In an article this morning on InsideCatholic, I riff a bit on a thesis by Richard Beck. He argues that digital social networking is taking over the social function of church attendance. I argue that he might be right and this makes the case for reclaiming those aspects of faith that the digital world cannot duplicate, namely theological and liturgical tradition:
Excerpt:
The digital age offers a profound challenge to religious believers who continue to desire that the faithful gather to praise God. The Church has served other purposes as well, and this is all to the good. But to the extent that these are not theological and liturgical purposes, they are in danger of being displaced.
Many Catholic thinkers and writers have for decades chosen to emphasize the communal and social aspects of the liturgy over its theological dimension. This comes through in their recommendation of music that “people like” and “can sing” with gusto. The presider should be friendly and accessible, like your best friend. Homilies should be upbeat and funny. We must greet our neighbors and extend a hand of friendship, dragging out the “sign of peace” as long as possible.
This perspective now faces a serious problem. What is it that the Church offers uniquely? Here we must embrace a deeper understanding of why we gather: not only the traditional teaching concerning the Real Presence, but also the traditional liturgical structure that makes that awareness an integral part of the experience at Mass. This goes for music, vestments, architecture, and every other aspect of liturgical life.
The world is crying out for sacred space, and there is little that the digital world can do to create that. There is nothing that the digital world can do to create the Real Presence of Christ. This is the “app” that the Catholic Church offers, and it is a very serious matter because it deals with eternal, immortal things.
The Church does have something unique to offer, even and especially in the digital age. But if we do not embrace the liturgical forms that underscore that unique offering, we are as much in danger as Professor Beck suggests. Facebook may indeed kill the touchy-feely form of Catholicism that many have urged on us for decades. Community feeling will not fill the pews in the future. However, re-embracing ritual, solemnity, and truth will.
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I have read this and I understand his point, although he tends to shroud it without coming out and making his point clear.
Am I correct in understanding that he is saying that the Church needs to get out of the business of trying to be a touchy-feely social network club because it simply can't compete? I'm with him on that! But at times in the essay, it also seems as though he is saying that the main reason that people come to Church is for social contact. I disagree… that may be the assumption that some Churches base their liturgical decisions on, but it isn't the reason. That is simply a false assumption that is made, and it's what drives the various "Teen Mass" attempts, "Contemporary Worship" attempts and the like. they are all founded on trying to appeal to the prishioners likes and dislikes. That's what needs to be changed…
Amen, Chironomo! Although unthinkable, if tomorrow the Catholic Church repudiated the doctrine of the Real Presence, I would stop going to Church. I can find sociable nice people at my Country Club. Best, Tom
Jeffrey's point is not that the main reason that people come to church is for social contact, but that the social aspect has been promoted as more important than it should be. I remember being told in a homily that what we do in the garden (drink coffee, schmooz) is more important that what we do here in church.
But it is in church that there is the Real Presence, and yet it is more: we not only experience the Real Presence, we receive Him. All the intimacy of facebook contact pales, when wh have person-to-person contact with Our Lord Himself. Perhaps we do not always make the most of it, but this is the most unique social contact there is.
I think the YouTube Catholic is an even greater phenomenon. Attend the church or denomination of your choice and you're an instant parishioner. If the sermon is boring, just switch to another broadcast.
I do see the Church eventually permitting Catholics to fulfill their Sunday Mass obligation via the internet. Not in my lifetime perhaps, but it is coming. Hosts will be mailed to you for reception each Sunday or holy day of obligaton, or a virtual host will just appear in front of you.
Usually, I don't put much stock in grand theories based upon the growing popularity and use of high tech. People in the 40s and 50s thought TV coverage of church services would sound the death knell to attendance. The same with the age of the crystal set and radio. As you can see, it never happened.
chiron, I can't imagine how you or anyone could mistake my point. Mahrt of course is precisely right. I suppose I could have opened the article by saying: break out the chant, incense, organ, Latin, and fetching vestments because otherwise the Millennials will not come to Church and instead will stay home updating their match.com profiles.
I could have written it that way I guess. sometimes people tell me that I overestimate the reader's intelligence.
JT, now you're sounding like Todd. Not smart.
I'm mystified by this last comment. If you care to explain it in private, please write me.
Jeffrey, don't bother (as you've often said to me)unless you want a dressing down from…well…
I read the original article at the author's site, which is an interesting, novel take on modern "religiosity." But ho hum…
Unless I watched a different version, "The Social Network" efficiently portrayed that the phenomenon that is "Facebook" etc. at best can establish, or re-establish relationships that are either two-dimensional or illusory at best, in and of itself. And the cost for most, as suggested by the film, may be so high that not even 25 Billion net worth could compensate for the lost of friendship. (Again see first reading for today, Sirach.)
I offer into testimony that I have established many profound relationships through listserves, forums and blogs over two decades, most notably those "names" I first encountered at MS Forum. But, those relationships do NOT become "friendship" until they are grounded in a real time, face to face, 3D encounter.
As long as a relationship remains abstract, or conceptual, it remains incomplete. There can be no communion, small C emphasis.
But, the wonder of networking in cyberspace isn't in "CyberChurch" or Match.com, it's in the unveiling of a new door, or window if you prefer, through which a human relationship becomes physically mutual and necessary, ie. kinship.
The more we hide behind the convenience of this medium alone, the more degraded we become in terms of valuing the dignity of true human interactions. We cannot help then but become a reflection of the superficiality of this medium.
Credo: the internet cannot convey sacraments, only concepts of sacrality.
The social network, like nets for fishing and spider webs, do indeed catch and trap stuff. But unlike Peter, James, Andrew and John, who were called by Jesus to catch and release souls to communion and freedom, these webs and nets catch souls for consumption and numbers.
As Liam often says, "Good luck with that."
Jeffrey…
I apologize… I think there was some confusion here because I read another article about this same subject that was on my Catholic World News feed. Was this the article by Beck? I thought that was the article on which you were commenting. It was that article that I had trouble discerning what the point was… he seemed to be saying that social contact WAS the function of the Church. I disagree with that point.
Anyway… I was not besmirching your article.
Yes, that was his point but of course he is writing from a protestant perspective. My point was to add the Catholic point of view. I could have been much more stark about it but I decided to make the focus the problem of community obsessed liturgy in the Catholic church.