1. Love as a Law: Love is described as the substance of God’s law, not a reward to be earned. It is a commandment to love God and others unconditionally.

2. Parable of the Prodigal Son: Both sons in the parable misunderstand love as a reward. The younger son feels unworthy, while the elder son feels entitled. The father represents God’s unconditional love.

3. Perfectionism vs. Perfect Love: Perfectionism is seen as a backward approach to love, focusing on being lovable rather than loving perfectly. God’s perfect love is unconditional and not based on merit.

4. Righteous Judgment: True judgment is about how to love others, not about who deserves love. Love should be given freely, even to enemies.

5. Practical Application: The article encourages readers to stop treating love as a reward and start obeying it as a law, participating in the work of loving others without conditions.

For additional information see:https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/love-is-a-law-not-a-reward

1. Religious Teachings: Explores how religious teachings can influence perfectionistic tendencies, both positively and negatively.

2. Spiritual Perfectionism Differentiates between striving for spiritual growth and unhealthy perfectionism that leads to guilt and anxiety.

3. Role of Grace: Emphasizes the importance of understanding and accepting grace to counteract the negative effects of perfectionism.

4. Community Support: Highlights the role of religious communities in providing support and reducing perfectionistic pressures.

5. Balancing Effort and Faith: Encourages balancing personal effort with faith in divine assistance to achieve a healthier approach to perfectionism.

For additional information see:https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/religion-and-perfectionism

This article by Mark D. Ogletree was published in BYU Studies 63, no. 4 (2024).

Key points from this article:

1. Types of Perfectionism: Adaptive (positive outcomes) vs. Maladaptive (negative mental health outcomes).

2. Mental Health Impact: Maladaptive perfectionism increases anxiety, depression, stress, and burnout in adolescents.

3. Influences: High parental expectations and societal pressures contribute to perfectionistic traits.

4. Interventions: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness can help manage perfectionism.

5. Supportive Environment: Creating a supportive environment and encouraging balance can mitigate negative effects.

To read this article online for free, go to https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/perfectionisms-influence-on-adolescent-mental-health

This article by Ryan S. Gardner introduces the Oracles of God collection at the David O. McKay Library at Brigham Young University–Idaho, which compiles documents relating to prior declarations, statements, etc. from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It discusses the criteria for documents that are included in this new digital collection and how it can be helpful to church membership.

This poem by Kevin Klein received an honorable mention in the 2021 Clinton F. Larson Poetry Contest, sponsored by BYU Studies.

This article from Noel B. Reynolds discusses the use of covenant as a concept in religious tradition and scripture, and consider how it has been discussed in scholarship up to the current day. Reynolds then discusses how these ideas can tie to the understanding of covenant in the Book of Mormon and how this study can "enrich those teachings for a modern reader."

“Parental Influence on Adolescent Perfectionism” by Jenet Jacob Erickson, Olivia Forsberg, and McKenna Schmidt. Published BYU Studies 63 no. 4 (2024).

Key Points: Parental Influence: Parents' own perfectionism can impact their children, especially through modeling behaviors and psychological control. Fathers' and mothers' perfectionism influences boys and girls differently. Psychological Control: Psychological control, such as withdrawing love and shaming, is strongly linked to the development of toxic perfectionism, particularly in girls. Fathers' psychological control has a significant impact on daughters' perfectionism. Family Dynamics: Family chaos and disengagement are predictors of higher levels of toxic perfectionism in youth. Boys are more affected by family chaos, while girls are more affected by family rigidity. Parenting Styles: Authoritarian parenting combined with psychological control can lead to toxic perfectionism. Authoritative parenting, which balances high standards with warmth and responsiveness, is considered ideal. Cultural Factors: Cultural changes, such as competitive individualism and meritocracy, contribute to the rise in perfectionism among young adults. Recommendations: Parents should focus on creating a supportive and flexible family environment. Emphasizing unconditional love and acceptance can help mitigate the development of toxic perfectionism in children.

You can read the text of this article for free at https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/parental-influence-on-adolescent-perfectionism.

This article by W. Justin Dyer, published BYU Studies 63, no. 4 (2024) explores how perfectionism develops and changes during adolescence.

Key points from this article:

• Development of Perfectionism:
  • Perfectionism tends to increase slightly from age 12 to 18.
  • Discrepancy perfectionism (feeling you are not meeting expectations) and social perfectionism (feeling the need to be perfect for others) follow similar trajectories.
• Perfectionism Trajectories:
  • Youth can be categorized into low, mid, and high perfectionism groups.
  • 34% of youth fall into the low group, 48% into the mid group, and 18% into the high group.
• Influence of Social Media:
  • High social media use is linked to higher levels of perfectionism.
  • 22% of those using social media for three hours daily are high in perfectionism, compared to 13% of those who do not use social media.
• Gender Differences:
  • Girls are more likely to be high perfectionists compared to boys.
  • Nearly twice the percentage of girls are in the high perfectionism group than boys.
• Geographical Differences:
  • Youth in Utah have higher rates of perfectionism compared to those in Arizona and California.
  • 18% of youth in Utah are high in perfectionism, compared to 13% in Arizona and 11% in California.
• Sexual Orientation:
  • Sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) have higher rates of perfectionism.
  • 27% of SGMs are high in perfectionism, compared to 14% of non-SGMs.

You can read the text of this article for free at https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/perfectionism-across-adolescence.