Connect and reconnect

Engaging in the digital world may sometimes not be perceived as an opportunity but only as a challenge for the Church. That might lead to total avoidance or to an excessively critical posture. These are some challenges that may arise connected to the use of the virtual environment are Digital Wellbeing and the use of Artificial intelligence. I think that, on the one hand, we shouldn’t ignore the challenges of the digital world, especially mobile technology. On the other hand, what needs to be underlined is the reality of digital technologies in daily life, the way they have changed our life and the way it becomes almost impossible to avoid them. Maryanne Wolf, brain researcher specialist, as concerned as she is with the brain and its abilities facing a digital era, is very clear in stating: I have little doubt that the next generation will go beyond us in ways we cannot imagine at this moment. As Alec Ross, the author of The Industries of the Future, wrote, 65 percent of the job

  Sexton, Jason (ed.), Four Views on the Church’s Mission . Zondervan, 2017           This book brings a theological reflection about the mission of God from different angles. It is not a “practical” book, those looking for practical ideas for Churches could be disappointed by it. However, it brings more in depth thinking from four different angles about where the Mission of God is anchored and from where it should spring.       Jason Sexton’s article focuses on Mission as the proclamation of sin and the necessity of redemption. The Church’s task is to “to make disciples by declaring or mediating God’s judgments” (29) considering the truth that “the threat of God’s eternal wrath is the most urgent of all” (30). When we look to Paul affirming that we “know nothing but Christ crucified” we will agree with him in the sense that if the Church is not proclaiming sin and redemption to humanity, of is failing in its most basic sense. The criticism could be directed to the fact t

The Worship Service is an area of both rich blessing and high tension for the Church. This has happened many times, and still happens mainly when form and content, which are both important, get confused and one takes the place of the other. However, the Divine Service is a gateway to the mission of the Church,  and the high point of congregational life - even though the life of a congregation is not defined solely by the service or the style of worship but it appears in different areas of its life. T herefore, it is always in need of attention, practice and care in whichever ways and means it is practised and celebrated.   In this essay, we reflect on the musical content and its importance in the Divine Service, and the use of Alternative Liturgical Services as a form of strengthening the Lutheran Church Musical content The musical content is normally one of the most sensitive topics connected to Divine Service. which needs attention, care and understanding in every way it is utiliz