TEXT AND RESPONSE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ONLINE AND OFFLINE RELIGION

Abstract

The study of online religion has often concerned itself with the problem of connection, as researchers seek to understand the relationship between the emerging expressions of religion found on the internet and those of other sites. One way to approach this continuity is through attending to the position of each online utterance as part of a stream of call and response that extends to encompass both online and offline settings. This article follows a discursive approach to the question of connection, based on findings from ethnographic research with charismatic Christian women in Brighton, UK. The discursive analysis of two online texts is paired with ethnographic discussion of the broader church life and personal worship practices of the women who have authored them. The conventions of Christian textual engagement learned in offline church contexts transform these seemingly inert text into sites for active religious participation for readers and writers alike. However, in opening up the discursive positions associated with leading prayer and giving teaching to new authors and expanded audiences, these transmissions have the potential to disrupt the conventions of gendered speech associated with offline ritual genres.

Keywords:

• gender
• religion
• internet
• language
• Christianity

Acknowledgements

For lending their time and company, and for the kind permission to use their words in my work, I would like to thank Patricia, Katie, and the countless other Christians who have helped with my research. Many thanks go also to the editors of this special issue, two anonymous reviewers, Simon Coleman, Jon Mitchell, and Dave Pearce for insightful comments and guidance on previous drafts of this article. The research on which this article is based is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (UK, award no. ES/F020252/1), whose support is gratefully acknowledged.

Notes

In order to preserve anonymity, the names of these women, those of the churches they attend, and the online platforms through which they speak have been replaced by pseudonyms.