Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Scott Braithwaite has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and specializes in marriage counseling. He is an associate professor at Brigham Young University and a popular presenter at BYU Education Week, where he most recently taught about supporting loved ones through a faith crisis. He is currently serving as bishop of his ward. 
Highlights
10:10 The difference between sadness and depression 13:40 Leaders should ask for recommendations for good qualified counselors 14:15 You choose who to marry. God gives you agency. 17:40 Scott shares his experience going through a faith crisis 22:40 James Fowler’s Stages of Faith can be helpful in understanding what someone may be going through. Stage three faith identifies as a group, has rules, and is concrete. Most fall under this level of faith. Things also appear black and white. 29:00 During a faith crisis the bottom falls out, they can leave the faith and find community elsewhere. 30:35 Going through the stages of faith are not linear 33:00 Perfectionism shows up in our minds as rules, as all or nothing. 33:40 Doctrinal Latter-day Saints vs. Cultural Latter-day Saints 34:50 Sometimes struggling with faith comes from cultural issues 36:50 The idea of organic evolution showcases the different thought processes of doctrinal vs. cultural Latter-day Saints 38:10 You can’t go back to stage 3 40:30 Stage 5 is accepting the complexity of faith 40:50 Faith allows room for doubt 42:00 All faith allows room for wrestling 43:00 Stage 6 examples, such as Mother Teresa. Most people fall between stages 3, 4, and 5. 46:40 We can act as a midwife and help while people are in a faith crisis 48:30 Help others going through a faith crisis by listening to them. Listen more than talk. 50:50 Elder Ballard: Leaders ought to know and be able to address the difficult questions 56:00 There is a progression from stage 3 to stage 4 57:00 We should be able to talk about doubt at church 59:45 Help create a culture of faith 1:02:00 Elder Hafen’s stages of faith
Links
- “Like a Broken Vessel”, by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
- Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, by Linda King Newell
- Stages of Faith, by James Fowler
- Planted, by Patrick Mason
- On Dealing with Uncertainty, by Bruce C. Hafen Scott Braithwaite BYU Bio
- Help Build “Unwavering Faith” in Students’ Lives, Elder Ballard Tells CES Teachers
Great podcast on this subject. I am no longer a believer, but I just don’t go into that and I continue to attend, take callings, and go through the motions to keep my marriage. I am CONSTANTLY passing this podcast on to any leader that will listen.
You have had some good interviews talking about the subject of doubters and non-believers. I really appreciate the effort this podcast does to try and have the church and the leaders do better.
This podcast contained many good topics and is great. There was one thing I was surprised that Brother Braithwaite as a Psychologist. That is preparing for the anger that some that leave the church often have. It was good that he mentioned how those that lose faith in the LDS church can be heartbroken, but sometimes the feeling of betrayal can be immense. I am sure Brother Braithwaite is familiar with the Kübler-Ross model of dealing with grief and I think he touched on one phase of that. I have had bishops tell friends that, “they were possessed of the devil” when they brought up, “I feel like the church leaders lied to me and I gave it all to the church – most of my free time and 100’s of thousands of dollars and they were not truthful.” I can respect that members don’t see the situation the same, but this is certainly a time when it could be great for a bishop replies with, “I am sorry you see it that way and I can see if I felt that way I would be very angry.”
Well – I am going on beyond the length of an appropriate comment, but I want to be sure and be clear that this was GREAT and I will continue to tell every leader I know about leadinglds.
Would love to get a reference to the Hafen talk that is referenced in the podcast.
I just added it to the post.
Thank you!!
I’d like another session with this guy talking about managing marriage when one person goes through a faith crisis and stays in stage 4 forever or for a long time, how to go through it without confusing your kids too much, how to have a fulfilling marriage even though you suddenly find yourself in an interfaith marriage of sorts and it used to be a major binding element in your marriage. How can leaders minister to such a family so they have their best chance. How can a parent who is ok with where their faith is at lead in a respectful way alongside a spouse who has lost their faith or has serious doubts?
Hello,
I was listening to the podcast with Scott Braithwaite from a few years ago. He references a speech given to the CES department by Elder Ballard. Is that speech available to the general public? I am having difficulty tracking it down, I can find a church newsroom article about a speech given on February 29, 2016 on “Building Unwavering Faith”.
You have linked all of the other references but not this one.
Would appreciate any information or a link to the article if you might have one.
Thank you very much,