Two or Three Gathered Online: Asian and European Responses to COVID-19 and the Digital Church

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rapid increase in the use of digital technology by Christian communities worldwide. This paper offers a cross-continental analysis of how churches in Asia (Hong Kong and Singapore) and Europe (the United Kingdom and Sweden) understand and choos...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in world christianity
Authors: Chow, Alexander (Author) ; Kurlberg, Jonas 1978- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Edinburgh Univ. Press [2020]
In: Studies in world christianity
RelBib Classification:CB Christian life; spirituality
KBE Northern Europe; Scandinavia
KBF British Isles
KBM Asia
ZG Media studies; Digital media; Communication studies
Further subjects:B Covid-19
B Digital church
B Contextual Theology
B Internet
B Missio Dei
B digital technology
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
Volltext (Verlag)
Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rapid increase in the use of digital technology by Christian communities worldwide. This paper offers a cross-continental analysis of how churches in Asia (Hong Kong and Singapore) and Europe (the United Kingdom and Sweden) understand and choose to implement (or resist) online services or Mass. Undoubtedly, there are practical reasons behind differences which can be observed, such as the technological readiness found amongst church leadership and laity, and past experiences of public health crises, such as the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak. However, accompanying these developments are debates around the theological implications of digitising church ministries, and the general concern that the digital church is somehow not ‘church’ or, even, not ‘Christian’. Different contextual perspectives help us to understand that the digital church offers a new dimension of the church embodied and, therefore, one that has the potential to live out the missio Dei within and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
ISSN:1750-0230
Contains:Enthalten in: Studies in world christianity
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.3366/swc.2020.0311