Difference between revisions of "A Theology of Technology"
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Technology explodes onto the biblical scene in Genesis 4: Enoch builds a city. Jabal becomes the ancestor of all those who live in tents (technology!). His brother Jubal becomes the ancestor of those who play the lyre and the pipe (technologies!). And Tubal-Cain made all kinds of bronze and iron tools (more technologies!). | Technology explodes onto the biblical scene in Genesis 4: Enoch builds a city. Jabal becomes the ancestor of all those who live in tents (technology!). His brother Jubal becomes the ancestor of those who play the lyre and the pipe (technologies!). And Tubal-Cain made all kinds of bronze and iron tools (more technologies!). | ||
| − | Despite our long-standing tradition that Jesus was a carpenter, and the son of a carpenter, the Greek word used by the gospels is more expansive: τέκτων (tekton). It's someone who makes stuff, and if it sounds familiar, that's because it comes from the same root as our modern word "technology." Jesus was a techie. When Jesus instituted the sacrament of communion, he did not choose for elements things that could simply be found and consumed in their created form (like fruit or water), but rather things that had to be made through a technical process by skilled hands--bread and wine are technologies, too. | + | Despite our long-standing tradition that Jesus was a carpenter, and the son of a carpenter, the Greek word used by the gospels is more expansive: τέκτων (tekton). It's someone who makes stuff, and if it sounds familiar, that's because it comes from the same root as our modern word "technology." Jesus was a techie. When Jesus instituted the sacrament of communion, he did not choose for elements things that could simply be found and consumed in their created form (like fruit or water), but rather things that had to be made through a technical process by skilled hands--bread and wine, though ubiquitous, are rather complex technologies, too. How many of you can make your own wine, or bread without the aid of tools? |
The Apostle Paul carried out his evangelical work using the great, innovative technologies of his day: Pen, parchment, and the Roman highway. The Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century was made possible by the technology of Gutenberg's printing press, which placed bibles, commentaries and hymnals into the hands of the masses. And for most of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the church pipe organ reigned supreme as the most complex music technology ever invented. | The Apostle Paul carried out his evangelical work using the great, innovative technologies of his day: Pen, parchment, and the Roman highway. The Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century was made possible by the technology of Gutenberg's printing press, which placed bibles, commentaries and hymnals into the hands of the masses. And for most of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the church pipe organ reigned supreme as the most complex music technology ever invented. | ||
| − | In the closing years of the 20th century, projectors and screens found their way into Christian churches, along with electric guitars, synthesizers, church websites, and touch-screen offeratory kiosks that swipe credit cards. | + | In the closing years of the 20th century, projectors and screens found their way into Christian churches, along with electric guitars, synthesizers, church websites, and touch-screen offeratory kiosks that swipe credit cards. And yet, it is only these last few things that are generally recognized as "technology" and subsequently reviled or embraced, depending upon one's technological outlook. |
| − | + | I've walked us through this "brief history of technology" for a reason--to remind us that we live on a continuum, where new technologies are constantly being introduced, where the most useful ones gradually become more common, the least useful ones disappear, and older, trusted technologies stop being referred to as such and just become part of the common fabric of our lives. Time marches ever onward. | |
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| + | How, then, do we approach technology in our churches, in our worship services, in our ministry? | ||
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| + | 1. We need to view technology not as something flashy, spectacular, and magical, but rather as something...ordinary. It doesn't call attention to itself for its own sake, or to say "look how high tech we are!" but rather like medieval paintings of John the Baptist, it points to Jesus. The best technologies--old and new--are the ones that quickly fade into the background because they are unobtrusively helping us to worship, to fellowship, or to share the gospel. | ||
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| + | 2. We need to view technology not as a menacing indtruder or a knight-in-shining-armor, but something that has always been with us, and always will be. Something that is part of a never-ending cycle (not unlike our liturgical calendar!). Because of this, our worship and ministry should embrace old technologies as well as new ones. In Matthew 13:52, Jesus tells his disciples to be "like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." In my congregation, we have a pipe organ and choir, as well a praise band and praise singers. We appreciate both, and try hard to discern which one is appropriate for any given occasion. Sometimes they've even played together! | ||
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| + | Those who rush to adopt every new technology and those who wish it would just go away, both miss the point somewhat. The example of Amish people may be helpful here: It's a common misconception that the Amish are anti-technology. They use tools to build things; many also use debit cards and telephones--even cell phones on a limited basis. Rather than reject technology wholesale, Amish communities take a cautious and slow approach to introducing new technologies, recognizing both the practical advantages a new technology might bring to their community, but also the disruptive effect on their values and way of life. | ||
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| + | Personally, I'm comfortable with a faster pace of adoption than most Amish communities, but I admire their thoughtful approach. | ||
Revision as of 23:43, 14 September 2015
In the beginning, God created stuff, including us. Since we are made in God's image, we like to create stuff, too. God created from nothing; we create using all the stuff God created. And that is, in brief, my definition of technology: It's all the stuff we make, using the materials of God's creation. To put it another way, technology is the marriage of our creative impulse with God's resources. So by this definition, an apple is not technology--God already created that!--but an apple slicer is. Apple juice is. An Apple computer is (although it uses many material resources, none of which are apples).
