Episode 137: A Modern Guide to an Old Testament (Joshua M. Sears)
Y Religion
BYU Religious Education
4.9 • 1.8K Ratings
🗓️ 1 January 2026
⏱️ 53 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
How can the Old Testament feel relevant and approachable to us today? In this episode, Dr. Joshua M. Sears, associate professor of ancient scripture, discusses his new book A Modern Guide to an Old Testament. Designed for everyday readers, this resource helps demystify the Old Testament by providing historical context, literary insights, and practical applications for modern discipleship. Professor Sears explains why the Old Testament matters, how its themes connect to Christ, and offers tips for studying its complex narratives with confidence and faith. Whether you're a seasoned scripture scholar or just beginning your study, this conversation will inspire you to see the Old Testament in a new light.
Publications:
- A Modern Guide to an Old Testament (Deseret Book, 2025)
- "The Law of Moses and the Goodness of God: Navigating Challenging Texts," in Tender Mercies and Loving-Kindness: The Goodness of God in the Old Testament (Religious Studies Center, 2025)
- "Learning from People of Other Faiths," Religious Educator, 24.2 (2023)
- "'Let Me Take Another Wife': Israelite, Jewish, and the Latter-day Saint Polygamy in Historical and Literary Perspective," in The Household of God: Families and Belonging in the Social World of the New Testament (Religious Studies Center, 2022)
- "Deutero-Isaiah in the Book of Mormon: Latter-day Saint Approaches," in They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon (Religious Studies Center, 2022)
- "Study Bibles: An Introduction for Latter-day Saints," Religious Educator, 20.3 (2019)
· Previous Y Religion Podcast Episodes: https://religion.byu.edu/y-religion
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, why religion friends? John Hilton here. On December 16th, 2025, the church released an update to the |
| 0:06.9 | handbook that I think will have a significant impact on our study of come follow me this year. |
| 0:12.2 | The handbook now states, generally, members should use a preferred or church published edition |
| 0:17.8 | of the Bible in church classes and meetings. In English, this would be the King James version. |
| 0:22.6 | The handbook continues, this helps maintain clarity and discussions and consistent understanding of doctrine. |
| 0:29.6 | Other Bible translations may also be used. Some individuals may benefit from translations that are doctrinally clear and also easier to understand. |
| 0:40.3 | Those last two sentences are new. They clearly state that it's okay to use different Bible translations even in church meetings. |
| 0:48.3 | And it also says that some members may benefit from reading other translations. |
| 0:53.3 | Frankly, I'm one of those members. |
| 0:56.0 | Even though I'm a religion professor, I still find verses where the King James language is unclear. |
| 1:01.0 | So I've been deeply blessed by using other translations of the Bible. |
| 1:05.0 | Relief Society General President, Camille and Johnson said, |
| 1:09.0 | If we want individuals to develop a habit of reading the scriptures, if we want mothers and fathers to read the scriptures with their children, it is helpful for them to have the option of using a Bible translation that teaches doctrine in a way they can understand. |
| 1:24.6 | King James Version came out a little over 400 years ago, and it's based on a translation |
| 1:29.3 | that was started 100 years before that. So it's really more like 500 years old. |
| 1:34.3 | And that's not a deal breaker. |
| 1:36.3 | A lot of us can still get so much out of it reading in the older English, but it does mean that some people struggle. |
| 1:42.3 | So for example, kids really struggle with this. |
| 1:46.2 | People who are English is their second language can struggle with that. People who are not as |
| 1:51.5 | educated or don't have as much of a reading ability, it's just extra hard. We've got to be sensitive |
| 1:56.0 | to those concerns. The timing of this announcement is important. As church members, we're about to embark on a two-year study of the Bible. |
| 2:04.0 | And as Sister Tamara W. Runya, first counselor in the Young Women General of Presidency said, |
... |
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