i

INTRODUCING COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA

STUDIES TO THEOLOGICAL

STUDENTS

A Text Book

BTESSC

Edited by

John Joshva Raja Margaret Kalaiselvi

ii Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students

© 2006, 2008, 2013, BTESSC Revised Edition - 2013

ISBN: 978-93-83002-01-6

Published byBTESSC 3rd Floor, 73, Miller’s RoadBenson Town P.O.,Bangalore - 560 046, India.Tel: 23536868, Fax: 23538274E-mail: secretary@btessc.org

Typeset and Printed atNational Printing PressKoramangala, Bangalore-95Phone: 25710658

INTRODUCING COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES TO THEOLOGICAL STUDENTSA Text Book

iii

This book is dedicated to Fr Dr Michael Traber,

Rev Dr A D Manuel, Rev T Appavoo (Parattai) and Rev Dr C R W David for their contribution to the field of

Christian Communication

iv Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students

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Publisher’s Note xixAcknowledgements xxiIntroduction xxiiiChapter 1: Understanding Communication Process 11. Defining‘Communication’ 12. Communication as a Dialogue 43. Communication as a Process 54. Communication as an On-going Process 7Chapter 2: Types of Communication 101. Intra-personal Communication 10 a. Characteristics of Intra-personal Communication 11 b.SignificanceofCommunication 12 c. Intra-personal Activities 13 d. Models of Intra-personal Communication 14 e. Intra-personal Communication in Christian Life 142. Inter-personal Communication 15 a. Characteristics of Inter-personal Communication 16 b. Functions of Inter-personal Communication 17 c. Stages of Inter-personal Communication 18 d. Developing Skills in Inter-personal Communication 18 e. Inter-personal Communication in Biblical narratives 19 f. Advantages of Interpersonal Communicative Skills 193. Group Communication 20 a. Categories or Types of Groups 21 b. Stages of Group Development 23

Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students

A Text Book

CONTENTS

vi Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students

c. Media of Group Communication 23 d. Leadership 24 e. Group Leadership: Its Theory and Function 264. Mass Communication 27 a. The Conceptof‘Mass’ 28 b. Mass Product 28 c. Mass Audience 29 d. Mass Culture 295. Public Communication 296. Folk Communication 32Chapter 3: Humans – The Animals that Speak 351. Types of Languages 37 2. Audio/Verbal Languages 383.Script,theVisualCodificationofVerbalLanguage 394. Visual Languages 415. Body Language (non-verbal) 416. Audio-Visual Language 44Chapter 4: Communicative Preaching 461. Definitions 462. Elements of Preaching 473. Role of Hermeneutics in Preaching 484. Different Kinds of Preaching 495. Steps involved in Preaching 506. Levels of communications 517. Feedback 52Chapter 5: Models of Communication 54 1. Berlo’s SMCR Model 54 2. Lasswell’s Linear Model 553. Shannon and Weaver’s Noise Model 57

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4. Osgood and Schramm’s Circular Model 585. Gerbner’s Model 596. Maletzke’s Model of the Mass Media 627. Newcomb’s ABX Model 638. Westley and Maclean’s Model 639. Dance’s Helical Model 64Chapter 6: Barriers to Communication 661. Mechanical Barriers 662. Physical Barriers 663. Linguistic Barriers 674. Psychological Barriers 675. Environmental Barriers 68Chapter 7: Humans are Compulsive Story Tellers 691. The Public Story Tellers, the Professional Narrators 712. The Social Context of the Narrative 72 a. Institutional Control 72 b. Ideology 73 c. Gender 733. Narrative Model 734. Types of Stories 74 a. Autobiographic Stories 74 b. Foundational Stories 75 c. Oppositional and Counter Stories 75 d. Parables 76Chapter 8: Communication and Society 771. Communication as Symbolic Process 782. Models of Interaction 793. Issues in interaction 80

