Summary
2023 FAIR Conference
The 26th annual FairMormon Conference was held August 2-4, 2023, at the Experience Event Center in Provo, Utah. Transcriptions of the presentations are available at the links below.
Dan Peterson
Understanding History Backwards
Abstract
Dan Peterson tells about an upcoming project, Six Days in August, as he explains how history is more easily understood backwards. [watch on YouTube]
Bio
Daniel C. Peterson is the president of the Interpreter Foundation, which publishes the online periodical Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, produces books, convenes conferences, and sponsors a weekly radio program: https://interpreterfoundation.org. He and his wife were the executive producers of the 2021 theatrical film Witnesses and have served in the same capacity for its 2022 docudrama sequel, Undaunted: Witnesses of the Book of Mormon.
A native of southern California who earned his doctorate at UCLA after study at BYU, in Jerusalem, and in Cairo, he retired on 1 July 2021 as a professor of Islamic studies and Arabic at Brigham Young University, where he had taught since 1985.
Formerly director of research and chairman of the board of the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), now BYU’s Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, he is also a former president of the Society for Mormon Philosophy and Theology and is currently a member of the board of the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy.
Dr. Peterson served in the Switzerland Zürich Mission (1972-1974), and, for approximately eight years, on the Gospel Doctrine writing committee for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also presided for a time as the bishop of a singles ward adjacent to Utah Valley University.
He is married to the former Deborah Stephens, of Lakewood, Colorado, and they have three sons and three granddaughters.
Kerry Hull
Luminosity and the Sacred
Abstract
[watch on FAIR: Wednesday Morning timestamp 02:31:35]
The concept of sacred luminosity was prevalent throughout the ancient Near East. In Mesopotamia, it was known as melammu, puluhtu, or elmešu, which represented a powerful type of divine radiance or “royal shine” that could emanate from a king or a god in Akkadian and Sumerian mythology. Additionally, sacred objects could also be infused with this divine brilliance. In this paper, I explore how this notion of sacred luminosity can be found throughout the Book of Mormon. God and certain individuals (1 Ne. 1:9; Mos. 13:5; Hel. 5:36) can display glory and brilliance. Additionally, the sheen of stones and metals is given considerable attention by Book of Mormon authors, from the brass plates, other Nephite records, the Liahona, the sword of Laban, the sixteen stones of the brother of Jared. It is significant that metal plates, swords, sacred stones, and objects made of brass were particularly said to receive melammu or elmešu in ancient Mesopotamia. I argue that the noted reflective brilliance of these objects may link them to these ancient Mesopotamian and biblical notions of sacred luminosity (e.g., Heb. ḥašmal, kavod). Furthermore, this focus on the divine reflectivity of objects may help to explain specific pericopes in the Book of Mormon, such as Alma’s insistence that the plates “must retain their brightness” (Alma 37:5).
Bio
Kerry Hull is a professor in the department of Religion at Brigham Young University. He earned a B.A. in Spanish and B.A. in French in 1992 from Utah State University. He received an M.S. in Applied Linguistics from Georgetown University in 1993. He completed a Ph.D. in Linguistic Anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin in 2003. His academic interests include Maya linguistics, Polynesian linguistics, historical linguistics, and Maya epigraphic studies. He has conducted linguistic, anthropological, ethnobotanical, ethno-ornithological, and archaeological fieldwork in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and various areas in Polynesia. He is the author of A Dictionary of Ch’orti’ Mayan published in 2016.
Abstract
This presentation explores whether DNA evidence disproves the Book of Mormon. Ash and Perego explain why the absence of Israelite DNA in Indigenous Americans does not invalidate the text, highlighting genetic drift, population dynamics, and cultural identity as key factors. They offer a thoughtful, faithful response grounded in both science and scripture.
Bio
Michael R. Ash is a veteran member of FAIR, a former weekly columnist for the Mormon Times (Salt Lake City, Deseret News), and has presented several papers at LDS-related symposiums. Ash is the author of “Of Faith and Reason: 80 Evidences Supporting the Prophet Joseph Smith,” “Shaken Faith Syndrome: Strengthening One’s Testimony in the Face of Criticism and Doubt,” and “Bamboozled by the CES Letter.” Ash has written hundreds of articles defending the faith which have been published by FAIR, FARMS, Sunstone, Dialogue, the Ensign and on several LDS websites.
