The scriptures are our most powerful tools for teaching. President J. Reuben Clark Jr. explained that "[we] are to teach this Gospel using as [our] sources and authorities the Standard Works of the Church and the words of those whom God has called to lead His people in these last days." In this episode Professors Gaye Strathearn and Joe Spencer discuss the power of teaching with the scriptures. They highlight ways teachers can draw knowledge from and incorporate the scriptures into their teachin...
Jul 06, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Season 6Ep. 134
How does the Holy Ghost assist in our preparation and delivery of lessons? In this episode professors Hank Smith and Ryan Sharp demystify what it means to teach by the Spirit. They discuss ways to invite the Spirit to guide both teachers and learners. Y Religion Presents: Gospel Teaching is a limited series podcast where, each week during summer 2025, expert teachers share insights that highlight key principles and practices of effective gospel teaching.
Jun 29, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 6Ep. 133
The Lord has invited, “ Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you , that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand” (Doctrine & Covenants 88:78, emphasis added). In this episode President Mark L. Pace and Professor Ken Alford discuss resources and methods for organizing ourselves and preparing to teach a lesson. Y Religion Presents: G...
Jun 22, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Season 6Ep. 132
How do you prepare and adjust a message to connect with those you are leading? What methods can teachers—from all backgrounds and experiences—use when preparing for different teaching moments? In this episode, sister Emily Belle Freeman and Professor Brad Wilcox discuss tips on knowing and connecting with your audience when preparing and leading lessons. Y Religion Presents: Gospel Teaching is a limited series podcast where, each week during summer 2025, expert teachers share insights that highl...
Jun 15, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Season 6Ep. 131
What makes powerful gospel teaching? What are the effective elements that any teacher— no matter their training, situation, or personality—can implement so that deepened faith and conversion can happen in the lives of learners? In this episode, brother Chad Webb and Elder Clark Gilbert highlight essential principles and practices that invite the influence of the Spirit of God to foster powerful gospel teaching. Y Religion Presents: Gospel Teaching is a limited series podcast where, each week dur...
Jun 08, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 6Ep. 130
President Dallin H. Oaks has taught that “every member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is, or will be, a teacher. Each of us has a vital interest in the content and effectiveness of gospel teaching.” How might we prepare ourselves to teach with clarity and the inspiration of the Holy Ghost? In this episode professors John Hilton III and Casey Griffiths introduce “Y Religion Presents,” a special series of weekly episodes on a common theme. The 2025 motif focuses on gospel teach...
Jun 01, 2025•25 min•Season 6Ep. 129
When some elders criticized the language of Joseph Smith’s revelations in 1831, the Lord provided powerful truths in Doctrine and Covenants 67 to strengthen their faith—truths that remain vital for us today. In this podcast, Professor Searle outlines five key principles from the section that can help us build greater trust in prophetic counsel: (1) act on the prophet’s invitations, (2) recognize righteousness within revelations, (3) sincerely seek Jesus Christ, (4) follow the guidance of the Spi...
May 15, 2025•45 min•Season 6Ep. 128
The John A. Widtsoe Foundation recently introduced the Understanding Our Neighbors series to “foster respect and interfaith dialogue.” In this episode Professor Shon Hopkin, Department Chair of BYU Ancient Scripture, discusses the second book in this series Understanding Our Jewish Neighbors co-written with Rabbi Mark S. Diamond. The book presents guide to understanding the similarities and differences between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and leading Jewish traditions. Profess...
May 01, 2025•52 min•Season 6Ep. 127
The first witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ were some of his female disciples. Mary Magdalene witnessed the empty tomb and was the first to encounter the risen Savior. Additionally, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other unnamed women, who had come to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus, saw the empty tomb and reported it to the apostles. In this episode, Professor Gaye Strathearn explores the profound impact of the Easter events through the experiences of the women who witness...
Apr 15, 2025•54 min•Season 6Ep. 126
According to the earliest gospel accounts, on the night before his crucifixion, Jesus dined with his disciples to observe the feast of the Passover and institute what would later become the Christian eucharist (or sacrament). What would it have looked like to sit down with them that night? In this episode, Professor Matthew Grey reassesses the New Testament narratives of the Last Supper, especially its physical setting and manner of dining, by examining modern research on early Jewish dining cus...
