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Cybertheology: Thinking Christianity in the Era of the Internet
This book, written by Antonio Spadaro, S.J., the Editor of La Civilta Cattolica, has been translated by Maria Way, who specializes in topics relating to media and religion. The author suggests that since the Internet has changed, and is changing, the ways in which we think and act, it must also be changing the ways in which we think Christianity and its theology. To develop this theme, he uses the term 'Cybertheology'.
Through the theoretical works of a variety of authors, e.g., Marshall McLuhan, Peter Levy and Teilhard de Chardin, he associates the concepts of theology with theories that have been expounded on the internet. His sources come from media studies and anthropology, as well as theology. Spadaro also considers the hacker ethic in relation to Cybertheology. How has the internet changed our notion of theology? Has the internet had similar effects on the thinking of Christianity that were experienced after the development of other media technologies?
The book aims to clarify just how thinking has changed or remained the same in an era which is often seen as one in which the media's changes have speeded up. It considers both the positives and negatives that may be associated with the internet in relation to Christianity and its theology.
Through the theoretical works of a variety of authors, e.g., Marshall McLuhan, Peter Levy and Teilhard de Chardin, he associates the concepts of theology with theories that have been expounded on the internet. His sources come from media studies and anthropology, as well as theology. Spadaro also considers the hacker ethic in relation to Cybertheology. How has the internet changed our notion of theology? Has the internet had similar effects on the thinking of Christianity that were experienced after the development of other media technologies?
The book aims to clarify just how thinking has changed or remained the same in an era which is often seen as one in which the media's changes have speeded up. It considers both the positives and negatives that may be associated with the internet in relation to Christianity and its theology.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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November 16, 2021
While much is written about the internet as a means of, or tool for, evangelising, in 'Cybertheology' Antonio Spadaro digs beneath this instrumental approach, asserting in his introduction that, “the internet is not an instrument; it is an ambience that surrounds us.” He goes beyond methodology to how the internet is challenging and changing theology - how we think and live the Christian faith. Honest about his own journey and knowledge base (Catholicism, Philosophy, Theology and Literary Criticism), Spadaro situates this slim but powerful volume in the wider context of writings on the internet, theology and religious epistemology. The term Cybertheology is a deliberate departure from ‘religion on the net’ to focus on two areas: “communication as a context for theology,” and the “use of the structures of communication to modulate theological reflection.”
Spadaro’s work on Cybertheology reflects systematic, ledger-sheet structuring. He groups his explorations topically with clear navigational headings and there is further direction given in the endnotes, all of which is helpful for reference, although the book’s structure also feels in places like a series of unconnected articles. It centres on the internet, specifically communicative and relational aspects, rather than technology in general, although in chapter 6 he touches on notions of human development and progress through technology that are taken much further by transhumanists.
Sparado groups his work in six main sections.
I. The internet: Between Theology and Technology. Spadaro argues for technology as spiritual and theological: technology shaping reflection. He is attentive to the nuance of language and how it shapes perception and debate; aware of the difference in content key terms like ‘save’ or ‘justify’ have, depending upon the sphere in which they are used, and how those different sets of content can challenge, mutually inform and enrich one another.
II. The Human Being: Decoder and Search Engine for God. He wants readers to think of humans as search engines for Creator God, charting benefits and pitfalls of an online search for meaning, arguing that people receive multiple sources of information and disseminate it to the outside world and that, ‘increasingly, digital witnessing to faith becomes "accounting for hope".
III. The Mystical and Connective Body. Spadaro calls the internet an emotionally 'hot' place for connectivity. This gives room for individual or corporate relationships/neighbourhood and this chapter explores proximity and distance in physical and digital space and how the latter makes room for a Christian community that is geographically fluid and co-existing models of Church described as the common and the cluster, realistically probing key issues such as structure and authority.
IV. Hacker Ethics and Christian Vision. A fascinating and unexpected angle: Spadaro sees this sub-topic of Hacker ethics and accompanying concepts of freedom and play explaining the co-creative partnership of human beings with God. This chapter links freedom of information and ideas or ‘cognitive surplus’ with grace and contrasts E. S. Raymond’s ‘the Cathedral’ (hierarchical knowledge sharing) and ‘the Bazaar’ (horizontal knowledge sharing, open-source style) as models, though acknowledging some flaws in this.
V. Liturgy, Sacraments, and Virtual Presence. Spadaro identifies a relationship between the virtual and the world of reality. His question is whether the internet and digital media are effecting any change on how Liturgy and Sacraments are practiced. This chapter has a stronger Catholic flavour than others, and while he nudges at other possibilities in his consideration of touch technology, Spadaro seems to toe the ‘party line’, downgrading the digital to devotional rather than Sacramental with less of a theological tussle than we feel such a decision merits. Spadaro could also have panned his camera to capture more from other denominations, such as the Pentecostal churches. By contrast, the consideration of digital liturgy and virtual presence is more openly and imaginatively explorational.
