Bishop Leontine Turpeau Current Kelly: Toward an Ironic Prophetic Rhetoric. Issue 5 (19th October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Spencer, Leland G.
• Is Part Of: Western journal of communication. Volume 80:Issue 5(2016)
• Page Start: 519
• Page End: 538
• Publication Date: 2016-10-19
• Subjects: Irony -- Leontine Kelly -- Prophecy -- Racism -- Sexism -- United Methodist Church; Oral communication -- Periodicals; 428.3
• DOI: 10.1080/10570314.2016.1187763
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1057-0314

Abstract

Abstract : This article considers the rhetoric of Leontine Kelly, the first woman of color to be elected bishop in any Christian denomination. As a black woman bishop in the United Methodist Church, a denomination with a history fraught with contradiction on issues related to gender and racial (in)justice, Kelly often preached to primarily White audiences with the goal of convincing them that racism and sexism were sinful. To do so, Kelly brought together prophecy and irony. This combination proved useful for Kelly and offers possibilities for fruitful interactions between irony and prophecy.