Italian priest gives tips on evangelization in cyberspace

Last updated on: August 2, 2012 at 1:05 am by CNA Daily News

Italian priest gives tips on evangelization in cyberspace 2012-08-02T01:05:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rome, Italy, Aug 1, 2012 / 07:05 pm (CNA).- He is the Italian Jesuit who coined the word “Cybertheology,” and is now trying to coach Catholics on how to best evangelize through the internet.

“The Church is called to be there where man is and today man is also on the internet,” Fr. Antonio Spadaro S.J. told CNA in Rome.

“So, my efforts are meant to try and understand the world, to comprehend its dynamics so as to be present also as people of the Church, to assist others to also be so in this environment.”

Fr. Spadaro, 46, is a professor at the Jesuit’s Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and also the editor of the order’s publication La Civiltà Cattolica.

His academic career has combined philosophy, theology and social communications. Those disciplines came together to help create his book “Cybertheology; Thinking Christianity at the time of the Net” which was published in Italian in March 2012.

“Cybertheology, as I call it, consists of this reflection on the faith in the information age. Whereas in other ages it was difficult to exchange information, today we are substantially immersed. You could say there's an information overload. Information inundates us.”

His writings, therefore, attempt to help the Christian understand, consume and use social media more effectively.

“For me, it is a great honor to apply my work in this area of the Universal Church and I seek to pick up on the greatest demands that are being made of the Church today.”

His writings are also available at his similarly named website www.cyberteologia.it. Regularly updated, his latest postings make available the best advice for evangelizers seeking to spread the Gospel through social networking sites such as Facebook.

“The question of God is a strong one, but we see it coming up everywhere, also in social networks. A desire for prayer arises,” he observed.

Hence his desire “to understand and to analyze” what is going on and then to help Catholics best use technology to explain Jesus Christ to the online community.

Europe

Previous Post

August 1, 2012

Oxford Oratory to host Chesterton library

Next Post

August 2, 2012 Former Vatican ambassadors launch Catholics for Romney group

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

To what place did Jacob flee after stealing his brother's blessing?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Haran Bethel Egypt Nineveh