Sunday, October 26, 2008
Technology and Faith
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How does Christian faith change within a life infused with technology? The internet, cell phones, web pages, blogs, iChat, etc. Does Christian life and practice simply exist alongside these changes in our everyday lifestyle, or will Christians find new ways to express and practice our faith by using technology?
I've been mulling over those questions, or something to that effect, for a few weeks now. Obviously blogs are one of the most common ways that Christians have found to express their faith via technology. But I feel like it is more like writing about or talking about faith and religion that actually practicing it. PowerPoint presentations in church services, Christian worship playlists on the iPod, podcasting sermons, webcasting conferences - these are all more what I think are ways that we can actually practice our spirituality through technology.
The term or phrase I've been thinking about is techno-mysticism. Technology and mystical spirituality, by which I mean how we actually put physical actions to the everyday expression of spiritual life - or in other words, practicing the spiritual disciplines. Kneeling for prayer, singing songs of praise, fasting and meditating would all be things I consider examples of non-technology mystical practices. But how might these actions change by using the power of the internet - its amazing resources and widespread availablity?
One idea that I've tossed around with some friends but hasn't yet come to fruition is practicing fixed hour prayer via video conferencing (iChat, or some other program). I've read and been intrgued by fixed hour prayer for almost a year now, but I don't live in a close community. My community of friends and family is spread out over a large city, but we are tied together through the internet. My community is all online. So can we practice prayer together through the internet? Actualy together, not just posting on a blog at different times?
One more quick example: Time had a article post today about online confession - here. And honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about this one. I think this rasies the question we have to consider: Is it always appropriate and "better" to move mystical/spiritual practices toward greater use of technology. The Protestant church has long ago abandoned regular, meaningful, private and/or public confession. Even in liturgical communities that recite a prayer of confession every week, I'm not sure there is a general understanding of confessing sins and receiving forgiveness as a spiritual discipline. So in the sense that online confession brings more people back to the practice, it could be good. But in my mind, confession that is anonymous and impersonal is essentially changed into something other than the Christian discipline of confessing sins to one another and receiving forgiveness.
How does Christian faith change within a life infused with technology? The internet, cell phones, web pages, blogs, iChat, etc. Does Christian life and practice simply exist alongside these changes in our everyday lifestyle, or will Christians find new ways to express and practice our faith by using technology?
I've been mulling over those questions, or something to that effect, for a few weeks now. Obviously blogs are one of the most common ways that Christians have found to express their faith via technology. But I feel like it is more like writing about or talking about faith and religion that actually practicing it. PowerPoint presentations in church services, Christian worship playlists on the iPod, podcasting sermons, webcasting conferences - these are all more what I think are ways that we can actually practice our spirituality through technology.
The term or phrase I've been thinking about is techno-mysticism. Technology and mystical spirituality, by which I mean how we actually put physical actions to the everyday expression of spiritual life - or in other words, practicing the spiritual disciplines. Kneeling for prayer, singing songs of praise, fasting and meditating would all be things I consider examples of non-technology mystical practices. But how might these actions change by using the power of the internet - its amazing resources and widespread availablity?
One idea that I've tossed around with some friends but hasn't yet come to fruition is practicing fixed hour prayer via video conferencing (iChat, or some other program). I've read and been intrgued by fixed hour prayer for almost a year now, but I don't live in a close community. My community of friends and family is spread out over a large city, but we are tied together through the internet. My community is all online. So can we practice prayer together through the internet? Actualy together, not just posting on a blog at different times?
One more quick example: Time had a article post today about online confession - here. And honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about this one. I think this rasies the question we have to consider: Is it always appropriate and "better" to move mystical/spiritual practices toward greater use of technology. The Protestant church has long ago abandoned regular, meaningful, private and/or public confession. Even in liturgical communities that recite a prayer of confession every week, I'm not sure there is a general understanding of confessing sins and receiving forgiveness as a spiritual discipline. So in the sense that online confession brings more people back to the practice, it could be good. But in my mind, confession that is anonymous and impersonal is essentially changed into something other than the Christian discipline of confessing sins to one another and receiving forgiveness.
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