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Файл:Цифровизация общества и будущее христианства к вопросу о трансформации ценностно-нормативной системы общества. Материалы VII Между народной научной ко
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Патрик Гнана. Резонансы «цифрового христианства». Исследование...
religion during its early phases. Applying the Habermasian criteria of public spheres as inclusive, participatory and egalitarian, other studies have assessed the ways in which digital debating or discussion forums have served
as pubic spheres. Or, relating to the insights of Nancy Frazer who speaks of
the validity of multiple publics, studies have also analysed the existence and
functioning of multiple publics in the digital space like ‘subaltern publics’,
‘feminist publics’, ‘ethnic publics’, particular religion-based publics, and
so on. Even the very digitality has been studied for its public attributes — as
to how the digital technology brings about a radical horizontality of communication ensuring egalitarian participation systemically and an interactive mutuality.
This is not to gloss over the criticisms being made against treating the
digital spaces as public spheres, especially on account of the fact that many
a website, hosting debating forums, are already controlled by ideologically
impacted corporates, or that the participants, though meeting at the digital spheres, are only representing their offl ine traditional loyalties. For example, Campbell, through her proposals of viewing online communities as
networked communities, argues that digital interactions take place as part
of the offl ine community networked communications. One would thereby
argue that the digital publics are only extensions of offl ine publics, which,
more often than not, are suff ering from multiple forms of dominations,
exclusions and ascriptive hierarchies.
However, one would witness on digital spaces forums, data, hyperlinks
on matters public, etc. which augment the human yearning for participation in collective decision-making process. The well-known examples of
‘digitally’ organised political mobilisations (eg. Arab Spring, ecological
mobilisations, etc) are pointers to the positive functionings of digital public
spheres. That the ever-widening participation of the general populace in
political thinking goes with the digital mediation of data is a media-related
process which oftentimes is not openly acknowledged by us. One of the
well-known digital forums is the one for inter-religious dialogue. They play
an important role in contributing to inter-religious understanding, which
in turn, contributes to social harmony, a precious common good today.
An important concern that engages scholars while relating the digital
space to religion is the very possibility of fi nding religion in the digital space.
This is not to deny the millions and billions of religion-related data that we
fi nd online, nor even to deny the thousands of religious rituals which take
place in digital spaces. Even while acknowledging such ‘thick’ presence of
51
Христианство и глобальные сети
religion in the digital space, what emerges as a criticism is whether a genuine religious experience can take place through the mediation of digital
technology. The core of the contention is that religion, as religion, is an
experience of ‘revelation’, ‘disclosure of the divine’, ‘unconcelment of the
sacred’, etc. ‘Can digital technology, a human-made instrument, facilitate
the possibility of the divine disclosure’ is the question at hand. It seems
so often that the participants of digital religious spaces are drawn into the
almost real-like virtual / vi-real [2] experiences of the sacred, ‘forgetting’ in
a fundamental way the originary experiences of the divine.
Refl ecting upon this problematic, one would do well to remind oneself
of the deeply embedded prejudices of humanity, especially the religiouslyinclined humanity, towards ‘technology’ in general and the internet technology in particular. Religiously inclined persons throughout history, at
least a signifi cant section of them, have sought to distance themselves from
technological devices and facilities, and have shown hesitation to take to
advancing media technologies. However, it has also been the fact that religions, as traditions, as collective activities, have, sooner than later, taken to
the ever-improvising media-technologies. One would also do well to draw
an insight from Heidegger that technology as such (as found in the premodern context) is nothing but a human activity, which too manifest elements of revelation or disclosures. That Heidegger had diffi culty to fi nd the
experiences of revelation in modern technologies because of their ‘enframing’ character need not foreclose the possibility of religion and technology
encountering each other in a revelatory interface. One would do well to approach the digital space-religion interface in a dialectical manner, whereby
both digital technology and religion negate one another by way of paving
the way for new forms of technology-religion encounters of dis-enclosures.
