Theology: The ‘Ground’ Of Our Communication Activity
By Frances Forde Plude
[These ideas were shared with members of Unda (Wave) – Catholic communication personnel.]
At the recent General Assembly in Orlando I was invited as an official observer to reflect upon the integration of communication and theological themes. My presence was clearly welcomed by UNDA members, conscious that frenetic communication activities need to be grounded in theology.
Speaking briefly at the President’s Luncheon I was aware of the audience’s close attention as I reminded them that Vatican II happened because theologians had done their homework; they guided the bishops in renewing the church for the modern world. And now technology challenges all of us to recycle and integrate our communication and theological environment.
The Changing Context
Today there are several large “elephants in the room” with ramifications for communication specialists struggling to think theologically. The first is the “in our face” aspect of today’s interactive or two-way communication applications. Cable channels and broadcasters (both radio and TV) all have websites so there is more “talk back” even with these older communication media.
This new interactive environment presents a severe challenge to our past habits of media message control; our attempts at control just do not work well anymore. Despite this reality some UNDA sessions dealt with managing media audiences, managing programmatic content, and managing our media contacts. Five of these sessions were related to our national conference of bishops.
However, churches, like governments, must confront the reality that the increase of media outlets, including unlimited multiplication of internet sites, has decentralized audiences like never before. Theologically this same dispersion momentum is articulated in a more participative ecclesiology of the local church.
Thus, the environment of both communication and church is more interactive – some would say chaotic. The challenge to read the “signs of the times” in the modern world is theologically articulated in Vatican II documents. And this becomes real by people (“the church”) at the local level. However, centralized hierarchical structures continue to struggle with all of this.
Audience Reception
A parallel theme presents a second challenge for UNDA members. This deals with audience reception. Historically we have often neglected what is called audience utilization. Communication researchers have begun to do serious analysis of what audiences do with media messages. What kinds of meaning-making occurs in young people, for example, when they view X-Files or MTV? (Most of these individuals never see or hear “our” messages.)
At the UNDA Assembly this was best demonstrated when participants viewed the film “Paying It Forward” and many remained after the film to discuss its meaning. There were also two excellent UNDA film discussion sessions, but they tended to be sparsely attended – unlike internet workshops.
Truly studying audience reaction is scary because, like the technology, this is less centrally controllable. Somehow theologians and church communicators must become more familiar with audience-reception issues and articulate creative ideas and practical strategies. This will help religious people, as church, be valued conversation partners in a mediated world and church.
A Prophetic View
In this newly-diversified and interactive world, communication specialists and church members must offer a truly prophetic presence – just as many churches did in the civil rights movement. How do we now articulate a vision of communication techniques redeemed by gospel values? The answer does not lie primarily in centralized-management control of product or message. Here our voices are often simply drowned out. Cardinal Joseph Bernardin modeled a different witness. A skilled media manager as a church administrator, Bernardin probably delivered his most powerful message when he lost control and simply, prayerfully, lived his love – while dying in front of all of us. Donald Cozzens, author of The Changing Face of the Priesthood, has challenged UNDA members to honesty and integrity in our work, and to be people of prayer.
Practical Communication/Theology Steps
So how do we integrate communication and theology in the middle of our harried environment of work and prayer? A singular individual representative of this integration died shortly before the UNDA Assembly, but Bud Kieser was a huge presence at our meeting. I cherish my own last meeting with Bud in Spain, where we both spoke at the University of Salamanca. Bud was enthusiastic when I explained the developing interest in the integration of communication and theology; he later mailed me a copy of his own master’s thesis on this very topic and written years earlier.
As the merger of Catholic communicators world-wide moves forward, theological reflection, as a priority, should be integrated into this framework – not only prayers at meetings, but serious theologically-based study. A commitment to annual Communication/Theology reflection at the UNDA-USA Assembly is also welcome.
In our local areas, we must start a systematic dialogue between communication and theology personnel. We could also share luncheons and meetings and workshops; this might help all the pastoral ministries of the church to see communication priorities and personnel as integral parts of the church’s fabric, rather than as a separate public relations voice.
Many people studying theology today in graduate schools and religious education programs are struggling to integrate communication into their theological studies. This will contribute to an integrated vision of communication and theology in the future. They crave such integration because their own lived reality is saturated with communication culture.