Abstract
In this insightful presentation, Dr. Avrahm Shannon analyzes the portrayal of Moses and the law of Moses within the Book of Mormon. He argues that while the Nephite authors consistently link Moses to the law, they emphasize his prophetic authority rather than authorship. Engaging with modern biblical scholarship and the Documentary Hypothesis, Shannon highlights the Book of Mormon’s hybrid nature—a text rooted in ancient Judahite ritual practice while pointing toward Christ. He advocates for a balanced approach where revelation and scholarly inquiry coexist, ultimately encouraging Latter-day Saints to read both the Bible and the Book of Mormon in tandem to strengthen faith in Jesus Christ.
Bio
Dr. Shannon was born in Quantico, Virginia, and spent most of his young life in Virginia. He served a mission first in the Oregon Portland Mission and then in the Washington Kennewick Mission after the Oregon Portland Mission was split. Dr. Shannon earned a BA in ancient Near Eastern studies from Brigham Young University (2007), a master of studies in Jewish studies from the University of Oxford (2008), and a PhD in Near Eastern languages and cultures with a graduate interdisciplinary specialization in religions of the ancient Mediterranean from The Ohio State University (2015). He and his wife, Thora, have nine children. Courses Taught: Book of Mormon, Gospels, Pearl of Great Price, Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel. Areas of Expertise: Rabbinic Judaism, Ancient Mediterranean Religions, Jewish Studies, Ancient Biblical Interpretation.
Andrew Young
Whistleblowers in the Last Days
Abstract
Andrew Young, a former DreamWorks animator and Project Veritas journalist, uses Isaiah’s prophecies to draw parallels between ancient societal collapse and modern moral decline. Sharing insider experiences, he exposes how children’s media is used to undermine traditional values and warns against the rise of social engineering. Young calls on families, Church members, and righteous leaders to stand firm in truth and help build Zion in the face of mounting cultural pressures.
Bio
Andrew Young: Creator of DreamWorks Movies, Microsoft Xbox Video Games, Project Veritas Journalism. Youtube Into The Verse Scripture show. Brigham Young’s Great Great Great Grandson. Eagle Scout. Married in the San Diego Temple 15 years. Dad of 3 groms and a princess. Scriptures are the iron rod. God first. Gratitude for the opportunity to speak.
Derek Westra
Portrayal of Latter-day Saints in Television
Abstract
Brother Westra gives a fascinating overview of how members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are represented in the media. [watch on FAIR: Wednesday Afternoon timestamp 29:00]
Bio
Derek Westra and his wife Danielle and the proud parents of three girls. Derek works for the Church Communications Department as the Director of Reputation Management, and loves his job. Derek loves DIY and has a goal of acquiring every skill needed to be able to build his own home with his own two hands – whether he ever does it or not. He records and publishes piano albums (which aren’t very good), plays competitive pickleball (but again, not very well), and paints. He and Danielle are foodies and would love to talk fine dining with anyone, anytime.
Stephen Smoot
Pressing Forward with the Book of Abraham
Abstract
Stephen Smoot explores the history, scholarship, and ongoing questions surrounding the Book of Abraham. He reviews how decades of research—ranging from Egyptology to theology—have strengthened appreciation for the book’s complexity and sacred significance, while calling for continued, faithful study.
Bio
Stephen O. Smoot is a doctoral candidate in Semitic and Egyptian languages and literature at the Catholic University of America. He previously earned a master’s degree from the University of Toronto in Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, with a concentration in Egyptology, and bachelor’s degrees from Brigham Young University in ancient Near Eastern studies, with a concentration in Hebrew Bible, and German studies. He is currently an adjunct instructor of religious education at Brigham Young University and a research associate with the B. H. Roberts Foundation.
Abstract
In this talk, Dr. Jenet Erickson explores the theological and developmental rationale behind the 2022 revisions to For the Strength of Youth (FSY), emphasizing a shift from external behavioral compliance toward personal integrity rooted in covenantal identity. Drawing on principles from family science, spiritual formation, and moral development, Erickson critiques the limitations of a behavioristic framework, highlighting how it can impede intimacy with God, hinder healthy identity development, and distort youth-parent relationships. Instead, she argues for a “higher and holier” approach that grounds standards in eternal truths, invites internal transformation, and fosters deep relational connection. Erickson links this paradigm to broader trends in youth culture, including the effects of social media, shifting views on sexuality, and rising perfectionism, and frames the FSY update as a revelatory tool for cultivating covenantal intimacy, integrity, and moral resilience.
