Today we’re sharing a conversation with Phil Barlow about his new book, published by Faith Matters, called A Thoughtful Faith for the 21st Century. If that sounds familiar, it may be because Phil published the first volume back in 1986. That original collection included essays by Eugene England, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Francine Bennion, Richard Bushman, and others—each exploring what it means to live a spiritually and intellectually honest life within the Latter-day Saint tradition.
As Phil points out, challenges to faith are not new. Thoughtful people were wrestling with difficult questions decades ago in ways that still have power today. But, as he says, “the world has turned some” since then. The 2025 edition brings in a new generation of scholars and voices—Thomas McConkie, Melissa Inouye, Fiona Givens, Ben Schilaty, among others—who speak to today’s distinctive challenges while honoring the wisdom and foundation of those who came before.
At the heart of both volumes is an urgent and beautiful question: How can we hold together the integrities of our minds and our hearts and our spirits? That question—its weight, complexity, and quiet hope—sits at the center of this conversation today.
Phil brings so much humility and clarity, and in this episode we get to hear a little about what’s changed in his own faith, about the wisdom of surrendering the need to know, and why he still finds the Latter-day Saint tradition compelling, human, and a spiritual home he continues to choose with both heart and mind.
We’re so grateful to Phil for this conversation, and we hope you love it as much as we did.
GET A FREE LOOK INSIDE THE BOOK
We have published each essay on our Substack (some partially paywalled, some completely free) so that you can get a taste for what’s inside and easily share the essays that most speak to you. If you haven’t yet read Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s classic essay “Lusterware,” start there, and if you have, start with Melissa Inoyue’s beautiful and moving response:
Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye: A Church that is Real
As a youth I always had questions about faith, but did not dwell on them seriously until I went to university. At Harvard College, I wandered happily in the library stacks, surrounded by books analyzing events, ideas, and problems that had never before crossed my mind. I learned to interrogate an idea and poke hard at its soft spots. This was mostly fun. However, when I poked at my own beliefs, especially in the light of new things I was learning about my church’s history, I felt tender and a bit at a loss.
A huge thank you to all Faith Matters donors, large and small—your support is what allows us to publish important books like these, and we couldn’t be more grateful. You can also support the work of Faith Matters by ordering the book, leaving a review, and sharing about it with your friends and family!
For even more on this topic, check out:
THIS MONTH AT THE COMPASS
Terryl Givens and Philip Barlow discuss the Big Question: Is Ours the Only True and Living Church?
Stay up-to-date with future Faith Matters events at The Compass by subscribing to our special Compass Events newsletter.
STUDY “COME FOLLOW ME” WITH FAITH MATTERS
How can we embrace all truth?
“Our religion… embraces all truth, wherever found, in all the works of God and man…” How can we do this while remaining dedicated to a particular tradition? How do we learn from and with each other, particularly people who are different? How do we discern truth and light?
What does it mean to live a consecrated life?
How do we keep our covenant to live the law of consecration? What does it look like to be a steward, not an owner? How does this transform our everyday life? How does it impact our responses to conflict?
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THIS WEEK IN WAYFARE
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