Mediatization of religion in “texting culture”: self-help religion and the shifting of religious authority

Abstract

This research is the study of SMS Tauhiid phenomena as a religious practice in the context of media culture. SMS Tauhiid service enables its customer to access religious messages through SMS which is in particular contexts could potentially bring new patterns of religious practice. This article uses the mediatization concept dealing with media studies and political economy as well. I argue that tausiah as (Islamic) religious communication practice have transformed into a new pattern that caused by the accomodative actions that has taken by the religious leaders and actors against media logics. On the one hand, this phenomenon has opened a new phase in disseminating religious messages, however on the other hand mediatization of religion has potential in causing a shift in the role of religious leaders as the religious authorities. Penelitian ini merupakan studi tentang fenomena SMS Tauhiid sebagai bentuk praktik agama dalam konteks budaya media. SMS Tauhiid memungkinkan setiap pelanggan dapat mengakses nasihat agama melalui SMS yang dalam konteks tertentu berpotensi memunculkan pola-pola baru dalam beragama. Artikel ini menggunakan pendekatan konsep mediatisasi yang memiliki kaitan erat dengan disiplin media studies dan ekonomi politik. Saya berargumen bahwa tausiah sebagai praktik komunikasi agama (Islam) telah mengalami transformasi kedalam bentuk baru disebabkan tindakan akomodatif yang dilakukan para tokoh dan aktor agama terhadap logika media. Di satu sisi, fenomena ini telah membuka babak baru bagi proses penyebaran pesan-pesan agama, namun di sisi lain mediatisasi berpeluang menyebabkan pergeseran peran tokoh agama sebagai pihak yang memiliki otoritas sumber informasi agama.