Virtual EMS

Event Description: By Nathan Wright, Assistant Professor of Sociology. This talk summarizes Professor Wright's research on five critical moments in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) where the church faced external and internal pressures to change key beliefs and practices. He answers the question: How do religious beliefs and practices gain strength - remaining salient, distinctive, and demanding of commitment - even as they are undergoing drastic changes. Following is a discussion of the relevance of these finding for understanding two contemporary instances of cultural change: American Christian organizations changing policies towards gays and lesbians and Turkey's efforts to join the European Union.