Q&A: Is it now possible to be an electronic Christian via all the technology?

December 29th, 2011.

Bright spark! asks: Is it now possible to be an electronic Christian via all the technology?

What’s an electronic Christian? I assume you don’t mean robotics (‘Pastor Data’) so I take it referring to the use of technology in the necessary exercise of the Christian faith.

To which the answer is yes. But then, at that level it’s possible for someone to be a penpal Christian, a sign-language Christian or even a liturgically-dancing one.

But to focus on technology. Christianity is a communicative faith – it involves proclamation, and the bringing of good news. Over the centuries Christian mission has promoted and embraced new technologies. The early church leadership made use of letters and constructed networks for passing messages around different congregations. Church proclamation helped standardise languages – Latin and Greek in earlier times, German and English in later times. The earliest use of the printing press was to print Bibles, and later, tracts and magazines etc.

The electronic communication media is no different except perhaps in the sense that the Christian mission as received rather than innovated the technology – there are many examples of Radio, TV, VHS/DVD mail orders, Web sites, Social Media all being used for Christian purposes even if they were not developed for them.

So yes, you can be an “electronic Christian” but this is not a revolutionary thing, in fact its quite an old idea.

Tags: Faith and Technology | Posted in: Q&A | 2 Comments »

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2 comments for “Q&A: Is it now possible to be an electronic Christian via all the technology?”

DaveO says:

December 31, 2011 at 4:29 pm

Will, Let me put in a Dorothy Dixer, do you think this “electronic” Christianity can fully replace a “physically gathered” Christianity? I am thinking “do not give up the habit….” I have on an uncredited recall the concept of “if your public prayer exceeds your private prayer then you have a problem”, which I have found helpful on the topic of prayer.

Could you suggest a guideline on the electonic/physical balance along a similar line???

David

Reply
- Will says:
  
  January 4, 2012 at 8:56 am
  
  Thanks David,
  
  Not sure about the rule of thumb – because it depends on circumstances. And sometimes its a false dichotomy. For instance – pastoral support of missionaries the other side of the world – the “not giving up the habit” (in some sense of it) depends on the technology. And of course, in other circumstances the electronic communication enhances the physical gathering – I don’t just mean email announcement lists, but also the fact that I’ve had face-to-face conversations with people that would never have happened otherwise if we hadn’t already conversed on twitter.
  
  On the other hand the whole eChurch thing / Church of Second Life / etc. that ramped up during the .com era is nonsensical. In these attempts a digital community sought to replace the essence of the local congregation. It doesn’t work and it fizzled. Later incarnations (Twurch of England / The City / etc.) are of more value because they are augmentations/enhancements/enablements for community, not replacements.
  
  But this long answer is not yet and adage. How about “If your electronic medium reduces rather than enhances the holism of your Christian community then you have a problem.”
  
  W.
  
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