VI. The Technological Tasks of Collective Intelligence. Spadaro credits Philosopher Pierre Levy (1997b) with articulating the notion of a “communal intellect, a collective consciousness” but, though considered recent, he believes its roots sit in the past. He adds that, “the intelligence of humans is tied to God through a unique and separate intelligence, because it is an intelligence that is always in action.’ This chapter puts Teilhard De Chardin’s thought in dialogue with the connectivity of the internet.
This is not a hymn in praise of the internet or a solidly-built argument for a particular attitude to it: Spadaro is balanced, nuanced, critical and careful, trying to avoid reductive arguments and overly simplistic comparisons. Neither is this a systematic theology of the internet, covering everything in depth: it provokes new ways of thinking and offers a range of departure points for further consideration, such as the intersection of hacker ethics and Christianity. Overall, Cybertheology offers a helpful overview of key areas, but the concluding chapter seems both esoteric and highly technical, therefore less accessible for a non-expert. With nothing drawing the threads together, the book reaches a breathless halt rather than a well-formed conclusion. However, this is a text that situates itself as part of a longer dialogue and does generate a hunger for deeper study.
Spadaro’s insights are part of a platform upon which more recent publications have built and, as such, are a useful starting place. This book’s challenge is situated at a turning point in thought, from a reductive view of the internet as only a tool (though it can be one) to a more expansive consideration of the internet as an ambience, and the interpenetration of the digital and the physical as a phenomenon we both shape and are shaped by. This position, developed in many directions, becomes a convincing and engaging one.
Sparado’s work contributes significantly to theology in this age of digitisation, drawing on the theoretical work of other authors like Marshall McLuhan, Peter Levy and Teihard de Chardin, and is helpful to explore faith, anthropology and theology on and through the internet as an option for both internet natives and migrants. Its greatest success, however, is in expanding the reader’s imagination to encompass new theological thought and possibilities.
Spadaro’s work on Cybertheology reflects systematic, ledger-sheet structuring. He groups his explorations topically with clear navigational headings and there is further direction given in the endnotes, all of which is helpful for reference, although the book’s structure also feels in places like a series of unconnected articles. It centres on the internet, specifically communicative and relational aspects, rather than technology in general, although in chapter 6 he touches on notions of human development and progress through technology that are taken much further by transhumanists.
Sparado groups his work in six main sections.
I. The internet: Between Theology and Technology. Spadaro argues for technology as spiritual and theological: technology shaping reflection. He is attentive to the nuance of language and how it shapes perception and debate; aware of the difference in content key terms like ‘save’ or ‘justify’ have, depending upon the sphere in which they are used, and how those different sets of content can challenge, mutually inform and enrich one another.
II. The Human Being: Decoder and Search Engine for God. He wants readers to think of humans as search engines for Creator God, charting benefits and pitfalls of an online search for meaning, arguing that people receive multiple sources of information and disseminate it to the outside world and that, ‘increasingly, digital witnessing to faith becomes "accounting for hope".
III. The Mystical and Connective Body. Spadaro calls the internet an emotionally 'hot' place for connectivity. This gives room for individual or corporate relationships/neighbourhood and this chapter explores proximity and distance in physical and digital space and how the latter makes room for a Christian community that is geographically fluid and co-existing models of Church described as the common and the cluster, realistically probing key issues such as structure and authority.
IV. Hacker Ethics and Christian Vision. A fascinating and unexpected angle: Spadaro sees this sub-topic of Hacker ethics and accompanying concepts of freedom and play explaining the co-creative partnership of human beings with God. This chapter links freedom of information and ideas or ‘cognitive surplus’ with grace and contrasts E. S. Raymond’s ‘the Cathedral’ (hierarchical knowledge sharing) and ‘the Bazaar’ (horizontal knowledge sharing, open-source style) as models, though acknowledging some flaws in this.
V. Liturgy, Sacraments, and Virtual Presence. Spadaro identifies a relationship between the virtual and the world of reality. His question is whether the internet and digital media are effecting any change on how Liturgy and Sacraments are practiced. This chapter has a stronger Catholic flavour than others, and while he nudges at other possibilities in his consideration of touch technology, Spadaro seems to toe the ‘party line’, downgrading the digital to devotional rather than Sacramental with less of a theological tussle than we feel such a decision merits. Spadaro could also have panned his camera to capture more from other denominations, such as the Pentecostal churches. By contrast, the consideration of digital liturgy and virtual presence is more openly and imaginatively explorational.
