The Real Book of Mormon Musical: Latter-day Saint Family Home Evening as a Weekly Ritual

Abstract

Scholars of religious ritual have noted that inadequate attention has been paid to religious ritual in the social sciences. Based on what has been done, it is apparent that sacred family rituals (when done well and with relational sensitivity) can enhance structure, meaning, and family unity. The present study examines the family-level ritual practice of weekly Family Home Evening among members of 26 Latter-day Saint (LDS) families (N = 58 individuals). Qualitative analyses found the following three themes: (a) Family Home Evening as a Conversation; (b) Challenges of Family Home Evening; and (c) The Value of Family Home Evening. Primary data that support and illustrate the three themes are presented, along with implications and applications.

Keywords:

• Latter-day Saint
• marriage
• Mormon
• qualitative research
• religion
• religiosity
• ritual

Notes

Notes

1 In his edited volume, Understanding Religious Ritual, Hoffmann (2012) offers readers a roughly 20-point definition (or action list) explaining what religious ritual is and does. Selected excerpts from that extensive include the idea that “religious ritual communicates; teaches/socializes; generates beliefs; separates and creates boundaries; transforms; creates sacred spheres; sacralizes; establishes identities (individual and group); [establishes] a sense of belonging; (and) builds relationships” (p. 3).

2 In the Bengtson et al. (2013) study, several religious practices were addressed, including scripture study and prayer (like Hardy et al., 2011) but also including church attendance and home-based practice. Indeed, Bengtson heavily features Family Home Evening in his study (pp. 166–169, 202).

3 The First Presidency consists of the President of the Church, his First Counselor, and his Second Counselor.

4 http://americanfamiliesoffaith.byu.edu/.

5 All participants’ names are pseudonyms. Bracketed words and phrases in participant quotes reflect the authors’ attempt to clarify meaning or to retain the words and meaning from non-quoted portions of the interview.

6 Mormons’ weekly family ritual is an antidote to fast-paced living. The Atlantic, March 29, 2018. https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2018/03/mormon-family-home-evening/556658/.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the ’Eliza R. Snow Fellowship‘.