Transformasi Otoritas Keagamaan di Era Digital : Ustadz Selebriti dan Perubahan Struktur Kepercayaan Jamaah (Studi atas Figur Evie Effendi)

Abstract

Digital transformation has reshaped the landscape of religious authority in Indonesia, where legitimacy is no longer solely rooted in scholarly depth, chains of religious transmission (sanad), or affiliations with Islamic boarding schools and religious organizations, but is increasingly determined by popularity in digital media. This study examines the phenomenon through a qualitative case study of Evie Effendi. The analysis employs Stig Hjarvard’s theory of the Mediatization of Religion and Horton-Wohl’s concept of Parasocial Relationships to understand the transformation of religious authority and the changing patterns of congregational trust in the digital era. The findings reveal three main points. First, digital media has redistributed religious authority by making follower counts, interaction intensity, and frequency of appearance across platforms into new indicators of legitimacy. Second, preaching styles that are communicative, humorous, personal, and closely connected to the everyday language of audiences are more effective in building emotional attachment among followers than formal and conventional sermon models. Third, the trust of congregants is largely constructed through parasocial relationships that create a sense of intimacy, as if audiences personally know the religious figure. Such relationships can rapidly generate loyalty, yet they are also fragile and prone to collapse when controversies, inconsistencies, or moral crises emerge. This study demonstrates that the transformation of religion in digital spaces is not merely a change in communication tools, but a fundamental shift in how society defines religious authority, constructs trust, and practices religion. The decline of public trust in a particular religious figure affects not only the individual concerned but also the broader credibility of digital preaching. Therefore, the mediatization of religion has created a new structure of religious life in modern society that is more fluid, rapid, and highly dependent on the dynamics of digital media.