The Church and New Media

Yesterday, my local newspaper--the Orlando Sentinel--featured a lengthy piece (on its front page!) on New Media and the Church, specifically the Catholic Church in Orlando. The newspaper must have been spying on my notes and thoughts over the past months, for I've been thinking about and studying the relationship between New Media and the Church a great deal lately.

Pope Benedict XVI talked a great deal at the latest World Communications Day about New Media (blogs, interactive websites, social networking sites, Youtube, etc.). He essentially told priests that, "It is not enough, today, to simply 'be online'. You need more." Today's 20-and-30-somethings (the Millennial generation and Generation X, respectively) spend the majority of their days connected to media; if that's where they are, then that is where the love of God must permeate.

I've been aiming to bring a stronger emphasis on New Media to my local church, but I was advised first to seek out the Diocese's policies regarding such efforts. So, much to my chagrin, the Sentinel actually lists out some of the Diocese of Orlando's policies on New Media, which were finalized a few months ago. The policies, unfortunately, have some flaws that really discourage me. They say "No" to blogs, "No" to Facebook pages or groups with comments, and "No" to the ability for people to share links/comments (outside of 'administrators'). These are rather strict policies, even when compared to other Dioceses, as far as I know. They're essentially saying "No" both to the "social" and "networking" part of "social networking". When the Sentinel asked the Diocese policy-maker why their New Media policies are so strict, she essentially said, "Because those are our policies."

The Internet is changing drastically, and most people between 20 and 40 are riding the wave. Ten years ago, the norm was what is now called "Web 1.0". This was a one-way communication of information (go to this site, Google this fact, find out this church's Mass times, etc.). However, as a facet of "New Media", "Web 2.0" is two-way dialogue. This is what people in my generation crave; interaction with authors, bloggers, and online communities. People don't just want to read information, they want to comment on it, dialogue about it, and share with others what they've learned/discovered. People don't want to just read a blog from the church or its pastor (though even that would be better than what most church communities offer); they want to respond, comment, question, and dialogue. They want videos, links, stories, and creative websites that express the artistry, beauty, and social life of God himself. In short, they crave community.

I surely understand the content concerns of the Diocese, but creative solutions should be proposed--and I have some ideas--instead of muzzling the whole thing.

If the Church is serious about attracting drifting young adults back to Jesus and his Church, they need to meet them where they are at; and they are on the "digital continent"--as Pope Benedict XVI describes it--of the "Web 2.0" world.

Jesus says, "Cast out into the deep!". We need to do more than splash around in the shallows of the online world.

(So, there's my rant. I'm reading a couple of things that have contributed to these stirrings on young-adults and New Media in the Church. I will review them soon!)