Commodification of religion through televangelism: a Rhetorical analysis of selected charismatic programmes in Kenya

Abstract

Commodification of religion through televangelism is a growing phenomenon in Kenya that is scarcely explored by media scholars. Televangelism is marked by the increasing popularity of Charismatic preachers who utilize television to propagate the Christian gospel message. The current study sought to establish commodification of religion: by identifying the dominant human afflictions used by televangelists to trigger commodification of religion; determine the rhetorical strategies employed in televangelism to accomplish commodification of religion and, evaluate the mass media ecological influences on commodified religion through television in Kenya. The study utilized Kenneth Burke’s rhetorical criticism to examine rhetorical strategies applied in televangelism to achieve persuasion. Being a qualitative study, the author employed an interpretative research design, which aided in making inferences for meanings and purposes of the programmes. Data comprised of charismatic television programmes recorded from two local TV channels – KBC and Aviation TV - that regularly hosted religious programming on a weekly schedule basis. Purposive sampling was used to obtain the sample for analysis. Data was then analyzed by subjecting programme excerpts to rhetorical analysis in examining the preacher’s motivation for message construction. The study’s findings showed that human afflictions identified with audiences in the programmes, present a rhetorical situation for televangelists to develop content for TV mediation. Further, charismatic preachers employ both linguistic and visual techniques as part of rhetorical strategies to appropriate human afflictions in commodifying religion; using live audiences as exemplifications of spiritual power at play. The study also revealed how mediation of church services via television present possibilities for a broader heterogeneous audience to connect with enterprising preachers, by way of channelling money to their accounts; as a consequent reciprocate process for the spiritual benefit obtained. Consequently, the study concludes that televangelism has availed opportunities whereby, some aspects of religion such as prayers and prophecy that were conventionally acknowledged for their social value, are now commodified as ‘mediated spirituality’ for capitalistic exchange. The findings form a basis for expansion of knowledge and understanding on the commodification of religion through the medium of television and further, shed light and elicit debate on the media and communication dynamics that shape religion in the contemporary society