The Strength of Moral Tension
Although tension is rarely comfortable to experience, the strain of holding onto conflicting ideals can make us strong.
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Author: Nathaniel Givens
Nathaniel Givens is a writer and blogger. In addition to Public Square, he has written for Meridian, Real Clear Religion, First Things, and Square Two. He blogs at Nauvoo Neighbor, Times and Seasons, and his own blog: Difficult Run.
Redeeming the Natural Mind
A Re-Rejoinder to Alan’s engagement with All Things New.
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My General Conference Odyssey
Words of prophetic counsel are a constant presence and fixture in most Latter-day Saint lives. But it wasn’t until I started studying them intently that something changed inside me.
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The Ambiguity / Authority Tradeoff in Scripture
Why all the intense feelings over competing interpretations of particular passages of scripture? Maybe because of what the winning conclusion says about the authority of scripture as a whole.
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The Importance of Prophetic Fallibility
Although understandably unsettling to many believers today, the idea that prophets can be wrong points toward some of the hidden beauty in the gospel plan.
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Yes, We Really Do Need to Talk About Race
It’s not just folks on the political left who we’d love to go deeper in exploring meaningful questions. These are some of our questions for brothers and sisters on the political right as well.
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Honest Questions about Race for Fellow Disciples
An open letter to Pro-CRT Latter-day Saints at BYU and beyond—inviting a good-faith dialogue that honestly engages some of our meaningful disagreements.
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What Contention Takes From Us
The devil has been using contention to harden hearts and blind minds since long before social media. Then, and now, it’s a great way to stop the most important conversations from happening.
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What Led Me to Radical Orthodoxy
A new “manifesto” on radical orthodoxy has been widely discussed. Where did its ideas originate? One author explains.
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Latter-day Saint Radical Orthodoxy: a Manifesto
Many young believers feel the only options they have are to be rigidly dogmatic to the point of being fundamentalist or to reject the Church’s teachings in favor of progressive political doctrines and intellectualism. This statement encourages intellectual engagement with the Church of Jesus Christ in ways that are faithful and flexible instead of either rigidly dogmatic or heretical and doubting.
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This Is How It Begins to End
If you are a Christian, you are politically homeless. This has always been true. Now it is obvious. Our calling is to place eternal principles over ephemeral factions in this disciple-defining moment.
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#NeverTrump; #AlwaysLiberalism
Trump is not as bad as his critics would have you believe, but he remains the antithesis of the American liberal ideal. We should use this chance to repudiate him.
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The Real Social Dilemma
Although drawing some welcome scrutiny to a fixture of modern life, the popular new documentary misses some important points as well. Especially our own responsibility in the larger mess.
Read MoreDon’t Underestimate Cancel Culture
Those critiquing J.K. Rowling and other luminaries for signing off on a letter about open debate don’t seem to appreciate the extent to which threats on a few have rippled out to influence the self-censoring and fearful silence of millions.
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Heresies that Happen to be True
When presumptuous certainty stands in the place of a living faith, the stage is set for the shattering of one’s “faith” without typically even recognizing the hyper-fragility of what had been tightly held previously.
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How Presumptuous Certainty Stokes Radicalization
When we free our beliefs from the constraints and obligations of truth, we lose our greatest defense against toxic polarization.
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Certainty is a Counterfeit Salvation
In a world that can be frightening and unstable, certain conviction can bring a measure of tangible comfort, whether or not it’s actually true.
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Why Bad Things Must Happen to Good People
In an orderly and just world, religion would be just a cosmic vending machine. Unpredictable suffering makes true virtue possible.
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The Sanctity of Suffering
Suffering is everywhere. And yet, by the way we sometimes talk, you’d think it’s a rarity. Or at least better to avoid in polite company.
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Difficult by Design
If you think life should be easy, its hardness can feel crushing. But what if this difficulty is an essential feature, rather than a disconcerting mistake?
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