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4. Social ScientificAnalysis of Interaction 815. Doing a Communication Research 83 (a) Psychological Experiments 85 (b) Cultural analysis 86 (c) Content analysis 87Chapter 9: Mass Communication and Culture 881. What is Culture? 882. Culture and Mass Media Theories 91 Critical Cultural/Communication Theory 91 a. Ideology 92 b. Commodity 93 c. Consciousness 94 d.The‘Trade’ School 96 e. MassMediaand‘PopularCulture’ 973. Metaphors of Media’s Role in Society 98Chapter 10: History of Mass Media 991. Cave Painting 992. Age of Orality 100 (a) Social System 101 (b) Narrativity 101 (c) Theocratic Rule and Authority of the Elder 101 (d) Oracle 101 (e) Religion Holds the Power 1013. Invention of Writing 1024. Print Media 1025. Book 1036. Newspaper 1047. Telegraph 105

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8. Electronic Media 1069. Types of Media 106 a. Radio 106 b. Television 108 c. Cinema 110 d. Computer 112 e. Internet 113 f. Patterns of Internet 115Chapter 11: History of Christian Media and Mission between 1910 and 2010 1171. Perspectives on Media between 1910-2010 1212. Print Media - Extended hands of Evangelization 1263. Audio - Cassette - Mouthpiece of Mission 1274. Radio - the Megaphone of Evangelism 1295. Film and Television - Clouds of Witness 1326. Television 1347. Ecumenical Institution for Media and Mission 1358. Internet and new media - Heart of Christian Mission 137Chapter 12: Communication, Religion and Theology 1391. Mass Media and Mass Religion 139 a. Mediated Religion 140 b. Media’s Attitude towards Religion 146 c. Religion and Media Representation 147 d. Religious Attitude towards Media 150 e. Media’s InfluenceonReligion 151 f. Researches in this Area 1522. Theology and Communication 154 a. Church and Communication 156 b. Christian Communication 158

x Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students

c. Medium Shapes the Message of Faith 160 d. A Christian View of Communication 162Chapter 13: Christian Themes in Films 176Section A : Imagining Jesus in movies 176Introduction 1761. The Passion of the Christ 1782. The Da Vinci code 1793. Subversive meanings 1804. Drama of gods 1815. Da Vinci Code : Responses 1846. The Passion of Christ 1857. Hollywood’s presentations 1868. Imagination, media and theology 1879. God and imagination 189Section B : Bible and Imagination : Selected examples 1911. Imagining God through Bibilical Narratives 1912. Dialogue within God 1933. Jungandthe‘oppositeswithinGod’ 1944. God and the many voices 1955. Dialogue and the Word 1976. Dialogue within Jesus 197 Conclusion 199Chapter 14: Communication and Ministry 2011. Present Models 201 a. SMCR Model 202 b. EID Model 203 c. PSI Model 2052. Communication and Ministry 2063. Culture of Communication 208

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a. Mediated Communication 208 b. Powerful Communication 210 c. Divided Communication 2114. Ministerial Communication 2135. Communication Ministry 2146. Alternative Ministry 216Chapter 15: Communication and Mission 2181. Understanding Mission from the Communication Perspective 218 a. Transmission Model of Mission 219 b. Circular Model of Mission 223 c. Ritual Model of Mission 2252. Tension in Mission 2273. Plurality of Mission 2284. Seven (+1) Ways of Doing Mission 2295. Mission in its Context 2316. Mission and Praxis 2387. The Great Commission to Us 240Chapter 16: Alternative Media and Mission 2421. Alternative Media 243 a. Brief Background of the Alternative 243 b. What is Alternative Media? 2452. Communications and Media in the Church 2483. Alternative Media and Mission 249 a. Sharing the Gospel 249 b. Serving Christian Community 250 c. New Spirituality, Alternative Media and Mission 252 d. Interacting with Communities 254 e. Alternative Media for Development 256 f. Net as Alternative Media 256

