Keepers of the Flame [electronic resource] : Rhetorical Themes in Recent Editorial Cartoons on Religion / Janis L. Edwards.
Because of the historical influence of religion in the national life and personal lives of many American citizens and the interplay between religious and national affairs in public discourse, it is useful to study the secular media for its portrayal of religion as news or as value system. A study de...
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| Format: | Electronic eBook |
| Language: | English |
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1988.
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| Summary: | Because of the historical influence of religion in the national life and personal lives of many American citizens and the interplay between religious and national affairs in public discourse, it is useful to study the secular media for its portrayal of religion as news or as value system. A study describes the nature of commentary on religion by the mass media by examining recent editorial cartoons that refer to religious subjects. One hundred and fifty-one editorial cartoons from 24 newspapers published in the United States over a 13-month period beginning September 1, 1986, were studied for visual content, metaphors, and thematic narratives offered about religion. Findings showed that in the editorial cartoons (1) religion was pictured as a competitive arena with religious groups and leaders battling over "turf" or concentrating on fundraising at the expense of spiritual service; (2) images and narratives portrayed religion as dominated by combative leaders obsessed with self-interest, whose practices are diametrically opposed to the standards of modesty, stewardship, and emphasis on spiritual values that is normally assumed leaders will hold; (3) religious issues are nothing sacred and they have become a part of the fabric of political and economic affairs, not just the culture; and (4) cartoonists were guided by a vision of traditional religious values. (Twelve figures, 3 tables of data, and 5 notes are included, and 10 references are appended.) (MS) |
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| Item Description: | ERIC Document Number: ED296415. ERIC Note: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Communication Association (79th, Baltimore, MD, April 27-May 1, 1988). Illustrations may not reproduce clearly. |
| Physical Description: | 37 pages |