VI. The Technological Tasks of Collective Intelligence. Spadaro credits Philosopher Pierre Levy (1997b) with articulating the notion of a “communal intellect, a collective consciousness” but, though considered recent, he believes its roots sit in the past. He adds that, “the intelligence of humans is tied to God through a unique and separate intelligence, because it is an intelligence that is always in action.’ This chapter puts Teilhard De Chardin’s thought in dialogue with the connectivity of the internet.
This is not a hymn in praise of the internet or a solidly-built argument for a particular attitude to it: Spadaro is balanced, nuanced, critical and careful, trying to avoid reductive arguments and overly simplistic comparisons. Neither is this a systematic theology of the internet, covering everything in depth: it provokes new ways of thinking and offers a range of departure points for further consideration, such as the intersection of hacker ethics and Christianity. Overall, Cybertheology offers a helpful overview of key areas, but the concluding chapter seems both esoteric and highly technical, therefore less accessible for a non-expert. With nothing drawing the threads together, the book reaches a breathless halt rather than a well-formed conclusion. However, this is a text that situates itself as part of a longer dialogue and does generate a hunger for deeper study.
Spadaro’s insights are part of a platform upon which more recent publications have built and, as such, are a useful starting place. This book’s challenge is situated at a turning point in thought, from a reductive view of the internet as only a tool (though it can be one) to a more expansive consideration of the internet as an ambience, and the interpenetration of the digital and the physical as a phenomenon we both shape and are shaped by. This position, developed in many directions, becomes a convincing and engaging one.
Sparado’s work contributes significantly to theology in this age of digitisation, drawing on the theoretical work of other authors like Marshall McLuhan, Peter Levy and Teihard de Chardin, and is helpful to explore faith, anthropology and theology on and through the internet as an option for both internet natives and migrants. Its greatest success, however, is in expanding the reader’s imagination to encompass new theological thought and possibilities.
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November 16, 2021Cybertheology ‘thinking Christianity in the era of the internet’ by Antonio Spadaro.
The ubiquitous nature of social media and mobile devices has had a profound impact on the way Christians think about faith and live well in the digital age. Written in 2014, long before the world felt the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cybertheology ,by Roman Catholic theologian Antonio Spadaro, seeks to address the relationship between digital and theology and root the Christian message within the digital culture.
Spadaro’s background in communication theory immediately sets Cybertheology apart from more recent books on digital theology. The language we use as Christians and the language we use everyday when using digital devices can help us understand God’s presence in the digital age. We save. We convert. We justify. This is a book where Catholic theology meets anthropology and linguistics.
Cybertheology is essentially a collection of six essays which provide a solid introduction to the subject. Chapter One focuses on the birth of the internet, seeing it’s invention as less a novelty and more a desire for communal life and knowledge. Spadaro reminds us that inventions are initially revolutionary but soon become an integral part of life. Our task is to integrate the gospel message into this new digital culture rather than simply using digital transmit Christianity. We must learn to live well in this new culture.
But how do you live well when the gospel message is competing for space against billions of information? In chapter two Spardo asks whether it is possible to search for God online given that search engines provide one source of wisdom amongst many - not all of it accurate.
It is in chapter three that Spadaro tackles the thorny issue of embodiment and the virtual world. For the author, relationships formed online are not the same as relationships formed in person, which require a great effort to create and maintain.
Chapter four looks at how the digital culture challenges authority. Taking the hacker ethic as his starting point, Spadaro argues that digital culture offers us a greater opportunity to be creative and collegial - working within a strict moral code to solve problems together for the greater good of humanity. Perhaps the digital world allows us to be co-creators moved to do good by the Holy Spirit?
While some denominations continue to grapple with the legitimacy of online sacraments post-Covid, Spadaro offers a summary of the main challenges in chapter five.In what way does being online change our understanding of being present? Spadaro offers no conclusion and we are left with more questions than answers.
Spadaro ends with a reflection on collective intelligence (chapter six) concluding that perhaps the internet can be seen as part of humanities journey where we are guided by God in this divine digital culture.
The author’s definition of cybertheology is very narrow, he states ‘is necessary to consider cybertheology as being the intelligence of the faith in the era of the Internet, that is, reflection on the thinkability of the faith in the light of the Web’s logic.’(ch 1). The definition of cyber is considerable more than just the internet, it could be argued that interaction with the web is just one facet of ‘cyber,’ others would include social media apps, peer to peer chat groups and video conferencing systems. Even how we use technology, like the microphone or digital projector or social media impacts on how we practice faith online. Technology, when used wisely, can move us from viewers to active participants. Spadaro does outline the definitions of Susan George, Debbie Herring and Carol Formenti which are much more detailed than his.
Given the authors background, the book is framed within a Catholic theology which may frustrate some readers looking for a broader introduction to the subject. Not that this should put you off as there is much that will challenge your thinking regardless of denomination.
