Abstract
This paper examines the visual culture of Korean and U.S. megachurches, analyzing how their aesthetic practices reflect underlying patriarchal, capitalist, and evangelical mentalities. By interrogating the tension between democratic aesthetics—defined by inclusivity and community engagement—and the hierarchical, corporate, and performative nature of megachurch visuality, this study explores how these religious spaces construct and sustain power. Through an analysis of church architecture, paintings, sculptures, large-scale screens, and digital media, this research reveals how contemporary megachurches increasingly adopt corporate branding strategies, reinforcing a faith-based visual culture that prioritizes spectacle, conformity, and commercial appeal. The imagery found within these spaces—ranging from global missionary maps to iconographies of the “health and wealth” gospel—reflects an alignment with neoliberal values and an erasure of local cultural identities. The dominance of kitsch, cliché, and imitation further underscores a lack of creative engagement, positioning megachurch aesthetics as an extension of capitalist and imperialist ideologies rather than expressions of theological or cultural uniqueness. Additionally, the proliferation of digital technologies—social media, live-streaming, and immersive screen environments—amplifies and globalizes these aesthetic narratives, reinforcing hierarchical power structures while paradoxically extending the reach of religious engagement. Ultimately, this paper argues that megachurch visual culture operates as a hybrid of American Protestant aesthetics and corporate branding, with little regard for localized heritage or democratic representation. In doing so, it offers a critical perspective on the ways in which faith, capitalism, and digital media intersect to shape contemporary religious visuality.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—From Democratic Aesthetics to Digital Culture
KEYWORDS
MEGACHURCH VISUALS, CORPORATE BRANDING, GLOBAL EVANGELICALISM, PROTESTANT AESTHETICS
