After reading an article I was really impressed with how the Church recognizes the need to meet people where they are and if it is through social networks then that is where we go. The vehicle changes, but the message stays the same and we have to be willing to let that vehicle change.
"Faith, in fact, always penetrates, enriches, exalts and invigorates culture, while culture in turn offers faith a vehicle for expression -- namely its language." Church leaders must be aided in becoming able to "interpret and speak the new language of the mass media" for their pastoral work.
"Just as Jesus was able to effectively communicate God's word with parables involving pastures and sheep, the church needs to discover modern day metaphors that will capture the attention and hearts of today's tech-savvy men and women." Communication needs to be "truly human" and based on spiritual values and meaning. Christians can help the digital realm by "opening up new horizons of meaning and values that the digital culture is not able to indicate or represent by itself." "That would mitigate some of the risks present in today's digital communication such as the loss of inner reflection, superficial relationships, wallowing in emotionalism, and the prevalence of persuasive opinions over the truth."
The most popular social networks right now are Twitter, Facebook and blogging hybrids such as Tumblr and Posterous. Right here and now there is a mission. Different than we would have ever imagined years ago, but in our day and age there is a mission within these social networks and it is a mission field that needs to be filled. The message is the same we are just jumping into a new vehicle meeting people right where they are.
Article:
Authentically proclaim Gospel in tech-savy world by Carol Glatz and quotes from Pope Benedict
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