Re-envisioning Dulles’ Ecclesiological Models for the Digital Age: Towards an Interactive Community of Disciples

RELIGION AND SOCIAL COMMUNICATION VOLUME 23, NO. 2 (JULY - DECEMBER 2025)

ISSN 3057-0883 (ONLINE)

Author

Rico C. Jacoba

Abstract

The Church faces new challenges and opportunities in fostering communion and evangelization in the digital age. Avery Dulles’ Models of the Church provides a foundational framework for understanding ecclesiology, yet its applicability to digital contexts remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by critically analyzing Dulles’ ecclesiological models—Institution, Mystical Communion, Sacrament, Herald, and Servant—through digital engagement. The objective is to re-envision these models to develop a model called “Interactive Community of Disciples,” a dynamic ecclesiological paradigm suited for digital platforms. This study critically analyzes Dulles’ models, drawing from theological and ecclesiological references available in library and internet sources. The analysis considers contemporary discussions on digital theology, online ecclesial communities, and CyberSource frameworks. The study also interrogates how digital spaces reshape the Church’s mission, authority, and communal identity, examining their limitations and transformative potential. Expected results indicate that while Dulles’ models remain relevant, they require adaptation to fully capture digital ecclesiology’s interactive, participatory, and decentralized nature. The research anticipates that a re-envisioned model will emphasize relationality, shared leadership, and online sacramentality, fostering a Church that is not only present in digital spaces but also actively engaged in meaningful faith-based interactions. This study seeks to contribute to contemporary ecclesiological discourse by proposing a theologically grounded yet contextually responsive model of the Church in the digital era.

Keywords

digital ecclesiology, discipleship, virtual Church, theology, community

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.62461/RCJ031825

Submitted: Feb. 25, 2025; Accepted: March 18, 2025; Published: Jul. 1, 2025

© 2025 The authors. This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).