The dynamics and digitalisation of religous testemoneies: a case of prophetic ministries in Botswana.

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Abstract

A major element in the religious practice of believers in prophetic Christianity is the sharing of religious testimonies. Focusing on prophetic ministries in Botswana, this paper examines the nature and function of religious testimonies and the dynamics of their digitisation and online circulation. It explores the ways in which religious testimonies mediate or extend the reach of prophetic ministries. Using data collected through fieldwork observation, in-depth interviews and digital ethnography, I argue that the sharing of testimony within Pentecostal Christian circles can be described as a system of institutional performance that aims to direct the spiritual development of believers, reinforce the central place and authority of a prophet and advance the institutional identity of a prophetic ministry.

New Media and the Mediatisation of Religion An African Perspective

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New Media and the Mediatisation of Religion An African Perspective

Gabriel Faimau is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology of the University of Botswana. He is also Visiting Lecturer at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST).

William O. Lesitaokana is Senior Lecturer at the University of Botswana, where he teaches undergraduate courses in New Media, Media Production, and Media Technology. His research focuses on media audiences, media technology and society, cultural sociology and the role of the media in Botswana.

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Religious testimonial narratives and social construction of identity: insights from prophetic ministries in Botswana.

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Religious testimonial narratives and social construction of identity: insights from prophetic ministries in Botswana.

About the author
Gabriel Faimau, PhD, is a senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Botswana. His main research interests include new media and religious practice, politics of multiculturalism, social implications of HIV/AIDS and graduate employability. His current research focuses on new media and religious practices among prophetic ministries in Botswana. He was the principal investigator of a study on “New Media and Cultural Application on Religion”, funded by the Nagel Institute with a generous support of funds from the John Templeton Foundation, USA.

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