Jana Riess

Jana Riess teaches at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and is author of What Would Buffy Do? and an abridgment of the Book of Mormon with commentary.

Articles by Jana Riess

Cover Story

Normal Mormons

A "model minority" blends in

Sep 26, 2011 by Jana Riess

Mormons are in the familiar situation of being on the defensive theologically and politically. But they are also in terra incognita: they are viewed as leading the way in preserving family values.

Features

We're Christians too

A Mormon perspective
Oct 02, 2007 by Jana Riess
Like Mitt Romney, I’m a Mormon, and as with him my Mormonism seems to be a defining, make-or-break characteristic for many people I meet. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made great strides in the past decade at improving its public image, partly as a result of an extensive and expensive PR effort.
Features

Freedom fighters

Abolitionist drama
Mar 20, 2007 by Jana Riess
Just about every marketing card seems to be stacked against Amazing Grace. It’s not just that the film is a costume drama set in England at the turn of the 19th century, or that there are no big-name American actors in the cast. The real obstacle is the setting: it’s a movie about British politicians, in wigs, and the inner maneuverings of the British Parliament. Moreover, Amazing Grace speaks openly of Christian faith and the Bible’s demands for justice for all people—not a recipe for a blockbuster. Yet the film is genuinely inspiring.