Bonus Episode: Lifelong Disciples of Jesus Christ (Hilton, Erickson, Richardson, & Allred)
Y Religion
BYU Religious Education
4.9 • 1.8K Ratings
🗓️ 8 March 2026
⏱️ 55 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In June 2025, President D. Todd Christofferson gave a landmark address to Religious Educators titled "Lifelong Disciples of Jesus Christ." In this bonus episode, John Hilton visits with BYU Religious Education professors Jenet Erickson, Matthew Richardson, and Philip Allred to unpack its implications for teaching and discipleship.
Their conversation centers on President Christofferson's invitation to highlight the vital role of agency in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. The panel members explore concrete practices to help students take personal ownership in their learning. They also discuss how to move beyond information transfer and instead focus on helping students deepen their connection with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through active engagement and the guiding influence of the Holy Ghost.
Publication:
- "Lifelong Disciples of Jesus Christ," CES Religious Educators Conference, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (2025)
Click here to learn more about the upcoming 2026 CES Religious Educators Conference
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, Why Religion friends. John Hilton here. As you know, usually in episodes of Why Religion, we interview a religious education faculty member and talk to them about an article that they've written. |
| 0:11.0 | In today's bonus episode, we're going to do something different. I've gathered together with three of my colleagues in religious education, and we're going to discuss an article that was given by President D. Todd Christofferson |
| 0:22.6 | to the entire church educational system. This address was given in the June 2025 conference |
| 0:28.7 | for religious educators and it was such a significant address that we wanted to take time |
| 0:33.8 | and discuss it together. We've also linked to this address in our show notes and at the |
| 0:38.9 | website, whyreligion.bbyu.edu. In fact, you might want to read or listen to this talk before |
| 0:44.8 | continuing with this episode. But for now, let me introduce our group. I'm here with Jenna Erickson, |
| 0:51.0 | Matthew Richardson, and Philip Allred. Welcome. So happy you guys are here today. |
| 0:55.0 | Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here. |
| 0:56.2 | It is. We're thrilled. |
| 0:57.5 | It's nice to be amongst friends. |
| 0:58.7 | That's right. It really is. So let's start with the title of President Christofferson's |
| 1:04.0 | talk, Lifelong Disciples of Jesus Christ. How does the title of the talk alone impact your thoughts about what it means |
| 1:12.9 | to be a religious educator? John, I loved how President Christofferson talked about how lifelong |
| 1:21.1 | discipleship is actually essential to the doctrine of Christ. And so our objective, of course, |
| 1:27.4 | is that we draw on the power of the |
| 1:29.6 | atonement throughout our lives ongoing, enduring to the end. And my goal, as a teacher, right, |
| 1:35.1 | is not to just them have a testimony and be converted in the sense to the truths, but to live them |
| 1:42.2 | across their lives, because the atonement is not able to exercise |
| 1:46.0 | its power, the atonement of Jesus Christ, without that lifelong process. And that was |
| 1:52.2 | illuminating for me. My goal is not just this semester, nor is it BYU time. It is their lives |
| 1:59.0 | drawing on the power of Jesus Christ. |
... |
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