Whitmer Cast

Episode 36: LDS Garments, a Conversation with Nancy Ross

In this episode, Katherine Pollock interviews Nancy Ross, one of the authors of Mormon Garments: Sacred and Secret from University of Illnois Press. From the publisher: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints requires that adult members wear garments under their clothes day and night. Though a central practice, the wearing of garments exists behind a wall of silence, as Church authorities and LDS culture discourage discussion of such a sacred matter. Nancy Ross, Jessica Finnigan, and Larissa Kanno Kindred draw on a survey of over 4,500 Church members and their own backgrounds to explore the multifaceted meanings and experiences of Mormon garments. As the authors show, garments also function as a tool of social control that shapes behavior and reinforces conformity around sexuality. The diverse lived experiences of Latter-day Saints reveal how belief and gender intersect with feelings of secrecy, shame, and obedience while creating complexities for LDS members as they navigate questions of faith, identity, and agency. In addition, the authors call for greater understanding of the people grappling with tensions between personal customs and religious expectation. Insightful and rich with detail, Mormon Garments sheds light on an intimate practice in the lives of Latter-day Saints." https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=c049545 [https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=c049545] Be sure to check out our Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/c/JohnWhitmerHistoricalAssociation/posts [https://www.patreon.com/c/JohnWhitmerHistoricalAssociation/posts]

Episode 35 - The Mormon Studies Program at Claremont Graduate School

In this episode, host Katherine Pollock talks with Dr. Matthew Bowman, Howard W. Hunter Chair of the Mormon Studies Program at Claremont Graduate School. Find out more about the program at: https://mormonstudies.cgu.edu/ [https://mormonstudies.cgu.edu/] Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/JohnWhitmerHistoricalAssociation [https://www.patreon.com/c/JohnWhitmerHistoricalAssociation]

Episode 34: Joseph Smith's Uncanonized Revelations

In this episode, host Katherine Pollock sits down with Stephen O. Smoot and Brian C. Passantino, editors of Joseph Smith's Uncanonized Revelations, published by BYU Religious Studies Center. About the book: https://rsc.byu.edu/book/joseph-smiths-uncanonized-revelations Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/JohnWhitmerHistoricalAssociation/posts

Episode 33: Historians and Their Books: The Latest Scholarship on Joseph Smith

In this episode, we bring you a recording of a recent author meets critics session from the 2025 JWHA annual meeting in Independence, Missouri. In this session, John G. Turner, author of Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet, is joined by David J. Howlett and Stephen C. Harper to discuss the book. The session was moderated by Matthew L. Harris.

Episode 32: Nauvoo Historical Society

In this episode, host Katherine Pollock talks with Rebecca Williamson of the Nauvoo Historical Society. https://nauvoohistoricalsociety.com/ [https://nauvoohistoricalsociety.com/]