Digital Public and Christianity
Relationship between Christianity and the digital public seem to occur
broadly in two ways: one, in a general manner of ‘going digital or virtual’,
and the other in a particular manner of ‘participating in online discussion /
debating forums’. The fi rst way of ‘going digital or virtual’ would include
multiple modes of engaging the digital space; It would include eff orts at
presenting online the Christian Faith heritage coming from the past and
resources being generated during the present times. It would mean pre-
52
Патрик Гнана. Резонансы «цифрового христианства». Исследование...
senting the Bible, theological writings, liturgical and spiritual traditions,
symbolic resources, history, etc. on the digital space in a public manner,
i.e. presenting them with the awareness that they are being placed in a public domain which goes with the radical possibilities of either reception or
rejection. It would mean making a substantive step to go over to the public
by way of opening the symbolic reserve of religious systems of signifi cations
to wider and multiple publics on the one hand, and opening up a volatile
vulnerability on the other. It is an initiative to move beyond the securities of
the intra-religious spheres of the Christian faith to meet the world at large
in a public manner.
The fi rst general way would further comprise of a performative dimension of Christianity. It means a digital performance of Christianity by way
of performing digital rituals (sacramental performances, prayers, meditations, bible reading and study, pilgrimages, etc.) and participation in digital
churches. These ways of participation branch off into ‘solely’ digital and
‘quasi’ digital modes: ‘solely digital’ would mean performing ritual practices only on digital spaces and be religiously satisfi ed with them; and, ‘quasi
digital’ would comprise at least of two ways — ‘primarily offl ine and secondarily digital’ performances or ‘primarily digital and secondarily offl ine’
performances. These general manners of performances, in terms of the
quantum of digital religious interactions, would be extremely high (when
assessed in terms of big data analytics), when compared to the offl ine religious interactions of Christians. It would be unprecedented when compared to the previous epochs of Christianity. These interactions, therefore,
bring Christianity to a new digital world of voluminous religious interactions. They also bring Christianity to a new world of simulation or virtuality, wherein many aspects of Christian faith and tradition get transformed
at least in terms of their experience. Celebration of sacraments, communitarian dimensions of being a church, spiritual traditions of pilgrimage, etc.
are some of the aspects where the transformations are more tangible
1
.
1
A virtual pilgrimage to Lourdes is a typical example of the transformations
taking place: http://lourdesvolunteers.org/what-is-a-virtual-pilgrimage/ (A Virtual
Pilgrimage Experience™ brings the actual experience of Lourdes virtually to you!
A Virtual Pilgrimage is a 90 minute prayerful experience of drawing nearer to God
in the company of Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Bernadette, made possible by the
technology of today to bring Lourdes to the parish “pilgrims” in every way possible
with — projected images of what pilgrims would see in Lourdes — music similar to
what pilgrims hear in Lourdes — a piece of the Grotto rock from Lourdes — pre-
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Христианство и глобальные сети
The other way of being public is more particular which happen through
the digital discussion and debating forums of Christianity. They are websites (blogs, videos, apps, etc) found under the very name of ‘Christian
Forums’ and under ‘inter-religious’ or ‘inter-faith’ dialogue forums. These
forums are public, approximating themselves closely to offl ine real-life
publics where discussion, dialogue, and debates take place to promote inter-religious understanding and to promote discursive participation of people in collective decision-making for common good. In a study on these
forums, I found at least three types among them.
When I googled ‘interreligious dialogue online forums’, it brought
about 0.67 million hits
1
. It is amazing! I undertook to visit and participate
in some of these forums. I found diff erent types of virtual public forums
existing in the virtual world. I categorise them into three types: Forum I,
II, and III.
Forums — Type I
There are websites which use the name ‘forum’, and are sponsored by
particular religious traditions, giving information and space for practice
of one particular religion only. Examples could be http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/ HINDUDHARMAFORUMS, http://www.forumforhinduawakening.org/ ‘Forum for Hindu Awakening’, https://www.gawaher.com/
Forums, https://www.worthychristianforums.com/ Worthy Christian Forum, etc. They host materials on their particular traditions, include testimonies and apologetics, and are intended for presenting their traditions.
They are ‘forums’ to the extent that they are interactive, in the sense that a
visitor can ask questions, clarify matters, etc., but not expected to express
a contrary view. Such forums are information rich, but lack in terms of the
dynamics of conversation, characteristic of an interreligious dialogue.
