Orality and literacy intertwining to spread knowledge.

Bridging Worlds: How Oral Tradition and Literacy Shape Modern Communication

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Jordan Keane in Culture & Society August 2025 • 5 min read.

"Explore the dynamic interplay between oral tradition and literacy, and how these forces mold our understanding of information in an increasingly digital age."


Throughout history, the ways we communicate have constantly evolved, profoundly influencing how we live and think. For over two millennia, Christianity has thrived by leveraging both orality and literacy to share its message. Orality, the art of conveying ideas through spoken words, and literacy, the ability to read and write, have been pivotal in shaping religious thought and practices.

Orality serves as the primary channel for sharing messages and meanings through verbal expression, emphasizing the spoken word. Literacy, on the other hand, relies primarily on the written word to communicate. Christianity, born in an oral culture, experienced rapid growth as its teachings were spread through spoken word. However, it quickly embraced the written word, adapting literacy as a powerful means of disseminating the Gospel. Today, Christianity continues to adapt its message through ever-evolving forms of communication.

In the ancient Near East, while literacy was limited to the elite, the spoken word reigned supreme. The New Testament begins with John the Baptist proclaiming the coming Kingdom of God in the desert, capturing the power of the spoken message. Jesus, in his public ministry, shares the Good News with those who have ears to hear, teaching his disciples through public discourses and private conversations. The Apostle Paul journeyed across the world, proclaiming salvation through Christ. The people of that era were oral learners, responding deeply to the spoken truth of Jesus Christ. Personal witnesses recounted their experiences, spreading the message verbally from town to town, echoing the transformative acts of Christ.

From Spoken Word to Written Scripture: The Evolution of Communication

Orality and literacy intertwining to spread knowledge.

New Testament scholars generally agree that the events and teachings of Jesus' life were initially passed down through oral tradition before being written down. This oral tradition was eventually transcribed into the Gospels to preserve firsthand accounts. For centuries, this practice continued, with the educated elite holding the ability to read and understand the Scriptures themselves, at least until the advent of the printing press and the rise of widespread literacy.

Christianity, while starting and spreading in an oral culture, embraced the rise of the written word. One of the earliest achievements of the literate age was the Gutenberg Bible. The Bible remains the most printed book in the world today. Beyond spreading the written Word of God, the church used the Catechism as a form of written instruction to teach believers about their faith.

  • Early Education: From the Reformation onward, religious teaching heavily relied on the written word, targeting a literate population. The Bible itself became a key tool in early American education for teaching literacy.
  • Global Literacy: Today, the Bible is still used worldwide to teach literacy to oral cultures, helping people learn new languages through its stories and teachings.
  • Modern Mediums: Even with the rise of new communication mediums and increasing global literacy rates, the spoken word remains vital for sharing ideas. Many cultures still rely on oral communication, a concept known as primary orality.
Within cultures that embrace both spoken and written forms of communication, some people still prefer the spoken word, even with access to written resources. In these cases, the written word takes a secondary role, known as residual or secondary orality. Religious education from the Reformation to the late 20th century focused primarily on literate teaching methods. However, more recently, religious education has been blending oral and written forms of communication to engage a wider audience.

The Enduring Power of Communication

Today, orality can be seen in preaching and teaching that emphasizes memorable messages and storytelling, making it easier for listeners to connect with and remember key points. Chronological Bible storying, used in many mission fields, adapts well to oral cultures and proves effective in spreading the Gospel. Pastors, teachers, and church leaders have discovered the effectiveness of oral storytelling, even in literate societies. As literacy continues to be utilized in Bible study, small groups, and expository preaching for spiritual growth, and literate means of religious education play an important part in the digital media age (television, internet, etc.), it becomes clear that oral societies benefit from the discovery of literacy, and literate cultures profit greatly from the rediscovery of the importance of oral communication. Both oral and literate means of communication will have a continuing impact on religious preaching and teaching.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1002/9780470670606.wbecc1019, Alternate LINK

Title: Orality And Literacy

Journal: The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Authors: Ryan Baltrip

Published: 2011-11-25

Everything You Need To Know

1

How do orality and literacy differ, and how have they both been important in spreading the message of Christianity?

Orality is the method of conveying ideas through spoken words, while literacy is the ability to read and write. Christianity initially spread rapidly through orality, as the spoken word was the primary means of communication. However, Christianity quickly adopted literacy to disseminate the Gospel in written form. Today, these methods are both used to adapt the message of Christianity through evolving forms of communication.

2

How did the transition from oral tradition to written scripture occur in early Christianity, and what key developments supported this shift?

The New Testament's events and teachings were initially shared through oral tradition before being written down. This tradition was later transcribed into the Gospels to preserve firsthand accounts. The rise of widespread literacy, supported by the Gutenberg Bible and the Catechism, marked a shift where written instruction and personal Bible reading became more accessible.

3

What are 'primary orality' and 'residual or secondary orality,' and how are these concepts relevant to religious education today?

Primary orality refers to cultures that still rely primarily on oral communication, even in the modern age. Residual or secondary orality describes situations where people prefer spoken communication even when written resources are available. Religious education is blending these approaches to engage a wider audience.

4

In what ways is oral storytelling used in modern religious contexts, and why is it considered effective, even in literate societies?

Oral storytelling is used to connect with listeners by making messages easier to remember. Chronological Bible storying is effective in oral cultures for spreading the Gospel. Pastors and church leaders in literate societies are rediscovering oral storytelling's effectiveness. Although effective, this method does exclude more detail than teaching using literacy and written documents.

5

What role does literacy play in religious education in the digital age, and how do both oral and literate means of communication contribute to religious preaching and teaching?

Literacy's role in religious education in the digital age includes Bible studies, small groups, and expository preaching. Oral societies benefit from literacy, and literate cultures gain from the rediscovery of oral communication. The integration of both orality and literacy ensures that religious preaching and teaching remains impactful across various communication preferences and learning styles, and reaches a diverse audience.

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