Picture of C.D. Cunningham
C.D. Cunningham is a founder and editor-at-large of Public Square magazine.
A ward council meets in quiet discussion, showing the gift of discernment working through councils and shared spiritual service.
Faith

The Discipline of Spiritual Sight

Discernment is not spiritual mind reading, but the grace to judge with humility, charity, and Christlike care.

A family stands beneath a star-filled sky with distant mysterious lights, evoking aliens and religion through wonder, creation, and cosmic scale.
Climate & End Times

Aliens and Latter-day Saint Theology

A faith built on worlds without number and an infinite atonement has room for UFOs and other worldly siblings.

Two young male roommates stand at a kitchen sink, one carefully washing a dish while the other carelessly drops one in, suggesting self-report bias and conflicting motives.
Covering the Coverage

The Fiction of Self-Knowledge

Good sociology listens to personal narratives without mistaking them for complete explanations of behavior.

A woman prays in a chapel as others carry food for a food drive outside, showing worship and service as connected acts.
Humanitarian Work

The Church Is More Than A Charity

Humanitarian work matters, but worship is what sustains the conviction, discipline, and devotion that keep it alive.

Japanese families gather on a temple plaza as a newly married couple exits, reflecting questions of identity and belonging central to the Mormon Stories lawsuit.
Legal

Who is a Mormon?

Family pedigree and former affiliation do not entitle ex-members to define the Church they no longer sustain.

Latter-day Saint cinema is emerging from decline with new ambition, stronger infrastructure, and a wider vision for lasting artistic work.
Media & Education

The Future of Latter-day Saint Cinema

From niche comedies to crossover ambition, Latter-day Saint filmmaking is entering a more serious and sustainable age.

A delayed correction scene underscores Associated Press Bias through slow fixes
Media & Education

The Biases that Aren’t Measured

Do bias charts capture real distortions? Absolutely; they also miss framing, sourcing, scale, and beat inexperience

Leadership

Who is Clark Gilbert, Our New Apostle?

Who is Clark Gilbert, the newest apostle called to join the Quorum of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

A young latter-day saint mom sits in her kitchen reads an article reflecting anti-mormon media bias on her phone.
Covering the Coverage

The Ethics of Contempt

A reported feature on “Mormon aesthetics” trades curiosity for sneer—and faith for folklore.