Virtual Cathedral: a conversation between liturgy and technology

The ancient and relatively constant tradition of Christian liturgy, joined with the always new and exponentially changing world of technology, can produce images of startling contradiction. Yet, there inevitably exists, between these strange bedfellows, a necessary relationship and, even, interdependency. With varying rates of acceptance, the church has employed, if not always fully embraced, advancing technologies. And, some would suggest that advancing technologies foster a greater need for spirituality. In his pre-millennium book, Megatrends, John Nesbitt predicts that a world becoming more "high-tech" will, of necessity, become more "high-touch". Church growth, especially amongst fundamentalist Christian traditions in the US, and the burgeoning collection of books concerned with spiritual direction, self-care and body-mind-spirit connectedness offer the most obvious evidence in support of Nesbitt's belief. But, the natural tension between liturgy and technology - especially in practice - is very real. Such tension has many sources, including fear of the sacred becoming too secular, suspicion of technology's potential for artificiality, uncertainty and awkwardness in the practical application of technology to liturgy and, sometimes, a lack of imagination.