Restore Discernment
A Comment on the Faith Matters Gathering
This is the description of an upcoming event called “Restore: A Faith Matters Gathering”:
Restore Hope. Restore Curiosity. Restore Connection. Restore You.
Restore is a two-day gathering from Faith Matters that brings together the best minds exploring the biggest questions as we look forward to the Restoration’s third century.
Featuring inspiring speakers, uplifting music, and nourishing art, Restore is an opportunity to recharge your spiritual life.
Events will begin Thursday evening 6pm and conclude Saturday 5pm.
The description of the event makes it sound very promising, and there are several performers and speakers whose music and speeches I would enjoy (e.g. the Bonners, Steven Sharp Nelson, Emma Nissen, the choirs, Terryl Givens, Jared Halverson, etc.)
There is much to endorse in this gathering, but I also sense that the idol of our age, or the religion of humanity of which Daniel J. Mahoney wrote in his book by that title will be worshiped along side the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and that it may be difficult for many participants to distinguish between the two.
Therefore I endorse the purpose of the gathering, to restore hope, restore curiosity, restore connection, and restore spiritual strength (which I am guessing is what is meant by “restore you”), without necessarily guaranteeing any restoration of truth. What we really need is a Restore Discernment conference… maybe something like the October General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that will be held just prior to the “Restore” conference.