Homiletics in the TikTok Era: Preserving Pulpit Authority Amid a 60-Second Attention Span
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21729920Keywords:
attention economy, homiletics, kerygma, new media, tiktokAbstract
The shift in digital information consumption patterns has created the Goldfish Effect phenomenon, where the attention span of modern humans has shrunk drastically due to exposure to short-form content like TikTok and Instagram Reels. This phenomenon presents a homiletical crisis for the church: How can preaching, which is traditionally monologic, durative, and profound, survive amidst a "scrolling culture" that demands instant gratification within 60 seconds? This study uses a qualitative approach with a practical theology literature review to evaluate the impact of algorithmic culture on congregational reception of pulpit authority. Through a dialogue between Fred Craddock's inductive homiletics and Neil Postman's media criticism, this article argues that the church should not merely entertain or shorten duration for the sake of virality. Instead, contemporary preachers must adopt a "Modular Homiletics" strategy—delivering whole theological truths structured in sharp narrative segments (bite-sized theology)—without compromising the sanctity of the message. The goal is to win attention not as entertainment, but as an entry point into the depth of liberating kerygma.
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Copyright (c) 2023 Theo Pilus Candra, Eiodia Eveline Permata Sari (Author)
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