PODCAST · religion
Face in Hat
by Aaron Brewster & Eric Jepson
LDS Miscellany through a Berkeley Lens
Episodes
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Episode 7.14 Dr. Ben Park
We got to welcome Dr. Benjamin Park, author of American Zion, onto our show! We greatly enjoyed having him on, and got to talk about being an historian, what it’s like to get access to the oldest of church records, what makes American Zion different from other histories and his perspective on...
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7.13 Matt, the Berkeley Ward, and ‘08
We are so pleased to have Matt, Berkeley Ward Bishop from 2008-2013 on our show today! Today’s chapter of American Zion, Showtime, 1995-2012, covers an important part of our Ward’s history, when Prop 8 was voted on in California to ban gay marriage. Matt talks about his experiences being a church...
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7.12 The Proc of ‘95
We felt “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” deserved its own minisode, so join us as we take a modern look at this document, nearly wrapping up our tour of American Zion by Benjamin Park. Two more to go! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!...
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7.11 Camelot’s Road
In the 1970s, Leonard Arrington formed an enclave of church scholars and historians that had such an open attitude of research and discovery that they called it Camelot. By the early 90s, attitudes had shifted greatly against these “so-called” intellectuals, and not just them but also feminists…
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7.10 Year end loose ends (martyrdom, polygamy, and the drawn sword)
End of the year show! We cover topics from the tail end of the Doctrine and Covenants that have been kicking around in our heads. We’ll be back next year continuing with more of American Zion! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel! Thanks Eric!...
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7.9 History is Fascinating
Back to American Zion! Today we look at the chapter “One Family Under God”, 1945-70. Themes of civil rights, womanhood, and intellectualism are brought together as we look deeper at the post-WWII world of Mormonism! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube...
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7.8 Interregnum hot takes
With the rest of the church we mourn the passing of President Nelson. In this show we look back on his life and we talk about the future, including chatting about President Oak’s October 2025 conference talk. The decision to focus on birthrates was interesting, so that prompted a deep dive, from...
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7.7 Modernity vs. retrenchment
We’re back from summer and let's keep this season going! Today we focus on Chapter 6, The Perils of Reform: 1920-1945, from Benjamin Park’s book: American Zion. Many threads connect the topics, but the contest between the modernity of the early part of the 20th century and resistance to change…
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7.6 Progress and compromise
1890-1920 was a period of great progress among the LDS Saints but came with key compromises that began the assimilation of LDS culture and into the broader American people. Join us as we look at this era, continuing our trip through American Zion by Benjamin Park! Link to our Face in Hat discord...
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7.5 Straight to jail
Run and hide! Today we jump into the 1870s and 80s to see what made our beloved ancestors be so eager to ditch the law and go underground. (Spoilers, it’s more polygamy!). Part of our ongoing series covering American Zion: A New History of Mormonism, by Benjamin E. Park! Link to our Face in Hat...
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7.4 The Big 3 in 1850
Polygamy, Racism and Indian affairs. These stories dominated Chapter 3 of American Zion by Benjamin E. Park, “Of empires and wars, 1846-69”. Come for the historical controversy but stay for the good vibes at the end! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube...
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7.3 Zion (not the Matrix one), Part 2
“O My Father”, and the Council of Fifty! Let’s wrap up chapter 2 of “American Zion” in a quick show for the end of the year! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel! Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat...
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7.2 Zion (not the Matrix one), Part 1
Part one of our journey through Chapter 2 of Dr. Benjamin Park’s book, “American Zion”, “The Voice of the People,1831-46.” This history is a rollercoaster of emotion! Also, we have just so many show notes. Check them out and be sure to join us on Discord! Link to our Face in Hat discord server!...
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7.1 A Visionary Nation
Welcome to season 7! We are starting by reviewing the Prologue and Chapter 1 of Dr. Benjamin Park’s book, “American Zion”. The first single volume history of the Church in over a decade, and taking advantage of new sources, it’s an excellent way to get some good old Mormon history. This was fun!...
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6.9 Movie Night
Settle in for Movie Night! Aaron and Eric each picked movies that they argued had LDS or interesting religious themes. Do you agree or have other picks? Let us know on discord! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel! Thanks Eric!...
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6.8 Jarom and living in the middle
Today we chat about prophecy, the book of Jarom, and what it means for us to be living in the middle. We draw especially on Sharon J. Harris’s brief theological introduction to Enos, Jarom, Omni. Check it out! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!...