xii Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students

g. Training Priests and Missionaries 257 h. Banking the Knowledge 257 i. Alternative - Media Education as Mission 258 j. Alternative Media and Cultural groups 2594. Alternative Media for Harmony and Reconciliation 260 a. Why Do We Need Alternative Media? 261 b. Mass Media and Culture of Suspicion 264 c. Harmony and Reconciliation 265 d. Alternative Media and Harmony 266 e. An Example of the Alternative Media in Promoting Harmony and Reconciliation 270Chapter 17: Internet, Mission and Ecumenism 271Introduction 271 a. Net and Action 271 b. Net and Dialogue 2711. Media, Mission and Ecumenism 272 a. Instrumental Use 272 b. Effect-Centred Perspective 273 c. Jesus’ Communication 2742. Internet Scenario in India 275 a. Internet Availability 275 b. Net and Reality 276 c. Church Net 277 d. Netizens and Missionary Organisations 278 e. Christian Institutions 278 f. Yahoo Groups 2793. Grasping the Technology and Culture of the Net 280 a. High Speed and Exchange of Information 281 b. Interactive Net 282

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c. Convergence and Hypertext 282 d. Digital World and Virtual Self 283 e. God and I in the Net 284 f. The Other side of the Web 2844. Internet and Mission – Possibilities 285 a. Sharing the Gospel 285 b. Interactive Communities 286 c. Serving Christian Community 287 d. Training Pastors and Missionaries 288 e. Ecumenical Net 289 f. Networking Different Communities 290 g. Banking the Knowledge 291 h. Preserving Traditions and Culture 291Conclusion 292Chapter 18: Challenges from Television Guru 294Section A : Tele-evamgelists and commercial gospels 294Introduction 2941. Tele-gurus and the media market 2972. Mediated theologies 2993. Mediatised theologies 3014. Popular theologies 3025. Cheap grace 3026. Sensational theologies 3047. Commercial theologies 3058. Fundamentalist theologies 307Section B : A Theological reflection on Fundamentalist theologies 3081. No other name? 3082. Critique of exclusive approaches 310

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3. Narrative idols 3114. Hidden Christ? 3125. Critique of inclusive approach 3146. Anonymous Christianity 3147. Many names 3158. Critique of pluralism 3169. Narrative and experience 31710. Taking the audience seriously in doing theology 31911.Engagingwiththe‘Other’-theologozinginpublic 32012. Theologians and tele-gurus 321Section C : Facing Challenges of Telegurus 3221. A need for media literacy and theological literacy 3232. Media literacy as liberative praxis 323Section D : Conscientization as part of Media literacy 327Paulo Freire 327 A. Banging Versus Liberating 327 B.ActionandReflection 328 C. ‘FreireandCommunication’ 329Section E : A Need for a theology of entertainment 3301. Kiekegaard and Aesthetics 334 A. Aesthetic as Hermeneutic Starter 335 B. Aesthetic Hermeneutics and Choices 3362. Parables and Hermeneutical Aesthetics 337 The Use of the Aesthetic Elements in the parables 337 i. Using Familiar Characters 339 ii. Using Contemporary Forms 340 iii. Using Familiar Scenes 342 iv. Haggadic, Aesthetic and the Parable of the Good Samaritan 3433. ‘AestheticElementsandtheParableoftheGoodSamaritan’ 344

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4. Aesthetic Elements and Hermeneutics 348Conclusion 350Chapter 19: Dialogue as Communication 3521. Modern Means of Communication 3522. Existing Models of Inter-faith Communication 3543. Inter-religious Dialogue 3594. Four Margas 3625. Modern Means of Communication and Inter-religious Dialogue 367 a. Dialogue with Media-people 369 b. Dialogue through the Media 370 c. Dialogue about the Media 373 d. Dialogue in the Media 376 e. Dialogue and the Media 3795. Examples of Dialogue using the Modern Means of Communication 380 a. Television 380 (i) Listening Project 380 (ii) Broadcast Model 380 b. Internet 383 (i) Inter-faith Interaction 383 (ii) Inter-faith Pals 383 (iii) The Inter-faith Internet Community Action Network 385Conclusion 386Chapter 20: Drama and Dance for Authentic Communication 3881. Authentic Community 3882. Dance and Drama 3893. Bible and Dance 389

