Navigating stasis and mobility: The journey of anointing oil

In this episode, the RSP’s Maxinne Connolly-Panagopoulos speaks to Dr. Kathleen Openshaw about her fascinating research on the Universal Church of God in Australia. Beginning with the origins of this Brazilian, Pentecostal Church, Dr. Openshaw explains why the UCKG is so popular with migrants from the Global South. Speaking on her fieldwork, and her recent article in the JASR, this episode traces the intersection of materiality and mobility, unpacking the many fascinating ways the UCKG and its members use anointing oil as a spiritual solution for the obstacles in their lives. Recounting the poignant story of one of her interlocutors, we hear about the centrality of a vial of anointing oil that traveled from Israel to Australian and then to Sudan. Through this discussion, Dr. Openshaw explains how material objects are able to accrue spiritual capital as they move through sacred spaces and connect with people. For migrant communities, especially, the movement of anointed oil collapses the binary between stasis and mobility, which seems especially powerful amid ongoing restrictions due to COVID-19. The article referenced above and in the episode is available here: The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Australia: Local Congregants and a Global Spiritual Network. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion. 2019, Vol. 32 Issue 1, p27-48. 22p