Shows / Standard of Truth
Standard of Truth
The purpose of this podcast is to help Latter-Day Saints better understand their history and increase their faith. The podcast hosted by Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat, associate professor of Church History and Doctrine at BYU.
Episodes
- Standard of Truth
S2E45 Mormon Battalion Part 2
We start the episode as we usually do by ranking hells. Mormon hell is obviously the best, then Jehovah's Witness hell and Catholic purgatory. Gerrit has been…
- Standard of Truth
S2E44 Mormon Battalion Part 1
We wanted to apologize for some audio issues in this week's episode. We will try to fix the audio on the upcoming Mormon Battalion episodes. In this episode…
- Standard of Truth
S2E43 Counterfeiting Scholarship Part 2
In this episode, we continue our discussion of a self-published anti-Mormon book. We talk about the poor genealogical research done by the author (thank you…
- Standard of Truth
S2E42 Counterfeiting Scholarship Part 1
We received a question from a listener about a self-published anti-Mormon book and we again examine why using real sources matters. We talk about the…
- Standard of Truth
S2E41 Is It Season 38 Already? Part 2
In this episode, we continue our discussion of polyandry, specifically discussing the sources that relate to Marinda Hyde. We talk about the one source used by…
- Standard of Truth
S2E40 Is It Season 38 Already? Part 1
No, you are not caught in a time vortex. It is not Season 38 yet, but we answer a listener’s specific question about plural marriage. Please visit our website…
- Standard of Truth
S2E39 Prosperity Theology Part 2 1/2 and Other Bad Arguments
In this week's episode, we respond to an email we received about Prosperity Theology, specifically D&C 130:20-21. We also discuss current apostate movements…
- Standard of Truth
S2E38 Prosperity Theology Part 2
In this week's episode, we continue to discuss the theology of the Prosperity Gospel. We play a clip from a Joel Olsteen sermon to help the listener understand…
- Standard of Truth
S2E37 Prosperity Theology Part 1
In this week's episode, we respond to a listener's email about the ideas surrounding Prosperity Gospel Theology. Gerrit begins with a discussion about paganism…
- Standard of Truth
S2E36 Signs of the Times Part 3
In this week's episode, we conclude our discussion about the signs of the times. We start with an email from the Ebenezar Hazard Mailbag and discuss a book…
- Standard of Truth
S2B2 Standard of Truth Tour
In this bonus episode, we talk about the details of the Standard of Truth Tour that Gerrit will be leading from Boston to Cleveland starting on Monday, June…
- Standard of Truth
S2E35 Signs of the Times Part 2
In this week's episode, we continue our discussion about the signs of the times and the Savior's Second Coming. Gerrit discusses religious movements from…
- Standard of Truth
S2E34 Signs of the Times Part 1
In this week's episode, we discuss the signs of the times of the Savior's Second Coming. Gerrit discusses several quotes that are used when teaching about the…
- Standard of Truth
S2E33 After Much Tribulation Come the Blessings (D&C 58)
In this episode, we give a tribute to a great friend who recently passed away. We discuss one of his favorite scriptures (D&C 58:4) and provide additional…
- Standard of Truth
S2E32 Where Did the Book of Mormon Take Place?
