According to Tom Ferguson, the Episcopal Church’s associate deputy for ecumenical relations, religion not only has a distinct role in technology, but technology also can be vital in shaping religious communities. In his role in the office of interfaith relations at the Episcopal Church, Ferguson has access to demographic details about what he characterizes as a new kind of digital divide. In an exclusive interview with TechNewsWorld, Ferguson talked about the future of religion and technology — and what he views as their joint role in the survival of humanity.
I enjoyed reading this article, I think its a very interesting discussion. My profession is assistant technical director at a large non-denominational church outside DC. I agree there are many benefits and benefits that we, meaning the church, can fully benefit from.
I found the statement, "Religion has to embrace technology or die" interesting however. I wish I could better understand the context behind the author's statement. The interview was short, and the statement felt hyperbolic. In any case, from what I gathered it raises some questions for me.
The statement is a short answer to a question that was not asked, "What is necessary for the further development and survival of religion?" And according to what I'm hearing, the answer is undoubtedly technology. For me, that begs the question, "What does religion itself say(and if I can be more specific Christianity because Dr Ferguson is Episcopalian) about what is necessary for its survival, continuance, and effectiveness, irrespective of generational barriers or technological accommodation?"
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Technology and Religion: An Interview with the Episcopal Church’s Tom Ferguson
Posted by: Kirk L. Kroeker March 9, 2004 10:04 AMAccording to Tom Ferguson, the Episcopal Church’s associate deputy for ecumenical relations, religion not only has a distinct role in technology, but technology also can be vital in shaping religious communities. In his role in the office of interfaith relations at the Episcopal Church, Ferguson has access to demographic details about what he characterizes as a new kind of digital divide. In an exclusive interview with TechNewsWorld, Ferguson talked about the future of religion and technology — and what he views as their joint role in the survival of humanity.
I found the statement, "Religion has to embrace technology or die" interesting however. I wish I could better understand the context behind the author's statement. The interview was short, and the statement felt hyperbolic. In any case, from what I gathered it raises some questions for me.
The statement is a short answer to a question that was not asked, "What is necessary for the further development and survival of religion?" And according to what I'm hearing, the answer is undoubtedly technology. For me, that begs the question, "What does religion itself say(and if I can be more specific Christianity because Dr Ferguson is Episcopalian) about what is necessary for its survival, continuance, and effectiveness, irrespective of generational barriers or technological accommodation?"
Any thoughts?