Stephen F. Johnsen, PhD, was raised Protestant and earned a BA from a Christian college. By his late teens, he had become an atheist. While pursuing a PhD in psychology, Johnsen experienced an unexpected and powerful religious experience that prompted him to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

During his first year as a member of the Church, exposure to extensive critical literature about Latter-day Saint beliefs led him to begin investigating empirical evidence related to religious claims. That interest developed into a long-term study of evidence concerning scripture, Christianity, and the Book of Mormon.

Johnsen co-authored And Now My Son: When Your Faith Is Challenged with his wife, Dale. He has volunteered with FAIR for a number of years and has also served for many years as a temple worker, in addition to serving in a Church teaching calling.