Bio
Jenet Jacob Erickson is an associate professor in Religious Education at Brigham Young University, where teaches the Eternal Family (Rel 200) course as well as the Introduction to Family Process (SFL 160) course for the School of Family Life. She received a PhD in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota, after completing a bachelor’s degree in Nursing, and master’s degree in Linguistics -TESOL at BYU. She is a research fellow of both the Wheatley Institution and the Institute for Family Studies and has been a columnist on family issues for the Deseret News since 2013. She and her husband, Michael, have been blessed with two children, LaDawn (age 13) and Peter (age 10), who provide them unending opportunities for learning and joy.
Abstract
In this presentation, independent historian Don Bradley explores the question of Joseph Smith’s sincerity as a religious leader and self-proclaimed prophet. Drawing from over three decades of archival research—including his work with the Joseph Smith Papers and the Joseph Smith’s Polygamy project—Bradley evaluates competing explanatory models of Smith’s behavior, particularly the opportunist model he once held as a nonbeliever. Through detailed analysis of patterns in Joseph Smith’s writings, relationships, visionary experiences, and early polygamous practices, Bradley argues that Smith consistently acted in ways aligned with sincere belief in his divine calling. He further examines contextual anomalies in Nauvoo-era polygamy to challenge prevailing assumptions about Smith’s motives. Emphasizing the importance of motive discernment through behavioral patterns and historical context, Bradley presents a case for understanding Joseph Smith as a genuinely devout and prophetic figure rather than a calculated fraud. This talk contributes to ongoing scholarly discussions on religious authenticity, prophetic identity, and Latter-day Saint historiography.
Bio
Don Bradley is an author and independent historian specializing in the beginnings of the Latter-day Saint Restoration. He completed an MA in history at Utah State University University and a BA in history at Brigham Young University. Don performed an internship with the Joseph Smith Papers Project working with the earliest Joseph Smith sources. He was the primary researcher for Brian C. Hales’s Joseph Smith’s Polygamy series from Greg Kofford Books. He has published on the translation of the Book of Mormon, plural marriage before Nauvoo, Joseph Smith’s “grand fundamental principle of Mormonism,” the Kinderhook Plates, and the First Vision. He is the author of The Lost 116 Pages: Reconstructing the Book of Mormon’s Missing Stories (Greg Kofford Books).
President Brian Ashton
BYU-Pathway: Serving the Hidden Many
Abstract
In “BYU-Pathway: Serving the Hidden Many,” Brian Ashton, President of BYU-Pathway Worldwide, presents a comprehensive overview of the institution’s innovative approach to accessible Church-based education. He outlines how BYU-Pathway addresses educational and economic inequities by offering spiritually grounded, job-ready certificates and degrees to students in over 180 countries—many of whom lack access to traditional higher education. Ashton emphasizes a tiered job progression model, English language instruction, and community-based learning gatherings that support both spiritual and temporal self-reliance. Highlighting measurable outcomes in leadership development, conversion, employment, and social mobility, Ashton frames BYU-Pathway as a fulfillment of divine promises to establish and bless scattered Israel in their own lands. The talk concludes with a doctrinal reflection on “being established” as both a gospel principle and a practical outcome of education guided by the Holy Ghost.
Bio
Brian K. Ashton was appointed by the Board of Education of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the second president of BYU-Pathway Worldwide in 2021. He had served as the organization’s first vice president of field operations since 2018.
President Ashton holds a bachelor of arts degree from Brigham Young University and a master of business administration from the Harvard Business School. He began his career as a management consultant and has been a founder, executive, and board member at several startup companies.
From 2015 to 2019, he served as Second Counselor in the Church’s Sunday School General Presidency. He has also been bishop, high councilor, elders quorum president, and missionary in the Peru Lima South Mission.
President Ashton was born in Provo, Utah, the oldest of nine children. He has lived all over the United States during his lifetime.
Brian married Melinda Earl in the St. George Utah Temple in 1996 and they are the parents of seven children. Melinda served in the Spain Malaga Mission, graduated from BYU, and later attended medical school in Chicago. Together, she and Brian presided over the Texas Houston South Mission from 2012 to 2015.
