Arricia Theology And Communication Conference, September 2007, Rome
Summary by Thomas Rochford, SJ
[The conference brought together 27 people, most of them university professors. The largest number of participants came from Rome; others came from Chile, Philippines, England, Hungary, Austria, United States, India, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Nine of the group were theologians and eighteen were communicators, although many of the latter have also studied theology.]
Summary of the Conclusions We Reached
Theology and communication are distinct disciplines, each with its own methodology that must be respected. Inviting experts from the two disciplines to come together for five days of rich conversation highlighted several significant points of intersection between them. Theology has something to say about communication, just as communication has something to say about theology. More than that, there are elements of communication within theology, and communication can do a theological reflection on some of its own phenomenon.
There was serious debate over where one should ground communication in systematic theology. Some said the intercommunion within the Trinity was the source and model of human communication; others held one should start with the Spirit leading people to the Son who communicates the Father. The basic question is whether human communication is an echo/reflection of Trinitarian communication or whether it is something distinct whose autonomy should be respected. There was a strong agreement about the importance of doing a contextual theology rather than an abstract, universalized one that ignores culture. The cultural context in which one theologizes is a point of intersection between theology and communication since the latter both expresses and creates cultures.
We discussed ecclesiology a great deal, especially the place of the Church in a post-Modern world that is quickly being reshaped by the new digital media in which technology is affecting how people relate to each other and how they think. The Church faces a choice of remaining within its comfort zone of long-developed ways of communicating with established groups, or of entering the broader cultural discourse, which means engaging a media culture, as John Paul II did. We cannot conceptualize a dichotomy of “us” within the Church and “them” outside, the new digital barbarians; even active Church members are being influenced by popular culture. The Church needs a significant re-orientation to address its own members adequately as well as to engage in dialogue with the broader culture. The Church needs to be willing to “translate” its message into terms that resonate with people formed by the new popular culture.
The political question of communication within the Church was another area of discussion. The question is, who controls communication, who are the gatekeepers? In past times control resided in Church leadership, but the new technologies have opened other possibilities for much wider participation. The contribution of lay Catholic communication experts will be important, provided Church leaders invite them to contribute.
Within the discipline of communication, the conversation stressed the importance of looking at communication as a broad, multi-dimensional phenomenon that includes inter-personal communication, cultural analysis, preaching, story-telling, music and oral presentations -- not just media or technology. The earlier instrumental approach—simply using technology unreflectively as tools—was soundly rejected; the Church has tended to follow this approach which minimizes the importance of communication.
Communication’s main point of intersection with theology comes in pastoral theology. Cinema and media literacy courses have long been used in training people for ministry. Now we highlighted the need for a communication sensitivity and competency that includes critical self-reflection, an imaginative appreciation of culture, an appreciation of cultural richness in diverse groups, and an ability to integrate one’s own story into the larger context.
Communication experts can learn from theology and apply a type of theological reflection about communication phenomena. Some professors have already developed methods of using theological models to organize the program of communication studies. There is a great need to analyze the theoretical implications and cultural consequences of new forms of communication, the new digital media. A broad historical perspective is important since previous stages of communication, (orality and literacy), do not disappear; rather, they coincide with, and overlap, the new modes of communication. The group raised more questions than it could answer about the impact new media developments will have on faith and culture. The revolutionary change one can see in young students points to a huge impact that needs to be understood, so the Church can adequately respond in an effective pastoral manner.
A significant challenge to greater collaboration between the two disciplines comes from the fact that in many seminaries and institutions preparing people for ministry, pastoral theology itself is not given sufficient attention. Homiletics courses may not be offered, or might just focus on content, but not on an awareness of what the Word of God has to say to a specific people in a specific cultural context, or on the homilist as communicator (in terms of self-awareness, oral quality, believability, etc.). If the seminary does not even take homiletic training seriously, then it probably will not care about developing a communication competency in its students in other areas.
Participants saw a great benefit from the interactive method of this conference, which stands apart from the typical academic conference in which only a few experts give presentations. Everyone at Ariccia presented a paper which was discussed in greater detail in small group sessions and then in summary form with the whole group. The discussion between academicians coming from the two diverse disciplines was very lively and insightful. Some practical results are the decision to publish the papers of the conference, and to create a Reader that collects key articles to help people, especially those preparing individuals for ministry, to understand the intersection of these two disciplines.