Flunking Sainthood
What Mormons mean by “religious freedom”
By Jana Riess — July 8, 2015
Throwing around language about religious freedom means Mormons had better be prepared to cast a much, much wider net than protecting one minority religion (which, surprise, is ours!) on one issue in one nation.
6 great beach reads for summer
By Jana Riess — July 7, 2015
2 adult novels, 2 memoirs, 2 YA picks: here's everything you need to bring to the beach this summer. (Towel and picnic not included.)
5 reasons why Mormons are happier, says researcher
By Jana Riess — July 2, 2015
Mormons are tied for first place in well-being among all religious groups. A recent master's thesis outlines 5 reasons for this, and also explores a paradox: How can Mormons be so happy while having high rates of antidepressant use?
More fun and games for liberal Mormons! It’s “Testimony Meeting Bingo: Marriage Equality Edition”
By Jana Riess — July 1, 2015
Yesterday's Mormon drinking game isn't much use on Fast Sunday, as a reader pointed out. But never fear: Jerrilyn Hassell Pool has created Marriage Equality Bingo instead!
The progressive Mormon’s survival guide to this Sunday’s testimony meeting: A drinking game!
By Jana Riess — June 30, 2015
Given the divided reaction to the SCOTUS decision, this weekend's testimony meeting could be a rough hour for progressive Mormons. In these polarizing times, we need a good drinking game to get us through church.
Mormons praised — and criticized — this week for race relations
By Jana Riess — June 24, 2015
White Mormons in the United States live in a bubble of racial privilege. What changes need to happen to make the Church more sensitive to diversity?
“Who’s on the Lord’s side?”: Mormon apostle’s comments generate discussion, questions
By Jana Riess — June 22, 2015
"I worry that when we proclaim ourselves the only righteous humans, we plant the seeds of pride," writes guest blogger Mitch Mayne. Responding to Elder Oaks's question, "Who is on the Lord's side?" Mayne affirms: "A lot of us."
Mormon leaders announce changes to sacrament meeting: Will they be enough?
By Jana Riess — June 17, 2015
We need to decide, finally, that sacrament meeting is so important to us that we are ready to devote two women and two men to do this, and only this, as their sacred calling in the church.
How to Read the Book of Mormon . . . S-L-O-W-L-Y
By Jana Riess — June 15, 2015
I'm in New York to read the Book of Mormon: a single chapter, over and over again, for two weeks. And the slow, careful pace has been exhilarating.
Teaching the Mormon Heavenly Mother: “Women want to know her”
By Jana Riess — June 8, 2015
Missy McConkie recently convened a Relief Society event about the Mormon Heavenly Mother. She says that if we don't start teaching about her and asking questions, we won't add to whatever knowledge we already have (though we actually know more than many Mormons think we do).
Death by Mormon fasting
By Jana Riess — June 5, 2015
Mormons believe that if we are to become like Christ, one thing we must learn to do is to die and be reborn. Fasting is that lesson for us, month in and month out.
Mormons and “mankind”: Still holding on, but why?
By Jana Riess — June 4, 2015
With changes in the English language over the last fifty years, for the LDS Church to hold on to the use of "mankind" almost feels like a deliberate political statement. And a strange one, at that.
Mormon Nastygrams and the “abomination” of homosexuality
By Jana Riess — June 2, 2015
This is by no means the first Mormon nastygram I’ve ever received, and it's not even close to being the worst. After five years of blogging, I've become downright philosophical about them. But several things struck me about this one.
Mormon Kickstarter campaign places women at “center stage” in LDS history
By Jana Riess — May 28, 2015
Where are the women in LDS church history? Their achievements are recounted as the history of women in the Church, but not as the history of the Church. Ardis Parshall's project aims to change that.
Drink a coffee, save your Mormon soul
By Jana Riess — May 27, 2015
When this Mormon guest blogger was asked to rank various sins as a kid, she put drinking alcohol and coffee at the top -- ahead of murder and fornication. Dozens of church lessons in dietary legalism had already sunk in.
