Writing about technology becomes quickly outdated, because the digital landscape changes so quickly. For example, it was only at the end of 2022 that generative AI chatbots were made freely available to the public – signalling the beginning of significant changes not only in the education space (where I work), but in many industries.
Technology is always evolving. The only constant is that it is increasingly accessible. In 2016, 49% of the world’s population had a smartphone. Today, 86% of the world’s population has a smartphone, representing a substantial surge in global connectivity.
Through increased interconnectedness, it’s possible for the gospel to reach previously inaccessible corners of the global community. We can access incredible Christian and theological resources, participate in digital church when we can’t make it to a building, and participate in global conversations. Technology provides ways to deepen our relationship with God, and to build digital forms of community.
However, technology has its negatives. We risk living increasingly distracted lives fuelled by the dopamine hit of a like. The blurring of boundaries between the virtual and the real increases the danger of substituting digital interaction for real participation in community. Filling our lives with digital consumption – even things that are good and fuel our faith – can become a substitute for the real work of vulnerable discipleship which only takes place in regular, consistent community.
Matthew 22:34-40 gives us a helpful lens to apply when we consider how we can use technology in ways that deepen our discipleship and allow us to serve the world as representatives of Christ’s love.
In the first part of Matthew 22, the sneaky Pharisees and Sadducees plot how to entangle Jesus in trouble. They ask questions which they expect, depending on how he answers, will get Jesus in trouble either with the Jews or with the Roman leadership. Jesus, however, evades their traps. Finally, one of the Pharisees asks Jesus, “What is the greatest commandment in the Torah?” On the surface this seems like a fair question… but it is still an attempt to trap Jesus into choosing a side in the ongoing Jewish debate about what the most important commandment was.
Jesus answers with two commandments. First, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, is to love God with everything you have. Second, which he says is like the first, is to love your neighbour as yourself. Jesus points out that the whole of the Old Testament hangs on these two commandments, loving God and loving others. Love, in this sense, is not just a warm fuzzy feeling, but is instead living aligned with God’s ways.
This, I reckon, is a useful lens to apply to evaluating our use of technology as followers of Jesus.
I have experienced technology as a tool for discipleship in several ways. The most obvious over recent years has been the ability to participate in digital Christian community which became particularly important during the Covid lockdowns. My firstborn, Analiese, was born two months before the first lockdown in 2020. I had intended to spend maternity leave drinking coffee with my friends – but instead, we had to isolate at home. One of the rhythms that made a significant difference for our whānau was gathering for morning and evening prayers online with others from All Saints, creating a rhythm of digital prayer that helped both with loving God, and with loving others, creating a few minutes of connection with the saints each day. Even now, when we can’t make it to church because a child is sick, we’re able to join in online.
The digital world has also allowed me to continue to foster deep Christian friendships. Just this week, I have been in contact with friends from around New Zealand, from Australia, from the United States, and from Palestine. These relationships are of high formational value, involving mutually spurring each other on in faithfulness and discipleship, through email and Zoom and Messenger.
I’m aware, however, that technology also presents its own set of challenges. Some of these are easy to identify – for example, accessing material that exploits others and causes shame, such as pornography, or personal material which is shared without consent, or content which mocks others.
Other challenges are less obvious and more insidious. The most significant one is the challenge of presence and distraction. The companies that make our devices, and the content that we access on those devices, design them to be addictive. They want our hearts and our minds engaged with what is on the screen, rather than right in front of us… because when we’re looking at our screen, they profit. While this is not as obviously problematic as watching pornography (for example), distraction is a very real problem because of how subtle it is. Again, applying our lens of loving God and loving others, distraction is problematic for living a fully engaged life of faith where we are pursuing God and seeking to serve others.
If that’s the case, we might have some work to do to ensure that things are well ordered in our lives as followers of Jesus.
Here are some questions that you might wish to reflect on:
In response to your reflection, take action:
If you have identified that there are areas you could change your use of technology in, identify one concrete way to respond. Look for something which you can put into action for the next week, and then evaluate.