Unsurprisingly, Spadaro favours the Catholic belief that virtual reality is no substitute for real in-person experience of Christian community. For Spadaro there are no sacraments on the internet for it would be an avatar receiving God’s grace.
However, he does not consider the memorialist point of view (taking the Eucharist ‘in remembrance’ of Jesus) which can be translated into a meaningful virtual reality church service. Sparado believes that ‘if we share our own experience with others who are absent, we will end up neglecting what we are living with the faithful who are present.’ Here, virtual reality reduces the event into the sense of participating in a video game.
Spadaro questions whether avatars can participate in prayer events or receive the sacraments. The difficulty is that Spadaro describes an avatar as jargon for a virtual ego, there is no consideration of the person behind that ‘virtual representation’ or what an avatar actually represents. Spadaro seems to consider the avatar as a cartoon character, no different to Tom or Jerry. If he had considered the persona behind the avatar, the persona who is actually reciting the liturgy or praying for real events in their lives, he may have formulated a different view.
Digital technology has advanced considerable since the book was first published, although theological considerations remain the same. Cybertheology unpacks the main challenges digital culture presents for the Church and is a helpful starting point.
Spadaro offers no real conclusion and the book ends abruptly with an observation that the internet ‘becomes a stage in humanity journey, humanity that is moved, urged on and guided by God.’ Perhaps, that is Spadaro’s conclusion, that the internet is just another part of humanity's journey, to be replaced in the future by something new. Ultimately, it’s a journey that begins and ends with God.
The ubiquitous nature of social media and mobile devices has had a profound impact on the way Christians think about faith and live well in the digital age. Written in 2014, long before the world felt the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cybertheology ,by Roman Catholic theologian Antonio Spadaro, seeks to address the relationship between digital and theology and root the Christian message within the digital culture.
Spadaro’s background in communication theory immediately sets Cybertheology apart from more recent books on digital theology. The language we use as Christians and the language we use everyday when using digital devices can help us understand God’s presence in the digital age. We save. We convert. We justify. This is a book where Catholic theology meets anthropology and linguistics.
Cybertheology is essentially a collection of six essays which provide a solid introduction to the subject. Chapter One focuses on the birth of the internet, seeing it’s invention as less a novelty and more a desire for communal life and knowledge. Spadaro reminds us that inventions are initially revolutionary but soon become an integral part of life. Our task is to integrate the gospel message into this new digital culture rather than simply using digital transmit Christianity. We must learn to live well in this new culture.
But how do you live well when the gospel message is competing for space against billions of information? In chapter two Spardo asks whether it is possible to search for God online given that search engines provide one source of wisdom amongst many - not all of it accurate.
It is in chapter three that Spadaro tackles the thorny issue of embodiment and the virtual world. For the author, relationships formed online are not the same as relationships formed in person, which require a great effort to create and maintain.
Chapter four looks at how the digital culture challenges authority. Taking the hacker ethic as his starting point, Spadaro argues that digital culture offers us a greater opportunity to be creative and collegial - working within a strict moral code to solve problems together for the greater good of humanity. Perhaps the digital world allows us to be co-creators moved to do good by the Holy Spirit?
While some denominations continue to grapple with the legitimacy of online sacraments post-Covid, Spadaro offers a summary of the main challenges in chapter five.In what way does being online change our understanding of being present? Spadaro offers no conclusion and we are left with more questions than answers.
Spadaro ends with a reflection on collective intelligence (chapter six) concluding that perhaps the internet can be seen as part of humanities journey where we are guided by God in this divine digital culture.
The author’s definition of cybertheology is very narrow, he states ‘is necessary to consider cybertheology as being the intelligence of the faith in the era of the Internet, that is, reflection on the thinkability of the faith in the light of the Web’s logic.’(ch 1). The definition of cyber is considerable more than just the internet, it could be argued that interaction with the web is just one facet of ‘cyber,’ others would include social media apps, peer to peer chat groups and video conferencing systems. Even how we use technology, like the microphone or digital projector or social media impacts on how we practice faith online. Technology, when used wisely, can move us from viewers to active participants. Spadaro does outline the definitions of Susan George, Debbie Herring and Carol Formenti which are much more detailed than his.
Given the authors background, the book is framed within a Catholic theology which may frustrate some readers looking for a broader introduction to the subject. Not that this should put you off as there is much that will challenge your thinking regardless of denomination.
Unsurprisingly, Spadaro favours the Catholic belief that virtual reality is no substitute for real in-person experience of Christian community. For Spadaro there are no sacraments on the internet for it would be an avatar receiving God’s grace.
However, he does not consider the memorialist point of view (taking the Eucharist ‘in remembrance’ of Jesus) which can be translated into a meaningful virtual reality church service. Sparado believes that ‘if we share our own experience with others who are absent, we will end up neglecting what we are living with the faithful who are present.’ Here, virtual reality reduces the event into the sense of participating in a video game.
