Abstract

This thesis investigates collective identity in spaces dedicated to Christianity, utilizing the subreddit` r/DankChristianMemes as a case study. Drawing from the postmodern sociological theory of neo-tribalism, with specific emphasis added to its usage in qualitative studies of offline Christian micro-groups, this thesis explores how r/DankChristianMemes demonstrates a particular form of Christian neo-tribalization on the Internet. It does so by using multimodal theolinguistic analysis and a functional approach to language, thereby using three categories of the functionality of religious language (the axiomatic, social cohesive, and emotive) to establish empirical evidence for what constitutes the group’s puissance1 and sociality – both Maffesoli-an terms denoting the group’s raison d’être and methods of establishing a process of identifying one’s self with the group. The findings reveal that from the sociological perspective, r/DankChristianMemes creates an inclusive environment for fellowship among varying groups of Christians and non-Christians, centered upon humor using Christian language, images, and references. The group also creates grounds for collective identity by mocking and critiquing certain forms of Christianity, both denominational and cultural. From a theological perspective, this thesis concludes that r/DankChristianMemes demonstrates itself to be what Maffesoli terms an “interstitial utopia,” where Christians may gather to practice the Christian ethic of permeability (the crossing of boundaries), as well as a specific process of theological belonging that Lucien Richard terms “the dialogical process.”