Mastodon
RNS logo
Complexified

Faith, Fame and the Feed: How Influencers Shape What We Believe

(RNS) — How social media personalities are reshaping belief, identity and power.
Faith, Fame and the Feed: How Influencers Shape What We Believe
Jonathan Woodward


In a world where attention is authority, who gets to shape faith, values and public life?

What does it actually mean to be an influencer in 2025 — and why does it matter so much for religion and politics? In this episode of “Complexified,” Amanda Henderson is joined by Religion News Service reporters Fiona Murphy and Richa Karmarkar to unpack the people shaping belief, identity and public conversation online right now. From conservative power brokers and Christian nationalist figures to Jewish comedians, hijabi fitness creators, former monks and viral TikTok storytellers, the conversation explores how influence works in the attention economy — and why people increasingly look to social media personalities, not institutions, for meaning, guidance, and moral frameworks. It’s a wide-ranging look at parasocial power, digital authority and the blurred line between faith, culture and influence.

No paywalls here. Thanks to you.
As an independent nonprofit, RNS believes everyone should have access to coverage of religion that is fair, thoughtful and inclusive. That's why you will never hit a paywall on our site; you can read all the stories and columns you want, free of charge (and we hope you read a lot of them!)

But, of course, producing this journalism carries a high cost, to support the reporters, editors, columnists, and the behind-the-scenes staff that keep this site up and running. That's why we ask that if you can, you consider becoming one of our donors. Any amount helps, and because we're a nonprofit, all of it goes to support our mission: To produce thoughtful, factual coverage of religion that helps you better understand the world. Thank you for reading and supporting RNS.
Deborah Caldwell, CEO and Publisher
Donate today