Maxwell Institute Podcast
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Where faith and scholarship have a nice dinner conversation.
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In this episode, we explore the rich spiritual insights found in Genesis 5 and Moses 6—two scriptural texts that tell the same story in strikingly different ways. Drawing on Rosalynde Welch’s reflections, we look at how a seemingly simple genealogy becomes a profound meditation on creation, covenant, and the divine potential embedded in every human life.
Why does the brief, enigmatic line “Enoch walked with God” stand out so powerfully amid a long list of father‑to‑son repetitions? And what can Moses’ expansive, revelatory retelling teach us about what it means to truly abide in the Spirit?
Join us as we unpack ancient patterns, trace the echoes of the Creation story through generations, and contemplate what it means—practically and spiritually—to walk with God today.
What happens when children ask, “Why do we do this?”
In this reflective episode, Kristian Heal explores Exodus 12:26 and the powerful relationship between story, ritual, and memory in the life of faith. From the dramatic deliverance of Israel in the Exodus to the quiet, repeated practices that keep that story alive across generations, this episode considers how sacred traditions are designed not just to remember the past—but to shape the future.
Heal examines how narrative and ritual work together to sustain hope, especially in moments of uncertainty, and how a culture of questioning and answering becomes essential to passing faith from one generation to the next. As ancient Israel marked time through Passover and sacred observance, so too do modern believers find meaning through practices that connect them to God’s saving work.
Ultimately, this episode invites listeners to consider how the most prophetically audacious story of all—the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ—continues to be remembered, reenacted, and lived today.
The story of the Exodus begins not with miracles or plagues, but with acts of quiet courage. In this Old Testament Reflection on Exodus 1–6, Rosalynde Welch explores the network of women who ensure the survival of the infant Moses—midwives, a mother, a sister, a princess, and a wife—each acting at great personal risk to preserve a life that will one day help liberate a people.
Welch reflects on how these early chapters of Exodus reveal a deeper pattern in sacred history: God’s saving work often unfolds through “small-s saviors,” ordinary men and women who cooperate to protect life, resist injustice, and prepare the way for deliverance. Drawing connections from ancient Israel to the abolitionist work of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, she invites us to consider how quiet acts of courage and partnership can shape the course of history.
In this study of Genesis 42–50, Kristian Heal explores themes of chosenness, favoritism, recognition, and reconciliation in the Joseph narrative, examining how hidden identity, repentance, and divine providence shape the theological meaning of the story.
How should we read the story of Joseph in Genesis 37–41? This essay examines four distinct approaches—ancient Jewish narrative expansions, early Christian typology, Latter-day Saint restoration readings, and contemporary biblical scholarship—to reveal the richness and complexity of scripture across time.
Jacob’s nighttime wrestle in Genesis 32 ends not in triumph, but in a limp—and a blessing that changes everything. Kim Matheson explores how weakness, ambiguity, and encounter with God prepare Jacob for reconciliation in ways his cleverness never could.
What do we do when scripture makes us uncomfortable? In this reflection on Genesis 18–23, Katie Paxman considers the story of Abraham and Isaac through the lens of empathy, friendship with God, and the courage to feel. Rather than rushing toward tidy theological explanations, she invites readers to linger in sacred discomfort—and discover how God may be teaching us through it.
Terryl Givens reflects on Genesis 15 and its profound connection to the everlasting covenant fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Through a striking and singular sacrificial ritual, Abraham witnesses a symbol of divine passage—a pattern later realized when Christ consecrated “a new and living way” through the veil of His own flesh. Givens traces how this imagery helps illuminate the Restoration’s temple theology, where disciples move step by step through covenantal life toward adoption, sanctification, and the presence of God. A thoughtful, beautifully drawn meditation that complements your Come, Follow Me study of the Old Testament.
Dr. Jamie Jensen explores Genesis 6–11 and Moses 8 through both scientific understanding and spiritual insight. Drawing on her work at the intersection of faith and science, she examines how the “confounding of languages” in our modern discourse can distract from the core messages of Noah’s story—God’s love, prophetic warning, covenant obedience, and our responsibility to care for His creations. With personal experiences, scientific context, and heartfelt reflection, Jensen invites listeners to see the Flood narrative not as a battleground between disciplines but as a source of enduring spiritual truth.
Evolutionary ecologist and novelist Steven Peck brings scientific reasoning, theological imagination, and Restoration scripture into conversation as he examines one of the most striking scenes in all scripture—God weeping in Moses 7. Peck challenges traditional readings that frame God as the direct cause of suffering and instead portrays a compassionate Deity who mourns with creation and calls His children to alleviate pain alongside Him. Thoughtful, probing, and deeply pastoral, this reflection enriches your Come, Follow Me study with a renewed vision of God’s empathy and the sacred responsibility of human agency.
In this episode, we explore the profound meaning behind Eve’s name and her pivotal role in the story of humankind. Drawing on linguistic insights, ancient Hebrew, and Restoration scripture, scholar Morgan Davis uncovers how the original sound and symbolism of Ḥawwah—Eve—reveal a richer, more hopeful understanding of the first mother.
We’ll examine how modern Bible translations shed light on wordplay long hidden in English, how divine breath and life echo through the Genesis narrative, and why Adam’s naming of Eve after the Fall is an act filled with honor, prophecy, and gratitude. Far from being a figure of blame, Eve emerges as a model of courage, wisdom, and forward‑moving faith.
Join us as we rethink a familiar scripture story and rediscover Eve as the mother of all living—a title that carries beauty, depth, and enduring spiritual power.
In this author-read episode, Steven C. Harper explores the creation accounts found in Genesis, the Book of Moses, and the Book of Abraham, using the idea of “noise” in communication to explain why scripture can be difficult to interpret. He introduces a Restoration-based hermeneutic—the tools and practices Joseph Smith used to read the Bible with reverence, honesty about its limits, and openness to revelation.
