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Standard of Truth

Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat

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.

  1. 2D AGO

    S5E38 Orson Hyde and the Prophecy of the Civil War Part 2

    In this episode, we continue our discussion of the context leading to Orson Hyde writing a letter to the Missouri Republican. Utah is desperately trying to get into the Union while half of the states are seceding from the Union. Gerrit then reads the letter and provides commentary. We also discuss a litner’s email about Christian’s understanding of the Trinity based on the King James Version of the Bible.   Kristy’s KorneЯ (Last Minute Lesson Prep): Gerrit shares his thoughts on D&C 101 and the idea of what do we do when the Lord doesn’t answer our prayers in the way we may want Image attempting to explain the Trinity: https://thepentecostalwesleyan.substack.com/p/the-core-doctrines-of-the-christian-4fb    Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2027: ⁠ https://standardoftruth.com/tours Our 2026 tours are sold out, but if you would like to join us in the future, here is a link to our 2027 tours: ⁠ Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠   If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com   Rex's Elders Quorum President's Show Notes: •00:05:00 – Sunday School etiquette humor and Kristy’s Corner segment •00:07:20 – D&C 101: Zion’s expulsion, Joseph’s 1833 letter to Missouri Saints •00:10:04 – Lessons from unanswered prayers — “be still and know that I am God” •00:12:16 – Hope of Zion’s redemption and Abrahamic parallels of consecration •00:13:52 – Listener mailbag: Lacey’s email on the Trinity and KJV •00:16:02 – Banter about reading emails late and missionary timelines •00:18:08 – Explaining the Nicene Creed: three persons, one God, and why it confuses •00:20:28 – The “triangle diagram” of the Trinity and its limits •00:23:00 – Matthew 3:16–17 — Baptism of Jesus challenges Trinity claims •00:25:22 – Workarounds: Some early Christians claimed “the voice was an angel” •00:28:05 – Story: Lithuanian Catholic convert rejects Trinity after reading scripture •00:31:00 – Council of Nicaea and how early Christians struggled with monotheism & Christ’s divinity •00:35:26 – Who still uses the King James Bible today? Presbyterians, Baptists, Pentecostals •00:39:16 – NIV vs KJV — John 1:18 and doctrinal differences in translation •00:41:00 – Listener Dawson’s email introduces Orson Hyde’s Civil War letter •00:45:00 – Charleston newspapers: downplaying fears of large-scale war in 1861 •00:48:00 – Missouri newspapers: hope that secession won’t mean inevitable war •00:51:00 – Virginia’s call for a 10,000–20,000 militia — seen as scandalous then •00:55:00 – Hartford Convention (1814): New England nearly secedes during War of 1812 •01:00:00 – Hindsight bias: Chamberlain’s “peace for our time” compared with prophecy •01:05:00 – Critics on D&C 87 — manuscript evidence and Pearl of Great Price 1851 printing •01:10:00 – Faith and prophecy: why hindsight makes Joseph’s revelation look “obvious”

    1h 19m
  2. S1E38 D&C 29 Part 1

    6D AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    S1E38 D&C 29 Part 1

    Happy 2026 everyone. We begin the episode with Richard getting the current year wrong as he shares that this episode will be valuable to the litners in their Sunday School class on Sunday, April 2, 2029. Gerrit and Richard dive into the Fall of Adam and Eve through D&C 29, Moses 1 & 4, and 2 Nephi 2, and contrast it with Augustine’s original-sin framework, the Council of Carthage (419), and Pelagian debates. Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2027: ⁠ https://standardoftruth.com/tours Our 2026 tours are sold out, but if you would like to join us in the future here is a link to our 2027 tours: ⁠ Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com Rex's Elders Quorum President's Show Notes: • 0:38 – Banter: Richard thinks it’s 2026 (it’s not) • 2:00 – Past podcast misfires: metric conversions gone wrong • 3:30 – Why we study D&C: faith vs. impressing others • 5:00 – Context: Section 28, Hiram Page revelations, September 1830 conference • 7:00 – Section 29 and its manuscript order • 8:00 – John Whitmer’s role and the early manuscript book • 9:30 – Whitmer’s introduction: elders not “seeing eye to eye” • 11:00 – Zion, Adam’s transgression, and theological conflict • 14:00 – Uniqueness of LDS theology on Adam and Eve • 16:00 – Early converts wrestling with baptism and works • 20:00 – Pelagius, original sin, and accusations of “Pelagian Mormonism” • 25:00 – Council of Carthage (419 AD) vs. LDS theology • 27:00 – Radical teachings of 2 Nephi 2 about Adam and Eve • 31:00 – Latter-day Saint vs. Christian view of procreation and paradise • 38:00 – Moses’ vision: worlds without number, many Adams • 46:00 – Pre-mortal Lucifer rebellion in the Book of Moses • 53:00 – Original sin vs. agency: infants, choice, and sin • 59:00 – D&C 29’s clear teaching that little children are innocent • 1:03:00 – How Protestants disagree about sola scriptura • 1:06:00 – Disagreements over the nature of Jesus within Protestantism • 1:10:00 – Latter-day Saint view: the Fall as purposeful, not a disaster • 1:13:00 – Calvinist RC Sproul: “the fall must somehow be good” • 1:16:00 – Wrap-up; preview of continuing Section 29

