The dyophysite nature of internet: Negotiating

authorities within churches

Stefan GelfgrenHUMlab

Umeå University

Aim:

Four case studies:• Digital media as vernacular

means for negotiating authority• Institution vs. ”folk” initiatives• Digital religion/folklore Online

Offline

Hybridity

The twofold origin of internet

Counter culture

• Tech-utopianism• Anti-authoritarian• Anti-hierachical • Freedom• Participation• Producer• ...

Cold war• Tech-dystopism• Authoritarian• Hierachical• Control • Passive• Consumer• ...

What is the inheritance of these divergent visions?

”A two edged sword”

"The medium [Internet] is a two edged sword." "Largely because of its highly interactive, decentralized character as a networked rather than a mass medium, the Internet implicitly persuades in both directions, from faith and doubt, doubt to faith - and everything in between. Even as cyberspace equips evangelicals to connect with other believers, it can introduce Christians to pagan ideas, tempting misbehavior and destructive communities. --- In other words, cyberspace is a kind of laboratory for individuals and groups to experiment with self-identities."

Quentin J. Schultze, "Following Pilgrims into Cyberspace", i Understanding Evangelical Media: The Changing Face of Christian Communication (2008).

Second Life – between tradition and innovation

Benny Hinn – An American televangelist live-scrutinized

The fake Archbishop – social media as means for dialogue

Laestadian movement – open, aware & hesitant

Paradoxical effects:

• Digital media as means for change

• Build upon old structures and media (remediation)

• New authorities • Information officers• Webmasters• Tech pundits

• Digital media to reinforce tradition and structures

• Old structures are ”digitized” (due to a mediatized society)

• Old authorities• Theology• Historical context• Hierarchies