Hey everybody. Today we are thrilled to welcome back Terrell Givens, one of our all-time favorite

guests and collaborators and someone we always have a running list of topics for. This time, we're

finally diving deep into the topic of agency and free will. It's something that has come up in many

of our past conversations but never had its own dedicated discussion. Terrell's new book,

Agency, is part of the Maxwell Institute's Doctrine and Covenants

Theological series, and it explores some of the most profound and challenging questions

about what it truly means to have agency. For centuries, theologians and philosophers have

debated whether free will truly exists or if what we call agency is merely an illusion.

Our choices predetermined by the unfolding universe,

or so shaped by our biology and our past that we don't have any real choice. Terrell's work in this

book finds that Mormonism has some compelling and unique insights on that central question,

and he explores some others, like what role does community and authority play in expanding or

limiting our agency?

And how do we navigate the tension between obedience and authentic personal choice?

In this conversation, we explore the dangers of turning scripture or prophets into idols,

and how our perception of God can sometimes become so skewed that it's actually a false God,

and why Terrell doesn't believe that we'll ever

be judged based on our beliefs alone. We also get into some fascinating intersections between agency,

neuropsychology, philosophy, and even Darwinian evolution. This discussion left us with so much

to think about, and we really hope that it does the same for you. So with that, let's dive in.

Well, Terrell, welcome back. You're the OG,

and we're so happy to have you back in the studio. It's been too long. It's nice to come back.

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