Apr 01, 2025•52 min•Season 6Ep. 125
How does understanding the interconnected purposes of the sacrament, as presented in Doctrine & Covenants 27, deepen our appreciation for this sacred ordinance? In this episode Matthew O. Richardson, professor of Church history and doctrine, discusses several key themes and gospel principles related to the ordinance of the sacrament. He presents three specific purposes: remembering the past, specifically the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ; looking forward to future redemption; an...
Mar 15, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 6Ep. 124
Prior to their exodus west, nearly 90,000 converts journeyed across the seas to join the saints in America. In this episode Fred E. Woods, professor of Church history and doctrine, details the faith and immigration experiences of these saints as he discusses his recent publication Ports to Posts: Latter-day Saints Gathering in the Nineteenth Century. Professor Woods explores the port of Liverpool, England, the main point of embarkment for many converts, examines sailing conditions across the Atl...
Mar 01, 2025•51 min•Season 6Ep. 123
In this episode, Dr. Nicholas J. Frederick discusses his article "It’s Not the End of the World; It’s Just the Apocalypse: The Book of Revelation in the Book of Mormon" co-authored with Dr. Joseph M. Spencer. Professor Frederick examines the intricate relationship between the Book of Mormon and the New Testament, particularly focusing on the Book of Revelation, by highlighting key textual allusions, type scenes, and quotations between the two. For example, he compares Nephi’s vision as a variant...
Feb 15, 2025•55 min•Season 6Ep. 122
Contemporary views on marriage and family have changed significantly over time. How much of our understanding of marriage and family is shaped by societal norms versus prophetic guidance? In this episode, professor of Church history and doctrine Michael A. Goodman examines the secular and spiritual context surrounding “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” He discusses how the rise of expressive individualism, the sexual revolution, divorce rates, cohabitation, and other factors have played ...
Feb 01, 2025•49 min•Season 6Ep. 121
On the day after his Resurrection, the Savior appeared to those who knew him best during his mortal ministry—Mary Magdalene, Cleopas, ten of the apostles, and many other followers. While they saw him physically, they did not recognize him. Instead, they mistook him for a gardener, stranger, passing traveler, and even another prophet, as they misunderstood his role as the Redeemer of Israel or the promised Messiah. Rather than rebuking them, the Savior and ministering angels worked to correct the...
Jan 15, 2025•46 min•Season 6Ep. 120
As Professor of Church History and Doctrine Anthony Sweat dropped off a recent painting entitled Jesus of Nazareth , he was met with the response, “That’s not what Jesus looks like.” After a few laughs, Professor Sweat revealed that he intentionally avoided the Euro-centric depiction of Christ. Rather, he implemented elements of Roman Judea men—middle height, honey or olive-colored skin, and shorter black hair and beards. In this episode, Prof. Sweat answers the imperative question that came fro...
Jan 01, 2025•48 min•Season 6Ep. 119
When BYU professor Casey Paul Griffiths teaches a scripture class, he often concludes the semester by saying, “The end.” But when he finishes a course on the Doctrine and Covenants, he says, “To be continued . . .” This reflects the ongoing nature of revelation in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a living church led by the Savior through his prophets. In this episode, Dr. Griffiths discusses the recently released four-volume work, Scripture Central Commentary on the Doctrine and ...
Dec 15, 2024•46 min•Season 5Ep. 118
In an address to religious educators, Elder Richard G. Scott taught that “the use of an appealing visual aid can clarify truth.” One platform for accessing such righteous and clarifying images is the Book of Mormon Art Catalog (bookofmormonartcatalog.org). As an open-access repository of visual artwork, inspired by Restoration scripture and Church history, this catalog is a valuable resource for gospel teachers, Church leaders, families, and individuals seeking to visualize the Book of Mormon an...
Dec 01, 2024•48 min•Season 5Ep. 117
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught “that the book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the key stone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts , than by any other book.” But what exactly are precepts? And how are those recorded in an ancient record relevant to our lives today? In this episode Church history and doctrine professor Dr. Maclane Heward discusses ways to identify key precepts in the Book of Mormon and intentionally incorporated the...
Nov 15, 2024•46 min•Season 5Ep. 116
Reflecting on the first public interview with Relief Society General President Elaine Jack regarding “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Dr. Barbara Morgan Gardner, professor of Church history and doctrine, and Olivia Osguthorpe uncover and clarify truths and perspectives never before documented and critical to historical accuracy. In the months leading up to the general Relief Society meeting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday, September 23, 1995, then-General...