Spadaro questions whether avatars can participate in prayer events or receive the sacraments. The difficulty is that Spadaro describes an avatar as jargon for a virtual ego, there is no consideration of the person behind that ‘virtual representation’ or what an avatar actually represents. Spadaro seems to consider the avatar as a cartoon character, no different to Tom or Jerry. If he had considered the persona behind the avatar, the persona who is actually reciting the liturgy or praying for real events in their lives, he may have formulated a different view.
Digital technology has advanced considerable since the book was first published, although theological considerations remain the same. Cybertheology unpacks the main challenges digital culture presents for the Church and is a helpful starting point.
Spadaro offers no real conclusion and the book ends abruptly with an observation that the internet ‘becomes a stage in humanity journey, humanity that is moved, urged on and guided by God.’ Perhaps, that is Spadaro’s conclusion, that the internet is just another part of humanity's journey, to be replaced in the future by something new. Ultimately, it’s a journey that begins and ends with God.
July 7, 2023
3.5/5 stars. This book was an easy read, I finished it in a day. Lots of great, practical information. One part that stood out to me most was the section near the front of the book about how our theology informs our worldview, and in a world where technology now intersects with real-life, our spiritual formation (and that of others) can be influenced by technology for better or worse.
June 12, 2024
Nel libro ci sono alcune riflessioni e idee interessanti.
November 4, 2016
Padre "Cyberspadaro".
Tutti sanno che il prefisso "cyber" discende dalla parola inglese "cybernetics", (in italiano "cibernetica"), a sua volta dal greco κυβερνητικός, (bravo nel governare, gestire). Viene usato come tale in numerose situazioni sia reali che astratte, senza mai perdere il suo significato di base riferito essenzialmente al controllo dell'atto comunicativo. L'autore di questo libro, che fa di questo prefisso il suo punto di partenza, è uno che della materia se ne intende. Non mi riferisco soltanto alla cibernetica in quanto tale, ma sopratutto alla sua capacità di diffondere la "parola" sia in senso letterario-letterale che in quello teologico. Non è un caso che è da poco, ancor giovane, diventato direttore della più antica rivista italiana "La Civiltà Cattolica". E' anche autore di numerosi libri che vanno dalla poesia alla musica, dall'informatica alla teologia, oltre che ad essere un instancabile viaggiatore e conferenziere. In qualsiasi momento puoi vedere nel suo spazio su FB una fotografia scaricata dal suo iphone nella sua stanza, in ritiro spirituale, oppure in una strada di Los Angeles, New York o Calcutta. Articoli su articoli digitali e non, i suoi interessi sono non solo moderni ed interessanti ma anche condivisi da molti suoi fan con i quali ama interagire. E lo fa sempre con grande spirito libero e giovanile.
Ho il piacere e l'onore di avere Padre Antonio Spadaro non dico come "amico", ma tra i "contatti" su FB. Con lui ho avuto nel tempo vari e veloci scambi di battute in diverse situazioni. Una volta quando caricai alcune immagini della mia biblioteca su aNobii ebbe a chiedermi: "Ma li hai letti tutti?". Un'altra volta scrissi qualcosa su un suo libro di poesie inglesi di Walt Whitman e lui mi ringraziò con grande cortesia. In un'altra occasione gli sottoposi un quesito su un argomento scottante quale il "Cybersex" e lui abilmente glissò. Confesso che faccio fatica a seguirlo nelle sue varie occasioni di scrittura pubblica, ma è sempre un piacere per me leggerlo ed arricchirmi della sua conoscenza sia teologica che digitale.
Dovrei dire qualcosa di questo suo libro. Ma penso che ci sia ben poco da dire. Mi basta affermare con sicurezza che lo trovo un testo "ardito", coraggioso quanto mai nel suo tentativo di conciliare la Rete e la Teologia. Chi si ritiene ancora Cristiano in questa nostra epoca in cui la religione sembra essere diventata un "optional", farà bene a leggerlo, anzi a studiarlo. Potrà così comprendere il senso di questo nostro tempo di transizione e di rinnovamento. Non a caso il libro, edito dalla editrice "Vita e Pensiero", trova posto nella collana che porta questo titolo. Perché in piena transizione siamo in questo nostro tempo. Una transizione cominciata diversi anni fa ormai e che ancora non si è fermata. Chissà, tra cinque, dieci anni soltanto come staranno le cose. "Se i device si integreranno sempre di più con il nostro corpo, chi controllerà la tecnologia? Saremo proprietari o utenti delle nostre protesi tecnologiche?" L'interrogativo non è mio, bensì di Cory Doctorow, il giovane blogger canadese, fondatore di BoingBoing, co-fondatore dell' "Open rights Group". La mia domanda è: "Come si integrerà la Teologia in un "tessuto" di questo tipo?