George Mitton
Joseph Smith and the Magical Contest
Abstract
In “Joseph Smith and the Magical Contest,” George L. Mitton explores the prophetic legitimacy of Joseph Smith through the lens of ritual confrontation, drawing on a typology of “magical contests” found in the Bible. Mitton situates Joseph Smith’s encounters with folk magic and Freemasonry as spiritual trials analogous to those faced by prophets such as Moses, Elijah, and Peter. These contests, he argues, were not merely cultural or social phenomena but deeply symbolic confrontations between divine revelation and counterfeit spiritual authority. Mitton analyzes how Joseph’s early involvement in treasure seeking and his later engagement with Freemasonry became stages for triumph over adversarial forces, ultimately reinforcing his divine calling. By comparing motifs across scriptural and historical contexts, the paper asserts that Joseph Smith’s experiences parallel those of ancient prophets and should be recognized as evidence of his authentic role in the Restoration.
Bio
George L. Mitton was raised in Logan, Utah. Following military service, he served in the British Mission (1949–51) and later in many church callings. He received a master’s degree in political science at Utah State University and did additional graduate studies at the University of Utah and Columbia University. He is retired from a career in education and state government in Oregon and now lives in Utah. He assisted for a decade as an associate editor of the FARMS Review and published there, in Dialogue and in BYU Studies Quarterly. He was a founding member and is on the Board of Advisors of The Interpreter Foundation, and has published in its Journal. His marriage was to the late Ewan Harbrecht Mitton. They have four children, twenty grandchildren and thirty-seven great-grandchildren.
Abstract
In his presentation, Neal Rappleye critically examines the claim that Martin Harris and other Book of Mormon witnesses only saw the plates “with spiritual eyes,” a statement often used by critics to undermine the historicity of their testimonies. Drawing on historical, theological, and Restoration-era contexts, Rappleye deconstructs the binary between spiritual and natural sight, arguing that such distinctions are rooted in post-biblical, anti-materialist theological paradigms foreign to early Latter-day Saint understanding. Through analysis of 19th-century idioms, Harris’s own theological beliefs, and Restoration scripture—including the brother of Jared narrative and Joseph Smith’s interactions with the plates—Rappleye argues that spiritual sight, in Harris’s worldview, included real and tangible experiences enabled by divine power and covenantal faith. This reframing strengthens the credibility of the witnesses’ testimonies and reasserts the materiality central to early Restoration claims.
Bio
Neal Rappleye is a research project manager for Scripture Central. He is involved in ongoing research on many facets of the Book of Mormon’s historical context, including ancient Israel, ancient Arabia, and the ancient Near East more broadly, as well as pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and the nineteenth-century witnesses to the discovery and translation of the Book of Mormon plates. He has published with BYU Studies, the Interpreter Foundation, Book of Mormon Central, Greg Kofford Books, and Covenant Communications.
Abstract
Religious historian Janiece Johnson analyzes how sensational media attention used the story of the Mountain Meadows Massacre to inflame public sentiment and provoke legal action against Latter-day Saints. Ministers, novelists, entertainers, cartoonists, and federal officials followed suit, spreading anti-Mormon sentiment to collectively convict the Mormon religion itself. This troubling episode in American religious history sheds important light on the role of media and popular culture in provoking religious intolerance that continues to resonate in the present.
Bio
Janiece Johnson is a transplanted Bay Area, California native who loves history, design, art, good food, and traveling. Dr. Johnson has master’s degrees in American Religious History and Theology and a PhD in American History, taught at BYU-Idaho in Religious Education, and currently teaches and researches at BYU. She is the co-author of Witness of Women (Deseret Book, 2016), general editor of The Mountain Meadows Massacre: Complete Legal Papers (University of Oklahoma, 2017), and the recently published Convicting the Mormons: The Mountain Meadows Massacre in American Culture (University of North Carolina Press, 2023). Dr. Johnson’s current research centers on the Book of Mormon and the relationship of early Latter-day Saint converts to their new American scripture.
