Finding God in a Digital World

Catalog description

TAUGHT BY JST. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our teaching and preaching is being mediated through information and computational technologies (ICTs). How do we authentically minister online, including worship and outreach? How do we appropriately communicate on social media with both our friends and our congregants? What responsibility do we have for the content we produce, consume or endorse on the Internet? And what do we make of the "digital divide" between technological "haves" and "have-nots," in both a local and global context? These questions bring into sharp relief the nature of embodied worship, communities of socialization, media bias, and national and global inequality. Revolving around the themes of wisdom, transcendence and justice, the focus of this course will be theological studies of ICTs broadly construed, including the role of ICTs and media in shaping our understandings and beliefs (fake news, social media groups, media bias); the function and use of ICTs in religious education and worship; and social ethics related to the use of ICTs. Course meets synchronously T & Th, 1/5/21-1/21/21, from 12:30pm-3pm.