Flunking Sainthood
Author returns, exhausted, after 3 hours in Mormon heaven
By Jana Riess — April 1, 2015
The unsettling new book "3 Hours in Mormon Heaven" warns readers: get all your R&R in now, because there's no rest for the righteous where you want to be going.
Mormon missionaries’ escape portrayed in new movie “Freetown”
By Jana Riess — March 30, 2015
The independent Mormon movie "Freetown" is inspiring and well-told without resorting to heavy-handed preaching. Thumbs up! Filmmaker Garrett Batty talks here about making the movie, which opens in the US on April 8.
If you don’t like Mormonism, why don’t you leave?
By Jana Riess — March 27, 2015
People often ask Mormon novelist Mette Harrison why she sticks with the LDS Church even if she has some problems with it. "I believe in the principle of conversation and compromise," she says.
“Free BYU” campaign gains momentum as Mormon university’s accreditation nears
By Jana Riess — March 25, 2015
In a university that prides itself on its visible support for religious freedom, it’s ironic that its own students are not religiously free. It’s also unfortunate that something called an “Honor Code” implicitly encourages students who doubt their Mormon faith to lie about that fact in order to maintain their degree program, housing, and employment.
Mormon priesthood, racism, and following the prophet
By Jana Riess — March 23, 2015
Defending the priesthood ban as a righteous doctrine just so we can protect our need for to worship an idol that's predictable and in keeping with our own expectations is a violation of the first commandment.
African American Mormon convert: LDS Church needs to “make amends” for past racism
By Jana Riess — March 19, 2015
The LDS Gospel Topics statement about race should have laid to rest the folk doctrines that once propped up Mormonism's racist priesthood ban. But convert Bryndis Roberts says racism still exists, and asks the Church to help more Mormons get the memo.
Mormon leaders softening on LGBT issues — to a point
By Jana Riess — March 17, 2015
The LDS Church is walking a tightrope, wanting to stand firm on its doctrinal opposition to same-sex marriage while also (a bit belatedly) affirming equal rights for LGBT persons.
Mormon novelist Mette Harrison says her visiting teacher may have saved her life
By Jana Riess — March 12, 2015
"I don’t know if my visiting teacher literally saved my life, but she very well may have," says novelist Mette Ivie Harrison. Now, she gets to return the favor.
Mormon author says “grace is not God’s backup plan”
By Jana Riess — March 10, 2015
Adam S. Miller says Mormons are doing a better job nowadays thinking about grace, but we need to stop seeing it as God's backup plan to deal with human sin. To do this, he offers a fresh interpretation of Romans, a book of Scripture historically neglected in the LDS curriculum.
Mormons and evangelicals, again. Sigh.
By Jana Riess — March 9, 2015
I just experienced a sad and ugly reminder of how far Mormons and evangelicals have to go in understanding each other.
If Utah passes a Mormon-approved LGBT anti-discrimination bill, who will be exempt?
By Jana Riess — March 6, 2015
This week's historic compromise between LGBT leaders in Utah and the Mormon Church means that gays will be protected against most discrimination, with exemptions for religious conscience. What does that mean in concrete terms?
Men aren’t the only Mormons who struggle with porn
By Jana Riess — March 5, 2015
In the LDS Church, counsel against porn has almost always been directed at men and boys, but the idea that this is a “men’s problem” is naïve. At the very least, it is out of date.
5 reasons why conservative Mormons would win from having Heavenly Mother be the Holy Ghost. Wait for it.
By Jana Riess — February 27, 2015
Today on Speculative Theology Day: Having Heavenly Mother and the Holy Ghost be one and the same isn’t some left-wing feminist program to empower women. It's actually a brilliant conservative strategy. Here are five semi-serious reasons why.
On Mormon excommunications and official Church apologies
By Jana Riess — February 24, 2015
"If we are going to do something as drastic as cut off fellowship, we had better have a darn good reason for it," Mormon blogger Katie Langston wrote yesterday. "And someone pointing out the problems in our community is not that reason."
Mormon Nazis: New book uncovers LDS support for the Third Reich
By Jana Riess — February 19, 2015
A startling new book argues that German Mormons in the 1930s were not just tolerant of Hitler, but often enthusiastic about his policies. Color me depressed.
