”From home to home”

Ritual improvisation in the Social Media of an Evangelical Lutheran Congregation

Authors

• Katriina Hulkkonen Projektitutkija, Åbo Akademi
• Linda Annunen
• Ruth Illman
• Marcus Moberg

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62442/ta.146353

Keywords:

covid-19-pandemia, rituaalinen uudistaminen, evankelis-luterilainen kirkko, digitaalisuus, improvisointi, sosiaalinen media

Abstract

In this article, we examine the effects of digitalisation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the ritual renewal in one Evangelical Lutheran congregation in Finland. We examine ritual improvisation in relation to the use of social media and the changes it has brought to social relations and perceptions of authority within the studied congregation. In light of the ethnographic interview data, we analyse the development of the church's social media broadcasts and their effects on the church's authorities and their sense of community. The article shows that ritual improvisation was a collaboration between church workers, their family members, and participants in a pandemic situation, especially in relation to indoor gathering restrictions, the Facebook platform, church traditions, resources, and workers' technical skills and equipment. With the help of ritual improvisation, a soft authority and ritual life emphasising everydayness, personality and social media community were developed.