Church History Matters

In this episode of Church History Matters, we trace the fascinating and sometimes surprising history of the Word of Wisdom throughout the 1900s. How did a revelation originally framed as “not by commandment or constraint” become one of the defining markers of Latter-day Saint identity? Along the way, we explore the influence of Elder John A. Widtsoe and Leah Widtsoe’s influential book The Word of Wisdom, the leade...

Join hosts Scott Woodward and Casey Griffiths for a fascinating deep dive into the evolution of the Word of Wisdom from the era of Brigham Young to Heber J. Grant. Discover how early Church leaders viewed the revelation as inspired counsel rather than a strict commandment, why enforcement varied across generations, and how attitudes toward tea, coffee, alcohol, and tobacco gradually changed over time. The episode also explores John...

In this episode of Church History Matters, hosts Scott Woodward and Casey Griffiths explore the Latter-day Saint perspective on the divinely inspired nature of the United States Constitution as taught in the Doctrine and Covenants. What did Joseph Smith and early Church leaders think about the Constitution? What does it mean that God “established” the Constitution? Why is it applicable to all nations? And how should mod...

What did the Word of Wisdom actually look like in the days of Brigham Young? In this fascinating episode of Church History Matters, Scott Woodward and Casey Griffiths explore how early Latter-day Saints understood, practiced, and sometimes struggled to live the Word of Wisdom during the pioneer era. From frontier medicine and tobacco use to coffee, tea, and homemade alcohol, Brigham Young’s generation approached the revelatio...

In this episode, we explore how Joseph Smith personally kept the Word of Wisdom as a divine principle of health, spiritual strength, and wise living—not just a list of restrictions. Revealed in 1833 and recorded in Doctrine and Covenants Section 89, the Word of Wisdom was originally given as “a principle with promise,” offering guidance on caring for the body and drawing closer to God.

Join us as we trace the hist...

In this exciting new series, hosts Scott Woodward and Casey Griffiths dive into one of the most talked-about and most requested topics from listeners of the show: the Word of Wisdom. First revealed to Joseph Smith in 1833 as a revelation from the Lord (Doctrine and Covenants Section 89), the Word of Wisdom began as loving counsel for the Saints and has grown into a vital commandment and covenant marker for Church members around the...

In this episode, hosts Scott Woodward, Casey Griffiths and Lisa Tait explore the powerful and often overlooked theme of Joseph Smith’s vision of women as part of a “kingdom of priests.” From the earliest days of the Restoration in 1830, Joseph Smith taught expansive ideas about spiritual authority, inviting women into sacred spaces like the temple and organizing the Relief Society with language that echoed priesth...

In this episode, hosts Scott Woodward, Casey Griffiths, and Lisa Olsen Tait explore the rich and often overlooked history of women’s interaction with temple worship in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Beginning in the era of Joseph Smith, they examine how women participated in sacred ordinances, contributed to temple preparation, and understood their relationship to priesthood power within these holy spaces.

T...

In this episode, hosts Scott Woodward, Casey Griffiths and Lisa Tait explore the sweeping changes that reshaped The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the mid-20th century, focusing on the rise of the correlation movement under Harold B. Lee. As the Church experienced rapid global growth, leaders sought to simplify complex programs, unify curriculum, and create a structure that could function across cultures and languag...

In this episode, hosts Scott Woodward, Casey Griffiths, and Lisa Olsen Tait explore the vital ecclesiastical presence of women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how their roles have developed alongside the history of the priesthood. Drawing on historical records and doctrinal context, they examine how women have actively participated in the work of the Church through leadership, service, and organization, even ...

In this episode, hosts Lisa Tait, Casey Griffiths and Scott Woodward explore a fascinating and often overlooked chapter in Latter-day Saint history: the role of women in performing healing rituals. Drawing on early Church records, personal journals, and historical accounts, they highlight how women in the 19th-century Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints exercised profound faith by administering to the sick, offering blessin...

Join Scott Woodward, Casey Griffiths, and special guest Lisa Olsen Tait as they explore a fascinating chapter in LDS history: the role of women in performing healing blessings and administering to the sick in the early church. In this episode, the hosts examine how women participated in priesthood-related blessings and ministering practices in the 19th century—practices that, while common in the early church, are no longer pe...

Join hosts Scott Woodward, Casey Griffiths, and special guest Lisa Olsen Tait as they explore the fascinating history of the priesthood in the Latter-day Saint tradition. In this episode, the team delves into the 19th century, examining how church leaders, scripture, and policies shaped the understanding of the priesthood—and where women fit within that evolving framework.

From early church practices to key developments in do...

In this episode of Church History Matters, hosts Casey Griffiths and Scott Woodward sit down with special guest Lisa Olsen Tait to explore one of the most frequently asked and historically complex questions in Christian history: Were women ever allowed to be priests or hold priesthood authority? Together they examine the evidence not only within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but also across broader Christian trad...

This week on Church History Matters, hosts Scott Woodward and Casey Griffiths kick off an important new series exploring women and the priesthood, joined by cohost Lisa Olsen Tait, a respected scholar of Latter-day Saint women’s history. In this opening episode, the team lays a thoughtful historical foundation—examining how women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have understood, accessed, and spoken ab...

In this final episode of the Church History Matters Science and Religion series, hosts Casey Griffiths and Scott Woodward sit down with BYU religion professor Ben Spackman, whose groundbreaking dissertation explores the historical relationship between science, the Bible, evolution, and Latter-day Saint thought. Together they trace how interpretations of Genesis, debates over Darwinian evolution, and shifting cultural pressures shap...

In this episode of the Church History Matters podcast, we explore the long-standing tension many Latter-day Saints have felt between scientific discovery and religious belief. From the rise of evolutionary theory to advances in geology and biology, new ideas have sometimes seemed to challenge traditional readings of scripture. Historically, some Church leaders spoke strongly against evolution and certain scientific claims, reflecti...

Explore the ongoing debate between science and religion through the lens of fundamentalism versus modernism, a conversation that has shaped religious thought for over a century. Scott and Casey dive into the historical roots of the conflict—highlighting modern scientific thought and modern Latter-day Saint thinking. Learn how cultural shifts led some believers to defend scripture strictly while others sought harmony between r...

In this episode, Scott Woodward and Casey Griffiths explore one of the most enduring questions in the science-and-faith conversation: how should religious believers approach evolution? Using the famous Scopes “Monkey” Trial as a historical touchpoint, they unpack how the early 20th-century clash between fundamentalist and modernist perspectives shaped the broader American debate over science and the Bible. They explain ...