Islamic Forum, https://www.christianforums.com/ Christian
Forum Type II
The second type could be forums which are sponsored by particular
religious traditions, but, provide a space for dialogue, wherein a visitor
is allowed to express a diff erent or even opposite point of view. There is
cious water from the Grotto spring — Eucharistic blessing as in Lourdes — Candlelight
Rosary Procession).
1
Googled on 15 Feb 2021.
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Патрик Гнана. Резонансы «цифрового христианства». Исследование...
a level of dissent allowed. However, the diff erent or opposite views will be
moderated within the framework of the particular tradition that sponsors
the forum. Examples could be http://thehinduforum.com/index.php The
Hindu Forum, https://www.islamicity.org/forum/ IslamicCity Forum,
http://www.city-data.com/forum/christianity/ Christianity Forum — City
Data Forum, etc.
Forums Type III
These are forums which openly name themselves as interreligious forums to involve in interreligious discourse and learning. It provides resources for understanding diff erent others, and encourage to learn about
one another. They carry ‘common’ names like ‘beliefnet’, ‘bridge-builders’, etc. There is a clear orientation in these sites to study religions comparatively or even do comparative theology with ongoing mutual learning.
A good example of this type is: https://www.scarboromissions.ca/interfaith-dialogue/principles-and-guidelines-for-interfaith-dialogue.
I speak of digital public in an inclusive manner, including the abovementioned general and particular ways of digital participation. I treat them
inclusively because, as I mentioned above, taking to the digital space itself
acquires public attributes and then involving in digital dialogue or discussion forums make them specifi cally public, akin to offl ine public spheres.
Resonances of Christian Faith
What are some of the resonances of faith, transcendence, human,
world, sociality, etc. which get transmitted through the digital public are
questions which interest us here. To proceed further with the refl ection,
I would like to present a case-study of a particular website, hosted by a
church from south India.
Yesu Ennesar Church (YEN)
https://www.yesuennesar.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt4TH5oql2A
IVmAsrCh1FdQx8EAAYBCAAEgJ1D_D_BwE This is a website hosted
by an independent Pentecostal church, whose physical base is in Pondicherry, India. A self-descriptive caption in the website reads as: “Church
“Yesu En Nesar” is a large and friendly family where people with various
backgrounds, religious experiences, and diff erent characters are united by
55
Христианство и глобальные сети
the love of Christ, shared future, and desire to live a true Christian life.”
The Homepage of the website has a set of heads (home, I’m New, About
us, Connect, Giving, Blog, Contact) as pull-down menu, which takes a
visitor to further links and resources, which provide a glimpse into the
‘Online Yesu En Nesar Church’, as well as ‘Yesu En Nesar Church online’. The Homepage which is a multi-layered screen, fabricated with an
advanced software, begins with a grand caption “An Inclusive Community
for all who Believe in the Love and Spirit of Jesus”, goes on to off er help
for prayer, invites the visitor to join in to spread the love of Jesus, presents
a Church Forum with an invitation to join, and ends with a e-version of
the bible for free download. The website again self-describes itself as ‘our
church is a casual and multi-cultural environment, and we welcome you
the way you are blue, jeans or slacks; tattoos or piercing; every shape, colour and size’, and gives an open-ended understanding of the church in
the following words: “Many people understand the church as a building.
This is not the biblical understanding of the church. The word ‘church’
comes from the Greek word ‘ekklesia’ which is defi ned as an ‘assembly’ or
‘called-out ones’. The root meaning of the word is not that of building but
of people.” The website gives links under ‘Know God’, ‘Meet Jesus’, ‘Read
Bible’, ‘Get Baptized’, ‘Start Serving’, ‘Care and Prayer’, and gives a link
to connect in small groups.
Yesu En Nesar, with its highly advanced webcast, seems to organise the
church diff erently. Hierarchy, tradition, matrimony, migrant service, etc
are not to be found in its site. ‘An open invitation to anyone’, regardless of
traditional or ascrptive identities, but only to commit oneself in faith (God,
Jesus, scripture) and service is visible in the sites and links of this website.
There seems to be a borderlessness in this virtual Christian site; it off ers
Christianity as a possible choice of practice of faith and invites the visitor
to consider the possibility of conversion and commitment. This invitation
looks to be very germane to the sojourning contemporary world.