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4. Bhakti and Relationship 3905. Theo-dramatik 3906. Arts of Dialogue 3907. Art of Critics 3918. Communi-action 3919. Imagination, Aesthetics and Visual Hermeneutics 39210. Spect-actors 39211. Dramatic Change 392 12. Dancing for Change 39313. Breaking Dualism 39314. Drama-activate 39415. Authentic praxis 394Chapter 21: Media and Global Issues 3951. Globalization of Media: Problems and Challenges for Theological Education 395 a. Background of Globalization of the Media 397 b. Globalization of the Media after NWCIO 400 c. Globalization of the Media and People 403 d. Neo-Spirituality and Global Media 404 e. Engaging with the Global Media 406 f. Challenges for Theological Education 4082. Disparities in Global Information 412Chapter 22: Development, Communication and Ministry 4191. Communication for Development in India 419 a. An Overview of Development Activities 421 b. Communication for Development 429 (i) Communication Effects Approach 329 (ii) Diffusion of Innovation Approach 330 (iii) Mass Media and Modernization Approach 330

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c. Communication for Development in India 435 d. Our Role in the Communication for Development in India Today 439Conclusion 4432. Convergence, Networking and Development 443 a. Utopian Perspective 444 b. Dystopian perspective 445 c. Third Way? 445 d. ICT and Development 446 e. Convergence 449 f. Convergence and Applications 450 g. Convergence and Development 451 h. Networking 453 i. What is Networking? 453 j. Why Networking is Essential for Us? 454 k. Web-cafe Model 455 l. Web casting Model 456 m. Multicasting Model 456 n. Examples of the use of ICT for Development 458End Notes 459Bibliography 475Unpublished Papers 512Webliography 516

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Publisher’s Note

One of the few books which is always in heavy demand from various cornersisthebooktitled‘IntroductiontoCommunicationsandMediaStudies to theological Students,’ originally edited by Dr. John Joshva Raja and Dr. Samson Prabhakar. We are grateful to them. When we wanted to re-print this book again we approached Dr. John Joshva Raja and he readily agreed to work with Dr. Margaret Kalaiselvi who was on her sabbatical in Queens College, Birmingham by adding some chapters and do some editing of the old ones and changed the present article on communication development. This book is written with the view to help the theological students. They can use this as a text book. In the Senatecurriculum,thefocusofthebranchwasonlyonsomedefinitionsand skills of communication, especially in relation to various forms of communication of the gospel, such as preaching, teaching, public speech and some indigenous forms of telling the stories of the Bible. However, the book enlarges its perspective to include some articles which are beyond the purview of the curriculum to give the students a wider view.

“With the technological advancement, communication transformed fromtechniquestotechnology,fromanareaofstudytoafieldofstudy,and from audio to video. Pictures and colors took prominence over words and sounds. Communication Technology, thus became a challenge not only to education in general but theological education in particular by raising questions about effectiveness, ethics, values and so on. Print and electronic media, cell phone and internet, computers and robots brought about changes not only in the ways of communication but ways of life as well. Consequently, the subject matter to be studied in terms of communication could not be limited only how to communicate, but what and why to communicate also; thus raising questions that were never asked before.”

Considering the importance of the communication studies, the Senate of Serampore College/University has made it as a separate

xx Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students

department and has attracted many students who are specializing now in thisfield.WeshouldrememberpeoplelikeMichaelTraber,C.R.W.DavidandTheophilusAppavoo(Parattai)fortheircontributiontothisfield.

BTESSCishappy topublish thisbookfor thebenefitofall thestudents who are doing their BD and other basic theological studies in India. The book would also be very useful for the teachers not only in theological colleges but also in the secular universities because communicationisafieldthatcrossesboundariesinthisregard.BTESSCis grateful to all who have contributed to the bringing out of this book especially to the editors Dr. John Joshva Raja and Dr. Margaret Kalaiselvi and hopes that it would be used well by those who have responded to the calling of communicating the good news in a world that is being confused and terrorized by various voices and noises.

P. Mohan Larbeer Secretary, BTESSC