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Join Taylor Petrey, Dialogue’s editor, in a thought-provoking conversation with Kristen Blair, a practical theologian delving into theopoetics, environmental theologies, and theologies of care. In this enlightening episode, they unpack Blair’s profound article from the Fall 2023 issue of Dialogue, “Free Forever to Act for Themselves”: Howard Thurman and Latter-day Saint Agency.” Kristen Blair draws parallels between the ideas of Howard Thurman, a Christian mystic deeply influential during the American civil rights movement, and the Latter-day Saint perspective on agency. Thurman’s concept of an inward sea, an immutable soul, echoes the Latter-day Saint belief in agency as the linchpin of their religious narrative. Blair challenges the prevailing notions within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dissecting the nuanced understanding of agency presented by Thurman. While both perspectives align in principle, she argues that the practical application diverges. Through a meticulous exploration of theological terms like moral agency, free will, and freedom of choice, Blair navigates the complex landscape where Thurman’s ideas meet and sometimes diverge from Latter-day Saint theology. Tune in as Petrey and Blair unravel the intricacies of Howard Thurman’s philosophies and their intersections with the Latter-day Saint understanding of agency, forging a pathway towards a more nuanced comprehension of the human spirit’s capacity for choice and freedom. *** KRISTEN BLAIR is a practical theologian interested in theopoetics, environmental theologies, and theologies of care. She is a mother and thinks carefully about care work, invisible labor, and lived theology. She lives with her family in Toronto, Canada.
