A Satanic Master Signifier: The Prosperity Preacher, the President, and the Disobedient Virus

IF 0.1 0 RELIGION
Brett Nicholls
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This article presents an account of prosperity gospel preacher Kenneth Copeland’s unwavering support for Donald Trump. Employing an approach to discourse derived from Ernesto Laclau and Chantelle Mouffe, I examine two aspects of Copeland’s teachings and practices. First, examine his infamous judgement upon Covid-19 (The Judgement), in which he declares war on the virus as a satanic plot. Second, I consider his spiralling teachings on faith, which, like The Judgement, pay considerable attention to the figure of Satan. Both of these aspects reveal Satan’s central role in establishing the stability of Copeland’s discursive world. Satan functions, in Laclau’s terms, as an empty signifier. I call this empty signifier the master signifier, a play on the master Satan. I claim that to understand Copeland’s commitment to Trump, Trump’s relationship to the master signifier is crucial. Copeland casts Trump as an anointed king, a central player in the cosmic battle to realise America’s divine destiny. To be a member of the prosperity gospel community, despite its twists and turns, is to be committed to standing with the anointed against the external foe, Satan.
撒旦大师的象征者:繁荣传教士、总统和不听话的病毒
本文介绍了繁荣福音传教士肯尼斯·科普兰对唐纳德·特朗普坚定不移的支持。运用埃内斯托·拉克劳和尚特尔·穆夫的话语方法,我考察了科普兰的教义和实践的两个方面。首先,审视他对新冠肺炎的臭名昭著的判决(《判决》),在判决中,他将向病毒宣战视为恶魔阴谋。其次,我认为他关于信仰的螺旋式教义,就像《审判》一样,相当关注撒旦的形象。这两个方面都揭示了撒旦在建立科普兰话语世界稳定性方面的核心作用。用拉克劳的话说,撒旦是一个空洞的能指。我把这个空的能指称为主能指,是对撒旦大师的一场戏剧。我声称,要理解科普兰对特朗普的承诺,特朗普与主能指的关系至关重要。科普兰将特朗普塑造成一位受膏的国王,是实现美国神圣命运的宇宙之战的核心人物。作为繁荣福音社区的一员,尽管经历了曲折,但要致力于与受膏者站在一起,对抗外部敌人撒旦。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
Journal of Religion and Popular Culture
Journal of Religion and Popular Culture Arts and Humanities-Religious Studies
CiteScore
0.30
自引率
0.00%
发文量
27
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