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4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
slow-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
For as long as I have been alive, Christians have been sounding the alarm about detrimental content (music, movies, websites, etc.) and how it is harmful to the soul. Only in recent years have Christians (as well as many nonbelievers) begun to discuss the negative effects of the digital life itself. Today it is impossible to escape the internet: it is where we work, play, communicate, and even worship. But the internet itself is not a benign tool; it is the water we swim in, and it is shaping every part of who we are, providing digital liturgies—soul shaping stories—that are forming the core of who we are and suppressing our very real need for the analog reality of the Gospel.
In Digital Liturgies, Samuel James (a Millennial who was enveloped in the liturgies of the internet in the early 2000s, when he was in college) examines the connection between technology and human desires. James explores five digital liturgies (authenticity, outrage, shame, consumption, and meaninglessness) that are essentially filling the God-shaped hole in each of us. He points to the wisdom that is found only in Christ and shows how the five harmful digital liturgies are transforming us into the very opposite of who Christ intended us to be.
The material here is not new to me, but James does an excellent job of consolidating important information into concise and persuasive arguments. James uses stories from his own life and from culture to expose the emotional, social, and spiritual damages of the internet, always pointing us back to the truth and beauty of Christ.
James is not a luddite, and this book is not a call for Christians to abandon technology altogether. In highlighting the detrimental aspects of the internet, he effectively persuades readers to take a more intentional and moderate approach to our internet usage. He also offers useful habits to help us separate from our internet addictions and welcome the liturgies of Christ over the liturgies of culture and the internet into our lives.
This book is a powerful read for anyone who is currently affected by the internet (that’s all of us!), but it’s especially relevant for parents or individuals involved in ministry.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars (Rounded to 4 Stars on Goodreads) // Book Format: Audiobook
In Digital Liturgies, Samuel James (a Millennial who was enveloped in the liturgies of the internet in the early 2000s, when he was in college) examines the connection between technology and human desires. James explores five digital liturgies (authenticity, outrage, shame, consumption, and meaninglessness) that are essentially filling the God-shaped hole in each of us. He points to the wisdom that is found only in Christ and shows how the five harmful digital liturgies are transforming us into the very opposite of who Christ intended us to be.
The material here is not new to me, but James does an excellent job of consolidating important information into concise and persuasive arguments. James uses stories from his own life and from culture to expose the emotional, social, and spiritual damages of the internet, always pointing us back to the truth and beauty of Christ.
James is not a luddite, and this book is not a call for Christians to abandon technology altogether. In highlighting the detrimental aspects of the internet, he effectively persuades readers to take a more intentional and moderate approach to our internet usage. He also offers useful habits to help us separate from our internet addictions and welcome the liturgies of Christ over the liturgies of culture and the internet into our lives.
This book is a powerful read for anyone who is currently affected by the internet (that’s all of us!), but it’s especially relevant for parents or individuals involved in ministry.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars (Rounded to 4 Stars on Goodreads) // Book Format: Audiobook
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Informative for those interested in reading about the impact of our digital age on the minds and lives of those participating in anything “device” related.
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
hopeful
informative
fast-paced