Pastor as Visual Ethnographer
In the era of “fake news”, there are questions about what we hear, see and consume as “trustworthy” or “true” information. What does an event mean, how do we understand the words that a person uses, and how “objective” can reporters really be?
In her book, “Doing Visual Ethnography”, Sarah Pink writes that “the same image may simultaneously be given different meanings in different (but often interconnected) situations, each of which has ethnographic significance.”[1] In other words, different people can see the same picture and find different ways to interpret what it means.
The specific example that Pink works with most, which is woven throughout her book , is based on her work with female bullfighters in Spain. The author shares various pictures of female bullfighters and then recounts the different reactions and responses that people have to them, depending on point of view.
There are those who are “against female bullfighters”, there are those who are supportive of this expansion of the tradition, and there are those who are simply against bullfighting itself. But Pink goes further. She asks, what does the subject of the photo herself think about this scenario (the subject has an opinion, too, lest she become the “object”).
The final piece that Pink brings out about the interpretive work of visual ethnography, is to ask what is the location and position of the one “observing” things or “taking pictures”? Is she not, also, a part of this picture?
In a way, a photograph can be a “snapshot”, frozen in time, which tells us something “true” about that moment. But Pink pushes back on the idea of the “ethnographic present”, where a picture is taken and is continually seen as being “in the moment”. Freeze-framing life, or a person or place in this way, she argues, allows the ethnographer to sit apart from the scene. To place authority claims on it, such as “I was there” or “this was empirically true (just look at the picture)”.
But Pink asks the reader to be dubious of such claims. She recognizes that even “professional” observers, those engaged in sociological study, are not really “apart from” the subject in question. There is a social exchange that always happens and needs to be recognized.
Part of why this whole field is interesting to me to read about, is that it sounds so familiar. I am not a photographer, videographer, artist, or “ethnographer” in any sense. But the work that Pink is describing actually sounds a lot like pastoral ministry.
Pink tries to define this “ethnography” and does so by quoting Martin Hammersley and Paul Atkinson, who define ethnography as a method or set of methods that, “involves the ethnographer participating, overtly or covertly, in people’s daily lives for an extended period of time, watching what happens, listening to what is said, asking questions—in fact, collecting whatever data are available to throw light on the issues that are the focus of the research.”[2]
This idea of being a part of people’s daily lives, and whether “overtly or covertly”, participating with them, listening, watching, and framing their experience sounds like my work as a pastor. One of the great joys and gifts of pastoral work is “access” to people’s lives. To be with them in holy moments like birth, death, weddings, baptisms, confirmations and funerals. To be “in the room” as families talk or fight, share or cry, all of it has the ring of “ethnography” to it. Of overhearing and listening in, and then, trying to produce some manner of “meaning” out of the experience.
This “meaning-making” may happen in a Sunday sermon, in telling an experience from the week. Or at a funeral, when re-counting a story for those who have gathered to mourn. Or in a committee meeting, describing why this person would be a good fit as a leader in some ministry area. Like the “visual ethnographer” in Pink’s writing, the pastor is never fully a neutral, impartial observer. We are in fact, a part of the larger picture.
In a sense, a crafted Sunday sermon is an “image” in the same way that a photograph or video can be. It is a “snap-shot” that tries to capture and share meaning with people. The role of sermon illustrations is to do this very thing: to paint a picture, or draw people’s imagination to “see” the truth that is being expressed. Word pictures can be spoken (which I what I usually do), but they can also be shown in symbolic form.
Pastors and churches are constantly working in the visual arts, because how things are presented, or how they appear, communicates a message. For my church, we have a very “traditional” looking sanctuary. There is a big cross in the front, there is a high pulpit, a communion table, a choir loft, and pews to sit in. Each of these details communicates something to those who walk in, but maybe not always exactly what we anticipated.
For some, seeing this “traditional” presentation is comforting, it is familiar, it feels like home. For others, walking into our church can feel like a “blast from the past”, or a return to their troubled childhood, or the shortcoming of churches in previous eras. For others, it can seem as if we only care about the external and “how things look”, but they ask “do we really care about the spirit?” Others walk in and say, “your congregation must be rich to keep things looking so nice.” Others come in and say, “when are you going to modernize and catch up with the real world?”
The point that I am making, is that whether we are self-aware or not, we are still in the picture that we are taking. Or, we are still participants, even when we think we are simply impassive observers. That is true for photographers with their subjects. It’s true for pastors in the hospital room. And it’s even true for a physical space, like a church sanctuary.
In the end, I do not know if there is a “remedy” to be made, but it calls for self-awareness. When “doing visual ethnography”, or presenting something in a visual or observable form, how can we be intentional to say what we are trying to say? How can we be humble enough to know that others will read into what we present and may have radically different responses? And how can we be confident enough to move forward to share our message in a way that people can really see, hear and understand?
[1] Sarah Pink. Doing Visual Ethnography. (London: Sage Publications, 2013) 153.
[2] Sarah Pink. Doing Visual Ethnography. (London: Sage Publications, 2013) 34.
