The social media and religion – new challenges

Abstract

In this paper we analyze the relationship between social
media and religion. The subject of the research is to identify the
power and the practical relevance of two spheres which are of
utmost importance for more adequate understanding recent reality.
According to Stewart Hoover ‘’ religion and media seem to be ever
more connected as we move further into the twenty – first century
‘’ (Hoover, 2006:1). Today, social media increasingly become part of
our daily lives; people will find new ways to interact with religion
and spirituality. The main goal is to explore the power of social
media, and attend to the ways in which these digital technologies
are reconstituting and transforming the religious practices of the
modern humans. Increasingly, people are religious or spiritual or
inspired by religious texts, but only because they have chosen to
plug in and engage with social media. The paper emphasizes the
role of social media to represent a new challenge to individuals and
institutions. This new challenge will create a networked religion, a
networked community; convergent practice; and a multisite reality