Exorcisms Online and Online Exorcisms: Differences between Two Pentecostal Churches’ Digitalized Rituals of Exorcism

This paper aims to observe the differences between the digitalized exorcisms by two Pentecostal churches, The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, founded by Brazilians in Rio de Janeiro, and the church Hungry Generation, founded by Ukrainian immigrants in the United States. Although both churches practice rituals of exorcisms or deliverance within their services, the exorcisms on the internet are quite different; while The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God rituals are recorded or streamed in a manner in which the pastor/exorcist is present at the same place as the exorcized. The Hungry Generation offers the possibility of exorcisms from a distance through apps such as Zoom, where the pastor and exorcized are not in the same geographical space. By following the literature about digitalized rituals and religions, this paper will differentiate these two forms of exorcisms, ‘exorcisms online’ and ‘online exorcisms’, respectively. The difference between the institutional objectives of these rituals within both churches will also be analyzed, which points to the Brazilian church being more focused on exorcisms as a manner to control members and convert new ones, while the Ukrainian-American one focuses more on a spiritual service to receive donations. Therefore, we can observe a distinctive characteristic between Brazilian and American Pentecostal leaders since the beginning of televangelist’ shows. The former aims to transform spectators into loyal members of a specific church; the latter usually seeks to sell a religious product or receive a donation.