The Interpreter Foundation exists to support The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through rigorous scholarship focused on its standard works — including The Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, the Bible, and the Doctrine and Covenants — as well as early Latter-day Saint history and related fields.
Their mission centers on four interlocking objectives:
- Promotion — supplying tools and resources that encourage individuals to engage with scripture through study and faith, while also sharing accurate information publicly about the Church and its teachings.
- Explanation — translating specialized academic research into clear, accessible writing for non-scholars.
- Authenticity — offering scholarly responses to critics, addressing misunderstandings of doctrine, history, or practice, and defending the authenticity and historicity of Latter-day Saint scripture and the Restoration.
- Faithfulness — encouraging study that is grounded in personal faith, while maintaining scholarly integrity. Leadership, staff, and contributors commit to standards appropriate to their academic disciplines, while striving to live in harmony with the teachings of Christ.
In practice, The Interpreter Foundation publishes a peer-reviewed academic journal, Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, which features historical research, linguistic studies, analyses of scripture, responses to critics, book reviews, and other scholarly works designed to deepen and clarify understanding of Latter-day Saint scripture.
Additionally, the Foundation sponsors symposia and public discussions — sometimes exploring the intersection of faith and science — and maintains accessible platforms (including a YouTube channel, podcast, and social media) to bring scholarship and thoughtful conversation to a broad audience.
Although The Interpreter Foundation is independent and not officially affiliated with the Church, it operates from loyal support of the Church’s mission. Its published material reflects the views of the authors, not the Church as an institution, yet the Foundation remains steadfast in its commitment to affirming the historicity and spiritual truth of Latter-day Saint scripture through disciplined research and open, faithful discussion.
In short, The Interpreter Foundation bridges faith and scholarship — offering a thoughtful, reasoned, and respectful setting for exploring scripture, defending doctrine, and strengthening belief through knowledge and study.
