Applying a Trauma-Informed Lens to the Book of Mormon: A Conversation with Margaret Olsen Hemming and HB Franchino-Olsen

In this episode of Dialogue Out Loud, Dialogue Journal editor Taylor Petrey interviews Margaret Olsen Hemming and HB Franchino-Olsen, authors of the essay “They Have Received Many Wounds: Applying a Trauma-Informed Lens to the Book of Mormon,” featured in the summer issue of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought (available now on dialoguejournal.com).

Hemming, a former editor-in-chief of Exponent II and current art editor at Dialogue Journal, and Franchino-Olsen, a faculty fellow at Ohio State University specializing in gender-based violence and maternal health, delve into how trauma theory can offer a deeper understanding of the Book of Mormon. They explore how trauma—both individual and communal—shapes characters and narratives, urging readers to engage with the text through a lens of empathy and understanding.

Tune in to discover how their unique perspectives reveal fresh insights into this sacred text.