Despite the influence of traditional cultural values and the composite character of information technologies, the global embrace of internet technologies in the contemporary context has reconfigured the fabric of every society, its culture and spirituality. But scholarly investigation into the intentional use of these technologies for religious purposes has regrettably been modest and disproportionate. This study is an attempt to respond to the thesis that adaptation to ICT use in religion has significant ministerial advantages but limited by gender, income, and educational gaps. Building upon qualitative methodology, the paper examines how technology is appropriated to support religious activities and practices.
Despite the influence of traditional cultural values and the composite character of information technologies, the global embrace of internet technologies in the contemporary context has reconfigured the fabric of society, its culture and spirituality as salvific and emancipatory. But scholarly investigation into the intentional use of these technologies for religious purposes has regrettably been modest and disproportionate. It has been argued that religious groups from all traditions have today begun to explore the possibilities of having a presence in virtual reality. This argument’s corollary is that, given the shift in the social context of religious activities and the endless possibilities of interactivity and connectivity of ICT in shaping development and globalization, influencing orientation of social change and improving human life conditions, adaptation to these new tools in religious marketplace for ministry and spiritual activities in the 21st century is no longer luxury but revolutionary for religious growth and dissemination. This study is however an attempt to respond to these theses. Drawing upon extensive contemporary research, and supported with qualitative methodology, the paper examines how technology is appropriated to support religious activities and practices. The methodology will include ethnographic interview, focused group discussion and participant observation. This exploratory study tries to argue on the theoretical mindset that the space in which religious life happens can be expanded technologically for the good of mankind.
The use of Internet technologies has today taken “congregational life” beyond the mundane and the physical limits of the weekend assembly. With an insight provided into the understanding of the independent layers of ICT utilization and application for religious activities, a criterion on what should constitute appropriate approach toward ICT usage is thus supplied. The findings of this study however have a significant implication for cumulative research on the subject of techno-spiritual communication.
