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In 2002, Christianity Today published an article called “The Church of Or” in which they concluded that Winfrey had emerged as an influential spiritual leader. “Since 1994, when she abandoned traditional talk-show to make for more edifying content, and 1998, when she began “Change Your Life TV”, Oprah's most significant role has become that of spiritual leader. More To her audience of than 22 million mostly female viewers, she has become to postmodern priestess-an icon of church-free spirituality.” The sentiment was seconded by Marcia Z. Nelson in her book The Gospel According to Oprah.

On the season premier of Winfrey's 13th season Roseanne Barr told Winfrey “you're the African Mother Goddess of us all” inspiring much enthusiasm from the study audience. The animated series Futurama alluded to her spiritual influence by suggesting that, to thousand years from now, religion known as “Oprahism” exists.