About the Author
Dave Watermulder
10 responses to “Pastor as Visual Ethnographer”
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Dave, I loved how you took the concept of ethnography and applied it to pastoral ministry. I so agree with you that a pastor lives with their flock through life’s ups and downs and becomes an observer and participant in their story. What a beautiful thing this is. I feel the same way about my role as a therapist with my clients. I often tell them how honored I am to walk this journey of life with them in some of their most sacred of moments. I also agree with you that it takes humility to “know that others will read into what we present and may have radically different responses?” Becuase a picture is a snapshot of a moment in time it is so hard to interpret the whole story from that. Also, I’m curious about your thoughts on the ethics of photographing people without their knowledge or consent and how that fits with the ethnography process? Great post as always Dave!
Thanks, Jake! Yup, I figured this would be a familiar image for you as well, as a counselor and therapist. In terms of taking pictures of people without their consent (like actual photographs), there are probably some professional ethics around that. When telling stories and doing “word pictures”, I often keep some details back so as not to implicate the exact person. Except in family stories– my family is always fair game for me!
Dave,
I love living in a country where we don’t get “fake news”. All of it is real, just ask the leaders. I think true objectivity for journalist is as hard as it would be for each of us to be objective toward something we are passionate about. Can we truly be objective if we are trying to teach people, win them over or make sure a certain point of view is expressed? I think that answer is “no”, but as a pastor owning up to our agendas is important. Explaining what “position” or side we are viewing things from, helps our listening body know us better and be able to trust us more.
I do like that you compared Pink’s understanding of ethnology to pastoral work. I hadn’t thought of the symbols of worship you have in your sanctuary in this context. I like that! It speaks value and volume to what you see as a congregation to be important. Have you as a pastor begun to look critically at the culture your church is promoting? In that culture, for you what brings comfort and what brings structure? I like to believe we are all on God’s mission; all missionaries. We are crossing cultures even teaching about the kingdom of God. Thanks Dave, great perspective on the culture of the churches we are apart of.
Thanks, Greg! Yes, I think you are right on about whether we are really “objective” if we are involved in trying to teach, persuade, or share a particular position. Good point. A way that this has shown up recently for me is during this Reformation 500th Anniversary time around the church. There are so many “old debates” and divides that we kind of receive from church history. So, in teaching and talking about these, I have been really careful to say that I am more interested in having us critique and engage with our own tradition (learning what it means for us), rather than dealing in polemic or trying to put down other Christian backgrounds. So, I would err toward being even more gracious toward views of others (say, Roman Catholics for example), as a way to adjust for my own perspective coming out in the end.
I can tell you more about how we deal with what our own church projects or communicates, but I think it’s getting too long for this response!
Yes, Dave! I totally agree. I came to similar conclusions about self-awareness being critical. And yes, humility is also key. How do you grow in self-awareness? DO you have practices or disciplines in place that are helping you to answer the very questions you are asking?
Excellent connection Dave. I had not thought of the ethnographer is similar to pastoral duties. I am reminded that Eugene Peterson talked about it took him about 10 years to learn the language of his people. That’s a big statement from someone who pretty much mastered Greek and Hebrew. Yt it took him 10 years to really understand and be familiar with the everyday language happening around him. As pastors we are called to dive in there and be with them in holy moments. I would say though that the pastor is called to engage, change, lead and even be counter-cultural at times, while the ethnographer’s job is simply to take note of it.
great post.
Dave, you did a great job of not only demonstrating some strengths of visual ethnography, but also showing the struggle of it. You made a comment; “She recognizes that even “professional” observers, those engaged in sociological study, are not really “apart from” the subject in question. There is a social exchange that always happens and needs to be recognized.”
I think this was the part that I struggle most with in regards to this reading. When considering visual ethnography with the consideration of ministry, how do I prevent the picture from only being a personal experience. When I am blessed with opportunities like our trip to South Africa, I am not content with being the only one influenced by the experience; I want to be able to not just “tell”, but rather to “share”.
How do you feel would be the best way to take experience and turn it into experience for those we pass it on to via visual ethnography? Is there a way to maintain the integrity and purity of the experience as you share it with others?
Dave, I love your line of thinking about how pastors could learn from Pink’s book as they too interpret, analyze, accompany, and speak into the lives of those they shepherd. You are right to suggest pastors be attuned to the power of image.
In the past six years I’ve begun attending Catholic mass. This was a stark departure from my upbringing. In my postmodern Christian journey, all meaning got blown apart. In putting the pieces back together again, I’ve discovered I hunger for visual representation – art – that feeds my spirituality, and gives me connection to the Christian story. Art in Catholic churches – which are still considered sacred spaces – has depth of meaning that feeds me. Icons, candles, stained glass, processional, robes, bread, wine, chalice, the tabernacle, saints, holy water, all of it.
At one time, Catholic art was such an offense that Protestants stripped their sanctuaries. Now at the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, which will be celebrated this week on October 31, its time to reconsider reclaiming the arts in Protestant churches. Perhaps image will be that which begins to unite us again?
Dave,
What a great insight you bring to this subject. I did not even make the correlation until you brought it into light. We absolutely are part of the story we tell, whether in a sermon, a study or just bing part of peoples life. Thanks for the great insight.
Jason
Hi Dave,
What a powerful quote-“She asks, what does the subject of the photo herself think about this scenario (the subject has an opinion, too, lest she become the “object”).”
That makes my head spin with deep thinking. It is true! Before a picture is shown, we should ask if the subject felt used as an object. We would have a lot fewer bad pictures out there is folks would do just as your quote suggested. Well done!