19: The Allegory of the Olive Tree and the Saving Power of Wild Things

The Allegory of the Olive Tree, found in Jacob 5 in The Book of Mormon, tells the story of an olive tree that became sick and lost its goodness. The Lord of the Vineyard, an allegorical stand-in for God, is an unscrupulous gardener and desperately tries anything and everything to save the tree. The Lord of the Vineyard ultimately saves the tree by grafting in branches from wild olive trees which sustain the ailing tree. This allegory demonstrates that there is saving power in wild things and that God is an ego-less worker who will try anything and everything to save us.

Deidre Nicole Green, author of A Brief Theological Introduction to Jacob, and Clint Whipple, a BYU plant biologist, join Madison and Abbey for this conversation. Deidre and Clint bring refreshing perspectives to the fireside and help us better understand the spiritual power of wild things.

Links:
A Brief Theological Introduction to Jacob by Deidre Nicole Green