@ Worship: Liturgical Practices in Digital Worlds by
A host of both very old and entirely new liturgical practices have arisen in digital mediation, from the live-streaming of worship services and'pray-as-you-go'apps, to digital prayer chapels, virtual choirs and online pilgrimages. Cyberspace now even hosts communities of faith that exist entirely online. These digitally mediated liturgical practices raise challenging questions: Are worshippers in an online chapel really a community at prayer? Do avatars that receive digital bread and wine receive communion? @ Worship proposes a nuanced response to these sometimes contentious issues, rooted in familiarity with, and sustained attention to, actual online practices.
Any Body There? : Worship and Being Human in a Digital Age by
Any body there? we may wonder as we watch people engage with their smart phones while being oblivious to what is going on around them. Anybody there? is the question facing the church as it wrestles with declining religious affiliation. Craig Mueller considers this contemporary context, and offers a response based in an incarnational spirituality accentuating the body and finding expression in corporate, multisensory liturgy. Mueller creatively weaves together topics from our digital lives with personal and congregational stories and theological, liturgical, and spiritual reflections. Concepts such as virtuality, the analog, 24/7 connectivity, access, design, and GPS are juxtaposed with themes of embodiment, mortality, sabbath, mystery, beauty, and vocation. Drawing on his experience as a pastor to millennials, his studies in liturgical theology, and his work on the effects of technology on daily life, Mueller proposes that corporate worship is an antidote to the distraction, fragmentation, and spiritual hunger in society today. As humans continue to merge with machines, participation in the Sunday liturgy reminds us of what it means to be human: a deeper connection to our bodies and the earth and a clear sense of purpose and mission for our everyday lives.
Beyond the Screen: Youth Ministry for the Connected but Alone Generation by
How to minister to a generation in the world of social media.
Creating Church Online : Ritual, Community and New Media by
Online churches are internet-based Christian communities, pursuing worship, discussion, friendship, support, proselytization, and other key religious goals through computer-mediated communication. Hundreds of thousands of people are now involved with online congregations, generating new kinds of ritual, leadership, and community and new networks of global influence. Creating Church Online constructs a rich ethnographic account of the diverse cultures of online churches, from virtual worlds to video streams. This book also outlines the history of online churchgoing, from its origins in the 1980s to the present day, and traces the major themes of academic and Christian debate around this topic. Applying some of the leading current theories in the study of religion, media and culture to this data, Tim Hutchings proposes a new model of religious design in contexts of mediatization, and draws attention to digital networks, transformative third spaces and terrains of existential vulnerability. Creating Church Online advances our understanding of the significance and impact of digital media in the religious and social lives of its users, in search of new theoretical frameworks for digital religion.
Digital Disciple: Real Christianity in a Virtual World by
This time in our society is unlike any other. People communicate daily without ever having to speak face to face, news breaks around the world in a matter of seconds, and favorite TV shows can be viewed at our convenience. We are, simultaneously, a people of connection and isolation. As Christians, how do we view our faith and personal ministry in this culture?
Theomedia: The Media of God and the Digital Age by
The church is unsure of itself in the twenty-first century's media culture. Some Christians denounce digital media while others embrace the latest gadgets and apps as soon as they appear. Many of us are stumbling along amidst the tweets, status updates, podcasts, and blog posts, wondering if we have ventured into a realm beyond the scope of biblical wisdom. Though there is such a thing as'new media,'Andrew Byers reminds us that the actual concept of media is ancient, theological, and even biblical. In fact, there is such a thing as the media of God.'TheoMedia'are means by which God communicates and reveals himself--creation, divine speech, inspired writings, the visual symbol of the cross, and more.
