Flunking Sainthood
God (still) wants you to be rich: Duke scholar Kate Bowler explores the “prosperity gospel” from Jim and Tammy Faye to Joel Osteen
By Jana Riess — March 19, 2014
Duke historian Kate Bowler says we’ve transitioned from the “hard prosperity gospel” of the 1980s to the therapeutic soft sell of Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, and others.
I’m a Mormon feminist, not an anti-Mormon protestor
By Jana Riess — March 18, 2014
Yesterday’s statement reveals what the LDS Church apparently thinks of the feminists within its fold. We, as faithful and active members of the Church, are being lumped together with the same anti-Mormon protestors who routinely crash General Conference and shout that the Mormon religion is of the devil.
Where do smart, sexy, single, Mormon thirty-somethings fit in the Church?
By Jana Riess — March 13, 2014
How do single Mormon women in their 30s stay faithful? And how many has the Church already lost?
The Tickle-down theory of prayer
By Jana Riess — March 12, 2014
The Tickle-down theory states that the riches of one extraordinary liturgical prayer practice can be enjoyed by any layperson. Happy 80th birthday, Phyllis Tickle.
Coming this weekend to a Cleveland near you
By Jana Riess — March 10, 2014
This coming weekend I will be speaking twice about The Twible in the Cleveland area. Come out to say hello!
President Uchtdorf urges Mormons toward “transparency and openness” in their history
By Jana Riess — March 8, 2014
President Uchtdorf's talk yesterday went a long way toward softening, if not erasing, some Mormons' decades-old fear of professional history.
5 books for your Lenten journey
By Jana Riess — March 6, 2014
Need some daily reading to inspire you during Lent? Here are five suggestions, including a book from Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Mormons, Lent, and the Cross of Jesus
By Jana Riess — March 5, 2014
What are Mormons missing when we ignore Ash Wednesday and Lent, or avoid visual depictions of the cross?
Mormon women on the front page of the New York Times
By Jana Riess — March 3, 2014
The New York Times explores how sister missionaries are changing the future of Mormonism -- not just for women, but for the Church.
“Princess Bride” star joins cast of BYUtv series “Granite Flats”
By Jana Riess — February 28, 2014
1980s icons Cary Elwes and Christopher Lloyd have signed on to appear in the Mormon-produced cable series "Granite Flats."
Throwdown! IngramSpark vs. Amazon’s CreateSpace, Part 2
By Jana Riess — February 26, 2014
Bottom line: If I were Ingram I’d be quaking in my Tennessee boots.
Amazon’s CreateSpace vs. IngramSpark: Which is best for self-published authors?
By Jana Riess — February 25, 2014
Amazon's CreateSpace beats IngramSpark in four out of five categories.
Mormon urban development in Philly
By Jana Riess — February 24, 2014
Mormon plans to develop two city blocks in Philadelphia have met with mixed reviews.
Especially for young Mormon men
By Jana Riess — February 20, 2014
My young Mormon brethren, let me speak plainly: it is your responsibility to ensure that what you wear does not cause your sisters to stumble.
Mormon secrets, Mormon lies
By Jana Riess — February 18, 2014
The absence of public confession creates a false culture in which Mormons are trained to hide their true selves.
Jana Riess
Flunking Sainthood
Senior columnist Jana Riess is the author of many books, including "The Prayer Wheel" (Random House/Convergent, 2018) and "The Next Mormons: How Millennials Are Changing the LDS Church" (Oxford University Press, 2019). She has a PhD in American religious history from Columbia University.