Abstract
Professional transcriber LaJean Carruth assesses the history and reliability of the Journal of Discourses. [watch on YouTube]
Bio
LaJean Purcell Carruth is a professional transcriber of 19 th and early 20 th century documents written in Pitman and Taylor shorthands and in the Deseret Alphabet at the Church History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. She has transcribed Mormon and Quaker sermons, minutes, legislative proceedings, court proceedings, journals, letters, and other items. She began this work as a graduate student in 1974, when a manuscripts librarian offered her part time employment if she would learn to read 19 th century Pitman shorthand. Her transcriptions have been quoted in numerous books and articles. She hold Masters degrees from Brigham Young University in Library and Information Science (1974) and Humanities (1978), and a
Ph.D. in German, University of Utah (1988). She is currently employed by the Church History Library, Salt Lake City.
LaJean is an avid weaver. She has woven many items for church historic sites, including the tablecloth in which the replica gold plates are wrapped on the translation table in the restored Joseph and Emma Smith home in Harmony, Pennsylvania, to represent the small linen tablecloth that Emma loaned Joseph when he received the plates, towels for the Smith family homes, and a tablecloth for the recently restored Joseph and Emma Smith home in Kirtland. She has six floor looms, including one in her study. She enjoys dyeing cotton yarn to weave. She occasionally wonders if she had lived in Nauvoo, if her looms would have been considered important enough to take across the plains.
Jen Yorgason Thatcher
Fostering Resilient Faith In the Midst of Questions, Doubts, and Loved Ones Leaving
Abstract
In her 2023 FAIR Conference address, Fostering Resilient Faith in the Midst of Questions, Doubts, and Loved Ones Leaving, Jen Yorgason Thatcher examines the growing challenges facing members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are navigating personal doubts or experiencing the disaffection of loved ones. Drawing upon personal experiences, scriptural teachings, and prophetic counsel, Thatcher outlines practical strategies for developing a resilient, personal faith grounded in Jesus Christ and daily revelation. She emphasizes the importance of engaging in heartfelt prayer and revelatory scripture study, acting in faith rather than fear, and recognizing the tactics of the adversary that distort truth and breed discouragement. Thatcher also addresses how to support loved ones who have stepped away from the Church with compassion and patience, while remaining steadfast in one’s own discipleship. The talk contributes to contemporary apologetic discussions by promoting a balanced approach to faith that honors complexity without abandoning core convictions.
Bio
Jen Yorgason Thatcher is Adjunct Faculty in the BYU Religion Department and School of Family Life, where she teaches “The Eternal Family”. She received her Masters in the BYU School of Family Life, with a research emphasis on Families and Religion. As a wife and mother, she knows firsthand the many challenges of family life, and our complete reliance on the Savior. She has spoken at various conferences, including BYU Education Week, BYU Women’s Conference, and EFY. She is grateful to share messages of joy, hope, and healing found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Michaelbrent Collings
Finding Light in the Darkness: The Necessity of Horror in the Gospel
Abstract
In his 2023 FAIR Conference presentation, Michaelbrent Collings explores the provocative yet thoughtful thesis that the horror genre is not only compatible with but can also reflect and support the gospel of Jesus Christ. Drawing from personal experience as a best-selling horror author and lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Collings deconstructs common misconceptions surrounding horror, especially within religious communities. He argues that authentic horror—defined by its moral framework, agency-driven choices, and the presence of faith or hope—is structurally and thematically aligned with gospel principles. By tracing the evolution of storytelling, genre labeling, and cultural reception, Collings reframes horror as a genre of redemption and resilience. He further parallels the gospel narrative with the archetype of a horror story: a world disrupted by darkness, redeemed through sacrifice, and restored through divine triumph. The talk ultimately posits that understanding horror through a gospel lens can deepen appreciation for moral storytelling and illustrate the enduring power of agency, faith, and good overcoming evil.
Bio
Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally bestselling novelist, produced screenwriter, speaker, and writing teacher. Best known for horror (and voted one of the top 20 All-Time Greatest Horror Writers in a Ranker vote of nearly 20,000 readers), Collings has written bestselling thrillers, mysteries, sci-fi and fantasy titles, and even humor and non-fiction.
In addition to popular success, Michaelbrent has also received critical acclaim: he is the only person who has ever been a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award (twice), a Dragon Award (twice), and a RONE Award, and he and his work have been reviewed and/or featured on everything from Publishers Weekly to Scream Magazine to NPR.
Michaelbrent is also a produced screenwriter and member of the WGA. Starting out by entering the Nicholl Fellowship, he had more scripts reach quarter- and semi-finals in a single year for the Nicholl Fellowship than any other entrant in the fellowship’s history. This opened doors and scored interest in numerous of Following that, he scored interest in numerous of his scripts, eventually selling Barricade to WWE, and Darkroom to an independent production company. Since then, he has optioned numerous other scripts, and been a finalist or semi-finalist for other major screenplay competitions, including Table Read My Screenplay, the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards, the AAA Screenwriting contest, and more.
