Title | Religious testimonial narratives and social construction of identity: Insights from prophetic ministries in Botswana |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2017 |
Authors | Faimau, G |
Journal | Cogent Social Sciences |
Volume | 3 |
Start Page | 1 |
Pagination | 15 |
Date Published | 07/2017 |
Type of Article | Research |
Keywords | Facebook, identity, prophetic ministries, testimony |
Abstract | Giving a testimony forms a central part of the religious practices among Pentecostal churches including prophetic ministries. Testimony links the understanding of one’s religious experience and the configuration of the divine intervention. Utilizing data collected through ethnographic observation among prophetic ministries in Botswana and digital ethnography of the testimonial narratives circulated online through various new media outlets of these ministries, this paper examines the ways in which religious identity is constructed and understood through the testimonial performance in various religious services. Informed by the premise that narrative is closely related to identity, the paper pays particular attention to the extent to which religious testimonies influence the dynamic relationship between |
DOI | 10.1080/23311886.2017.1356620 |