‘Prayer in the Digital Age’ by Matt Swaim, Ligouri, $26.95
In a technologically saturated world we have all struggled to balance the demands of life and stay abreast of emerging social media. This book is perhaps long overdue for a culture that is just so reliant on technology.
Swaim’s book explores the way that the increase of technology has affected our culture, our society and even our families. Swaim argues that the greatest fear of our modern age is actually silence. We feel uncomfortable without background noise of some description – whether it is television, music or other media – and try to eradicate silence from our lives. Here, he suggests, is the biggest obstacle to having a meaningful prayer life – God speaks in the silence.
But silence is not the only issue that Swaim tackles in ‘Prayer in the Digital Age’ he also discusses the type of content that is broadcast on television, as opposed to even just 10 years ago; the reality that media used to be a product of culture and now culture is more commonly the product of our media; the dangers of social media misuse; whether we are masters of our technologies or whether they are our masters and; that although we have so many ways in which to say things across differing aspects of our media and yet, we seem to have nothing of importance to say. And that’s just for starters.
Perhaps his exploration of virtual and actual realities is the most confronting area of this book. Why? Because here Swaim embarks upon his most ambitious argument – one that I must say I agree with wholeheartedly – that we have created a false image of God to fit in with our false or virtual worlds. He implies, not without some irony, that God made mankind in His own image and that mankind has returned the favour – and there’s a huge difference between who God is, and what we have made Him out to be.
I thoroughly enjoyed the well reasoned and balanced arguments of this exploration of prayer and faith in our digital age. The arguments are clear, well researched and rational.
Perhaps the only area I thought could have been improved was the chapter regarding the way the Catholic Church needed to make use of, and deal with, social media.
I recommend this book to anyone who owns a television, mobile phone, computer and is on Facebook, Twitter or any other social media site. This book, best read in silence without competing background noise, will make you reconsider how much time you spend using technology and how well you know and appreciate the importance of God and your faith in your life. A must for the technologically connected (and dependant)!
Originally posted 2014-02-14 22:44:08.