Michaelbrent is also the driving force behind Bestseller Life, an online series of courses, lectures, and lessons designed to help people navigate the challenging, ever-changing world of writing and publishing. An engaging and entertaining speaker, he is also a frequent guest at comic cons and on writing podcasts like Six Figure Authors, The Creative Penn, Writing Excuses, and others; and is a mental health advocate and TEDx speaker.
You can find his writing course at BestsellerLife.com, and more about his books at his author website, WrittenInsomnia.com.
Abstract
n this talk, John W. Welch proposes a compelling reinterpretation of Revelation 5:1 by situating it within the imperial legal culture of the Roman Empire. Drawing on his legal scholarship and firsthand access to double-sealed Roman military diplomas—metallic plates used to confer Roman citizenship to retiring soldiers—Welch argues that these artifacts provide the best analog for the “book…sealed with seven seals” described by John the Revelator. The parallels are rich: the Roman diplomas were sealed by seven witnesses, contained text on both inner and outer plates, and could only be opened by authorized officials. Welch further demonstrates how this context enhances our understanding of Revelation’s imagery, including its use of ceremonial, legal, and triumphal motifs that would have resonated with first-century audiences familiar with Roman practices. Through this framework, Welch not only illuminates key textual variants in Revelation 5:1 but also presents the Book of Revelation as a theological response to and surpassing of Roman imperial power, promising faithful Christians divine citizenship in the New Jerusalem.
Bio
John W. Welch is the Robert K. Thomas Professor of Law Emeritus at the BYU Law School and former editor-in-chief of BYU Studies, the premier Latter-day Saint scholarly journal. He practiced law in Los Angeles with O’Melveny & Myers, at which time he founded the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies in 1979 with John L. Sorenson and Kirk Magleby. From 1988-91, he served as one of the editors for Macmillan’s Encyclopedia of Mormonism, and he has served as the General Editor of the Collected Works of Hugh Nibley. He was one of the organizers of the bicentennial conference for Joseph Smith at the Library of Congress in 2005, and has served on the executive committee of the Biblical Law Section of the Society of Biblical
Literature. Welch is among the most prominent pupils of Hugh Nibley, having made several important discoveries and advances regarding biblical studies, LDS scholarship, history, culture, and thought. His publications cover a wide range of topics, including Roman and Jewish law in the trial of Jesus, the use of biblical laws in colonial America, the preamble to the United States
Constitution, chiasmus in antiquity, the parables of Jesus, and the Sermon on the Mount, King Benjamin’s Speech, and the New Testament books of Matthew, Acts, 1 and 2 Peter.
Brant Gardner
Reading Over Mormon’s Shoulder: Watching Mormon fulfill the two purposes listed in the Title Page
Abstract
Brant Gardner illuminates Mormon’s purposes in compiling the Boom of Mormon. [watch on YouTube]
Bio
Brant A. Gardner did his undergraduate work at Brigham Young University. He received a Master’s in Anthropology from the State University of New York at Albany, specializing in Mesoamerican ethnohistory. He works part time as a Research Associate for Scripture Central. He is the author of the six-volume Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, as well as Traditions of the Fathers: The Book of Mormon As History, and The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon, each published by Kofford Books. His most recent book is Labor Diligently to Write: The Ancient Making of a Modern Scripture, was published serially and then compiled as volume 35 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship.
John Gee
The Covenant to Defend the Kingdom of God
Abstract
John Gee explores how the covenant to defend the Kingdom of God is inherent in our membership. [watch on FAIR: Friday Morning timestamp 1:10:50]
Bio
John Gee is the William (Bill) Gay Research Professor in the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages at Brigham Young University. He has published dozens of scholarly articles and five books.
