Standard of Truth

Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat
Standard of Truth
Latest episode

294 episodes

  • Standard of Truth

    S6E12 The Book of Enoch Part 3 (TERTULLIAN!!!!)

    19/03/2026 | 1h 6 mins.
    In this episode Richard debuts a "Fun with Numbers" segment with a rapid-fire March Madness breakdown (12-seeds win 35.6% of first-round matchups and hit in 85% of all tournaments, and that 11-seeds have won 51.8% of their games against 6-seeds since 2011)

    We read a heartfelt PDPB mailbag question from a couple writing in from the delivery room about LDS doctrine on IVF and embryos, with Gerrit walking through the Church handbook's guidance, the history of when Latter-day Saints have believed the spirit enters the body (including Brigham Young's view), and why the Church simply hasn't revealed a definitive answer.Ā 

    They also respond to two Oklahoma missionaries serving in Salt Lake City West who push back on the classic anti-Mormon line "if you knew what I knew, you wouldn't believe", a claim Gerrit dismantles by pointing out that the people who know the most about Joseph Smith academically are overwhelmingly believers.Ā 

    The episode wraps with the long-awaited return to the Book of Enoch series, as Gerrit walks through how Tertullian, Athanasius, and Augustine each wrestled with the "sons of God and daughters of men" passage in Genesis and teases that next episode will connect Joseph Smith's revelations on Enoch in the Pearl of Great Price back to everything they've been building toward, while Richard promises to have his malaria-in-Alexandria research narrowed down from somewhere between 1937 and 3200 BC.

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  • Standard of Truth

    S6B2 Standard of Truth Dead and in Hell March Madness Bracket Buster Challenge

    18/03/2026 | 29 mins.
    In this bonus episode, we prepare emotionally for the NCAA tournament that kicks off on Thursday. We go through some of the hilarious team names and provide you with absolute stone cold locks for the upcoming NCAA March madness tournament.
    Ā 
    Please join us in our Standard of Truth Dead and in Hell March Madness Bracket Buster Challenge:

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    If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]
  • Standard of Truth

    S6E11 The Day Bernie Came Inside

    12/03/2026 | 1h 27 mins.
    In this episode, we discuss a bizarre culinary textbook that credits the founding of the Church to ā€œJoseph Young,ā€ and a missionary's question about whether someone should pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true.

    Ā 

    Gerrit also shares an unforgettable Walgreens VHS story that ends with a strong testimony.

    Ā 

    Please join us in our Standard of Truth Dead and in Hell March Madness Bracket Buster Challenge:

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    Ā 

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    Ā 

    If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]
  • Standard of Truth

    S6E10 Live! With Chocolate-Flavored Candy and Zero Tertullian

    05/03/2026 | 1h 15 mins.
    In this special live studio recording of the Standard of Truth Podcast, Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat and Dr. Richard LeDuc are joined by an in-person audience for a lively mailbag episode. The hosts tackle a question submitted mid-labor, fielding a request for obscure Angel Moroni stories guaranteed to keep the asker out of church leadership.Ā 

    Gerrit shares an account from Edward Stevenson describing a roadside encounter with Moroni during the translation period, as well as a powerful testimony from Wilford Woodruff about three angelic messengers dressed in temple clothing who rescued him and George A. Smith from evil spirits in London.

    The episode also dives into the speculative attempts to pin down the exact date of the First Vision, complete with an impromptu weather analysis presentation from Richard.Ā 

    The hosts then answer a question about Hyrum Smith's prophetic role, reading from his 1842 sermon definitively interpreting the Word of Wisdom's "hot drinks" as tea and coffee, paired with a complementary Brigham Young sermon warning that dismissing prophetic counsel leads gradually to apostasy.Ā 

    The episode closes as Gerrit shares the story of Emmeline Anderson, an unsung hero of early church history whose faith remained unshaken even after losing her husband and teenage son in the 1846 Battle of Nauvoo.

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    If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]
  • Standard of Truth

    S6E9 Prepare, Don’t Predict the Second Coming

    26/02/2026 | 1h 19 mins.
    In this episode we discussĀ a litners email where he asks about ā€œthe day and the hourā€ quote attributed to Joseph Smith and how some YouTube voices use it to fuel end times certainty. Gerrit breaks down why this kind of content deserves real skepticism: source quality matters, corroboration matters, and the Joseph Smith Papers exist for a reason. He explains how cherry picked, poorly sourced, or context free quotes can create anxiety, drive clicks, and worst of all, set people up for spiritual whiplash when predictions fail.Ā 

    We had a couple of spots open up on our Standard of Truth Tour to Missouri/Illinois. We meet in Kansas City on Sunday, June 21st, and fly home from St. Louis on Saturday, June 27th.

    https://standardoftruth.com/tours/tour-missouri-nauvoo-carthage-springfield-st-louis-june-21-27-2026/

    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: ⁠⁠[email protected]

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About Standard of Truth

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.
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