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Faith communities and their leaders need help navigating the changing landscape of communication in America today. What’s the latest social media trend? Will it last? How do I use YouTube? Should I podcast or not? What does it all mean?
Some pastors are experimenting with blogging, Facebook, and Twitter, while others avoid the Internet out of caution for the unintended complications that sometimes accompany social media—like the post-worship parking lot gossip that used to dissipate by noon, but now zips through cyber-space for weeks! Some pastors would rather rely on print newsletters to keep people informed, while others are tweeting prayer requests to ever larger circles. Is it all for better or for worse?
The New Media Project at Union Theological Seminary is a two-year research oriented project involving six research fellows who are conducting case studies; interviewing experts in social media, congregational ministry, theology, and journalism; collecting and sharing research online; and commenting on it regularly via blog posts. The project is generously supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment.
Our purpose is to help the church interpret theologically the massive changes in communication and technology occurring today, and to create a constructive framework to help pastors and religious leaders employ new digital media in ways that strengthen faith communities. Read the blog posts for more of our hunches and ideas about all of this.
For more information and to read about the case studies and researchers, please visit the Project's website.
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