Ralph Hancock
The Restored Gospel and the New Liberalism: The Inescapability of Political Apologetics
Bio
Ralph Hancock (PhD Harvard) is a Professor of Political Science at Brigham Young University, where he teaches the tradition of political philosophy as well as contemporary political theory. He has taught three times as Visiting Professor at the University of Rennes, France, and was a Visiting Scholar at Liberty Fund in Indianapolis. He is the author of Calvin and the Foundations of Modern Politics (Saint Augustine’s Press, 2011; Cornell University Press, 1989) as well as The Responsibility of Reason: Theory and Practice in a Liberal-Democratic Age (Rowman & Littlefield 1999) and (with Gary Lambert) of The Legacy of the French Revolution (Rowman and Littlefield 1996) and translator of numerous books and articles from the French including Pierre Manent’s Natural Law and Human Rights (forthcoming from Notre Dame University Press). He has published many academic articles as well as articles in the press and online on the intersection of faith, reason, and politics. Professor Hancock is a Consulting Editor of Perspectives on Political Science and a member of the editorial board of Square Two, an online journal of “Faithful Scholarship by Members of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Contemporary Issues.” Ralph is also the co-founder of Fathom the Good, a classical homeschool curriculum. Ralph and his wife, Julie, are parents of five and grandparents of sixteen.
Skyler & Amanda Sorensen and Ty & Danielle Mansfield
Embracing Diversity: Navigating LGBTQ+ Experiences as a Latter-day Saint
KEITH EREKSON
Making Sense of Your Patriarchal Blessing
Abstract
Your patriarchal blessing is a gift from God and an invitation to draw nearer to Him throughout your life. Several important principles can help make sense of your blessing’s counsel, and observing the experiences of others who wrestled with their blessings can help answer important questions about how to understand God’s promises, make sense of His timing, and find guidance and peace in the present.
Several important principles can help make sense of your blessing’s counsel: how to understand God’s promises, make sense of His timing, and find guidance and peace in the present. [watch on YouTube]
Bio
Keith Erekson is an author, teacher, and public historian who has published on topics including politics, hoaxes, Abraham Lincoln, Elvis Presley, and Church history. He grew up in Baltimore, served a mission in Brazil, and earned advanced degrees in history and business. He works for the Church History Department in efforts to encourage outreach and historical engagement.
Abstract
Jennifer delves into the data in this presentation, offering insight and context regarding abuse within the LDS Church. [watch on YouTube]
Bio
Jennifer Roach holds dual Masters’ degrees in Counseling Psychology and Theology. She converted to the LDS church 4 years ago but prior to that, she spent most of her life in the Evangelical church. She has been hosting the FAIR podcast called, “Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful answers to New Testament Questions. She teaches in the Home and Family department at BYU-Idaho and works as a mental health therapist in Provo, Utah.
Brant Gardner, Kerry Hull, Mark Wright
Book of Mormon Panel
Steve Densley
Proving the Church is True
Abstract
We should be able to agree that compelling belief would not allow for agency. Brother Densley explains the function of “proof” within the Plan of Salvation. [watch on YouTube]
Bio
Steve Densley, Jr. is a Utah attorney (J.D., Brigham Young University). He is a trial attorney and has successfully argued before the Utah and Idaho Supreme Courts. He is the author of various changes to the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure and Utah Code. Steve has also appeared on CNN, C-Span, BBC Radio, KUTV, KTVX, KSL Radio, KTKK Radio, and Swiss TV. He graduated with University Honors from BYU with a combined B.A./M.A. in public policy and political science. As an undergraduate, he was an assistant editor of the Pi Sigma Alpha Review. In law school, he was a member of the Law Review and the National Moot Court team. He has published articles in the Utah Bar Journal, the Journal of Law and Family Studies, Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, Meridian Magazine, and Public Square Magazine. He has been recognized in SuperLawyers Magazine as one of the Mountain States Rising Stars and has been listed numerous times in Utah Business Magazine as among the Utah Legal Elite. He is the current Executive Vice President of The Interpreter Foundation. He was the Executive Vice President of FAIR from 2013-15, recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award, and was a producer of FAIR’s podcast when it twice won the People’s Choice Award for Best Podcast in the Religion & Spirituality category. He is also an award-winning photographer and a certified travel agent. He served a Hmong-speaking mission in the California Sacramento Mission. He and his wife Heather are the parents of four children and have two granddaughters.
Speakers
coming soon
Please note that this list is compiled from the information available and may not include all speakers from the conference.
