The Roles of Religious Language in Building Faith and Religious Communities

Abstract

Drawing on the theoretical work of Tannen (2021) on cross-cultural communication and Irvine (2022) on language ideology, this research explores the function of religious language in promoting religious groups and strengthening faith. The aim is to understand how religious settings, like sermons, rituals, and counseling, utilize language to strengthen convictions and cultivate a sense of community. To thoroughly investigate language dynamics, qualitative research employs participant observation and interviews. This research reveals rhetorical methods and devices used to reinforce common ideas, elicit emotions, and transmit messages via an analysis of language used in sermons, rituals, and counseling. The results provide insight into the ways that religious language influences community and religion. Comprehending these linguistic processes helps shed light on the function of language in religious settings and adds to the conversation about how language, culture, and social dynamics interact. The research offers insightful insights into the intricate link between language, belief systems, and social cohesiveness, as well as a thorough investigation of the role that religious language plays in fostering religion and communities.