Theology And Digital Culture
A Reflective Essay by Frances Forde Plude
Over the centuries churches have invested heavily in many different media – oral storytelling, manuscripts of the scriptures (and church tradition), scriptoria and libraries, print publications, and an extraordinary educational system bringing literacy to billions. In the 20th century, the Catholic Church early recognized the life-altering impact of film, issued several communication documents, and had Popes who became media icons.
During past centuries churches focused primarily on using these media as channels for “the message” as an evangelizing tool. Now, in the 21st century, seductive entertainment stories, computerized social networks, and a ‘talk-back’ digital reality, require a new kind of a church/communication strategy to strengthen traditional measures. Computer and communication technologies have merged into huge but highly personalized networks. These webs of relationships and interactivity are new challenges for church ministries.
We understand better now how audiences interpret media messages. Meanings are constructed interactively. It is clear an audience’s understanding of a message’s meaning may differ from what the originators intended. Church leaders must be schooled to be more acutely aware of this.
Multimedia and multi-sensorial communication challenge print- and text-based transmission and the producer-centered construction of meanings. There are many new ways of communicating today. Media are no longer considered simply instruments of transmission; media are integral to the meaning and construction of culture.
Popular culture – individualized, interactive, and often ideological – captivates huge audiences globally. Today’s religious leaders must be re-schooled in the cultural aspects of our media work.
In the past churches have often used writing as a means of democratization and peace. In the digital age, churches must oppose using media for the secularization of culture, violence, and control by commercial/military forces. This is a reason not to remain wedded to communication systems of the past; rather, we need to make digital communications an integral part of worship, education, social action, and spiritual formation. The absence of churches from the forces shaping the development of digital communications leaves a huge void in the emerging global culture of the digital age.
Churches have been concerned with the truthfulness of their message, depending upon the Holy Spirit for the message to take root in human souls. Now religious leaders face a ‘talk-back’ mediated world. Churches need to respect this dialogue and re-tool their communication-training efforts to prepare church officials, both technically and psychologically, to engage in genuine dialogue with these diverse new media.
A new digital communication system and a new way of training church- and communication- leaders for this digital reality must emerge and mature in the 21st century.
[These concepts are diagramed and elaborated upon in the following Figures 1-4.]
4 GRIDS Showing Development of Interactive Communication Systems
Figure 1
Centralized Periods
Constructed by Frances Forde Plude
Figure 2: Development of Interactive Communication Systems
Decentralized Phases (1960s To Date)
Constructed by Frances Forde Plude
Figure 3: Development of Interactive Communication Systems
Growth of Dialogic Theory and Structures
Constructed by Frances Forde Plude
Figure 4: Development of Interactive Communication Systems
A Postmodern View
Constructed by Frances Forde Plude