Topics
Book of Mormon geography, Book of Mormon translation, Book of Abraham, Egyptology, seer stones, Joseph Smith history, Joseph Smith sincerity, Mountain Meadows Massacre, LGBTQ Latter-day Saints, mixed-orientation marriage, Mosaic authorship, scriptural authority, genetics and the Book of Mormon, Native American DNA, abuse in the LDS Church, spiritual abuse, transparency in the Church, patriarchal blessings, religious sincerity, faith crisis, doubt and questions, defending the Church, Latter-day Saint women, Eliza R. Snow, early Church leaders, LDS media portrayal, horror and the gospel, faith resilience, the CES Letter, Mormon history, shorthand transcripts, Journal of Discourses, semitic languages, ancient scripture, Near Eastern studies, BYU-Pathway, religious education, covenant belonging, LDS sexuality and gender, spiritual eyes, Latter-day Saint art, defending LDS doctrine, defending prophetic authority, political apologetics, faith and liberalism, LDS theology and culture, LDS scripture scholarship
The 2023 FAIR Conference directly engages the toughest questions facing Latter-day Saints today—those commonly raised by Mormon Stories, the CES Letter, and similar platforms. Rather than sensationalize doubt, we offer reasoned, faithful responses grounded in scholarship, lived experience, and restored doctrine.
This year’s conference addresses topics at the heart of many faith crises:
🧬 Science & Scripture
Michael R. Ash tackles the genetics and Book of Mormon question head-on—responding to claims that Lamanite ancestry disproves the Book of Mormon narrative.
Stephen Smoot and John Gee present compelling insights into the Book of Abraham and Egyptology, challenging the narrative that Joseph “made it up.”
📜 Joseph Smith & Historical Complexity
Don Bradley shows how historical records affirm the Prophet’s sincerity, countering claims of deceit or manipulation.
George Mitton contextualizes Joseph Smith’s use of seer stones and “magic” in a thoughtful, historically grounded way.
Jennifer Roach explores real cases of abuse and transparency in Church structures, giving faithful answers to one of today’s most emotionally charged accusations.
📖 Scripture & Interpretation
Neal Rappleye and Brant Gardner examine how ancient culture, geography, and textual analysis reveal the authenticity and purpose behind the Book of Mormon.
Avrahm Shannon defends Mosaic authorship and authority in scripture—addressing common attacks on biblical and Book of Mormon reliability.
🌈 LGBTQ+ and Belonging in the Church
A panel with Ty and Danielle Mansfield, Skyler and Amanda Sorensen shares real stories of covenant-keeping LGBTQ Latter-day Saints navigating identity and faith with hope and devotion—not abandonment.
🧠 Faith, Doubt, and Spiritual Abuse
Jen Yorgason Thatcher speaks directly to those with loved ones in faith crisis.
Jennifer Roach (a former Evangelical minister and abuse survivor) addresses sexual abuse allegations with empathy and realism—while affirming faith.
Keith Erekson teaches how to better understand your patriarchal blessing and avoid misreading revelation in ways that damage belief.
📺 Media Criticism & Reputation
Derek Westra, the Church’s Director of Reputation Management, discusses how Latter-day Saints are portrayed in TV and film—and what we can do to respond faithfully and wisely.
💬 Engaging Critics Without Contention
Steve Densley closes the conference with a bold claim: that it is not only possible—but reasonable—to prove the Church is true. His approach combines scholarship, logic, and spiritual conviction.
John Taylor Award
Each year, FAIR awards the John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award to a volunteer who made meritorious contributions to FAIR’s mission and outstanding personal efforts in helping defend The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 2023, the John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award recipient was Jennifer Roach.
Jennifer Roach
Jennifer Roach is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a licensed mental health therapist with dual master’s degrees in Counseling Psychology and Theology. Before joining the Church, she served for many years in Evangelical ministry, giving her a unique perspective on religious dialogue, faith transitions, and theological misunderstandings.
Since her conversion, Jennifer has become one of FAIR’s most trusted voices on sensitive and complex topics—especially around abuse, mental health, and interfaith apologetics. She is the host of Come Follow Me with FAIR, a podcast series that gives faithful answers to New Testament questions, and she has contributed significantly to FAIR’s response to abuse-related concerns within the Church. Her approach is deeply informed by professional expertise, personal faith, and a commitment to healing and truth.
Jennifer’s work exemplifies what it means to defend the Church with both courage and compassion. Her willingness to tackle difficult questions—especially those raised by former Evangelicals and ex-Mormons—has helped countless individuals find clarity and peace.