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6.7 Women and Priesthood, Part 3
The recent Worldwide Relief Society Devotional was awesome! One quote caused a bit of a kerfuffle, which sets the stage for part 3 of our series on women and priesthood. But the devotional really was great! Go watch it! And also listen to this episode :) Link to our Face in Hat discord server!...
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6.6 Women and Priesthood, Part 2
Credit, authority, the danger of hierarchies, and how Jewish whiskey relates to fiction, equity, and legislation. Join us in our second of a multipart series on women and the priesthood. Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel! Thanks Eric!...
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6.5 Women and Priesthood, Part I
Our first of a multi-part series on women and the Priesthood of the Church. Themes for this part include defining terms, Priesthood vs. religious office, and Priesthood in the past. Join us! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel! Thanks Eric!...
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6.4 Taking the Stand
Women LDS Relief Society leaders are no longer allowed on the stand in the Bay Area, as covered in Peggy Fletcher Stack’s SL Tribune’s article. On this show, we talk about activism in general, our reaction to this change (not great) and discuss how we think our personal responsibility for...
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6.3 Revelate!
Did you know that we as members of the Church believe in the Book of Revelation? Let’s have some fun and open some seals! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh New YouTube channel! Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat Look, playlists!...
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6.2 Idol Meat
In 1st Corinthians, Paul teaches about protecting the weak ones by avoiding the appearance of evil. Is this applicable to online discourse? Should we avoid the musty corners of church history or should we investigate? Is there harm in causing doubt, or will that doubt come anyway and is best met...
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6.1 Barbie as an Endowment Film
Spoilers for the Barbie movie!! The Barbie movie takes people into the presence of God and delivers them to the real world. Join us as we discuss the LDS endowment, existentialism, and heavenly mother as we revel in one of the best movies released in years. Link to our Face in Hat discord server!...
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5.9 Golden plates, translation, and Tibetan Buddhism
We welcome Tanner McAlister today as we discuss two articles on the translation of the Book of Mormon. We kick things off using our season’s reference, “Yet to be revealed”, from BYU studies. Grant Hardy’s article “The Book of Mormon Translation Process”, provides an excellent discussion of...
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5.8 Grace, works, and foreknowledge
Two for one! Grace vs. works is one of our favorite topics, and the foreknowledge of God is another! The two articles from BYU Studies we are covering today relate to each other in fascinating ways. Join us as we discuss how we can approach Grace using LDS and Protestant theology, and how the...
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5.7 War, Polygamy, and Disobedience
When exactly are we supposed to be obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law? Nathan Oman’s article on Civil Disobedience in Latter-day Saint Thought took us down a winding road exploring this question. Ride along! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh Dialogue...
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5.6 History, narration, and theological work
Our church’s framing of the apostasy and restoration is changing, and Miranda Wilcox wrote about it! How we narrate our religious history affects our general understanding of Christian history, and can help us better appreciate the centuries of progress between the ancient apostles and 1820. Link...
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5.5 Holy Matrimony, Holy Grail
So, was Jesus married? Our holiday edition of our series on open questions follows Christopher James Blythe’s article on the same question. Conspiracy, Assassin’s Creed, Dan Brown, this one’s got it all. Lots of great links in the show notes! See you next year! Link to our Face in Hat discord...
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5.4 Agency and its opposition
Agency is critical to the plan of salvation, and the adversary wanted it gone. But how? Philip L. Barlow wrote a banger of an article in Dialogue looking at prevailing theories, and argues the theology yields critical implications for how Mormons interact with government, politics, and church...
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5.3 Eternal individuation and King Follett
We welcome William Morris aka Wm, founder of A Motley Vision, onto our show to talk about the BYU studies article, The King Follett Discourse: Pinnacle or Peripheral?, by James E. Faulconer and Susannah Morrison. We talk about the nature of individuality, intelligence, and our own eternal…
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5.2 Divinization and Deity
It’s a two for one today as we look at two BYU studies articles on whether God ever has or is currently progressing, and on progression in the afterlife. Go deep with us! It’s so much fun! Plus Hadestown makes an appearance! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh...
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5.1 Open Questions, an intro to season 5
Welcome to season 5! In this season we are studying the recent BYU Studies Quarterly issue 60:3: “Yet to be revealed, open questions in Latter-Day Saint theology.” In each of the articles, an unsettled, open question is presented along with viewpoints from LDS authorities, theologians, and...
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4.8 Mormonism and Judaism
Mormons love the Old Testament and everything about the Jewish faith and culture. Join us as we go into the history of Judaic influences on the LDS faith, and the sometimes complex relationship between our faiths. Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh Colonialism -...