Technology explodes onto the biblical scene in Genesis 4: Enoch builds a city. Jabal becomes the ancestor of all those who live in tents (technology!). His brother Jubal becomes the ancestor of those who play the lyre and the pipe (technologies!). And Tubal-Cain made all kinds of bronze and iron tools (more technologies!).
Despite our long-standing tradition that Jesus was a carpenter, and the son of a carpenter, the Greek word used by the gospels is more expansive: τέκτων (tekton). It's someone who makes stuff, and if it sounds familiar, that's because it comes from the same root as our modern word "technology." Jesus was a techie. When Jesus instituted the sacrament of communion, he did not choose for elements things that could simply be found and consumed in their created form (like fruit or water), but rather things that had to be made through a technical process by skilled hands--bread and wine, though ubiquitous, are rather complex technologies, too. How many of you can make your own wine, or bread without the aid of tools?
The Apostle Paul carried out his evangelical work using the great, innovative technologies of his day: Pen, parchment, and the Roman highway. The Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century was made possible by the technology of Gutenberg's printing press, which placed bibles, commentaries and hymnals into the hands of the masses. And for most of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the church pipe organ reigned supreme as the most complex music technology ever invented.
In the closing years of the 20th century, projectors and screens found their way into Christian churches, along with electric guitars, synthesizers, church websites, and touch-screen offeratory kiosks that swipe credit cards. And yet, it is only these last few things that are generally recognized as "technology" and subsequently reviled or embraced, depending upon one's technological outlook.
I've walked us through this "brief history of technology" for a reason--to remind us that we live on a continuum, where new technologies are constantly being introduced, where the most useful ones gradually become more common, the least useful ones disappear, and older, trusted technologies stop being referred to as such and just become part of the common fabric of our lives. Time marches ever onward.
How, then, do we approach technology in our churches, in our worship services, in our ministry?
1. We need to view technology not as something flashy, spectacular, and magical, but rather as something...ordinary. It doesn't call attention to itself for its own sake, or to say "look how high tech we are!" but rather like medieval paintings of John the Baptist, it points to Jesus. The best technologies--old and new--are the ones that quickly fade into the background because they are unobtrusively helping us to worship, to fellowship, or to share the gospel.
2. We need to view technology not as a menacing indtruder or a knight-in-shining-armor, but something that has always been with us, and always will be. Something that is part of a never-ending cycle (not unlike our liturgical calendar!). Because of this, our worship and ministry should embrace old technologies as well as new ones. In Matthew 13:52, Jesus tells his disciples to be "like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." In my congregation, we have a pipe organ and choir, as well a praise band and praise singers. We appreciate both, and try hard to discern which one is appropriate for any given occasion. Sometimes they've even played together!
Those who rush to adopt every new technology and those who wish it would just go away, both miss the point somewhat. The example of Amish people may be helpful here: It's a common misconception that the Amish are anti-technology. They use tools to build things; many also use debit cards and telephones--even cell phones on a limited basis. Rather than reject technology wholesale, Amish communities take a cautious and slow approach to introducing new technologies, recognizing both the practical advantages a new technology might bring to their community, but also the disruptive effect on their values and way of life.
Personally, I'm comfortable with a faster pace of adoption than most Amish communities, but I admire their thoughtful approach.
