It is well known that Gutenberg's invention of printing technology greatly encouraged, if not made possible, the Protestant Reformation with its emphasis on each individual reading the Scripture and finding the truth about God for themselves. It shifted the focus of the Christian religion from social conversions in which a clan leader or a price or an emperor decided for groups, large and small, if they would follow Jesus or not, to individual salvation. It gave birth to what may well be some unintended consequences, such as today's extreme forms of individualism.
What if a new communication technology becomes more dominant than the printed page? How will that change Christianity and other religions? The Internet, web sites, Email, Facebook, Twitter and texting are already beginning to move into the church. Two or three or more generations from now, how will this technology have changed the nature of faith itself?
Leonard Sweet has written more about the impact of contemporary social trends on Christianity than just about any other author around and his brand-new book is Viral: How Social Networking Is Poised to Ignite Revival. It is a must read, in my opinion.
Sweet points out that Christ was "a master Storyteller ... a crafter of parables for the artists of everyday." He uses the parable of the mustard seed to explain the situation that is about to begin. He points out that the mustard plant was an invasive plant like dandelions in your lawn. "The subversive mustard weed is nearly impossible to get rid of. Once it takes root, it takes over and invites every insect, pest, and rodent to live within its leaves. It spreads quickly and can grow and thrive almost anywhere." (page 188)
He asks, "What does infectious faith look like? It erupts in amazing beauty and resilient brilliance. It pricks with an occasional thorny thistle. It incites passion, spreads love, breeds kindness, generates compassion. While it infests the mind and heart with Jesus, it revives the body with the Holy Spirit. ... The Body of Christ." (page 189)
"Jesus was a master of stories and ... a healer of the body ... a holistic blend of mind/heart, soul, and physical body ... [a[ living organism." What will happen when a generation of young people invest the Jesus way of life with house churches, Skype Bible studies, Second Life enterprises, Facebook pages, and Twitter streams of prayer? What will be the common expressions of faith among my great-grandchildren? What is your speculation? Please share ... and read this book.
Great piece to promote a needed conversation regarding the future of faith as influenced by technology.
It is good to hear about the Sweet book and its emphasis on connectiveness using the signature method of Jesus, storytelling.
We will need to quickly develop new wine flasks of spiritual ecosystem that will create a spiritual experience that will foster collaboration, and closeness to deliver a worship-filled experience.
The broadcast, proclamation method of the preacher role would need to be modified and give way to the priestly qualities of connector and the shepherd-like qualities of a spiritual journey into pastoral spaces.
The anywhere, always on world will let many crave for digitally quiet, sacred spaces. Smart churches will create such spaces within their edifices. Grace-filled protocols of being unplugged and digital fast will become mainstream.
Permit me to suggest several additional books that develop the concept of virtual closeness.
• Tribes by Seth Godin
• Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki
• Open Leadership by Charlene Li
Posted by: chris | March 21, 2012 at 07:32 PM
Have you thought about some basic, practical questions: How will people pray? Will they do so through Twitter or chat or texting or prayer web sites? How will people praise God; we have traditionally done that by singing hymns or praise songs, with testimonies and ritual dialog of various kinds, including responsive readings or litanies. Reading Scripture outloud in a "chant" was technologically useful in a time when people did not have copies of Bibles and a litany helped them memorize or at least remember key texts. What is a use of Scripture which is important in today's technology that serves a similar, but not parallel, practical, spiritual purpose?
Posted by: Monte | March 23, 2012 at 04:41 AM
I have seen stats that indicate that there are more people in museums on week-end in the western world than there are church goers. The human experience here has a spiritual component.
I also add that one of the attributes of religion is constancy where practice is fused with convictions in the minds of most, and driven by established rituals and practices.
I share those set up points to say that until new technologies crosses some high touch threshold and are baptized as sacred, the current rituals will be mainstream and twitter prayers will be practiced at the margins, para-church settings et al. Human socialization will increase in value as technology advances and disrupts.
The torrid pace of technological change will be muted by the on the ground human pace of broad-based adoption, struggles with rejection (Think neo-Amish) and ritualization.
The week-end corporate worship program will thus practiced with the familiar style of today but broadcasted and commented on using mobile and social technologies.
Communication, education, and entertainment institutions will be more ready adopters. I can image plays being done in 3D creating conversations with our favorite Bible characters.
This prophet has spoken! lol
Posted by: chris | March 23, 2012 at 07:06 PM
Allow me to add this element to the dialog.
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/04/is_your_smartphone_making_you.html?referral=00563&cm_mmc=email-_-newsletter-_-daily_alert-_-alert_date&utm_source=newsletter_daily_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert_date
Posted by: chris | April 07, 2012 at 12:29 PM