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4.7 Joshua and Jericho
A fun primary lesson led to a deeper discussion of historicity and truth in the book of Joshua. Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh What Do We Mean When We Say that the Scriptures Are True? By Michael Austin...
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4.6 Critical reading and the Divine Feminine
Reading scientific papers requires a critical mindset, but often ‘critical’ has a negative connotation. How can we apply critical reading to scriptures and conference addresses? This is especially relevant in the context of recent conference addresses and discourse in the Mormon community on...
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4.5 Universalism and Heresy
Dr. Eugene England and Elder Bruce R. McConkie really didn’t agree on many points regarding the nature of God and the destiny of souls. For today’s show, we highly recommend Rebecca England’s essay linked in the show notes! We cover it briefly but it’s worth your time! D&C 1:30...
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4.4 Billions of quick hits
Happy new year! We revisit older shows, adding updates on finance (billions of dollars worth), the Provo temple, the Devil in church meetings and certain prophecies about the color of horses. Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh More about the deseret alphabet and...
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4.3 Liberal hair lengths
Starting off with the history of the People’s Park in Berkley, we segway into discussing Emily Kaplan’s article in the Washington Post, “The Rise of the Liberal Latter-day Saints.” It’s a great article and has generated lots of discussion, especially around LBGTQ issues. Join us! Link to our Face...
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4.2 In our lovely alphabet
Brigham Young loved the Deseret alphabet, and so do we. It’s so cool looking and old and kinda weird. It’s perfect Mormon history and it’s forever enshrined in Unicode. Let’s take a look! Link to new Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh Start here!...
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4.1 A modern miracle
Did you know they had smallpox vaccines in the 1700s? Join us as we kick off season 4 of Face in Hat with some history and then an in-depth look at one of the most important modern miracles, the mRNA vaccine against Covid 19. Link to new Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh…
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3.14 Paul, the Oakland Temple, and Pride
We missed posting this one during Pride month, but it’s relevant! Join us for a conversation with local beloved Berkeleyite Paul. We hear how his relative worked on the Oakland Temple in the 50s, and about Paul’s life being gay in San Francisco in the 80s. He loves the temple, and hearing his...
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3.13.5 Bonus stories!
We had too many great stories to fit into our Church building program episode so here’s some more from Aaron’s uncles!
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3.13 Close to home: the Church Building Program
Aaron’s Grandpa was a building missionary who built churches all over the pacific northwest. We welcome Aaron’s uncles onto the show (yay!) who helped build these churches as the family moved from location to location. We were very happy to hear what it was like on the ground during one of the…
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3.12 Minerva Teichert and the Manti Temple
Temple renovations in Manti were scheduled to remove murals by LDS painter Minerva Teichert, but that decision was reversed. Join us as we look into her story and work, art in the church in general, and how remembrance and ritual soaks in our very beings. Minerva Teichert...
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3.11 Poetry, Spies, and the Church Education System
This was a fun one and we went all over the place. From a really great 1700s poem on truth, to BYU spy rings, to the nature of character in education, join us as we look at what church education looked like in the 60s and speculate on how it might have been different today. David O. McKay and the...
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3.10 An International Church
How did the church become international? How much more do we have to go? Let’s look at David O. McKay’s contribution and see how we can apply it to our present church. David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism, by Gregory A Prince and WM Robert Wright...
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3.9 Race, Priesthood, and David O’McKay
For Black History Month, we study Chapter 4 of David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism: “Blacks, Civil Rights, and the Priesthood.” The ban on black people holding the Priesthood was lifted in 1978. The people, politics, and circumstances leading up to it, particularly in McKay’s time in...
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3.8 Broadly speaking
Following our theme of change in the church, we look at how our approach to media has changed over the last half century, from the early days of broadcasting to recent attitude shifts regarding social media and embracing new forms of communication David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism…
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3.7 Tolerance
What do we do when we disagree with family, neighbors, and friends over things so important to us that it seems impossible to reconcile? David O’McKay’s fundamental belief in free agency and love of those around him meant he respected other’s beliefs and lived a life of tolerance, while still...
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3.6 The Most American Episode
Today we discussed McKay Coppin’s article “The Most American Religion”, published in The Atlantic. It’s a great read or listen (find the audio link in the article!). We were particularly interested in his discussion of how our desire for acceptance affects how we interact with others as people of...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
LDS Miscellany through a Berkeley Lens
HOSTED BY
Aaron Brewster & Eric Jepson
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Face in Hat currently has 77 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
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LDS Miscellany through a Berkeley Lens
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Face in Hat has 77 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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Face in Hat is created and hosted by Aaron Brewster & Eric Jepson.
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