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Still, the Small Voice: Narrative, Personal Revelation, and the Mormon Folk Tradition
Memorates —personal experience narratives of encounters with the supernatural—that recount individuals’ personal revelations, primarily through the Holy Ghost, are a pervasive aspect of the communal religious experience of Mormons, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In accordance with current emphases in folklore studies on narrative and belief, Tom Mould uses ethnographic research and an emic approach that honors the belief systems under study to analyze how people within Mormon communities frame and interpret their experiences with the divine through the narratives they share. In doing so, he provides a significant new ethnographic interpretation of Mormon culture and belief and also applies his findings directly to broader scholarly folklore discourse on performance, genre, personal experience narrative, belief, and oral versus written traditions.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 7, 2021
I’d specify 3.5 stars, if I could. The technical density, field-specific asides, and lack of forward momentum made this book a slow read for me. However, it could also be that I’m out of practice with academic reading because Mould actually did a very good job of making everything accessible to non-folklorist readers; he took the time to explain concepts and ideas and even larger historical patterns in the field. In that way, it was a great fit for satisfying my curiosity about the study of folklore.
More than anything, the observations of a nonjudgmental outsider made for scattered gems of insight, reflection, and discussion about the way we talk, think, and act in the Church. No member need fear reading this, as Mould never questions the truth of the stories and carefully distinguishes between what’s experienced and what’s narrated in his analysis. He’s also very well-versed and the only misalignments I noticed were due to changes that have happened since the book’s publication.
A few of my favorite takeaways:
• While the Church is certainly hierarchical and the higher leaders wield strong power and ethos, I have underestimated the balancing effect of local, lay leadership (for better and for worse).
• The importance of humility has a fascinatingly strong influence on what spiritual narratives we share and the way that we tell them.
• Just because I don’t hear certain narratives being told doesn’t mean people aren’t experiencing them; certain experiences just don’t fit the common narrative structures.
• Motifs appear in narratives when memory lapses. Repetitive elements, then, are more indicative of our mortality than falsehood. Writing (and referencing those records) can be a way to solidify the integrity of a memorate—so long as the intended audience doesn’t influence you to withhold certain details.
• Church magazines, while conservative and carefully curated in some ways, are actually the most progressive body of Latter-day Saint narratives (within official Church settings/publications).
More than anything, the observations of a nonjudgmental outsider made for scattered gems of insight, reflection, and discussion about the way we talk, think, and act in the Church. No member need fear reading this, as Mould never questions the truth of the stories and carefully distinguishes between what’s experienced and what’s narrated in his analysis. He’s also very well-versed and the only misalignments I noticed were due to changes that have happened since the book’s publication.
A few of my favorite takeaways:
• While the Church is certainly hierarchical and the higher leaders wield strong power and ethos, I have underestimated the balancing effect of local, lay leadership (for better and for worse).
• The importance of humility has a fascinatingly strong influence on what spiritual narratives we share and the way that we tell them.
• Just because I don’t hear certain narratives being told doesn’t mean people aren’t experiencing them; certain experiences just don’t fit the common narrative structures.
• Motifs appear in narratives when memory lapses. Repetitive elements, then, are more indicative of our mortality than falsehood. Writing (and referencing those records) can be a way to solidify the integrity of a memorate—so long as the intended audience doesn’t influence you to withhold certain details.
• Church magazines, while conservative and carefully curated in some ways, are actually the most progressive body of Latter-day Saint narratives (within official Church settings/publications).
June 9, 2016
Tom Mould writes a fascinating ethnographic exploration of the Mormon doctrine and theology regarding personal communication with the divine. “Even in this temporal world where Earth is a threatening place and a reunion with God is far from assured, God has not abandoned his children. He has a number of weapons in his arsenal to combat Satan, including a restored church, holy scriptures, living prophets, and perhaps most powerful of all, his messenger the Holy Ghost. Personal revelation through the Holy Ghost comes as much, much valued protection against the dangers and corruption if a mortal existence.” p 382. Such communication is often described as a still, small voice, though he also shares examples of more direct and emphatic experiences.
The author (who is not Mormon) employs tools of anthropology and academic study to explore this interesting aspect of Mormon faith and practice. He uses interviews and vignettes to describe how experiences are shared in different settings including oral (sacrament meetings, church classrooms, individual interactions with friends, family, and missionaries) and written (journals, personal histories, published works, etc). “In the study of personal revelation narratives among Latter-Day Saints, it is clear that oral and written traditions not only coexist but feed each other in a symbiotic relationship of mutual benefit. Published sources rely on a regular supply of stories from lay members and leaders in the church, and lay members rely on published stories to construct their church talks and lessons. Further, a deep tradition of personal record keeping has ensured that written traditions exist not only in mass publication but also in more humble dissemination among families.” p 377
An insightful observer, Mould is able to capture nuances of the Mormon experience that can be difficult for insiders to see, for example he describes a tendency for both certainty and ambiguity within the faith tradition, sometimes both appearing within a single encounter, “closely tied to the need for agency is the need for faith. All religions demand some degree of faith, an extension of belief that cannot be defended through rational argument. While Latter-day Saints speak of 'knowing' the church is true, they recognize that faith remains a necessary and fundamental aspect of the church. With complete and clear revelation, the worry is that faith could become devalued, viewed as a crutch rather than a fundamental and important aspect of religious practice that confirms humility and commitment.” page 187. He understands processes within the tradition, and also challenges and tensions "This combination of human agency and divine guidance is exactly the expectation for revelation. Had those early Mormon leaders not studied it out in their minds first, they could not have expected to receive divine confirmation. Evidence of the former leads credence to an interpretation of the latter." p 239
I enjoyed his approach, and feel a new perspective of and appreciation for this beautiful and unique aspect Mormon worship and practice.
The author (who is not Mormon) employs tools of anthropology and academic study to explore this interesting aspect of Mormon faith and practice. He uses interviews and vignettes to describe how experiences are shared in different settings including oral (sacrament meetings, church classrooms, individual interactions with friends, family, and missionaries) and written (journals, personal histories, published works, etc). “In the study of personal revelation narratives among Latter-Day Saints, it is clear that oral and written traditions not only coexist but feed each other in a symbiotic relationship of mutual benefit. Published sources rely on a regular supply of stories from lay members and leaders in the church, and lay members rely on published stories to construct their church talks and lessons. Further, a deep tradition of personal record keeping has ensured that written traditions exist not only in mass publication but also in more humble dissemination among families.” p 377
An insightful observer, Mould is able to capture nuances of the Mormon experience that can be difficult for insiders to see, for example he describes a tendency for both certainty and ambiguity within the faith tradition, sometimes both appearing within a single encounter, “closely tied to the need for agency is the need for faith. All religions demand some degree of faith, an extension of belief that cannot be defended through rational argument. While Latter-day Saints speak of 'knowing' the church is true, they recognize that faith remains a necessary and fundamental aspect of the church. With complete and clear revelation, the worry is that faith could become devalued, viewed as a crutch rather than a fundamental and important aspect of religious practice that confirms humility and commitment.” page 187. He understands processes within the tradition, and also challenges and tensions "This combination of human agency and divine guidance is exactly the expectation for revelation. Had those early Mormon leaders not studied it out in their minds first, they could not have expected to receive divine confirmation. Evidence of the former leads credence to an interpretation of the latter." p 239
I enjoyed his approach, and feel a new perspective of and appreciation for this beautiful and unique aspect Mormon worship and practice.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews