Le Duc - Cyber/Digital Theology: Rethinking about Our Relationship with God and Neighbor in the Digital Environment

Abstract

The digital age with its multifarious technological developments, especially those pertaining to the Internet, has created many changes in human society—from the way we work and go about our daily activities to how we relate to the people and things around us. These changes are signifcant enough to warrant thoughtful, systematic refections and analysis regarding its cultural, sociological and theological impact on our lives. This paper attempts to do so with respect to the theological implications of the Internet, particularly in regards to human relationships with God and with one another. While philosophical, spiritual and theological inquiries could be made in regards to any or all religious traditions, this paper chooses to focus only on the Catholic Christian tradition. In addition, references to the Asian context are made in order to highlight the efects of the digital age on theology in the Asian cultural and religious milieu. The kind of theology discussed in this paper, for lack of a better term, is called “cyber/digital theology,” which requires some explanations to be clear what this really means. Although the terminology as well as its content remains in a formative stage, cyber/digital theology is an area worthy of more systematic study. This paper addresses the need for such an efort and proposes that the digital age provides new ways for the faithful to search for God, to envision one’s relationship with God and with neighbor, and to enter into these relationships.

Keywords: digital age, cybertheology, digital theology, cyber/digital theology