i

INTRODUCING
COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA
STUDIES TO THEOLOGICAL
STUDENTS
A Text Book

Edited by
John Joshva Raja
Margaret Kalaiselvi

BTESSC
ii Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students

INTRODUCING COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA

STUDIES TO THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS
A Text Book

© 2006, 2008, 2013, BTESSC

Revised Edition - 2013

ISBN: 978-93-83002-01-6

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

Typeset and Printed at

National Printing Press
Koramangala, Bangalore-95
Phone: 25710658
 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
 v
Introducing Communication and Media Studies to
Theological Students
A Text Book

CONTENTS

Publisher’s Note xix

Acknowledgements xxi
Introduction xxiii
Chapter 1: Understanding Communication Process 1
1. Defining ‘Communication’ 1
2. Communication as a Dialogue 4
3. Communication as a process 5
4. Communication as an On-going Process 7
Chapter 2: Types of Communication 10
1. Intra-personal Communication 10
a. Characteristics of intra-personal communication 11
b. Significance of Communication 12
c. Intra-personal Activities 13
d. Models of Intra-personal Communication 14
e. Intra-personal Communication in Christian Life 14
2. 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 19
3. Group Communication 20
a. Categories or types of Groups 21
b. Stages of Group Development 23
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 26
4. Mass Communication 27
a. The concept of ‘Mass’ 28
b. Mass product 28
c. Mass audience 29
d. Mass Culture 29
5. Public Communication 29
6. Folk Communication 32
Chapter 3: Humans – The Animals that Speak 35
1. Types of Languages 37
2. Audio/Verbal Languages 38
3. Script, the Visual Codification of Verbal Language 39
4. Visual Languages 41
5. Body Language (non-verbal) 41
6. Audio-Visual Language 44
Chapter 4: Communicative Preaching 46
1. Definitions 46
2. Elements of Preaching 47
3. Role of Hermeneutics in Preaching 48
4. Different Kinds of Preaching 49
5. Steps involved in Preaching 50
6. Levels of communications 51
7. Feedback 52
Chapter 5: Models of Communication 54
1. Berlo’s SMCR Model 54
2. Lasswell’s Linear Model 55
3. Shannon and Weaver’s Noise Model 57
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4. Osgood and Schramm’s Circular Model 58

5. Gerbner’s Model 59
6. Maletzke’s Model of the Mass Media 62
7. Newcomb’s ABX Model 63
8. Westley and Maclean’s Model 63
9. Dance’s Helical Model 64
Chapter 6: Barriers to Communication 66
1. Mechanical Barriers 66
2. Physical Barriers 66
3. Linguistic Barriers 67
4. Psychological Barriers 67
5. Environmental Barriers 68
Chapter 7: Humans are Compulsive Story Tellers 69
1. The Public Story Tellers, the Professional Narrators 71
2. The Social Context of the Narrative 72
a. Institutional control 72
b. Ideology 73
c. Gender 73
3. Narrative Model 73
4. Types of Stories 74
a. Autobiographic stories 74
b. Foundational stories 75
c. Oppositional and counter stories 75
d. Parables 76
Chapter 8: Communication and Society 77
1. Communication as Symbolic Process 78
2. Models of interaction 79
3. Issues in interaction 80
viii Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students

4. Social scientific analysis of interaction 81

5. Doing a Communication Research 83
(a) Psychological Experiments 85
(b) Cultural analysis 86
(c) Content analysis 87
Chapter 9: Mass Communication and Culture 88
1. What is Culture? 88
2. 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. Mass Media and ‘Popular Culture’ 97
3. Metaphors of Media’s Role in Society 98
Chapter 10: History of Mass Media 99
1. Cave painting 99
2. 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 101
3. Invention of writing 102
4. Print Media 102
5. Book 103
6. Newspaper 104
7. Telegraph 105
 ix

8. Electronic media 106

9. Types of Media 106
a. Radio 106
b. Television 108
c. Cinema 110
d. Computer 112
e. Internet 113
f. Patterns of Internet 115
Chapter 11: History of Christian Media and Mission
between 1910 and 2010 117
1. Perspectives on Media between 1910-2010 121
2. Print Media - Extended hands of Evangelization 126
3. Audio - Cassette - Mouthpiece of Mission 127
4. Radio - the Megaphone of Evangelism 129
5. Film and Television - Clouds of Witness 132
6. Television 134
7. Ecumenical Institution for Media and Mission 135
8. Internet and new media - Heart of Christian Mission 137
Chapter 12: Communication, Religion and Theology 139
1. 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 influence on Religion 151
f. Researches in this area 152
2. 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 162
Chapter 13: Christian Themes in Films 176
Section A : Imagining Jesus in movies 176
Introduction 176
1. The Passion of the Christ 178
2. The Da Vinci code 179
3. Subversive meanings 180
4. Drama of gods 181
5. Da Vinci Code : Responses 184
6. The Passion of Christ 185
7. Hollywood’s presentations 186
8. Imagination, media and theology 187
9. God and imagination 189
Section B : Bible and Imagination : Selected examples 191
1. Imagining God through Bibilical Narratives 191
2. Dialogue within God 193
3. Jung and the ‘opposites within God’ 194
4. God and the many voices 195
5. Dialogue and the Word 197
6. Dialogue within Jesus 197
Conclusion 199
Chapter 14: Communication and Ministry 201
1. Present Models 201
a. SMCR Model 202
b. EID Model 203
c. PSI Model 205
2. Communication and Ministry 206
3. Culture of Communication 208
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a. Mediated Communication 208