Ricordo un libro uscito nel 2002 scritto da David Weinberger intitolato Small Pieces Loosely Joined" che stranamente Antonio Spadaro non cita nella sua pur ricca bibliografia. Aveva per sottotitolo "How the web shows us who we really are". (Come la Rete ci mostra chi siamo veramente). L'autore nella sua presentazione diceva che il Web ci offre l'opportunità di ripensare la nostra natura di uomini e la natura stessa del mondo. La teologia per mezzo della "fede" riuscirà mai ad insegnare agli uomini, usando gli strumenti della ragione e della libertà che hanno a loro disposizione, a vivere bene e possibilmente meglio di quanto abbiano saputo fare finora? Libertà e Ragione da un lato, Web e Teologia dall'altro per fronteggiare il Mistero dell'esistenza. Un augurio ed un auspicio in Rete.
Tutti sanno che il prefisso "cyber" discende dalla parola inglese "cybernetics", (in italiano "cibernetica"), a sua volta dal greco κυβερνητικός, (bravo nel governare, gestire). Viene usato come tale in numerose situazioni sia reali che astratte, senza mai perdere il suo significato di base riferito essenzialmente al controllo dell'atto comunicativo. L'autore di questo libro, che fa di questo prefisso il suo punto di partenza, è uno che della materia se ne intende. Non mi riferisco soltanto alla cibernetica in quanto tale, ma sopratutto alla sua capacità di diffondere la "parola" sia in senso letterario-letterale che in quello teologico. Non è un caso che è da poco, ancor giovane, diventato direttore della più antica rivista italiana "La Civiltà Cattolica". E' anche autore di numerosi libri che vanno dalla poesia alla musica, dall'informatica alla teologia, oltre che ad essere un instancabile viaggiatore e conferenziere. In qualsiasi momento puoi vedere nel suo spazio su FB una fotografia scaricata dal suo iphone nella sua stanza, in ritiro spirituale, oppure in una strada di Los Angeles, New York o Calcutta. Articoli su articoli digitali e non, i suoi interessi sono non solo moderni ed interessanti ma anche condivisi da molti suoi fan con i quali ama interagire. E lo fa sempre con grande spirito libero e giovanile.
Ho il piacere e l'onore di avere Padre Antonio Spadaro non dico come "amico", ma tra i "contatti" su FB. Con lui ho avuto nel tempo vari e veloci scambi di battute in diverse situazioni. Una volta quando caricai alcune immagini della mia biblioteca su aNobii ebbe a chiedermi: "Ma li hai letti tutti?". Un'altra volta scrissi qualcosa su un suo libro di poesie inglesi di Walt Whitman e lui mi ringraziò con grande cortesia. In un'altra occasione gli sottoposi un quesito su un argomento scottante quale il "Cybersex" e lui abilmente glissò. Confesso che faccio fatica a seguirlo nelle sue varie occasioni di scrittura pubblica, ma è sempre un piacere per me leggerlo ed arricchirmi della sua conoscenza sia teologica che digitale.
Dovrei dire qualcosa di questo suo libro. Ma penso che ci sia ben poco da dire. Mi basta affermare con sicurezza che lo trovo un testo "ardito", coraggioso quanto mai nel suo tentativo di conciliare la Rete e la Teologia. Chi si ritiene ancora Cristiano in questa nostra epoca in cui la religione sembra essere diventata un "optional", farà bene a leggerlo, anzi a studiarlo. Potrà così comprendere il senso di questo nostro tempo di transizione e di rinnovamento. Non a caso il libro, edito dalla editrice "Vita e Pensiero", trova posto nella collana che porta questo titolo. Perché in piena transizione siamo in questo nostro tempo. Una transizione cominciata diversi anni fa ormai e che ancora non si è fermata. Chissà, tra cinque, dieci anni soltanto come staranno le cose. "Se i device si integreranno sempre di più con il nostro corpo, chi controllerà la tecnologia? Saremo proprietari o utenti delle nostre protesi tecnologiche?" L'interrogativo non è mio, bensì di Cory Doctorow, il giovane blogger canadese, fondatore di BoingBoing, co-fondatore dell' "Open rights Group". La mia domanda è: "Come si integrerà la Teologia in un "tessuto" di questo tipo?
Ricordo un libro uscito nel 2002 scritto da David Weinberger intitolato Small Pieces Loosely Joined" che stranamente Antonio Spadaro non cita nella sua pur ricca bibliografia. Aveva per sottotitolo "How the web shows us who we really are". (Come la Rete ci mostra chi siamo veramente). L'autore nella sua presentazione diceva che il Web ci offre l'opportunità di ripensare la nostra natura di uomini e la natura stessa del mondo. La teologia per mezzo della "fede" riuscirà mai ad insegnare agli uomini, usando gli strumenti della ragione e della libertà che hanno a loro disposizione, a vivere bene e possibilmente meglio di quanto abbiano saputo fare finora? Libertà e Ragione da un lato, Web e Teologia dall'altro per fronteggiare il Mistero dell'esistenza. Un augurio ed un auspicio in Rete.
