Maxwell Institute Podcast

Episod

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  Dr. John White's Conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 06.10.2026 45min

  Dr. John B. White is a visiting research fellow at The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship at Brigham Young University. He previously spent 14 years as a professor of practical theology and ethics, where he also directed the Graduate Chaplaincy Program and co-founded the Faith & Sports Institute. He earned a PhD in theological ethics from the University of Edinburgh, and his work focuses on moral theology, character formation, embodiment, discipleship, and moral agency.In this conversation with Rosalynde Welch, John shares the experiences that led him to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He reflects on reading the Book of Mormon, visiting the Sacred Grove, finding a sense of belonging among members of the Church, and choosing baptism despite significant personal and professional consequences.They also discuss how his study of the body and Christian theology found deeper meaning in the restored gospel, including the role of our bodies in worship, the Word of Wisdom, and serving others through temple ordinances.
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  He Is Near That Justifieth Me: Reflections on Isaiah 50–57 05.10.2026 16min

  Katie Paxman reflects on Isaiah 50–57, exploring shame, divine nearness, Christ’s redeeming work, and the hope of restoration.
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  True and False Creation in Isaiah 40–49 28.09.2026 7min

  Morgan Davis explores how Isaiah 40–49 contrasts God’s true creation with human-made idols and what that contrast teaches about self-deception, repentance, and God’s enduring care.
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  Another Cheer for Poetry in the Scriptures: Reflections on Isaiah 35 21.09.2026 7min

  J. B. Haws reflects on Isaiah 35, President Gordon B. Hinckley’s words at Neal A. Maxwell’s funeral, and poetry’s unusual power to offer hope and consolation.
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  Shaping Up Isaiah: Reflections on Isaiah 1–12 14.09.2026 9min

  Joseph M. Spencer examines the structure of Isaiah 1–12 and how its shape, reflected in the Book of Mormon, reveals a story of covenant, disaster, promise, and redemption.
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  Ecclesiastes Has a Public Relations Problem 07.09.2026 20min

  Philip Barlow explores Ecclesiastes, its poetic form and pessimistic outlook, and what its realism, skepticism, and uncertainty can contribute to Latter-day Saint faith.
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  The Latter-day Saint Graduate Student, with Spencer Fluhman 02.09.2026 53min

  This is Episode 1 of Faith in Every Footnote, a mentorship podcast for graduate students. All 10 episodes of the series can be found on the Faith in Every Footnote show on Apple Podcasts, as well as on Spotify and YouTube.As a preview of the series, this episode is being shared on the Maxwell Institute Podcast. In this inaugural episode of Faith in Every Footnote, Spencer Fluhman, historian and former director of the Institute, joins Rosalynde Welch, Shawn Tucker, and graduate student co-host Noah Adams to discuss what it means to be a disciple-scholar. Together, they explore how scholarship centered on Jesus Christ can deepen discipleship, build Zion, and bring greater purpose and joy to graduate study.
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  Introducing Faith in Every Footnote¹ 01.09.2026

  This episode of the Maxwell Institute Podcast features the trailer for Faith in Every Footnote, a separate ten episode podcast miniseries from The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. Listen to and follow Faith in Every Footnote on Apple PodcastsFaith in Every Footnote is a mentorship podcast for graduate students navigating the challenges of academic life while strengthening their faith in Jesus Christ.Hosts Rosalynde Welch and Shawn Tucker, alongside student hosts Noah Adams and Lara Buckwalter, sit down with leading scholars for candid conversations about faith, doubt, family life, the job search, and the joys and difficulties of graduate study.
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  A Lesson in Praise for Advanced Discipleship: Reflections on Psalm 102 31.08.2026 12min

  Rosalynde Welch reflects on Psalm 102, showing how lament can become praise and deepen discipleship amid suffering.
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  Praying the Psalms: Reflections on Psalm 69 24.08.2026 10min

  Thomas B. Griffith reflects on Psalm 69 and the difficult psalms of complaint and vengeance, exploring how honest, inherited prayers can deepen discipleship, reshape the heart, and strengthen a believer’s relationship with God.
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  Prayer for Every Weather: Reflections on Psalms 1–2, 8, 19–33, 40, 46 17.08.2026 8min

  Kim Matheson reflects on the Psalms as prayers for every human season, showing how lament, fear, anger, gratitude, and praise can all draw us toward God.
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  The Theology of Bristlecone Pines: Reflections on Job 10.08.2026 15min

  Steve Peck reflects on Job, suffering, creation, and ancient bristlecone pines to consider how God’s world can humble, unsettle, and enlarge our search for meaning.
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  For Such a Time as This: Reflections on Esther 03.08.2026 8min

  Rosalynde Welch reflects on Esther through a 1985 Relief Society performance by her mother, showing how scripture takes on new meaning as each generation interprets, performs, and applies it to its own time.
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  Once Lost, Religious Authority Is Hard to Rebuild: Reflections on Ezra and Nehemiah 27.07.2026 12min

  Rosalynde Welch examines Ezra and Nehemiah as a story of rebuilding religious authority through scripture, covenant renewal, temple worship, and the people’s renewed trust in God.
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  On Bended Rules: Reflections on 2 Chronicles 14–20; 26; 30 20.07.2026 7min

  Morgan Davis reflects on Uzziah, Hezekiah, and Passover to explore the difference between prideful presumption and humble covenant-seeking when imperfect circumstances complicate obedience.
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  A Prophet Named Huldah: Reflections on 2 Kings 16–25 06.07.2026 11min

  Morgan Davis reflects on the prophet Huldah’s crucial role in 2 Kings 22, where her prophetic witness confirmed the authority of the rediscovered book of the law and helped shape Josiah’s reforms. Though often overlooked, Huldah stands as a significant figure in the formation of biblical faith and sacred history.
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  What Are Miracles For? Reflections on 2 Kings 2–7 06.07.2026 13min

  In this essay on 2 Kings 2–7, Philip Barlow reflects on Elisha’s miracles and asks what miracles are for, how we should understand them, and what place they ought to have in a life of faith.
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  Zeal and the Still Small Voice: Reflections on 1 Kings 12–13; 17–22 29.06.2026 13min

  Morgan Davis reflects on Elijah’s encounter with the still small voice in 1 Kings 19, exploring how God’s quiet instruction challenges zeal, violence, and spiritual overconfidence. In a world often drawn to loudness and certainty, Elijah’s story invites us to listen again for the voice of perfect mildness.
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  Lessons From Life’s Complex Stories: Reflections on 2 Samuel 11–12 25.06.2026 6min

  Avram Richard Shannon reflects on the complex story of David, Bath-sheba, and Uriah, inviting readers to seek moral and spiritual lessons from scripture without oversimplifying the lives of real people.
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  Abigail in Between: Reflections on 1 Samuel 25 16.06.2026 15min

  In this reflection on 1 Samuel 25, Kristian Heal explores Abigail’s courageous peacemaking between David and Nabal and invites readers to consider how Christ can transform foolishness, resentment, and offense into wisdom, reconciliation, and peace.