Where two or three have gathered: Self-presentation in evangelical young adult prayer groups

Abstract

This study explored the performance of group prayer within young adult evangelical contexts. Employing Goffman’s (1959) dramaturgical model of self-presentation, this study sought to make sense of who the actors and audiences of prayer are, along with identifying the specific manners in which prayer is done amid others. The sample contained 20 young adult evangelical Christians who were involved with a faith-based small group at the time of study, and they participated in semi-structured interviews with the researcher. This study found a number of tensions between the authentic nature of their private prayers and the beautified nature of their public prayers. Theoretical implications suggests that prayer performance is impacted mostly by who is being performed to, whether fellow members or God.