''Mormon Stories Podcast'' is a

podcast A podcast is a Radio program, program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is an Episode, episodic series of digital audio Computer file, files that users can download to a personal device or str ...

principally hosted by psychologist

John Dehlin John Parkinson Dehlin () is an American podcast host. He holds a PhD in psychology. Dehlin founded the ''Mormon Stories Podcast'', as well as several other podcasts, blogs, and websites. He was an influential early participant in the "Mormon blo ...

featuring interviews with individuals and occasionally scholars on Mormon topics. The podcasts are noted as a platform for individuals critical of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

(LDS Church),

skeptic Skepticism ( US) or scepticism ( UK) is a questioning attitude or doubt toward knowledge claims that are seen as mere belief or dogma. For example, if a person is skeptical about claims made by their government about an ongoing war then the p ...

and

dissident A dissident is a person who actively challenges an established political or religious system, doctrine, belief, policy, or institution. In a religious context, the word has been used since the 18th century, and in the political sense since the 2 ...

individuals.

History

In September 2005, after finding reasons to stay a member of the LDS Church despite a crisis of faith,

created the ''Mormon Stories'' podcast as an open discussion of Mormon issues with the intention of giving listeners reasons to remain in the church. Through interviews, ''Mormon Stories'' focused on varying Mormon experiences and perspectives, including antagonistic, apologetic, intellectual,

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late ...

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

fundamentalist Fundamentalism is a tendency among certain groups and individuals that are characterized by the application of a strict literal interpretation to scriptures, dogmas, or ideologies, along with a strong belief in the importance of distinguishin ...

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

, and dissenting. Several notable Mormon figures were guests on ''Mormon Stories'', including Gregory Prince,

Todd Compton Todd Merlin Compton (born 1952) is an American historian in the fields of Mormon history and classics. Compton is a respected authority on the plural wives of the LDS Church founder, Joseph Smith. Biographical background Compton is a member of ...

, Grant H. Palmer,

Darius Gray Darius Gray is an African-American Latter-day Saint speaker and writer. Gray was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in 1964. He attended Brig ...

, Margaret Blair Young,

Richard Bushman Richard Lyman Bushman (born June 20, 1931) is an American historian and Gouverneur Morris Professor Emeritus of History at Columbia University, having previously taught at Brigham Young University, Harvard University, Boston University, and th ...

, and Margaret and Paul Toscano. ''Mormon Stories'' has been featured in many venues, including being broadcast on

KVNU KVNU (610 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Logan, Utah. It is owned by the Cache Valley Media Group and airs a talk radio format, serving the Logan metropolitan area. KVNU also broadcasts Utah State Aggies sports. KVNU fir ...

Logan, Utah Logan is a city in Cache County, Utah, United States. The 2020 United States Census, 2020 census recorded the population at 52,778. Logan is the county seat of Cache County and the principal city of the Logan metropolitan area, which includes Ca ...

. In June 2007, John Dehlin was quoted for stories by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' and ''

Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'', often abbreviated as ''GMA'', is an American breakfast television, morning television program that is broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends wit ...

'', discussing

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...

and Mormonism. At times personally conflicted about continuing ''Mormon Stories'', Dehlin stopped and restarted the project a few times. In January 2010, Dehlin resumed the blog and podcast, focusing on faith crises, mental illnesses, and notable guests, beginning with interviews of Joanna Brooks and

John C. Hamer John C. Hamer (born 1970) is an American-Canadian historian and Cartography, mapmaker. His research has focused primarily on the history of the Latter Day Saint movement, authoring several books on the topic. Hamer is a leading expert on various ...

. Among numerous other regular hosts who have joined Dehlin in conducting interviews for the podcast were Dan Wotherspoon, former editor of ''

Sunstone Sunstone is a microcline or oligoclase feldspar, which when viewed from certain directions exhibits a aventurescence, spangled appearance. It has been found in Southern Norway, Sweden, various United States localities and on some beaches along ...

'' magazine, and Natasha Helfer Parker, a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist. In 2015, Dehlin said ''Stories'' episodes had "tens of thousands" of listeners and that the webcast's "goal has always been to alleviate suffering. It's an act of love." Dehlin was excommunicated for apostasy by the LDS Church in 2015. In 2016, the Open Stories foundation reported Dehlin's 2017 salary and bonus was $82,500 and $27,000 respectively. Dehlin's compensation rose to over $226,000 in 2018, and $236,000 in 2019.

Criticism

In 2013, a critical review of ''Mormon Stories'' by Gregory L. Smith was published in '' Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture''. In the review, Smith alleges that "Dehlin is frequently uninformed of the often controversial material he discusses with interviewees, and that he promotes views hostile to the foundational beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". The pending publication of the piece catalyzed within the

Mormon studies Mormon studies is the interdisciplinarity, interdisciplinary list of academic disciplines, academic study of the beliefs and practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, beliefs, practices, Latter Day Saint movement#History, histor ...

community a discussion (referred to by some as the "Dehlin affair") about the roles of apologetic and non-faith-based scholarship, respectively, within the academic study of Mormonism by Mormons.

Guests

Featured guests of the podcast include Latter-day Saints considered orthodox, "curious," doubters, and heretics. Guests have included a number of "NeverMos" (short for "never-Mormons") and former Mormons who have either backgrounds in "comparative religions/cults" or histories of being associated with the LDS Church without ever becoming members.

References

External links

*
"Gregory L. Smith's Review of 'Mormon Stories'"
'' Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mormon Stories Podcast Audio podcasts Blogs about Mormons and Mormonism American religious websites 2005 podcast debuts Mormon apologetics Mormon studies Mormonism-related controversies Religion and spirituality podcasts American podcasts Mormon podcasts

History

Criticism

Guests

See also

References

External links