Research on New Media and Churches

[lywbeverly]

Hi!

I am a PhD student from Nanyang Technological University School of Communication and Information (Singapore), and am doing a paper on how media convergence has established a new sphere for religious participation for churches, and the future potential of using new media as a new sphere for religious communication.

I hope that you could help me by answering a few essential questions that will be very useful for the research.

These are the questions:

1. In your knowledge, what are the different media platforms that your church has used to spread teachings, deliver viewing of rituals or services, or conduct prayers/learning sessions? (Examples of media platforms are mobile device, cable TV, satellite TV, IPTV, and the Internet).

2. Does your church provide live video/audio streaming of religious activities or engage interactive media to engage member’s participation? Please elaborate.

3. What do you think of the idea of conducting service, rituals and blessings over the Internet through different media?

4. What do you think of the idea of having religious participation facilitated by media (Examples are online participation of rituals or attending a service by viewing a TV screen)?

5. Have you ever viewed any live webcast/broadcast of rituals? If so, do you consider yourself as an observer or participant of the rituals? And, why?

6. Do the senses of taste, smell, touch and feelings of the environment play an important role in the practice of the religion? And, why?

7. Do you think it is possible to perceive energy such as blessing and healing power via media platforms (An example is receiving healing power from them by putting a hand on a TV screen)? Have you experienced that before? Please elaborate.

8. Do you think it is possible for followers to perceive the "charisma" of religious leaders via media platforms? Have you experienced that before? Please elaborate.

9. In your opinion, what are the strengths/limitations of using media as a sacred/holy space for religious participation?


Name (Optional):

Age (Optional):

Gender:

Country:

Name of church:

Role/Position in the church:

Email address:


Thank you for your kind assistance!


Warmest Regards,
Beverly Low

[Vanguard]

Hi!

I am a PhD student from Nanyang Technological University School of Communication and Information (Singapore), and am doing a paper on how media convergence has established a new sphere for religious participation for churches, and the future potential of using new media as a new sphere for religious communication.

I hope that you could help me by answering a few essential questions that will be very useful for the research.

These are the questions:

1. In your knowledge, what are the different media platforms that your church has used to spread teachings, deliver viewing of rituals or services, or conduct prayers/learning sessions? (Examples of media platforms are mobile device, cable TV, satellite TV, IPTV, and the Internet).

2. Does your church provide live video/audio streaming of religious activities or engage interactive media to engage member’s participation? Please elaborate.

3. What do you think of the idea of conducting service, rituals and blessings over the Internet through different media?

4. What do you think of the idea of having religious participation facilitated by media (Examples are online participation of rituals or attending a service by viewing a TV screen)?

5. Have you ever viewed any live webcast/broadcast of rituals? If so, do you consider yourself as an observer or participant of the rituals? And, why?

6. Do the senses of taste, smell, touch and feelings of the environment play an important role in the practice of the religion? And, why?

7. Do you think it is possible to perceive energy such as blessing and healing power via media platforms (An example is receiving healing power from them by putting a hand on a TV screen)? Have you experienced that before? Please elaborate.

8. Do you think it is possible for followers to perceive the "charisma" of religious leaders via media platforms? Have you experienced that before? Please elaborate.

9. In your opinion, what are the strengths/limitations of using media as a sacred/holy space for religious participation?


Name (Optional):

Age (Optional):

Gender:

Country:

Name of church:

Role/Position in the church:

Email address:


Thank you for your kind assistance!


Warmest Regards,
Beverly Low

Welcome, Beverly Low. I'm not particularly adept with technology but I will attempt to answer your questions:

1) See below.

2) We, the LDS faith, every six months watch on the BYU channel the live sessions of General Conference. As a matter of fact, there are several occasions when the leadership speaks through "live stream" to the membership throughout the world. To my knowledge, there are no "interactvie" technologies used.

3) Based only on the examples I am aware of, I think it is a great idea as I can also access these General Conference sessions on the internet. I am not familiar with any forum in the LDS faith where "rituals" or "blessings" are conducted.

4) At the world-wide level, I think it's a great idea. At the local congregational level I don't think as much. A main point of religious observance is to interact with other congregants throughout the week. Staying at home every Sunday would defeat this purpose.

5) I've never seen a "ritual".

6) All of these play their part expecially within the context of taking the Sacrament. Of course, the opportunity to shake hands, embrace, and the like is lost without being there.

7) Interesting question. My faith does not conduct healings over the TV. I have never sought out after such experiences. As such, I don't have a powerful opinion either way.

8) Absolutely, though there isn't much "charisma" during a General Conference session! The leadership IMO by design seek to eliminate the more extreme "feeling" experiences. The belief is that if the Spirit is present the observers will feel this. No need to "whip" everyone into a frenzy as it were.

9) As I've already stated, in certain contexts it is fantastic and quite needed when the particular religion is a world-wide effort.

Good luck on your paper. Should you desire further commentary, you can certainly pm me.

[micatala]

Beverly.

Welcome to the forum.

I appreciate your work on this project and that you would think our site worthy of collectin information from. I should, however, as a moderator point you to the rules. In particular, the debate sections of the forum are for that purpose, rather than for collecting information, asking questions of the members, or having discussions. For now, I will move this to one of the discussion sections with a marker in the Science and Religion forum.

[lywbeverly]

Hi Vanguard,

Thanks for your prompt reply!


Hi Micatala,

Thank you for pointing out the rules of the forum.