The Distanced Church: Reflections on Doing Church Online
Digital Religion Publications;Network for New Media, Religion & Digital Culture Studies (2020), 93 pp.
"In March/April 2020 most churches around the world have been forced to close their doors due to the need for social distancing and local lock-downs in order to fight off the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The result was traditional churches had to make an unplanned and swift transition towards technologically-driven forms of gathering. Many church leaders felt out of their comfort zone, while experimenting with doing church online. At the same time, scholars and theologians began studying this new trends in how churches perform worship online. “The Distanced Church” brings together religious leaders and scholar in conversation in this eBook where each group and offer reflection on lessons learned, answer questions that have been raised, and present insights gleaned from researching religion online. Contributors to this eBook come from ten different countries—within North America, Europe, and the Antipodes—and represent 12 different Christian denominations including Mainline, Catholic, and Nondenominational churches." (Publisher description)
LESSONS FROM THE ONLINE TRENCHES: CHURCH LEADERS STORIES OF GOING ONLINE
1 Turning Flavor of the Month into Staple Diet / Albert Bogle, 7
2 Connection Trumps Technology / Arni Svanur Danielsson, 10
3 God Equips the Called / Aneya Elbert, 12
4 The Unspectacular Pastor: Live and In Person / Steve Evoy, 15
5 The Challenges of Online in Indian Country & Rural America / John Floberg, 17
6 Facilitating Deep Friendship Digitally When Analog Acquaintances are Gone / Zach W Lambert, 19
7 Live-Streams in the Digital Desert: Reflections on Parish Transitions into the Digital Age / Joanne Mercer, 22
8 Throughout the World the Holy Church Acclaims You / Rodger Patience, 24
9 Getting Back to Normal / Michael Piazza, 27
10 The Charism of Zoom Church / Nandra Perry, 29
11 Digital is the New Normal - Churches in Germany During the Corona Pandemic / Ralf Peter Reimann, 31
12 The Distanced Church: Reflections on Doing Church Online in a Time of Pandemic / Donna Schaper, 34
13 Four Lessons I've Learned in the Wake of the Pandemic / David Silverkors, 37
14 Is Your Church Ready for Social Distancing? / Troy Shepherd, 40
15 Grief, Awareness and Blessing - The Experience of Ministry During a Pandemic / Bryony Taylor, 43
16 Being Benedictine Online / Catherine Wybourne, 46
WISDOM FROM SCHOLARS OF DIGITAL RELIGION AND THEOLOGY: RESEARCH REFLECTIONS ON DOING RELIGION ONLINE
17 What Religious Groups Need to Consider When Trying to Do Church Online / Heidi A Campbell, 49
18 The Biggest Challenge for Churches at this Time / John Dyer, 53
19 The Distanced Church: Pragmatism, Creativity and Rhythms of Life / Stephen Garner, 55
20 New Media and a New Reformation? / Angela Williams Gorrell, 58
21 What can history of digital religion teach the newly-online churches of today? / Tim Hutchings, 61
22 An Inclusive Church Community in a Digital Age / Bex Lewis, 64
23 Hope-Storytelling in the Age of Corona: How Pastors Foster the Community of Faith / Ilona Nord, & Swantje Luthe, 67
24 Enabling, Extending and Disrupting Religion in the Early COVID19 Crisis / Pete Philips, 71
25 The (Re)Discovery of the Digital Environment for Living and Communicating the Faith / Moisés Sbardelotto, 75
26 404 Error: The Digital Literacy Page Cannot Be Found / Katherine G Schmidt, 78
27 Community in the Digital Body of Christ / Matthew John Paul Tan, 81
28 Virtual Now, But for How Long? / Scott Thumma, 83
29 Reassessing Embodiment and its Role in Developing Digital Literacies for Ministry / Stacy Williams-Duncan & Kyle Matthew Oliver, 86
30 Is It Real? Mystagogizing the Live-Streamed Service / Daniella Zsupan-Jerome, 91
1 Turning Flavor of the Month into Staple Diet / Albert Bogle, 7
2 Connection Trumps Technology / Arni Svanur Danielsson, 10
3 God Equips the Called / Aneya Elbert, 12
4 The Unspectacular Pastor: Live and In Person / Steve Evoy, 15
5 The Challenges of Online in Indian Country & Rural America / John Floberg, 17
6 Facilitating Deep Friendship Digitally When Analog Acquaintances are Gone / Zach W Lambert, 19
7 Live-Streams in the Digital Desert: Reflections on Parish Transitions into the Digital Age / Joanne Mercer, 22
8 Throughout the World the Holy Church Acclaims You / Rodger Patience, 24
9 Getting Back to Normal / Michael Piazza, 27
10 The Charism of Zoom Church / Nandra Perry, 29
11 Digital is the New Normal - Churches in Germany During the Corona Pandemic / Ralf Peter Reimann, 31
12 The Distanced Church: Reflections on Doing Church Online in a Time of Pandemic / Donna Schaper, 34
13 Four Lessons I've Learned in the Wake of the Pandemic / David Silverkors, 37
14 Is Your Church Ready for Social Distancing? / Troy Shepherd, 40
15 Grief, Awareness and Blessing - The Experience of Ministry During a Pandemic / Bryony Taylor, 43
16 Being Benedictine Online / Catherine Wybourne, 46
WISDOM FROM SCHOLARS OF DIGITAL RELIGION AND THEOLOGY: RESEARCH REFLECTIONS ON DOING RELIGION ONLINE
17 What Religious Groups Need to Consider When Trying to Do Church Online / Heidi A Campbell, 49
18 The Biggest Challenge for Churches at this Time / John Dyer, 53
19 The Distanced Church: Pragmatism, Creativity and Rhythms of Life / Stephen Garner, 55
20 New Media and a New Reformation? / Angela Williams Gorrell, 58
21 What can history of digital religion teach the newly-online churches of today? / Tim Hutchings, 61
22 An Inclusive Church Community in a Digital Age / Bex Lewis, 64
23 Hope-Storytelling in the Age of Corona: How Pastors Foster the Community of Faith / Ilona Nord, & Swantje Luthe, 67
24 Enabling, Extending and Disrupting Religion in the Early COVID19 Crisis / Pete Philips, 71
25 The (Re)Discovery of the Digital Environment for Living and Communicating the Faith / Moisés Sbardelotto, 75
26 404 Error: The Digital Literacy Page Cannot Be Found / Katherine G Schmidt, 78
27 Community in the Digital Body of Christ / Matthew John Paul Tan, 81
28 Virtual Now, But for How Long? / Scott Thumma, 83
29 Reassessing Embodiment and its Role in Developing Digital Literacies for Ministry / Stacy Williams-Duncan & Kyle Matthew Oliver, 86
30 Is It Real? Mystagogizing the Live-Streamed Service / Daniella Zsupan-Jerome, 91