One is reminded of the Pauline vision of Christian faith. Paul took
Christianity beyond the borders in multiple ways — beyond the Palestinian
border, across the Mediterranian world, through the then established cities,
beyond the Jewish faith and Greek wisdom, but insisting on a radical universality of the human as new creation in Christ ‘whether master or slave,
Greek or Jew, male or female’ (Gal. 3: 28). Such theological universality
and egalitarianism of Christianity can be said to be resonating through this
and thousands of similar digital Churches.
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Патрик Гнана. Резонансы «цифрового христианства». Исследование...
Jean-Luc Marion’s insight on ‘saturated phenomenon’ helps us understand the revelatory dimension of these digital spaces. Dwelling upon
the distinction between ‘icon’ and ‘idol’, Marion inspiringly suggests to
open ourselves to the revelatory openings of Christian icons, given as gifts
of faith, as experiences given to us over and above the intentionalities of the
ever-constituting human self. Could we take it that a digital Church as this
serves as an icon and resonates the mystical union with Christ, conjoined
with a call for openness to all (a new community of radical equality)? This
is not to deny the presence of ‘idolatrous’ elements proposing themselves
in these spaces. For example, one would fi nd a number ‘Christian’ websites
which endeavour to strengthen certain ethnic ‘caste-based’ hegemonic ties
through stacking of vacuous symbols and traditions which remain kind of
‘poor phenomena’ as in the words of Marion. Heidi’s argument, mentioned above, of the online communities being only ‘extensions’ of offl ine
communities is in place here as a note of caution.
However, going by the positivity of digital Christian spaces, the public
dimensions of Christianity come up with resonances for the public world
today. As observed by Heiddeger, “Universalistic egalitarianism, from
which sprang the ideal of freedom and a collective life in solidarity, the
autonomous conduct of life and emancipation, the individual morality of
conscience, human rights and democracy, is the direct legacy of the Judaic
ethic of justice and the Christian ethic of love. This legacy, substantially
unchanged, has been the object of a continual critical re-appropriation and
reinterpretation” [17]. The digital world, with its characteristics and dynamics, has come to be the site as well as the habitat encountering which
Christianity has to continue to re-appropriate and reinterpret its heritage in
a public world. Its vitality will see it through its new epoch.
57
Христианство и глобальные сети
References
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on the Internet, ed. Lorne L. Dawson and Douglas E. Cowan, p. 107 —
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L. Dawson and Douglas E. Cowan, p. 75–89. Routledge, 2004.
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Андриянова Татьяна Владимировна,
канд. соц. наук, доцент, Курский государственный университет,
Курск, Россия
Andriyanova Tatyana,
PhD of sociology, Associate Professor, Kursk State University,
Kursk, Russia
q%ц,%*3ль23!…/е *%мм3…,*=ц,, ц,-!%"%г% %K?е“2"=
" “%"!еме……%L д3.%"…%L ме““е
(…= C!,ме!е &b%%!3›е……%г% чел%"е*=[ j. d›е…*,…“=)
Socio-cultural communication of the digital society
in the context of the spiritual mass
of j. Jenkins
&The Armed Man[
В статье раскрываются основные каналы социокультурной коммуникации
цифрового общества в контексте духовной мессы К. Дженкинса «Вооруженный человек» и других событий современной культуры. Методологической основой статьи являются работы П. Сорокина, М. Вебера, С. Лэша
и Дж. Урри. Выводы автора касаются характера трансформации духовных ценностей в ходе коммуникационного процесса, особенностей его про-
текания и тенденций его дальнейшего развития в современном мире.
The article reveals the main channels of socio-cultural communication of the digital society in the context of the spiritual mass of К. Jenkins «The Armed Man» and
other contemporary cultural events. The methodological basis of the article is the
work of P. Sorokin, M. Weber, S. Lash, and J. P. Sorokin. Urri. The author’s conclusions concern the nature of the transformation of spiritual values in the course
of the communication process, the peculiarities of its course and the trends of its
further development in the modern world.
сновной круг вопросов, волнующий исследователей цифрового
общества, можно определить четырьмя ключевыми проблемами.
Î
— Переизбыток информации в современном мире;
— тотальная коммерциализация информационных пространств;
— неравный доступ к цифровым контентам и услугам;
— слабая информационная грамотность основной части насе ления.
60
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