SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

COM422X: CHRISTIANITY AND MEDIA

FINAL PROJECT

SUBMITTED BY:

COLLINS MANYA 21-1712

SUBMITTED TO:

MADAM ROSALIA OMUNGO

DAYSTAR UNIVERSITY

11TH DECEMBER 2023

Thesis statement: The influence of media and technology on Christianity has resulted in an era of

transformation, reshaping religious practices and Christian community relations, creating both

opportunities for global outreach of Christianity, as well as profound challenges to traditional Christian

beliefs

Purpose statement: The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze the influence of media and

technology on Christianity, exploring how digital advancements have impacted religious practices and

shaped community relations. By examining the relationship between technology and Christianity, this

study seeks to provide insights into the benefits and disadvantages that technology has had on Christianity

as well as how Christianity has changed as a result of technological advancements

Intro

The interaction between media and technology and Christianity is complex. This is because

when religion started technology and media did not exist in the way it does today. It is a

relationship that is ever changing, with the development of new technologies and the change of

people’s attitudes toward said technologies. In this context, exploring the effects of media and

technology on Christianity is crucial for understanding the evolving dynamics between ancient

religious traditions and the rapidly advancing tools of the information age. It also serves to help

us better understand the role of Christianity in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

The effects of technology and media on Christianity: Blessing or a curse

A good place to start would be determining whether or not technology and media has had more

positive than negative impacts on Christianity as a whole. When it comes to benefits, they mostly

revolve around the fact that technology and media have made it possible to spread the word to a
worldwide audience. In the past, passing word by mouth was the only way to spread the gospel,

but in the modern world, this has been enhanced by the use of the internet and mass media.

Churches can now conduct tv crusades that can reach millions of people worldwide. There is also

the rising use of YouTube and social media to spread the word to millions more on the internet

and social media.

Technology has made it easier to access information on Christianity anywhere and anytime.

There are multiple bible applications that anyone with a smartphone can download and read,

enabling people to easily grow in faith and those seeking knowledge to find it. The internet also

allows access to the experiences of other Christians worldwide which broadens our perspectives

and helps us become better Christians

Wycliffe bible translators, the non-profit organization that translate the bible to other languages

says that in the next 50 years, the bible will be translated to virtually every language on earth.

This achievement would ofcourse not be possible without the help of modern technology.

Finally, digital advancements have made it possible to conduct virtual sermons for situations

where people cannot physically go to church. For example, during the pandemic, the internet was

instrumental in continuing church sermons in light of the ban on gatherings. In Britain two men,

Simon Jenkins and Steve Goddard, started an online church called the “Church of Fools”. It is

meant to cater to people with physical disabilities that may struggle to attend church sermons.

Visitors can make an online avatar to represent them in the virtual church. This enables them to

listen to sermons and virtually attend church when they find it difficult to physically go.

While technology has offered all these benefits to the church, it has also been the source of a lot

of challenges facing Christianity and has caused Christianity to change sometimes for the worse.
Technology has displaced traditional culture for example traditional methodology such as

preaching have been transformed by newer means to appeal to the modern Christian. Some

churched resort to gimmicks like comedy and slapstick to spice up their sermons. This has

compromised Christian’s sense of what is considered appropriate behavior in the eyes of God.

Furthermore, technology and media have distorted our values. Previously we modelled our

behavior on the people around us. Society wasn’t very perverse, adults acted in a morally upright

manner so as to set a good example and young people copied from this good example. Now we

are in an era where we model our behavior from the media we consume, from movies, to music

to tv shows. These don’t always portray behaviors that would be considered morally sound by

the church therefore leading to the proliferation of drug use, premarital sex, tattoos and indecent

clothing.

Technology has also made the modern worship experience one of isolation and entertainment

through virtual sermons and exiting gimmicks as opposed to the traditional worship experience

emphasizing reverence, community and togetherness.

Lastly technology has created a myriad of distractions for us to burry ourselves in. social media,

television shows, movies and video games. All these serves as distractions pulling us away from

our own spiritual growth and our service to the Lord

It is difficult to say overall whether technology and media have been more beneficial than

harmful to Christianity. Technological advancements have made it easier to spread the gospel,

but they have conversely made it harder for people to be better Christians.

Biblical perspective
The bible does not explicitly term technology as an evil. Technology is a tool like any other and

scriptures show that a tool can be used for good or for bad. Even if a tool is used for evil, that

does not make the tool itself evil.

There are many instances in the bible where technology was employed. Even Jesus used the

technology of the time as a carpenter working with tools. God is definitely not against

technology but calls us to use it for his glory and for good (1 Cor. 10:31 So whether you eat or

drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God)

While the bible does not explicitly talk about modern technology, our own knowledge of the

scripture guides us to use technology for the glory of God, for our own good and the good of

others. Technology cannot simply be rejected and demonized nor can we mindlessly accept and

use it, we need to be critical of it and understand that it should be used as a force for good for

mankind.
References

Sims, D. B. (2005). The effect of technology on Christianity: Blessing or curse.

Murray D (2013) How technology made me a better Christian derived from

https://headhearthand.org/blog/2013/05/03/how-technology-made-me-a-better-christian/

Thacker J. (2020) What does the Bible say about technology? Derived from
https://jasonthacker.com/2020/03/30/what-does-the-bible-say-about-technology/#:~:text=Nowhere%20in
%20Scripture%20is%20a,people%20choose%20to%20use%20it.

https://get.tithe.ly/blog/technology-in-the-bible#:~:text=Technology%20must%20be%20redeemed
%20for,even%20mindlessly%20accepted%20and%20used.