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It is the author’s thesis that religious communication which is shaped by narrative has consequences that are different from communication based on persuasion by argument. While ‘narrative’ can include both written and spoken communication, this study attempts to concentrate on oral narrative communication in a group situation within a local church congregation. It is also an assumption of this thesis that there is a common belief that narrative is subordinate to rhetoric. This thesis sets out to suggest otherwise: that while both provide distinctive ways of ordering experience the two are irreducible to one another. Thus there is a need to reimagine the narrative communication debate. This thesis suggests this reimagining be called ‘narrative/symbolic’ – thus emphasising its narrativity. Narrative /symbolic communication : encourages reflection but is different from analytical, rationalistic thinking; is heuristic by nature, searching for likely accounts rather than definitions and conclusions; establishes an awareness of/ communion with the world of the other rather than just seeking after/interpreting meaning; has potential to broaden human conversation by repudiating mere individualism; and, is more faithful to the general shape of the religious tradition which is Christianity. Such a ‘style’ should shape religious communication in the electronic media-saturated age. / Master of Science (Hons)

[pt] Das muitas tendências arquitetônicas da atualidade, algumas têm sua origem diretamente relacionada à realidade digital. Essa nova arquitetura - que explora as novas possibilidades que as mídias digitais trazem, ou desenvolve maneiras de fazê-las adaptarem-se à materialidade do mundo, ou até mesmo destrói os mitos criados pela sociedade digital - pede uma revisão de suas definições a partir de novas posturas culturais e ideológicas que rompem com as noções tradicionais de arquitetura. Os novos conceitos que investigamos estão associados ao design de produto, à publicidade e à arte eletrônica. Esta pesquisa discute as transformações por que passa a arquitetura com o advento da sociedade da informação, analisa as teorias que a alimentam e suas principais características, e aponta similaridades dos projetos e obras arquitetônicos com os de design. A construção da imagem urbana atual sofreu alterações e sugerimos que o pensamento arquitetônico também deva ser atualizado. / [en] Among the many current architectural trends, some originate directly from the digital reality. This new architecture - sometimes exploring the new possibilities the digital brings, or destroying the myths it creates, also developing ways of making it adapt to the materiality of the world, but always using it as fuel for its projects - demands a revision of its definitions from new cultural and ideological postures that break up with traditional notions. New architectural concepts are associated to industrial design, publicity and electronic art. The present research discusses some characteristics of the architecture that mutates with the advent of information society, analyses theories that feeds it and indicates similarities of projects and works of architecture with those of industrial design. The construction of current urban image has been altered and we suggest that architectural thinking must follow.