Joking, prophetically: the use of humour in Mormon leaders’ sermons

Abstract

The use of humour in sermons may seem incongruous, or distracting, since the traditional sermon’s function is seriously didactic. Nevertheless, and unusually perhaps for a ‘new’ minority Christian denomination whose members have a reputation for being ‘rather dour and pious’, there exists a strong tradition in the Mormon 1 Church for sermonic humour. Indeed, this tradition is officially sanctioned and modelled by Church leaders, who - regarded by the membership as modern-day prophets and apostles - thus lend the tradition ecclesiastical authority endorsement. This paper seeks to contribute to the emerging area of research into minorities and humour, by presenting the results of an analysis of Church leaders’ sermonic humour. To study one religious minority’s sermonic humour, is to add to our wider understanding of minorities’ humour practices, suggesting how they might intersect with each other in an increasingly multicultural-multireligious community such as the USA.