Podcast
Maxwell Institute Podcast
Hosted by Maxwell Institute Podcast · EN
Where faith and scholarship have a nice dinner conversation.
45episodes
Episodes
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Passage in Christ: Reflections on Genesis 15 with Terryl Givens
Feb 1600:05:44Tap to summarizeTerryl 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.
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Avoiding a Confounding of Languages: Reflections on Genesis 6–11 and Moses 8 with Jamie L. Jensen
Feb 900:08:28Tap to summarizeDr. 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.
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The Lord Weeps for His Children: Some Questions from Moses 7
Feb 200:14:16Tap to summarizeEvolutionary 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.
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Walk with God, Abide in Spirit: Reflections on Genesis 5 and Moses 6 with Rosalynde Welch
Jan 2800:13:21Tap to summarizeIn 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.
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The Mother of All Living: Reflections on Genesis 3–4 and Moses 4–5
Jan 2100:16:23Tap to summarizeIn 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.
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Maxwell Institute Podcast #175: Divine Law (Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants) with Justin Collings
Feb 25, 202501:03:41Tap to summarizeToday, I'm joined by Dr. Justin Collings to discuss his new book, Divine Law, just out from the Maxwell Institute as part of its Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants series. This volume is one of seven and will be featuring interviews with each of the authors over the next few months. Justin Collings is the academic vice president of Brigham Young University and a distinguished scholar in his own right. He graduated from BYU and earned a law degree and a PhD in history from Yale, and clerked on the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In addition to his administrative duties, he remains a professor of law at BYU's J. Reuben Clark Law School, where he authored two books on constitutional law and history from Oxford University Press. Justin and his wife Lia live in Orem, Utah. And as you'll hear in our conversation, are the proud parents of eight children. As Justin admits, the topic of divine law may not strike you as immediately compelling. It might even spark some deep-seated fear or dread. But I think you'll find that he brings this book to life with careful thinking, real life examples, and most of all, a bedrock conviction grounded in the revelations that God is loving, merciful, and full of grace. Divine law and divine love in this way of looking at things are one and the same. Justin was a good sport to field some tough questions about punishment versus consequences and a threat versus a warning. But if you're expecting dry legalese, you'll be glad to find that Justin is a lively and lyrical writer and his book is studded with poetry. In fact, our discussion of poetry's relationship to scripture and its role in a spiritual life is one of my favorite parts of the interview. I think you'll enjoy it too. Purchase at the links below.https://a.co/d/fQPtRdBhttps://www.deseretbook.com/product/P6075136.html
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Maxwell Institute Podcast #174: Agency (Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants) with Terryl Givens
Jan 17, 202500:53:22Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the Maxwell Institute Podcast! We are thrilled to be back with you for another series of conversations on "The Questions We Should Be Asking." When–and only when–we ask the right questions can we find the answers we need.In 2025, we'll return to a broader focus for our interviews–but never fear, we'll have plenty of discussion about the Doctrine and Covenants as we study it together in the global Church.Today, I talk with Terryl Givens, author of Agency in our new series, Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants. We'll get into all the knotty questions about agency: what actually is it, does free will really exist, and what does it mean to say that agency is relational?Purchase at the links below.https://www.deseretbook.com/product/6075134.html?srsltid=AfmBOoo1ejtN94I-MqlDGGmGETf1eKBIrNwWcLaUQYnHnvx_Yg6ReZkohttps://www.amazon.com/Agency-Doctrine-Covenants-Terryl-Givens/dp/0842501339
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Book of Mormon Studies Podcast: Wrap-up with Rosalynde Welch
Dec 23, 202400:10:30Tap to summarizeThank you for listening to the Book of Mormon Studies Podcast this year. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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Book of Mormon Studies Podcast: Moroni with Joseph Spencer
Dec 17, 202401:09:37Tap to summarizeWelcome to our last episode of the Book of Mormon Studies Podcast as we wrap up this Book of Mormon year. For this episode, Rosalynde Welch, Associate Director of the Maxwell Institute and Host of the podcast talks with Joseph Spencer, Associate Professor of Ancient Scripture at BYU.In this episode, they discuss the scholarship of the book of Moroni, giving it context for readers of the Come, Follow Me curriculum for 2024.
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Book of Mormon Studies Podcast: Moroni with Christopher Blythe
Dec 13, 202401:07:18Tap to summarizeHello, and welcome to another episode of the Book of Mormon Studies Podcast as we wrap up this Book of Mormon year. For this episode, Rosalynde Welch, Associate Director of the Maxwell Institute and Host of the podcast talks with Christopher Blythe, Assistant Professor of Humanities at BYU. In this episode, they discuss the text of the book of Moroni, giving it context for readers of the Come, Follow Me curriculum for 2024.
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