Nov 01, 2024•46 min•Season 5Ep. 115
Since the organization of the Church, leaders have called for world-wide religious liberty and harmony: “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may” (Articles of Faith 1:11). In this episode, Dr. Joshua M. Sears, associate professor of ancient scripture, details how we might answer the prophetic call to not only love and respect people of different faiths bu...
Oct 15, 2024•57 min•Season 5Ep. 114
In 3 Nephi 12:1—12 the resurrected Savior delivers an address to the Nephites similar to the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5; Luke 6) and presents the Beatitudes. Like the Matthew 5 account, the Book of Mormon record details how we might enter and build a covenantal relationship with God through the “interrelated and progressive” arrangement of the Beatitudes (Bible Dictionary). But what additional insight does the 3 Nephi account offer that isn’t preserved in the New Testament? In this episode Dr....
Oct 01, 2024•45 min•Season 5Ep. 113
As Alma mentored his sons in teaching the gospel, he counseled them not only to cultivate qualities such as diligence, temperance, humility, and self-reflection, but to also use “boldness, but not overbearance” (Alma 38:12) as part of their approach. The words boldness , bold , and boldly are used twenty-seven times throughout the Book Mormon, primarily to indicate that a person, or a group of people, have spoken or acted with “courage, daring, fearlessness; confidence, assurance, [and] security...
Sep 15, 2024•44 min•Season 5Ep. 112
Description Since the introduction of missionary work in 1830, Saints have used a variety of tools and practices to share the good news of the gospel and bring people unto Christ. Some of the most common methods have included standing on a collapsible soapbox, knocking on doors, using flannel and flip charts to illustrate lessons, sharing slideshows and videos, and utilizing a primary guide, like Preach My Gospel , to teach prepared discussions. The recent introduction of social media and the us...
Sep 01, 2024•52 min•Season 5Ep. 111
Since its release on September 23, 1995, The Family: A Proclamation to the World has become a needed doctrinal anchor during a time of confusion and opposition regarding the centrality of the family. In this episode Dr. Byran B. Korth, professor and associate department chair of Church history and doctrine, discusses his article on the divine origin and inception of the family proclamation and details its inextricable connection to seership and revelation. “But a seer can know of things which ar...
Aug 15, 2024•45 min•Season 5Ep. 110
The title Jesus preferred to use for himself more than any other in the New Testament Gospels was “Son of Man.” According to the Bible Dictionary, this title was used approximately eighty times in the Gospels and used exclusively by the Savior to reference himself. “And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath” (Luke 6:5). But why would this simple descriptor be chosen as a majestic title of the Lord? In this episode Dr. Jared W. Ludlow, professor of ancient scripture a...
Aug 01, 2024•43 min•Season 5Ep. 109
Ancient and latter-day prophets have often testified of the importance of gospel-centered parenting. King Benjamin once taught, “But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another” (Mosiah 4:15). President Russell M. Nelson has exclaimed, “No other work transcends that of righteous, intentional parenting!” In this episode Dr. Mark D. Ogletree, professor of Church history and doctrine, discusses a critical branch in ...
Jul 15, 2024•52 min•Season 5Ep. 108
Throughout the Book of Mormon, the Savior pronounces fifty-three “I am” statements as he details his purpose and declares his divine identity. In 2 Nephi 29: 8 – 9 he explains that he does so for a particular reason, “Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. […]. And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever […]” (emphasis added). In this next episode Dr. Joshua M. Matson, assistant professor of ancient scripture, discusses ...
Jul 01, 2024•50 min•Season 5Ep. 107
In 3 Nephi and Moroni, the resurrected Savior provides specific directions to the Nephites regarding four rituals: baptism by immersion, the bestowal of the gift of the Holy Ghost, communal prayer, and the sacrament. Why were such rituals important to the Savior and his ministry among the Nephites? How can understanding these teachings help us with our discipleship in the latter days? In this episode Dr. David Calabro, visiting assistant professor of ancient scripture, answers these questions in...
Jun 16, 2024•44 min•Season 5Ep. 106
“Latter-day Saints believe in the pursuit of truth through ‘study and faith’ and are thus not opposed to intellectual examination of scripture” (Dr. David R. Seely). One way we might examine the scriptures is through the use of biblical criticism , or historical criticism , an approach regularly used by biblical scholars to assess the meaning of a text—it's original context, audience, and authorship. In this episode Dr. Jason Combs, associate professor of ancient scripture, discussed his chapter...
Jun 02, 2024•53 min•Season 5Ep. 105
