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I can’t believe we have been producing Engaging Gospel Doctrine for ten years! This special episode discusses the purpose and past of the podcast as well as milestones in my own journey and process. I also discuss the future of the podcast and the Olam Institute and its projects. Olam SiteWorkplace Wellness Presentation

The Reign of the Judges Judges is one of the most memorable books of the Bible, but also one of the darkest. We must first grapple with the moral ambiguity of these stories before we can learn from the power and courage of Deborah, the vulnerability and trust of Gideon, and appreciate Samson for the… Continue Reading

Covering the Old Testament this year in Sunday School means that we get to study the Exodus, Passover, and Easter at the same time. This striking alignment invites us to explore where in our lives we are in need of Liberation (Exodus), Commemoration (Passover/Sacrament), and Resurrection (Easter). Reading: Exodus 1-17; Easter You can access my… Continue Reading

While Joseph seems tricky and somewhat annoying, a deeper reading of Genesis 37-50 reveals themes of accountability and reconciliation. These chapters invite us to reflect on how we can remain true to ourselves and make the best of difficult situations, and how we can live in such a way that we are ready for whatever… Continue Reading

In these chapters we read about the inter-generational machinations and drama around the family of Rebekah and her twin sons Jacob and Esau. We are invited to reflect on marriage and family, culture, mindset, relationships, and reconciliation. Class Reading: Genesis 24-27; 28-33 Related Episodes

How do we move forward when the world feels like it is ending? How do we bear the pain of feeling the pain of the world? We learn from Noah and Enoch in this episode, who teach us lessons of preparation and compassion. Reading: Genesis 5-11; Moses 6-8 You can access my Reading Notes hereYou… Continue Reading

This episode grapples with the fundamental questions of human nature and purpose. How do we increase and responsibly use our agency, given human limitations? Reading: January 16: Genesis 3-4; Moses 4-5   January 9: Genesis 1-2; Moses 2-3; Abraham 4-5     You can access my Reading Notes hereYou can access my Lesson Notes here Related Episodes

We have our greatest chance to progress toward our divine potential when we take seriously our human nature. This introductory episode for Come Follow Me 2022 reviews the schedule and approach of the podcast for next year, reviews the nature and approaches to scripture, explores the Old Testament and Pearl of Great Price. Class Reading:… Continue Reading

Celebrating Easter and resurrection is incomplete if we do not also celebrate the Holy Week, which is full of not just life and resurrection, but also disappointment, betrayal, and death. Easter invites us to increase our acceptance of death, which allows us to increase our engagement with life. We, like the women at the tomb,… Continue Reading

This is a time to celebrate renewal and resurrection. In this bonus episode I explain the purpose and contribution of Engaging Gospel Doctrine, comparing its approach to other Sunday School podcasts. There are so many great resources out there! I also reread Carol Lynn Pearson’s Holy Week, which applies the Easter message to our every… Continue Reading

It is a shame we shorten this phrase to “The only true Church”, because I think “living” is a very important part of the statement. What does it mean to say the LDS Church is the “only true and living Church”? How do our Heavenly Parents interact with their children? What is the relationship between… Continue Reading

Thank you to all of you who have continued to support the podcast! My goal is to create a library of content indexed to scripture sections so that the podcast will be useful for the foreseeable future. That said, I will also continue to produce the podcast while you continue to support it! This Bonus… Continue Reading

So much to discuss as we conclude our study of the Book of Mormon this year. Points we will explore this lesson: Mormon’s sublime letter on faith, hope, and charity in Moroni 7 Moroni’s promise in chapter 10–perhaps the most read section of the Book of Mormon. How do we know what is true? What does… Continue Reading

These chapters are straightforward–Moroni, shocked he hasn’t been killed yet, shares information about the organization of the church. He introduces: The Gift of the Holy Ghost Ordination of priests and teachers The sacrament prayers Baptism and Church order This is an ideal time to discuss the question: Why do we go to Church? What is… Continue Reading

This lesson contains one of the crown jewels of the Book of Mormon–the sublime verse on weakness and strength in 12:27.   There are other gems worthy of study, discussion, and application in this chapter. We have the idea that we can be the angels whom God uses to answer prayers, and Moroni comments on how God… Continue Reading

In this lesson we get to discuss the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon (which made up the bulk of the plates as Joseph described them)! What is contained in the sealed portion? What can we learn from the instructions regarding how to access them? We are going to examine these chapters on several… Continue Reading

After Mormon’s final plea to the House of Israel, Moroni takes over the record. His despair and loneliness is palpable and touching in the beginning of Mormon 8. There are several thought provoking gems in these chapters about weakness, pride, caring for the needy, and theological points about the nature of God and judgment. Moroni’s… Continue Reading

Poignantly placed after the description of the Lehite utopia, these are the darkest, most disturbing chapters in the Book of Mormon. It seems a fitting time to wrestle with the human potential for evil, the reality of the terrible things we do to each other, almost as a rule. And after reading his life’s work,… Continue Reading

These chapters include an account of the happiest, most righteous, productive years in all of Book of Mormon history, the model utopian society that endured almost two hundred years after Jesus’ appearance. Unfortunately,  we only read about that time period (which surpasses the time covered by Mosiah, Alma, Helaman, and 3 Nephi!) for eighteen brief… Continue Reading

These chapters function as a sermon and reflection about the scriptures. Jesus quotes from Isaiah 54 and Malachi 3-4. He recommends the writings of Isaiah and urges Nephi to supplement his own records. Then in a bittersweet twist, we are excluded from the climax of the story–Mormon tells us that Jesus reveals all things, that… Continue Reading