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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
2 hours ago
2 hours ago
In this episode, we finally share the identity of Bill the Adulterer, and Gerrit provides context of Abraham Lincoln playing Dixie after the North’s victory in the Civil War. We answer a litner’s email where verifiably false claims against early Church leaders seem to get Gerrit’s dander is fully up. Who knew that would be a trigger for Dr. Dirkmaat
Gerrit Dander Meter: 11
Kristy’s KorneЯ (Last Minute Lesson Prep): Gerrit reads an excerpt from a Brigham Young sermon relating to D&C 76. We hope that you raise your hand in class and read the entire thing.
Sign up for our free monthly email (seldom monthly): https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Thursday Jul 03, 2025
Thursday Jul 03, 2025
We record this episode in the shadow of the Keokuk, Iowa Walmart in front of a live studio audience. We have some fun with litners on the Standard of Truth Tour and Gerrit answers an email about everyone’s favorite doctor, veteran, adulterer, and liar John C. Bennett.
Kristy’s KorneЯ (Last Minute Lesson Prep): D&C 74
Sign up for our free monthly email (almost never monthly): https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Thursday Jun 26, 2025
Thursday Jun 26, 2025
Martin Luther's disgust with the used car salesmen of indulgence peddlers, Johann Teztel, drive him to cross the religious Rubicon and nail his 95 theses to the door. The Protestant Reformation is about to explode.
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
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Thursday Jun 19, 2025
Thursday Jun 19, 2025
Before we dive headfirst into Martin Luther we spend a little time talking about a few of his predecessors. We discuss the impact that Augustine of Hippo (354-430), John Wycliffe (1328-1384), and Jan Huss (1369-1415) had on Christian thought. We also discuss the merits of throwing people out of windows as a solution to your problems.
Subscribe to our free newsletter - https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/
Please visit our website at www.standardoftruth.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Thursday Jun 12, 2025
Thursday Jun 12, 2025
In this episode, we discuss whether or not God created the Dodge Dart. Marcion also had a question about whether or not the God of the Old Testament was the same as Jesus. His heretical arguments lead to the formation of the accepted Christian canon.
Subscribe to our free newsletter - https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/
Please visit our website at www.standardoftruth.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Thursday Jun 05, 2025
Thursday Jun 05, 2025
We begin the episode with Richard recounting a personal spiritual experience at a sacrament meeting in Fruita, Colorado… home of Mike the Headless Chicken. We then answer a litner’s question: Was Hyrum Smith an apostle? We discuss Hyrum’s unique role in the Church, drawing from Doctrine & Covenants 124 and the Council of Fifty minutes. Gerrit walks through the complexity of 19th-century Church leadership structure, why modern categories like “apostle” don’t always cleanly map to early Church roles, and why Hyrum’s spiritual authority was second only to Joseph’s. Finally, Gerrit shares a powerful, little-known sermon from Hyrum Smith delivered just months before his death, where Hyrum tells the Council of Fifty to stop worrying about how God’s work will be done, and start believing that He will do it.
Mike the Headless Chicken: https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34198390
Kristy’s KorneЯ (Last Minute Lesson Prep): The Lord chastens Richard (D&C 58:4 and D&C 3:1)
Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2026: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
Missouri/Nauvoo – June 14th through June 20th – 3 spots left
Sign up for our free monthly email (almost never monthly): https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Thursday May 29, 2025
Thursday May 29, 2025
In this episode, we receive another email from an expecting mother and discuss whether Sir Isaac Newton dabbling in wizardry. We also talk about loved ones who go through a faith crisis and Gerrit shares experiences from the frontlines of faith conversations.
Kristy’s KorneЯ (Last Minute Lesson Prep): We introduce a new stinger and Gerrit gives a couple of nuggets for D&C 54
Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2026: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
Missouri/Nauvoo – June 14th through June 20th – 6 spots
Palmyra/Kirtland – June 21st through June 27th – SOLD OUT
Palmyra/Kirtland – July 12th through July 18th – SOLD OUT
Sweetwater Rescue Temple Project: Helping the Saints of Lithuania get to the Helsinki, Finland Temple https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org/current
If you would like to donate, please click on the link: https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org/donate
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
Thursday May 22, 2025
Thursday May 22, 2025
Revisit this classic episode, now rereleased as a bonus, for a reminder that even in the Restoration's earliest years, the gospel was already colliding with the religious fringe.
We go back to early 1831 and unpack one of the most unusual revelations in the D&C 49. Directed to the now all-but-extinct Shaker community, this revelation responds directly to a faith group that believed Jesus had already returned… as a woman.
What begins as a historical tour through a radical offshoot of Quakerism becomes a broader exploration of how early Latter-day Saints navigated wildly different theological worlds.
Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2026: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
Missouri/Nauvoo – June 14th through June 20th – 12 spots remaining
Palmyra/Kirtland – June 21st through June 27th – SOLD OUT
Palmyra/Kirtland – July 12th through July 18th – SOLD OUT
Sweetwater Rescue Temple Project: Helping the Saints of Lithuania get to the Helsinki, Finland Temple https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org/current
If you would like to donate, please click on the link: https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org/donate
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
Thursday May 22, 2025
Thursday May 22, 2025
In this episode, we discuss a cornucopia of issues from our Hindu and Buddhist friends to claims of sex trafficking by the New York Times. It takes about 45 minutes, but Gerrit’s dander is up. In fact, Gerrit’s dander has never been higher.
Kristy’s KorneЯ (Last Minute Lesson Prep): D&C 49 discussion about Shakers
Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2026: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
Missouri/Nauvoo – June 14th through June 20th – 12 spots remaining
Palmyra/Kirtland – June 21st through June 27th – SOLD OUT
Palmyra/Kirtland – July 12th through July 18th – SOLD OUT
Sweetwater Rescue Temple Project: Helping the Saints of Lithuania get to the Helsinki, Finland Temple https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org/current
If you would like to donate, please click on the link: https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org/donate
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
Thursday May 15, 2025
Thursday May 15, 2025
In this episode, we hope the litners will also enjoy a heartfelt shout-out to Elder Crum, Elder Crum, possibly a third Elder Crum and his Deseret flag sewing companions, a reflection on the doctrine of intelligence from D&C 93, and a deeper exploration into the Latter-day Saint rejection of creation ex nihilo.
Kristy’s KorneЯ (Last Minute Lesson Prep): Latter-day Saint worship services were designed to be open to all, excommunicated members, seekers, and non-believers. This was VERY uncommon at the time D&C 46 was received.
Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2026: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
Missouri/Nauvoo – June 14th through June 20th
Palmyra/Kirtland – June 21st through June 27th – SOLD OUT
Palmyra/Kirtland – July 12th through July 18th
Sweetwater Rescue Temple Project: Helping the Saints of Lithuania get to the Helsinki, Finland Temple https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org/current
If you would like to donate, please click on the link: https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org/donate
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