General conference is one of my favorite things in life, and this time was particularly important to me. Messages about Jesus, faith, Easter, and holy week, but this time a further message about how the disciple of Christ has an obligation to be a peacemaker. I loved it. Not just civility, something deeper: the call to peacemaking. I suspect we’ll talk more about it in coming episodes, so for now, a highlights reel.
Who is Clark Gilbert, the newest apostle called to join the Quorum of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
The pain from religious violence that Latter-day Saints have experienced should inspire us to be better advocates for the religiously persecuted.
Is this really the greatest threat to American democracy, or is something else going on?
America has increasingly felt ripped apart at the seams. For the many who have felt this way, Joe Biden’s words this weekend felt reassuring and timely.
In commemoration of The National Day of Prayer, here are some readings on prayer. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich Last year, Samuel Hislop recommended this book. The book contains an extended conversation between Ivan and Alyosha about the nature and efficacy of prayer. A must-read on the nature of faith in difficult times. The Priceless Privilege of Prayer Bruce D. Porter gave a BYU devotional examining ways that our prayers can be dishonest, looking at the example of Huckleberry Finn. President Nelson on the National Day of Prayer President Nelson today published on social media, “On this National Day of Prayer, I have been pondering the evolving meaning in our society of the phrase ‘thoughts and prayers.’ For many, this is still a sincere expression of condolence and concern. For others, it is viewed as a perceived lack of action in the face of tragedy.” He goes on to explain how important prayers can be in the face of tragedy, and how it inspires him to action. The Power of Prayer Meleane Unga gave a devotional at BYU-Hawaii and spoke about how her father’s prayers growing up helped give her a model for how to deal with difficulties in her life. A powerful example of the personal importance of prayer. Four-Year-Old Me Prayed My Mom Would Have Eight Arms You’ll have to forgive me for including an old article I wrote myself detailing how I learned to recognize the unexpected answers to prayer. Religion for Adults Means Embracing Complexity Sarah Hurwitz wrote in the Wall Street Journal in 2019 about what a grown-up faith means, including the importance of prayer. One of the most thoughtful pieces on prayer in a national newspaper in the last decade.
The message of the gospel of Christ makes some people uncomfortable and angry. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Maybe we should show a little more humble openness to what CRT can offer our understanding of the world?
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