The Word in the Social-Communication Discourse of the Bible and Its Connection to Journalism

Abstract

In human communication since ancient times, the word has played a key role, serving as both a means of creation and peace, and of destruction and war. Current geopolitical events confirm this. In the age of the Internet and social networks, the word has become not only a means of manipulation but also a weapon of mass destruction in information warfare. While philologists and linguists carefully study the word, its spiritual nature remains unexplored. The Bible is an underestimated source that transmits a valuable spiritual Word to society through the centuries. Scientific exploration conducted from the standpoint of a social communication (SC) approach offers a new perspective on the biblical Word and its role in journalism. The objective of this research is to study the phenomenon of the WORD in the Bible, its nature, essence, and properties from the perspective of the SC approach, and its role in journalism. The methodological basis of this study is the social communication (SC) approach, employingsystemic-structural and information analysis. Qualitative and quantitative content analysis were applied, along with induction, deduction, synthesis, and generalization. Philosophical methods were used to clarify the phenomenological properties of the Word. Results. The unique media properties of the Bible, the social value of the Word, and its absolute metaphysical nature have been confirmed. Seven categories of the WORD in biblical discourse have been identified. It has been clarified that the initiator of biblical communication is God the Creator, the Absolute, who conveys to society an existentially important Word directed towards the society for good, with the aim of building harmonious interpersonal and social relationships. This Word is the source of fundamental values, transmitting narratives that reveal the algorithms for a harmonious human life and the functioning of society, and performs a number of socially important functions. Conclusions: The action of the Word aligns with the mission of journalism, and therefore this Word requires deep understanding and practical application within the media sphere. The research results have practical value for both journalistic education and journalistic practice, as well as media communication activities in general, and also open up prospects for further scholarly research