    1h 18m

  3. SEP 4

    S5E37 Orson Hyde and the Prophecy of the Civil War Part 1

    To celebrate the kickoff to the 2025 NFL season (Eagles -7.5 vs the Cowboys), we begin in the obvious place with a discussion of Orson Hyde’s letter to the Missouri Republican in 1861, providing commentary on the Civil War. They read an email from a litner who shares how she used to be afraid of Church history and how the podcast has given her confidence in the face of anti-Mormon garbage, and Richard shares his feelings on the idea of putting Gospel and Church history topics “on a shelf”…spoiler alert, he doesn’t like the expression.   Kristy’s KorneЯ (Last Minute Lesson Prep): We ran out of time. There is no way your Sunday School teacher will be getting D&C 94 through 97. Use any of the three-part rerelease from D&C 93 last week, and you should be in great shape.    Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2027: ⁠ https://standardoftruth.com/tours Our 2026 tours are sold out, but if you would like to join us in the future, here is a link to our 2027 tours: ⁠ Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠   If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com   Rex's Elders Quorum President's Show Notes: •00:01:20 – Richard’s new glasses, carrots, and “big carrot conspiracy” •00:03:40 – Football season talk (NFL & College) •00:09:20 – Listener mailbag begins •00:09:36 – Testimony of Emer Harris and family connections •00:15:00 – Listener Danica’s email on family faith struggles and church history fears •00:25:00 – Richard’s thoughts on “putting things on the shelf” vs. gaining testimony •00:31:00 – Discussion of Lyman Johnson’s regret and the value of faith •00:35:00 – Dawson’s email introducing Orson Hyde’s Civil War commentary •00:37:00 – Civil War Prophecy context: hindsight bias and the problem of interpreting prophecy. •00:39:00 – Challenges of Second Coming prophecies and people’s tendency to over-interpret. •00:40:30 – Specifics of Joseph Smith’s prophecy: slavery, South Carolina, and secession. •00:43:00 – Why hindsight makes the Civil War “seem obvious,” but it wasn’t. •00:45:00 – South Carolina newspapers downplaying fears of a large-scale war. •00:47:00 – Border state (Missouri) newspapers hoping for compromise to avoid war. •00:51:00 – Virginia’s “scandalous” call for 10,000–20,000 militia—later dwarfed by actual numbers. •00:53:00 – Historical context: the Nullification Crisis and its contrast with Joseph’s prophecy. •00:55:00 – War of 1812 Hartford Convention—New England nearly seceding. •01:00:00 – Hindsight bias analogy: Neville Chamberlain’s “peace for our time.” •01:02:00 – Why critics’ arguments against Joseph Smith’s prophecy are hollow. •01:05:00 – Civil War prophecy in early manuscripts and the Pearl of Great Price (1851). •01:07:00 – Prophecy credibility, critics’ weak arguments, and final remarks.

    1h 12m

  4. SEP 2 · BONUS

    S5B13 Sweetwater Rescue Lithuania - Interview with President Rissi

    In this bonus episode, Richard has a conversation with President Rissi, the Lithuania District President, about the recent Sweetwater Rescue temple trip to the Helsinki, Finland Temple.   Church News Article: https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2025/09/01/vilnius-lithuania-district-long-journey-helsinki-finland-temple/   You can follow us on Social Media at: https://www.facebook.com/share/1FRGVJQVVB/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.instagram.com/sweetwaterrescue Our 2026 tours are sold out, but if you would like to join us in the future, here is a link to our 2027 tours: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/ Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

    19 min
  5. S1E37 D&C 28 Part 2

    AUG 31 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    S1E37 D&C 28 Part 2

    In this episode, we continue our discussion of D&C 28. We talk about the effectiveness of the devil’s playbook as he takes truth and creates counterfeits. When Satan spreads false doctrine he does it in a soft and inviting way not always in a loud and obvious way. In addition, we also talk about our favorite movies with the word “bridge” in the title. Latter-day Prophets Children’s Hymn https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/childrens-songbook/latter-day-prophets?lang=eng Our 2026 tours are sold out, but if you would like to join us in the future here is a link to our 2027 tours: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/ Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

    1h 14m

  6. AUG 28

    S5E36 Sealed Portion of the Plates

    In this episode, we discuss the sealed portion of the plates. Gerrit shares the accounts of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on returning the plates and go through comments from Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and David Whitmer. Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

    1h 3m

  7. AUG 27 · BONUS

    S5B12 Kristy’s KorneЯ - D&C 93 Part 3

    In this rereleased episode, we continue to discuss Doctrine and Covenants 93. In Part 3, we discuss what this revelation tells us about the nature of mankind in relation to the nature of our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

    42 min

  8. AUG 27 · BONUS

    S5B11 Kristy’s KorneЯ - D&C 93 Part 2

    In this rereleased episode, we continue to discuss Doctrine and Covenants 93. In Part 1, we provided some historical and theological context from the Christian world. In Part 2, we go through Section 93 and discuss the radical nature of this revelation as it provides insights into questions about the nature of Jesus Christ that have confounded philosophers and theologians for centuries. Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

    57 min
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Hosts & Guests

4.9
out of 5
841 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    409
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Standard of Truth
  • Provider
    Standard of Truth Podcast

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