Network Theology: Christian Understandings of New Media
Published in Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture 01(1) (January 2012).
Review article considering three recent works of popular Christian theology: Dwight J. Friesen, Thy Kingdom Connected:... more Review article considering three recent works of popular Christian theology: Dwight J. Friesen, Thy Kingdom Connected: What the Church Can Learn from Facebook, the Internet, and Other Networks (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2009); Shane Hipps, Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Your Faith (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009); and Jesse Rice, The Church of Facebook: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2009).
The Internet and the Church: An Introduction
Published in The Expository Times 122(1) (2010)
The Internet is connecting people and organisations around the world in important new ways, changing the way we relate... more The Internet is connecting people and organisations around the world in important new ways, changing the way we relate to one another, find resources, share information and form communities. These changes have very important implications for Christians and their churches. This article offers an overview of online activity, including websites, blogs, forums, social network sites, virtual worlds and online evangelism, and introduces theoretical work on the importance of online social networking, the role of the user in shaping technology, and the balance between control and participation in online activity.