We are on remote coming to you from the Yucatán peninsula (or at least in the buffet line of a cruise ship off the coast of Cancun). In this episode, we…
- Standard of Truth
S2E31 Apocrypha Part 2
In this episode, we continue our discussion of the Apocrypha. The podcast starts with a 19th-century Latter-day Saint view of the Apocrypha. Gerrit asks…
- Standard of Truth
S2E30 Apocrypha Part 1
We had some technical difficulties that prevented the podcast dropping on Thursday. We are sorry for that. In the episode this week, we decided to tackle one…
- Standard of Truth
S2E29 Polygamy, Kind of...That’s Part of It Part 2
In this episode, we continue our discussion of the 1861 letter to Brigham Young from W. W. Phelps. We provide insight into Brigham Young's feelings for W.W…
- Standard of Truth
S2E28 Polygamy, Kind of...That’s Part of It Part 1
In this episode, we find out what a terrible friend Gerrit is as he recommends a brutal history class for Richard to take. Richard has still not forgiven him…
- Standard of Truth
S2E27 Is This Safe For Sunday School
In this episode, we discuss the different types of sources that historians have to examine for accounts of miraculous events and respond to the inquiry of a…
- Standard of Truth
S2E26 4th of July Extravaganza
In this episode, we talk about the way the Saints celebrated the 4th of July early in the Nauvoo period and the change that occurs after the murder of Joseph…
- Standard of Truth
S2E25 Unpublished Revelations of Joseph Smith Part 2
In this episode, we continue our discussion of the revelations received by the Prophet Joseph Smith that never made it into the Doctrine and Covenants. We…
- Standard of Truth
S2E24 Unpublished Revelations of Joseph Smith Part 1
There are many revelations that were received by the Prophet Joseph Smith that never made it into the Doctrine and Covenants. In this episode we review several…
- Standard of Truth
S2E23 Zion Part 5 (expulsion from Jackson County)
In this episode, we discuss the aftermath of the W. W. Phelps article inviting black Latter-day Saints to join the Saints in Missouri. The mob destroys the…
- Standard of Truth
S2E22 Zion Part 4 (early violence in Missouri)
In this episode we discuss the spark of the violent reaction of Missourians toward Latter-day Saints in Jackson County in 1833. In particular, we discuss the…
- Standard of Truth
Apocrypha Part 1
We decided to tackle one of the great hot-button historical issues of the day…well, of Joseph Smith’s day anyway. We discuss the history of the Apocrypha and…
- Standard of Truth
S2E21 Zion Part 3 (law of consecration and land ownership)
In this episode we resume our discussion of the Saints search for Zion in Missouri. We continue to discuss the events surrounding the Saints early attempts to…
- Standard of Truth
S2E20 Under the Banner of Heaven Part 2
In the second part of our examination of the claims made in the book Under the Banner of Heaven, we discuss the Mountain Meadows Massacre and the attempt of…
- Standard of Truth
S2E19 Under the Banner of Heaven Part 1
We have received multiple requests to talk about the new limited series Under the Banner of Heaven. While we are not film critics, the series is based on a…
- Standard of Truth
S2E18 Zion Part 2
In this episode we continue our discussion of the aftermath of the declaration that Jackson County was the location for the prophesied New Jerusalem. Ezra…
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S2E17 Zion Part 1
We discuss the importance of the doctrine of the establishment of the New Jerusalem and the way members reacted to the declaration that Independence, Missouri…
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S2E16 American Ideology Part 2
We continue our discussion of underlying American ideologies from the Revolutionary War era, with a very deep dive (scuba gear required) on the ideology…
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S2E15 American Ideology Part 1
In this podcast we answer some questions posed by listeners about sources covering the era. This leads into a discussion of American ideologies and how they…
- Standard of Truth
S2E14 Freemasons Part 2
We continue our discussion of Freemasonry and the early Church. We talk about the claims antagonists make that the LDS temple ceremony is "stolen" from the…
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S2E13 Freemasons Part 1
Latter-day Saints have a unique history in relation to the Freemasonry movement that was especially popular in 19th Century America. We discuss the history of…
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S2E12 Abraham Lincoln and the Latter-day Saints Part 3
In our final podcast on the topic, we directly discuss some of the specific claims that have been made of a special relationship between Lincoln and the Book…
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S2E11 Abraham Lincoln and the Latter-day Saints Part 2
In part two of our discussion of Abraham Lincoln and the Latter-day Saints we talk about Lincoln's election and the secession of the Confederate states and how…
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S2E10 Abraham Lincoln and the Latter-day Saints Part 1
We have received multiple inquiries as to the relationship Abraham Lincoln had to the Latter-day Saints when he was President of the United States and during…