April 11, 2012
Antonio Spadaro è un gesuita. È il direttore di La civiltà Cattolica, ma oltre alle sue competenze teologiche può vantare una lunga esperienza di Internet ottenuta sul campo. In questa sua nuova opera padre Spadaro raccoglie alcuni saggi che, come dice il titolo stesso, gettano le basi per una teologia cattolica che tenga conto del nuovo paradigma che si è formato da quando la Rete è diventata non tanto una realtà parallela a quella usuale ma una realtà agganciata ("aumentata", direbbe qualcuno). Attenzione: non si parla di pastorale della rete (come usare la rete per evangelizzare), che è una cosa completamente diversa: nel libro si parla proprio di come gli studi teologici dovrebbero tenere conto che noi vediamo le cose in maniera diversa da prima, e quindi potremmo dover modificare la nostra comprensione finita dell'essenza infinita di Dio.
Alcune delle considerazioni di Spadaro mi lasciano perplesso, come per esempio considerare il "nuovo significato elettronico" del verbo giustificare - per i verbi "salvare" e "convertire" le sue riflessioni mi trovano d'accordo - e il rischio della manipolabilità del testo sacro in un'epoca di duplicabilità assoluta (pag. 110): per me è più semplice verificare oggi la corrispondenza di un testo all'originale, basta usare un hash, che sapere se un'opera a stampa pur con un imprimatur sia effettivamente identica all'originale. Anche la definizione di surplus cognitivo applicato a Wikipedia (pag. 79) mi pare troppo ottimistica: se l'accostamento non fosse un po' blasfemo direi che al più chi ci scrive su è il sale della terra. Ma queste sono pecche minori: il libro è davvero ricco di spunti interessanti, sia grazie allo spessore culturale di Spadaro che per il suo punto di vista "altro", non solo cattolico ma anche più in genere umanista, che riesce a cogliere aspetti rispetto ai quali i sedicenti guru informatici (quorum ego) sono ciechi. Segnalo tra gli altri il cambiamento dell'uomo dal Medioevo a oggi, da bussola in cerca di Dio a radar che ascolta tutto a decoder per cui occorre lanciare un segnale preciso (pag. 41), Facebook che ha cambiato la rete da insieme di pagine e contenuti a relazioni tra persone (pag. 50), la liturgia vista come un tipo peculiare di realtà aumentata (pag. 115), e la bella disamina del pensiero di Levy e Teilhard de Chardin nell'ultimo capitolo. Insomma, una lettura non semplice ma indubbiamente piacevole.
Alcune delle considerazioni di Spadaro mi lasciano perplesso, come per esempio considerare il "nuovo significato elettronico" del verbo giustificare - per i verbi "salvare" e "convertire" le sue riflessioni mi trovano d'accordo - e il rischio della manipolabilità del testo sacro in un'epoca di duplicabilità assoluta (pag. 110): per me è più semplice verificare oggi la corrispondenza di un testo all'originale, basta usare un hash, che sapere se un'opera a stampa pur con un imprimatur sia effettivamente identica all'originale. Anche la definizione di surplus cognitivo applicato a Wikipedia (pag. 79) mi pare troppo ottimistica: se l'accostamento non fosse un po' blasfemo direi che al più chi ci scrive su è il sale della terra. Ma queste sono pecche minori: il libro è davvero ricco di spunti interessanti, sia grazie allo spessore culturale di Spadaro che per il suo punto di vista "altro", non solo cattolico ma anche più in genere umanista, che riesce a cogliere aspetti rispetto ai quali i sedicenti guru informatici (quorum ego) sono ciechi. Segnalo tra gli altri il cambiamento dell'uomo dal Medioevo a oggi, da bussola in cerca di Dio a radar che ascolta tutto a decoder per cui occorre lanciare un segnale preciso (pag. 41), Facebook che ha cambiato la rete da insieme di pagine e contenuti a relazioni tra persone (pag. 50), la liturgia vista come un tipo peculiare di realtà aumentata (pag. 115), e la bella disamina del pensiero di Levy e Teilhard de Chardin nell'ultimo capitolo. Insomma, una lettura non semplice ma indubbiamente piacevole.
July 2, 2014
Este tomo es una introducción efectiva para pensar críticamente sobre nuestra sociedad hiperconectiva a la luz de la teología, y específicamente la teología del Vaticano. Cuenta con citas y notas de pie bien documentados y una bibliografía sumamente valiosa para aquellos interesados en indagar más sobre el tema. Algunos insights* que aprecié de su lectura.
