“Laborers of Joy”

Previous scholarship on the politics of affect in Iran has highlighted the political potential of joy—both within the country and across the diaspora—as a form of resistance against the nation-state’s imposition of sadness and affective mandates following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Building on this foundation, this article examines the spiritual and political work of joy (shādi) among diasporic Persian-speaking Christians. I demonstrate that the affective qualities of Persian Christian worship songs produced in the diaspora have transformed, shifting from overt political resistance to the formation of ethical subjects within the context of Protestant ethics. By focusing on the sonic elements of shādi in worship—such as clapping, singing, and the Persian 6/8 rhythm (shish-o-hasht)—and analyzing ethnographic interviews with musicians and music producers, this article explores how church musicians have refashioned the musical practices of motrebs (producers of tarab), known in Iran for creating shādi, to convey distinct meanings. In doing so, they create a sacred sound and spiritual joy that foster unity between God and worshippers. Said differently, I claim that through their spiritual and musical labor, musicians consecrate sound and its affective responses, facilitating its transmission as a divine medium. Ultimately, I demonstrate that the musical practice of shādi in Persian-speaking Christian churches play a vital role in spreading the message of the Bible, fostering church growth, and shaping pious Christians within and beyond the geopolitical borders of a regime that enforces specific forms of religiosity and subjectivity.