Framing Religion: Evangelical Media Reaction to Islamic Terrorism from a Christian Worldview

• In Event: 1580 - Section on Sociology of Religion Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 01. Evangelicals and Evangelicalism

Abstract

Studies have shown that Western mass media coverage largely portrays Islam and Muslims negatively, while survey evidence suggests that American evangelical Protestants, in comparison to other religious identities, are less tolerant towards Muslims. This study examines the way that evangelical media in the U.S. frame their discussions about Islam in response to terrorist events committed by self-identified Muslims. Through a qualitative content analysis of two evangelical multi-media sites, breakpoint.org and albertmohler.com, I find that these journalists explain the motivations and actions of “radical Islamic terrorists” through a specifically “Christian worldview.” The two sources espouse slightly different “Christian worldviews” through their theological, political, and affective constructions, which teach different frame-setting techniques to their respective audiences. However, both sites mainly direct their “Christian worldview” in opposition to a “secular worldview.” They claim that the “secular worldview” of the media and the government diverges the most from their Christian frame, and therefore acts inappropriately in response to acts of “Islamic terrorism.”

Author

• Rayden Kaplan, Duke University