Controversy and cultural symbolism: Press relations and the formation of public discourse in the case of the RE‐imagining event

Publicity for non‐mainstream events and alternative ideas may come primarily out of the controversy they produce rather than as a result of intentional public relations efforts. In the case reviewed here, we explore how what might be understood as a private conversation in mainline religion—a branch of religion that currently receives little publicity‐became one of the top religion news stories of the year. Examining the publicity surrounding a seemingly small and inconsequential religious event, this study argues that news media interest in controversy‐in this case, on the topics of feminine images of God and female sexuality expressed in worship‐serves to give a public airing to otherwise marginally supported views and interests, thus allowing them to achieve a wider hearing. The publicizing of these views then resulted in the mobilization of both supporters and detractors of the views expressed. In this way, the media played an important role in contributing to the development of an alternative religious movement while exacerbating the increasing polarization between liberal and conservative factions of religious expression in the United States.