Connected Toward Communion: The Church and Social Communication in the Digital Age

by Daniella Zsupan-Jerome

We are living in a cultural digital communication has reshaped the way we interact with one another, form and maintain relationships, and gain knowledge and understanding. How might we go about communicating the Good News of Jesus Christ in the midst of these changes to an emerging culture shaped by digital media? This question addresses the whole church, from the baptized faithful to pastoral ministers and the institutional structures that serve the church locally and globally.In Connected toward Communion , Daniella Zsupan-Jerome traces the Roman Catholic Church’s contemporary thought and practice of social communication, from  Inter Mirifica of the Second Vatican Council to the church's approach to communicating faith through social networking today. Throughout, a key question forms a common how might we form pastoral ministers today for serving the church in the digital age and beyond? 

156 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 2014

Reviews

[Domenico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Connected Toward Communion: The Church and Social Communication in the Digital Age by Daniella Zsupan-Jerome is not a book first and foremost about social media or new media and definitely not a how-to manual for best practices in Catholic media. It is a survey of the Church’s teachings on social communications since Vatican II’s Inter Mirifica with an eye primarily toward how pastoral workers–ordained, religious, and lay–could be formed both to use media and to help others use it well. This is a theological and academic book (the author consistently refers to the book as “the study”) whose audience includes those who teach in seminaries and Catholic colleges and perhaps those in dioceses and parishes intent on training others to be Catholic communicators and/or literate media consumers.

If you want to understand a theology of communications, if you’re involved in preparing others for ministry, this is a good book for you. Walking through the various documents on social communications, starting with Inter Mirifica, then Communio et Progressio and then other works through the 80s and 90s and finally into the Internet era, we see the Church’s idea of the use of media for evangelization grow beyond specialized training for broadcast and print work into generalized ideas about media literacy and universal participation in the whole spectrum of social media.

If you want to understand a theology and history of Catholic social communications, Connected Toward Communion is a good resource. If you’re a professional or volunteer Catholic communicator at the national, diocesan or parish level, a good overview of the Church’s teachings and reflections on communications is helpful. Don’t get caught thinking that just because you focus today on web sites and social media that documents that predate them aren’t relevant. But if you’re looking for a book with practical tips and techniques, then you’ll want to also look at some of the other titles out there on the subject.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Zsupan-Jerome is a whip-smart and incisive writer who offers keen insight into the social and political dimensions of the Church. Adapted from her dissertation written at Boston College, Connected Towards Communion presents a chronological narrative of the Catholic Church’s response towards and use of social communication. The book begins by offering a historical oversight of key documents of the Church, and their practical ramifications. More than just a summary of documents, these initial chapters provide a powerful commentary on these texts’ implications along with examples and analysis.

Next, Dr. Zsupan-Jerome considers the relevancy and applicability of the Church’s documents in the modern era. Can Twitter, Facebook, and open access truly be integrated into the Church’s mission to evangelize and make disciples? What does a successful 21st century parish look like? Does the Church need to engage with larger discussions about technology and media use? Her answer to these questions appeals to the mission-oriented Catholic, but also gently and graciously nudges those who may feel hesitant to integrate new media into their faith life.

I found this book to be very well-written but also highly accessible to the laity. Its academic rigor will satisfy researchers and theologians, and its practicality and appeal to action will inspire readers looking for a concise and informative analysis of Church documents.