Hello, and welcome to the Maxwell Institute podcast, where we seek out faith illuminating scholarship.

I'm Rosalind Welch, Associate Director at the Institute.

This season, we're exploring the questions we should be asking.

Thanks for joining us.

Learn everything that the children of men know

and be prepared for the most refined society upon the face of the earth.

Then improve upon this until we are prepared and permitted to enter the society of the blessed,

the holy angels that dwell in the presence of God. These were Brigham Young's words in 1873,

and their timeless wisdom still guides Latter-day Saints in pursuit of learning today. We're counseled to learn all we can from the

great libraries and laboratories of humanity and prepare ourselves to associate with the best

scholars of our day. But then comes the twist. The knowledge we've gained has a higher purpose

than simply granting admission to the most refined society. In fact,

the purpose and process of education prepare us to enter the society of the blessed in the presence

of God. Today on the podcast, I'm talking with Dr. Christopher Oskerson, a scholar of environmental

humanities and an associate dean of

undergraduate education at BYU. Christopher, or Chip, as he's known, recently delivered an address

entitled, Let Your Education Change You. And I wanted to talk with him about another important

speech he cited in his talk. President Spencer

W. Kimball's landmark address the second century of Brigham Young University. Dr. Oskerson, like

Brigham Young 150 years ago, challenged me to ask not how learning can help me get ahead, but how it can refine my character. We talk about

the challenges of faith-based higher education, whether real learning can happen outside the classroom,

and why President Kimball worried about invading ideologies. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

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