Framing the Study of Digital Religion: Waves of Academic Research, Theoretical Approaches and Themes

Abstract

The phenomenon of “digital religion” has emerged as a research field over the past quarter century as religious experiences integrate into the digital sphere. Within this field, researchers have adopted various theoretical frameworks and empirical methodologies to illuminate the complex dynamics that arise from the interaction between digital culture and religion. However, the existing literature on this topic is characterized by fragmentation, which makes a comprehensive understanding of its trajectory difficult. This fragmentation is particularly noticeable in the absence of a coherent narrative that outlines the field’s development. This study aims to provide a scholarly framework for understanding the trajectory of Digital Religion Studies (DRSs), encompassing successive waves of academic research, theoretical paradigms, and thematic foci. This study provides a qualitative assessment of existing literature on the relationship between digital culture and religion through a comprehensive review. A thorough literature review reveals that research in the field of digital religion can be classified into four distinct phases: descriptive, categorical, theoretical, and integrative. The prominent theoretical frameworks that have emerged media ecology, mediation, mediatization, religious-social shaping of technology (RSST), and hypermediation. Finally, the thematic categorization of research primarily revolves around topics, such as rituals, authenticity, identity, community, authority, and embodiment.