-Me hizo reflexionar sobre el uso de shuffle (orden aleatorio) al escuchar música. Spadaro sugiere que refleja una filosofía de que “toda experiencia es casual, sin sentido, precaria, incomprensible y fugaz” y que ésta puede ser “un obstáculo para una vida vivida con plenitud” (p. 52).
-Al hablar de como el Evangelio es tratado en la era de información, cita a Ratzinger quien dice que el Evangelio no puede ser considerado “‘una línea en la tabla al lado de otras’, sino ‘la clave, un mensaje de naturaleza del todo diversa de las muchas informaciones’” (p. 57).
-Los conceptos de Spadaro en cuanto a iglesia, jerarquía y sacramentos distan de los míos, pero resultan muy interesantes los capítulos 3 al 5. El capítulo 3 analiza la posibilidad y las limitaciones de la metáfora de la red, cuando ésta se aplica a la iglesia. Expone en el capítulo 4 el trasfondo de la filosofía hacker y sus implicancias éticas. En el Capítulo 5 defiende la necesidad de la corporalidad en el culto. Presenta muchas ideas muy interesantes y sobre las cuales es importante reflexionar.
-Valoré mucha la diferenciación que hace entre “instrumentos tecnológicos” y “objetos focales”, citando a Borgmann. El culto cristiano no debe comprenderse como un instrumento que provee comodidad y control, sino debe “contribuir a que el mundo sea semánticamente coherente, requiriendo un engagement intensivo de cuerpo y mente” (p. 134).
*Si esto le molesta, no lea el libro: está repleto de palabras en latín e inglés.
-Me hizo reflexionar sobre el uso de shuffle (orden aleatorio) al escuchar música. Spadaro sugiere que refleja una filosofía de que “toda experiencia es casual, sin sentido, precaria, incomprensible y fugaz” y que ésta puede ser “un obstáculo para una vida vivida con plenitud” (p. 52).
-Al hablar de como el Evangelio es tratado en la era de información, cita a Ratzinger quien dice que el Evangelio no puede ser considerado “‘una línea en la tabla al lado de otras’, sino ‘la clave, un mensaje de naturaleza del todo diversa de las muchas informaciones’” (p. 57).
-Los conceptos de Spadaro en cuanto a iglesia, jerarquía y sacramentos distan de los míos, pero resultan muy interesantes los capítulos 3 al 5. El capítulo 3 analiza la posibilidad y las limitaciones de la metáfora de la red, cuando ésta se aplica a la iglesia. Expone en el capítulo 4 el trasfondo de la filosofía hacker y sus implicancias éticas. En el Capítulo 5 defiende la necesidad de la corporalidad en el culto. Presenta muchas ideas muy interesantes y sobre las cuales es importante reflexionar.
-Valoré mucha la diferenciación que hace entre “instrumentos tecnológicos” y “objetos focales”, citando a Borgmann. El culto cristiano no debe comprenderse como un instrumento que provee comodidad y control, sino debe “contribuir a que el mundo sea semánticamente coherente, requiriendo un engagement intensivo de cuerpo y mente” (p. 134).
*Si esto le molesta, no lea el libro: está repleto de palabras en latín e inglés.
January 13, 2016
El trabajo de Spadaro es pionero
Ciberteología descubre nuevas categorías para pensar teológicamente en la era de la información. Esto lo hace desde una teología contextual, que analiza lo filosofía de algunas tecnologías modernas y evalúa cuán aplicables dichas filosofías describen el significado de la fe cristiana hoy. Aunque no sigue los esbozos tradicionales de la teología sistemática, su trabajo sienta las bases para repensar una Eclesiologia, Cristología y hasta Escatologia que hable a nuestra experiencia contemporánea de hiperconexión. Excelente libro que los líderes cristianos de hoy necesitan leer.
Ciberteología descubre nuevas categorías para pensar teológicamente en la era de la información. Esto lo hace desde una teología contextual, que analiza lo filosofía de algunas tecnologías modernas y evalúa cuán aplicables dichas filosofías describen el significado de la fe cristiana hoy. Aunque no sigue los esbozos tradicionales de la teología sistemática, su trabajo sienta las bases para repensar una Eclesiologia, Cristología y hasta Escatologia que hable a nuestra experiencia contemporánea de hiperconexión. Excelente libro que los líderes cristianos de hoy necesitan leer.
March 31, 2016
This can be a tough book due to translation and heavier communication theory concepts. However, the author explores a fascinating reality of a disembodied church and how Catholics should relate to the idea of a "virtual sacrament." Even though the author is writing to a Catholic audience, the discussion is relevant for all faith communities as we grapple with how new media mediates our theology and how it is informing the way we believe.
Good stuff.
Good stuff.
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