About This Book

The opening essay in this volume concludes with this statement: “A new digital communication system, and a new way of training church and communication leaders for today’s digital reality, must emerge and mature in the 21st century.”

The writings in this volume are designed to assist communities of faith in meeting that challenge. These ideas should be helpful to congregations and faith leadership.

Part I features a cover story I wrote for America magazine urging congregations to be “listening” churches. Today’s communities of faith want to be interactive; people in the pews want their voices to be received, along with their prayers and their donations.

Part II elaborates upon the challenge that a digital culture globally presents to communities of faith and their organizational structures. Storytelling, homilies or sermons, and network flows are considered. The Catholic Church has an interesting communication history, presented here, but its hierarchical structures clash with digital tools.

Part III expands upon both digital and interactive themes. Communication systems and ministries seek new forms and formats. Topics like intranets (internal systems), internet use, satellite teleconferencing, and ethical coalitions are all considered.

Part IV reflects upon both theory and practice “on the ground” in churches today. Almost 30 topics are considered in columns that are, themselves, dialogic. These were prepared for a newsletter called ParishWorks, circulated to hundreds of U.S. Catholic parishes.

In the first part of the column I present a theological reflection on a specific topic; then a colleague, Suzanne Nelson, suggests how some of the ideas can be implemented within a faith community.  Suzanne is an experienced pastoral minister, working with adults in various locations within the U.S. Many topics are considered, including:

  • the electronic Bible

  • the convergence of media and religion

  • how to handle change

  • Jesus experienced visually

  • ecumenism as a communication process

  • computers as the new stained-glass windows

  • network power

Part IV provides study materials on dialogue, essential within faith communities. This section explores gender differences, thinking together, cell phone use, etc. Several project proposals are shared here, helpful, perhaps in fundraising.