EKPOMA REVIEW

This article examines the transformation of theological communication in contemporary Nigerian society through a media-ecological lens, tracing the shift from pulpit-centred proclamation to broadcast mediation and, more recently, to digitally networked platforms. Rather than treating media as neutral conduits, the study interrogates how changing communication environments restructure religious authority, audience reception, cognitive engagement, and community formation. Drawing on media ecology, reception theory, and theological communication frameworks, the article offers a comparative analysis of pulpit, broadcast, and digital media, highlighting how each medium configures distinct modes of meaning-making, participation, and ritual practice. The Nigerian context provides a particularly instructive case, given its vibrant religious landscape and rapid adoption of digital technologies. Through critical engagement with theological, sociological, and communication scholarship, the article argues that digital media have not merely expanded the reach of theological messages but have essentially altered the ecology within which religious knowledge is produced, interpreted, and lived. These transformations generate both opportunities for participatory theology and challenges to traditional ecclesial authority and doctrinal coherence. The study contributes to ongoing debates in theological communication by demonstrating that understanding contemporary religious practice requires sustained attention to the formative power of media environments and their cultural, cognitive, and communal effects.

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