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Standard of Truth

Standard of Truth

By: Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat
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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.Copyright 2022 All rights reserved. Spirituality
Episodes
  • S5E24 Was Hyrum Smith Called as an Apostle?
    Jun 5 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

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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • S5E23 Faith Crisis
    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

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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • S5B4 rerelease of S1E9 D&C 49
    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

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 20 mins
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I have been loving all these podcasts! I have gained a new appreciation for all those people who helped make it possible for me to have the knowledge I do. thanks guys! keep it coming 👍

Great Info!

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Dr. Dirkmaat does an excellent job. We listen to every one and learn a ton.

informative and entertaining

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Once again, we have a theme of being very sceptical of historical claims made on the internet. It takes a lot of time and effort to conduct historical analysis correctly. I appreciate that this episode wasn't about defending polygamy. It was about considering the source of an ugly claim about the church and investigating if other sources supported the claim.

Some sources are more equal than others

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It is fascinating to learn more about the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints.

Fascinating church history

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