A.ngel.us

Burke Ingraffia 3 March 2010 Church Documents, Featured One Comment

Communication is an essential part of Christianity.  We are taught that we can become united to God through our faith in Jesus and united to each other as the body of Christ.  The Internet is a tool that can be used for communication with one another and thus is a proper object of study for Christians.  It can be used for evil, but it ought to be used for good.

In 2002 the Catholic Church’s Pontifical Council for Social Communications published two documents titled, “The Church and the Internet” and “Ethics in Internet” which discuss this very topic.

The Church and the Internet

In general, the Church has a very positive outlook on the Internet and its possibilities as a tool to promote peace and justice in the world.  Pope John Paul, in his 2001 address on the 35th World Communications Day said:

“Catholics should not be afraid to throw open the doors of social communications to Christ, so that his Good News may be heard from the housetops of the world”

The document discusses opportunities and challenges that the Internet presents to us. The opportunities include access to the world of religious and spiritual resources, such as libraries, museums, and bringing people in contact with other like-minded people.  The Internet can be utilized in efforts of evangelization, helping others find the peace of Christ in their lives.  The Internet allows for a “two-way” Christian communication by which a large amount of people can participate in direct and immediate way. One of the reasons for this website, A.ngel.us, is to create an online community of Web developers who can assist in the teaching and guidance of the Church, both religious and laity, who wish to understand the many technologies that are available.

The down side of the Internet, the document goes on to say, is the misinformation and hate sites that communicate lies and darkness.  There are many websites that do not present the healthy fullness of reality nor a truthful portrayal of Church teachings.  Most importantly, the Internet does not provide us with the full breadth of human experience and physical human contact.

“Virtual reality is no substitute for the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the sacramental reality of the other sacraments, and shared worship in a flesh-and-blood human community. There are no sacraments on the Internet; and even the religious experiences possible there by the grace of God are insufficient apart from real-world interaction with other persons of faith.”

The Catholic Church officially makes the declaration “that people at all levels of the Church use the Internet creatively to meet their responsibilities and help fulfill the Church’s mission. Hanging back timidly from fear of technology or for some other reason is not acceptable, in view of the very many positive possibilities of the Internet.”

Ethics in Internet

This related document focuses on the ethical component of Internet use. “Media of communication that can be used for the good of persons and communities can be used to exploit, manipulate, dominate, and corrupt.”

The end purpose of the Internet, as with all other media and tools of communication, is the community of human persons.  Any use of the Internet that does not bolster the virtuous development of persons and the common good is to be avoided. It is up to those of us who have an understanding of technologies to assist those members of the Church who do not.

We can use the Internet to strengthen the human bond against transnational corporations who do not have justice as a priorities and tyrannical governments.  Global intercultural dialogue is a powerful tool to foster peace in the world, and so we must be diligent about keeping a communicative eye on the powers that be.

Conclusion

As Catholic web developers, we have an opportunity staring us in the face.  We have this very useful nascent technology with virtually endless possibilities.  We need to help each other build and strengthen a community, teach other people of faith the best and most secure practices of using the Internet, and make the online experience a thing of beauty, goodness, truth, and oneness.

To read the full texts, click on the links below:

“The Church and the Internet”

“Ethics in Internet”