Listeners will be guided through:
How language and culture affect our reading of Genesis
Why Genesis includes more than one creation account
What the Books of Moses and Abraham add to our understanding of creation
How restored scripture clarifies God’s purposes without claiming to explain every detail of how creation occurred
Rather than resolving every question, this episode offers perspective, context, and hope. It invites listeners to approach the Old Testament thoughtfully, combining careful study with spiritual inquiry, and to trust that God revealed enough about creation to help us understan
Explore the meaning of Moses 1:39 and the concept of God’s “work and glory” in this episode of Old Testament Reflections. Philip Barlow examines the theological depth of immortality and eternal life, the significance of “glory” in scripture, and how these ideas shape Latter-day Saint understanding of God’s purpose. Perfect for listeners interested in Restoration scripture, biblical interpretation, and faith-based insights.
What do fast and testimony meetings and the Old Testament have in common? Both invite us to listen to a rich diversity of voices—each with its own perspective on God and life. In this episode, Joshua Sears explores how the varied experiences shared in Latter-day Saint worship mirror the multiplicity of viewpoints found in scripture. From contrasting creation accounts to differing attitudes toward foreign nations, the Old Testament challenges us to expand our understanding of God through the lens of others.
What if your daily scripture study is actually ethical training? In this episode Rosalynde Welch sits down with editor and scholar Dr. Courtney Campbell to unpack Moral Visions: Ethics and the Book of Mormon (edited with Kelly Sorensen). They take the Book of Mormon seriously as an ethical text: not just a list of dos and don’ts, but a set of moral visions that shape who we are, how we live together, and what kind of communities we build.Campbell and Welch walk through three big moves in the book: how the Book of Mormon teaches (the “scene of instruction”), what it says about everyday ethics (from clothing and conspicuous consumption to prosperity), and why those moral teachings matter — prophecy as moral memory and social criticism aimed at creating flourishing, covenantal communities.What you’ll take away:A fresh lens for reading the Book of Mormon: ethics as vision, not only rule-following.How narrative, memory, and prophecy function as tools for communal moral formation.Concrete ethical concerns the book raises for the 21st century: social cohesion, economic justice, and peacemaking.A new appreciation for why the Book of Mormon’s stories still matter—because they aim to shape communities that last.
In this interview, Rosalynde Welch and Andy Reed explore the impact of the information age on religious understanding, the importance of religious literacy, and how interfaith engagement can foster mutual respect and reduce conflict. Andy Reed shares insights on navigating religious diversity, the role of authentic sources, and practical steps for fostering deeper interfaith relationships.Key TopicsImpact of the information age on religious understandingKrister Stendahl's three rules of interfaith engagementThe importance of authentic sources and insider voicesMoving beyond religious tolerance to mutual encouragementThe role of religious literacy in reducing conflict
In this episode, Rosalynde Welch speaks with Dr. Miranda Wilcox about the Maxwell Institute’s Living Faith book series—nineteen volumes and counting—written for thoughtful Latter-day Saints seeking to integrate scholarship and discipleship.
They discuss peacemaking and practical forgiveness in Seventy Times Seven, vocational discipleship in Counsel, Please Rise, and the enduring wisdom of Kate Holbrook’s Both Things Are True. Along the way, Miranda offers a moving new reading of the mustard seed parable and shares why books—slow, sustained, carefully shaped—still matter.
A thoughtful conversation about faith that shelters, truth that binds, and the patient work of making discipleship real.
Join Rosalynde Welch for an interview with Dr. Kristian Heal. Reading scripture is one of the fundamental spiritual practices of Latter-day Saints. Dr. Heal shows how scholarship on the Bible can enrich our understanding of the ancient book that connects us to other faith traditions across the globe. We talk about what biblical studies is and is not; its gifts and its challenges for believing readers of the Bible; and what Latter-day Saints scholars, with our understanding of the Book of Mormon and modern scripture, can add to the discussion. These are the kinds of questions we hope to advance in coming years with the Institute’s Bible initiative.
In this conversation, we talk about what it means for a revelation to become scripture--a topic theologians call “canonization.” Steve shares a view of canonization that is less a single historical event and more a social process driven by countless individuals--men and women, adults and children--who return again and again to the text as a place to hear the voice of Christ. We talk about the Restoration’s unique view of revelation and scripture: for Latter-day Saints, it’s not the earliest divine word that is privileged, but the most current--and how this changes things for historians and believers. We talk about the future of the Doctrine and Covenants in our rapidly globalizing church, where the historical context of Joseph Smith’s revelations becomes ever more remote. And Professor Harper shares some thoughts on section 132, perhaps the most difficult of sections in the Doctrine and Covenants, and how frustration can be a gateway to revelation.
How can we best care for the beautiful planet God has given us for our home? And why do our relationships with other humans matter so much in the work of stewardship and conservation? Today on the podcast, Rosalynde talks to Ben Abbott, a professor of Plant & Wildlife Sciences at BYU. As a scientist, Ben specializes in ecosystem ecology — the complex ways that living and non-living components interact in a given place. But he’s found that his work as a teacher and mentor has shaped his research as much — or more! — than his rugged fieldwork.
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...otherwise very enjoyable. I love the perspective.
"Although he was a farmer, he was an educated farmer." You'uns have taught me what a micro-aggression is, so I recognize them when I hear them. Nice one.
I do not share your trust in the NAS. My husband worked there for three years. The results of his NSF study were not welcome, because they weren't the right answers. NAS tried to quash the study, but an ethical supervisor intervened, and the study was published. He'll never get another grant from NSF, though. This is what honorable scientific research is up against. "If you want funding, you'd better tow the Party line, Comrade."