b. Powerful communication 210
c. Divided Communication 211
4. Ministerial Communication 213
5. Communication Ministry 214
6. Alternative Ministry 216
Chapter 15: Communication and Mission 218
1. Understanding Mission from the Communication Perspective 218
a. Transmission Model of Mission 219
b. Circular Model of Mission 223
c. Ritual model of Mission 225
2. Tension in Mission 227
3. Plurality of Mission 228
4. Seven (+1) ways of doing Mission 229
5. Mission in its context 231
6. Mission and Praxis 238
7. The Great Commission to us 240
Chapter 16: Alternative media and Mission 242
1. Alternative Media 243
a. Brief background of the Alternative 243
b. What is Alternative media? 245
2. Communications and Media in the Church 248
3. 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 259
4. 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 270
Chapter 17: Internet, Mission and Ecumenism 271
Introduction 271
a. Net and Action 271
b. Net and Dialogue 271
1. Media, Mission and Ecumenism 272
a. Instrumental Use 272
b. Effect-Centred Perspective 273
c. Jesus’ Communication 274
2. 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 279
3. 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 284
4. 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 291
Conclusion 292
Chapter 18: Challenges from Television Guru 294
Section A : Tele-evamgelists and commercial gospels 294
Introduction 294
1. Tele-gurus and the media market 297
2. Mediated theologies 299
3. Mediatised theologies 301
4. Popular theologies 302
5. Cheap grace 302
6. Sensational theologies 304
7. Commercial theologies 305
8. Fundamentalist theologies 307
Section B : A Theological reflection on Fundamentalist
theologies 308
1. No other name? 308
2. Critique of exclusive approaches 310
xiv Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students

3. Narrative idols 311

4. Hidden Christ? 312
5. Critique of inclusive approach 314
6. Anonymous Christianity 314
7. Many names 315
8. Critique of pluralism 316
9. Narrative and experience 317
10. Taking the audience seriously in doing theology 319
11. Engaging with the ‘Other’ - theologozing in public 320
12. Theologians and tele-gurus 321
Section C : Facing Challenges of Telegurus 322
1. A need for media literacy and theological literacy 323
2. Media literacy as liberative praxis 323
Section D : Conscientization as part of Media literacy 327
Paulo Freire 327
A. Banging Versus Liberating 327
B. Action and Reflection 328
C. ‘Freire and Communication’ 329
Section E : A Need for a theology of entertainment 330
1. Kiekegaard and Aesthetics 334
A. Aesthetic as Hermeneutic Starter 335
B. Aesthetic Hermeneutics and Choices 336
2. 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 343
3. ‘Aesthetic Elements and the Parable of the Good Samaritan’ 344
 xv

4. Aesthetic Elements and Hermeneutics 348

Conclusion 350
Chapter 19: Dialogue as Communication 352
1. Modern Means of Communication 352
2. Existing Models of Inter-faith Communication 354
3. Inter-religious Dialogue 359
4. Four Margas 362
5. 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 379
5. 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 385
Conclusion 386
Chapter 20: Drama and Dance for Authentic
Communication 388
1. Authentic Community 388
2. Dance and Drama 389
3. Bible and Dance 389
xvi Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students

4. Bhakti and Relationship 390

5. Theo-dramatik 390
6. Arts of Dialogue 390
7. Art of Critics 391
8. Communi-action 391
9. Imagination, Aesthetics and Visual Hermeneutics 392
10. Spect-actors 392
11. Dramatic Change 392
12. Dancing for Change 393
13. Breaking Dualism 393
14. Drama-activate 394
15. Authentic praxis 394
Chapter 21: Media and Global Issues 395
1. 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 408
2. Disparities in Global information 412
Chapter 22: Development, Communication and Ministry 419
1. 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
 xvii

c. Communication for Development in India 435

d. Our Role in the Communication for
Development in India Today 439
Conclusion 443
2. 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 458
End Notes 459
Bibliography 475
Unpublished Papers 512
Webliography 516
xviii Introducing Communication and Media Studies to Theological Students
 xix

Publisher’s Note

One of the few books which is always in heavy demand from various
corners is the book titled ‘Introduction to Communications and Media
Studies 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
Senate curriculum, the focus of the branch was only on some definitions
and 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

from techniques to technology, from an area of study to a field of study,
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
this field. We should remember people like Michael Traber, C.R.W. David
and Theophilus Appavoo (Parattai) for their contribution to this field.

BTESSC is happy to publish this book for the benefit of all the
students 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
communication is a field that crosses boundaries in this regard. BTESSC
is 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