Mormonism has been stereotypically conceived of as a patriarchal, heteronormative religion, from its past polygamy to its male-only priesthood. But what happens if you apply a queer studies lens to the faith?

This task was taken up by Kalamazoo College's Chair of Religion Taylor G. Petrey in his recent book, Queering Kinship in the Mormon Cosmos. On today's episode of Scholars & Saints, Dr. Petrey discusses the results of such an analysis with host Nicholas Shrum, focusing particularly on deep relationships of care known as kinship. From considering the gendered inter-relations of the Godhead to the role of Heavenly Mother, Dr. Petrey seeks to open up the world of Mormon theology to consider new cosmologies for underrepresented people groups.

To find out more about Dr. Petrey and his upcoming projects, click here.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has always been a great case study in the limits of religious liberty and tolerance in America. But what can the history of Mormonism tell us about U.S. tax history? According to Loyola University Chicago School of Law Professor Sam Brunson, quite a lot!

Kicking off this new season of Scholars & Saints, Dr. Brunson sits down with host Nicholas Shrum to discuss his new book, Between the Temple and the Tax Collector: The Intersection of Mormonism and the State. Dr. Brunson details the rich history of tax law as it relates to the LDS Church, from tithing in Nauvoo to Brigham Young's hefty federal income tax liability. Throughout this history, Dr. Brunson examines specifically how taxable status—notably tax exemptions—are a cornerstone of American religious liberty that tie the church and the state together more intricately than the Jeffersonian doctrine of a "wall of separation" might imply.

To find out more about Dr. Brunson and his upcoming projects, click here.

Women have always played a large role in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But how do women today, especially women of color, negotiate their faith through a historically patriarchal religion? And how can western scholars really probe this issue for women around the globe, without enforcing their own pre-conceived paradigms? On this episode of Scholars & Saints, Nicholas speaks with Dr. Caroline Kline, Assistant Director for Global Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University, about her 2022 book, Mormon Women at the Crossroads: Global Narratives and the Power of Connectedness. Dr. Kline engages oral histories from her ethnographic study of Mormon women of color in the U.S., Botswana, and Mexico. In so doing, she presents two major theoretical lenses that look at Mormon women's agency from their own perspective: through connectedness to loving families, strong communities, and a profoundly loving, personal God.

To find out more about Dr. Kline and her upcoming projects, click here.