Some examples of practical steps might include:
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
Writing about technology becomes quickly outdated, because the digital landscape changes so quickly. For example, it was only at the end of 2022 that generative AI chatbots were made freely available to the public – signalling the beginning of significant changes not only in the education space (where I work), but in many industries.
Technology is always evolving. The only constant is that it is increasingly accessible. In 2016, 49% of the world’s population had a smartphone. Today, 86% of the world’s population has a smartphone, representing a substantial surge in global connectivity.
Through increased interconnectedness, it’s possible for the gospel to reach previously inaccessible corners of the global community. We can access incredible Christian and theological resources, participate in digital church when we can’t make it to a building, and participate in global conversations. Technology provides ways to deepen our relationship with God, and to build digital forms of community.
However, technology has its negatives. We risk living increasingly distracted lives fuelled by the dopamine hit of a like. The blurring of boundaries between the virtual and the real increases the danger of substituting digital interaction for real participation in community. Filling our lives with digital consumption – even things that are good and fuel our faith – can become a substitute for the real work of vulnerable discipleship which only takes place in regular, consistent community.
Matthew 22:34-40 gives us a helpful lens to apply when we consider how we can use technology in ways that deepen our discipleship and allow us to serve the world as representatives of Christ’s love.
In the first part of Matthew 22, the sneaky Pharisees and Sadducees plot how to entangle Jesus in trouble. They ask questions which they expect, depending on how he answers, will get Jesus in trouble either with the Jews or with the Roman leadership. Jesus, however, evades their traps. Finally, one of the Pharisees asks Jesus, “What is the greatest commandment in the Torah?” On the surface this seems like a fair question… but it is still an attempt to trap Jesus into choosing a side in the ongoing Jewish debate about what the most important commandment was.
Jesus answers with two commandments. First, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, is to love God with everything you have. Second, which he says is like the first, is to love your neighbour as yourself. Jesus points out that the whole of the Old Testament hangs on these two commandments, loving God and loving others. Love, in this sense, is not just a warm fuzzy feeling, but is instead living aligned with God’s ways.
This, I reckon, is a useful lens to apply to evaluating our use of technology as followers of Jesus.
I have experienced technology as a tool for discipleship in several ways. The most obvious over recent years has been the ability to participate in digital Christian community which became particularly important during the Covid lockdowns. My firstborn, Analiese, was born two months before the first lockdown in 2020. I had intended to spend maternity leave drinking coffee with my friends – but instead, we had to isolate at home. One of the rhythms that made a significant difference for our whānau was gathering for morning and evening prayers online with others from All Saints, creating a rhythm of digital prayer that helped both with loving God, and with loving others, creating a few minutes of connection with the saints each day. Even now, when we can’t make it to church because a child is sick, we’re able to join in online.
The digital world has also allowed me to continue to foster deep Christian friendships. Just this week, I have been in contact with friends from around New Zealand, from Australia, from the United States, and from Palestine. These relationships are of high formational value, involving mutually spurring each other on in faithfulness and discipleship, through email and Zoom and Messenger.
I’m aware, however, that technology also presents its own set of challenges. Some of these are easy to identify – for example, accessing material that exploits others and causes shame, such as pornography, or personal material which is shared without consent, or content which mocks others.
Other challenges are less obvious and more insidious. The most significant one is the challenge of presence and distraction. The companies that make our devices, and the content that we access on those devices, design them to be addictive. They want our hearts and our minds engaged with what is on the screen, rather than right in front of us… because when we’re looking at our screen, they profit. While this is not as obviously problematic as watching pornography (for example), distraction is a very real problem because of how subtle it is. Again, applying our lens of loving God and loving others, distraction is problematic for living a fully engaged life of faith where we are pursuing God and seeking to serve others.
If that’s the case, we might have some work to do to ensure that things are well ordered in our lives as followers of Jesus.
Here are some questions that you might wish to reflect on:
In response to your reflection, take action:
If you have identified that there are areas you could change your use of technology in, identify one concrete way to respond. Look for something which you can put into action for the next week, and then evaluate.
Some examples of practical steps might include:
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
