 2021

(RNS) — ‘The pendulum has swung so far to the right. And that’s not right,’ says the Rev. Jacqui Lewis. But the solution to tribalism isn’t more tribalism; it’s love — starting with love of self.

What’s a ‘white evangelical’ anyway? It’s hard to pin down

By Jana Riess — October 29, 2021

(RNS) — How do you define white evangelicalism? A fascinating new book argues that people are what they read, so let's start by looking at bestselling novels.

Mormon kids can’t wear Halloween masks to the trunk-or-treat … or can they?

By Jana Riess — October 19, 2021

(RNS) — The LDS church's ban on face masks at activities has quietly disappeared from the official Handbook, at least for now. Bring on those Chewbacca costumes!

The battle lines around the word ‘Mormon’

By Jana Riess — October 13, 2021

(RNS) — ‘Mormon’ has become a shibboleth, an immediate shorthand for Latter-day Saints to size up one another’s obedience and orthodoxy.

Mormons make strides in discussing mental illness. Is it enough?

By Jana Riess — October 4, 2021

(RNS) — When we emphasize that the Lord can’t abide any unclean thing and his acceptance of us is predicated on all the dazzling feats of self-improvement we’re going to perform, we’re hurting those who struggle with mental illness.

Outgrowing your religion

By Jana Riess — September 29, 2021

(RNS) — 'If God is really God-sized, as we say God is, then God is OK with our vacillation and our doubt and our inconsistencies,' says North Carolina pastor John Pavlovitz. 'So we should be, too.'

We owe it to the vulnerable to get vaccinated

By Jana Riess — September 21, 2021

(RNS) — Dr. Tyler Johnson says his Mormon religion ‘teaches me I have a moral obligation to seek out facts and to seek to understand the world as it is,’ which means rejecting vaccine conspiracy theories and misinformation.

LuLaRoe and the shadow side of Mormon gender roles

By Jana Riess — September 16, 2021

(RNS) — A new docuseries shows how a Mormon couple recycled anti-feminist ideas to stay-at-home moms for profit.

Blocklisting at Brigham Young University

By Jana Riess — September 10, 2021

(RNS) — The erasure of historian Benjamin Park's involvement from the Maxwell Institute's website reflects poorly on the institute and on BYU, particularly since he says he hasn't been told why it happened.

Elder Holland’s BYU speech is for a university of yesteryear

By Jana Riess — August 25, 2021

(RNS) — As BYU looks forward to the second half of its second century, erasing difference and implicitly upholding one particular social location as normative for everyone won’t equip students to succeed in a diverse world.

New Mormon YA novel explores both faith and feminism

By Jana Riess — August 23, 2021

(RNS) — ‘I wanted to write a story that allowed for some degree of comfort with having questions,’ said novelist Rosalyn Eves.

LDS church pushes leaders further, adds welcoming refugees to official handbook

By Tamarra Kemsley — August 11, 2021

(RNS) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has added a new section to its official handbook for lay leaders, calling on members to support refugees in their local communities.

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