I was commissioned to write a piece on technology and the church for the Church Times, for the post-pandemic special. The article starts:
IT HAS been fascinating to watch long-running debates about the use of technology go mainstream. There have been heated online discussions about the importance of church buildings. Alongside weekly services, weddings and ordinations have been cancelled, funerals can be attended only by a few, and ministerial licensings are conducted on Zoom.
Theological questions have been raised. Are “holy spaces” places that have been consecrated for worship, or simply wherever people gather (including online)? Are “holy people” required to be physically present for specific liturgies, or can more be translated online?
The extent to which technology is now so embedded in our lives was evident in the way in which many churches were able to “pivot” so quickly to putting services online. My digital spaces were full of ministers turning to each other to pass on tips and insights. Many church members were confident and ready to benefit immediately.
You can read it all here.
Thank you to Rachel Collinson and Andrew Graystone for feedback on drafts, and Vicky Walker for final sub edits.