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S2E9 Lesser Known Heroes from Church History - Mercy Fielding Thompson
Our podcast would like to begin highlighting some of the faithful, courageous heroes in Church History. Women like Mercy Fielding are not well-known by the…
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S2E8 Baptism in the Early Church
A recent news story about thousands of invalidated baptisms prompted a discussion about Latter-day Saint theology surrounding the necessity of baptism and an…
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S2B1 - Renee Dirkmaat (Gerrit’s Mom)
In this President's Day bonus episode, we introduce you to Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat's mother Renee Dirkmaat. If you love Hubert Humphrey and embarrassing stories…
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S2E7 Oral History and D&C 135
How should we deal with oral history that does not have any accompanying documents? Most people have powerful and important stories in their family history and…
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S2E6 Carthage Conspiracy Part 2
In Part 2 of Carthage Conspiracy, we continue to address claims made in the video “Who Killed Joseph Smith”. After showing example after example where the…
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S2E5 Carthage Conspiracy Part 1
In response to several recent emails, we discuss several conspiracy theories about the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. We dissect a video that claims to have…
- Standard of Truth
S2E4 White Horse Prophecy Part 2
In this week's podcast, we continue our discussion of the "White Horse Prophecy”. We also talk about a lesser-known dream/vision by John Taylor that has gained…
- Standard of Truth
S2E3 White Horse Prophecy Part 1
In this week's podcast, we discuss the "White Horse Prophecy”. In 1843 Edwin Rushton claims that the Prophet Joseph Smith received a prophecy that the US…
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S2E2 D&C 41 and the Kirtland Crazies
In this week's episode we talk about some of the earliest converts to the Church and the problems that come when there isn't a handbook to provide direction…
- Standard of Truth
S2E1 The Book of Moses
As we start Season 2 of the Standard of Truth Podcast we begin with a discussion around the context of Joseph Smith receiving The Book of Moses in June of…
- Standard of Truth
S1E31 Brigham Young and the Council of Fifty Part 3
In Part 3 of our discussion on the Council of Fifty, we discuss the role of Brigham Young after the death of Joseph Smith and the Saints' plan to leave the…
- Standard of Truth
S1B3 Gerrit Dirkmaat, The Man Behind the History
Merry Christmas We have received quite a bit of feedback from listeners who expressed interest in getting to know Dr. Dirkmaat a little better. Gerrit has…
- Standard of Truth
S1E30 Porter Rockwell and the Council of Fifty Part 2
In part 2 of our discussion of the Council of Fifty and the lost teachings found in the minute books of that organization, we discuss some of the harsh…
- Standard of Truth
S1E29 Lesser Known Teachings of Joseph Smith from the Council of Fifty Part 1
In this episode, we talk about the Council of Fifty. The Council of Fifty was an organization created by Joseph Smith in early 1844 to help the Saints find a…
- Standard of Truth
S1E28 Every Time A Bell Rings, An Angel Doesn’t Get Their Wings
During the Christmas season, believers talk more about angels than they usually do. Latter-day Saints might not know just how radically different their…
- Standard of Truth
S1E27 Joseph Smith‘s Decision to Run for President Part 3
Part 3 of our examination of the Joseph Smith's decision to run for President of the United States. In this final segment we examine Joseph Smith's radical…
- Standard of Truth
S1E26 Joseph Smith‘s Decision to Run for President Part 2
Part 2 continues our discussion of Joseph Smith's reasons for declaring himself a candidate for President of the United States. Joseph responds to the leading…
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S1E25 Joseph Smith‘s Decision to Run for President Part 1
Part 1 of our three-part podcast examining Joseph Smith's presidential campaign. We discuss the political situation of 1843-1844 America. It is not quite as…
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S1E24 Doctrine and Covenants and Revelations Part 2
In part two of our discussion on the revelations, we talk about the major changes that were made to the Doctrine and Covenants in 1876 and how other…
- Standard of Truth
S1E23 Doctrine and Covenants and Revelations Part 1
In this episode, we discuss how some of the revelations were eventually published in the Book of Commandments and the Doctrine and Covenants. Some revelations…
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S1E22 Early Criticism of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon Part 3
In this week's podcast, we conclude the early criticisms of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon by looking at View of the Hebrews and The Late War. We discuss…
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S1E21 Early Criticism of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon Part 2
In this week’s podcast, we continue our discussion of the earliest criticisms of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. We talk about Eber Howe, Doctor Philastus…