The New Scroll Digital Devices, Bible Study and Worship

Abstract

Using survey and focus group methodology, this study examined what highly religious people think about mobile technology as an enhancement to the individual and corporate spiritual life. Results indicated that even church members over 60 years old embraced newer technologies both within their place of worship as well as at home. Sunday school and Bible study teachers were more comfortable and enthusiastic about the uses of mobile technology for spiritual growth than nonteachers. Participants in the focus group not only understood the benefit of mobile technology but also acknowledged the distraction that often occurred. Regardless of their enthusiasm toward mobile technology, respondents also were adamant that the scripture had special meaning whether viewed electronically or within the well-worn pages of the family Bible.

Used Sources of Spiritual Growth for Spanish University Students

“…Future developments of this research should consider the inclusion of a greater number of sources and the possibility of using open-ended questions to ask directly about sources used for spiritual growth and development. In addition, knowledge on the aspects that account for spiritual growth in higher education in countries such as Spain, where traditionally religious people coexist with their more secularized peers, could be enriched by contrasting means for spiritual growth with religious and existential doubt (e.g., Patrick and Henrie 2015), spiritual support (e.g., Krause et al 2013), different lifestyles (e.g., Aqtash and Servellen 2013;Liebergall-Wischnitzer et al 2016), important experiences that were not necessarily traumatic or negative (e.g., De Castella and Simmonds 2013;Chopko et al 2016;Kim et al 2016), and the role of digital devices (e.g., Richardson and Pardun 2015). These aspects have been shown to have a relationship with spiritual growth and their study may contribute to further enriching the little knowledge we have on the factors that could impact the effectiveness of different types of interventions aimed at facilitating spiritual growth.…”

Religion, the i-zation of society and COVID-19

“…Kathy Richardson and Carol Pardun (2015) studied the 2013 Barna survey, which focused on practicing Christian Millennials. A large majority of them (70%) read scripture on a phone or computer.…”

“…As one respondent stated,I use the iPad every week because I can come straight from work and have my 10 minutes before class to look up pictures of the missionary, the place we’re studying, and I can save them all and scroll through while we’re having our story, and I can play music that goes along with the place. (Richardson and Pardun, 2015: 24)…”

Swipe Left to Pray. Analyzing Authority and Transcendence in Prayer Apps

“…Findings show that, not surprisingly, convenience is considered a major benefit of usage (e.g. Hutchings 2014; Richardson and Pardun 2015;Rinker et al 2016). Users take their smartphones wherever they want and thus make use of religious apps without restraints to a particular physical space or a particular occasion.…”