Shifting Borders and a Tattered Passport: Intellectual Journeys of a Mormon Academic

Abstract

The metaphor of a “tattered passport” in the title of Armand Mauss's autobiography will likely resonate with the experiences of many members of the Association for the Sociology of Religion (ASR). With two central roles in his life, Mauss felt like he required a “passport” to transition between them. He was socialized into his first role, “devout Mormon,” and that first role led, via a winding path, to his second role, “scholar of religion.” From a humbling but motivating encounter with a knowledgeable Episcopal vicar while on his mission to training in a Jesuit university while living with his father who was leading the Mormon mission in Japan, Mauss's Mormon role raised questions. Are Mormons racist? Does the Mormon Church have racist doctrine? Why does the Mormon Church fluctuate in its openness to change and inquiry? Mauss adopted his second role to pursue the answers to these questions. Some might wonder why the passport from the metaphor is characterized as “tattered.” Transitioning between religious devotee and academic scholar is not a simple switching of hats, to introduce another metaphor. It is, rather, a journey that includes checkpoints on both sides of the border: the “guards” of Mormonism and academia must be persuaded to provide visas for those entering their territories. Mauss was interviewed on several occasions by religious leaders who were worried about his scholarly activities and how they reflected on the religion. The granting of visas into Mormonism on these occasions required deft maneuvering on Mauss's part, but he was always able to convince the “guards” that he remained devoted to his religion. The guards of academia, likewise, required proof of Mauss's credentials. This led to a long period during his academic career in which he chose not to study Mormonism in order to convince his colleagues that he was a skilled, competent, and objective scholar. Only after reaching full professor did he take advantage of his “lifetime visa” in academia to return his scholarly inquiry to Mormonism. It's little wonder, then, that Mauss's passport is tattered.