In this episode, Church history and doctrine professor Casey Paul Griffiths discusses his book The Four Loves and the Latter-day Saints: The Nature of Love in All Facets of Our Lives. Drawing on C.S. Lewis's framework and restored gospel teachings, he explains the four forms of love—familial, friendly, romantic, and divine—and why understanding their differences matters for Latter-day Saints.

Professor Griffiths highlights the limitations of the English phrase "I love you," noting how it carries multiple meanings that other languages express more precisely. He teaches that distinguishing between these types of love deepens our understanding of ourselves, our relationships, and God. Using scriptural and prophetic insights, he shows how divine love forms the foundation of all human connections.

Throughout the episode, Griffiths offers practical ways to apply each form of love, helping listeners strengthen marriages, friendships, families, and their relationship with God. Ultimately, the conversation provides an inspiring look at what it means to love as Christ taught and how a clearer grasp of the "four loves" can elevate every relationship in our lives.

Publications:

• The Four Loves and the Latter-day Saints: The Nature of Love in All Facets of Our Lives (Cedar Fort, 2023)
• Restorations: Scholars in Dialogue from Community of Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Religious Studies Center, 2022)
• "The First Vision Goes to the Movies," in Joseph Smith and His First Vision: Context, Place, and Meaning (Religious Studies Center, 2021)
• Website: https://www.facebook.com/bro.griffiths

Click here to learn more about Casey Griffiths

What if the only letter in the New Testament addressed to a woman has been hiding in plain sight? As one of the shortest texts in the New Testament, Second John is often overlooked and dismissed as a condensed version of First John. Traditionally, its opening line has been read as addressed "to an elect lady"–a phrase understood metaphorically as the Church personified as a woman. This interpretation has dominated Greek editions of the New Testament for over 150 years, reinforcing the view that the letter was not directed to an individual but to a community.

In this episode, associate dean of research in Religious Education, Lincoln Blumell, discusses his recently published scholarship that challenges this long-standing assumption. Drawing on evidence from papyri, manuscripts, and other sources, Dr. Blumell argues that the text should instead be rendered "to the lady Eclecte," identifying a named woman as the recipient. This reinterpretation not only clarifies the meaning of the letter but also makes Second John the only text in the New Testament canon addressed directly to a woman, reshaping its significance and offering new insight into the role of women in the New Testament Church.

Publications:

• Lady Eclecte: The Lost Woman of the New Testament (Fortress Press, 2025)
• Didymus the Blind's Commentary of Psalms 26:10–29 and 36:1–13 (Brepols Publishers, 2019)
• New Testament History, Culture, and Society: A Background to the Texts of the New Testament (Religious Studies Center, 2019)
• "'Is Jesus's Yoke Easy"? Reconsidering the Translation in Matthew 11:30" (BYU Studies, forthcoming)
• "A Ptolemaic Petition from a 'Judeo-Egyptian' (Ἰουδαιοαιγύπτιος)," with Kerry Hull, in Journal of Jewish Studies, 75.2 (2024)
• "The Text of the New Testament," in The King James Bible and the Restoration (Religious Studies Center, 2011)
• "The Greek Texts of the New Testament," Y Religion Podcast, Episode 20 (2020)
• Website: https://lincolnhblumell.com/

Click here to learn more about Lincoln Blumell

From the moment Brigham Young emerged from the waters of baptism in 1832, a fire burned within him to preach the restored gospel: "I wanted to thunder and roar out the Gospel to the nations. It burned in my bones like fire pent up…." That same passion drove him to keep detailed records of his labors and later his service as a Church leader and prophet. In this episode, professor of Church history and doctrine Gerrit Dirkmaat discusses his work on The Brigham Young Journals: Volume 1: April 1832–February 1846. Dr. Dirkmaat shares the behind-the-scenes insights into the editorial process, explores the significance of Brigham Young's pre-Utah writings, and explains what these documents teach us about his remarkable journey from convert to prophet. Whether you're a student of Church history or simply curious about the making of a leader, this conversation offers a rare and riveting look into the testimony, labors, and special witness of the second latter-day prophet.

Publications:

• The Brigham Young Journals: Volume 1: April 1832–February 1846 (Religious Studies Center, 2023)
• "The Prophets Have Spoken, but What Did They Say?: Examining the Difference between George D. Watt's Original Shorthand Notes and the Sermons Published in the Journal of Discourses," BYU Studies Quarterly, 54.4 (BYU Studies, 2015)
• From Darkness unto Light: Joseph Smith's Translation and Publication of the Book of Mormon (Religious Studies Center, 2015)
• "'Too Long Trampled on to Be Celebrated': The Latter-day Saint Protest of Independence Day 1845," in Religious Liberty and Latter-day Saints: Historical and Global Perspectives (Religious Studies Center, 2023)
• "Firsthand Witness Accounts of the Translation Process," in The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon: A Marvelous Work and a Wonder (Religious Studies Center, 2015)

Click here to learn more about Gerrit Dirkmaat