139: What is "Holiness"

Latter-day Faith

We often hear the terms "holy" and "holiness," and we have a general sense of what they mean. But it is always good to look at familiar terms and concepts through different lenses, different eyes, and this is what we have done in this episode. In it, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon is joined by Mark Crego and Kajsa Berlin-Kaufusi, both of whom are scriptural scholars as well as partners with Dan in the Faith Journey Foundation, to examine "holiness" from many angles. Does something "holy" necessarily entail that it is accessible only by those who qualify themselves first through holding certain beliefs or behaving in certain ways? Is being "holy" better understood as a state one reaches, or is it perhaps understood best as an ongoing process? What are the linguistic roots of the word "holy," and how do these connect with language and ideas we are familiar with today? Is "holiness" achieved or uncovered, revealed? How have these concepts affected Latter-day Saint lives? What teachings and emphases come the closest, and which miss the mark? These questions and many other aspects of holiness come forth in this wide-ranging but focused discussion among friends. We hope you will tune in for it!