Digital Liturgies
Transformed, Not Conformed
January 14, 2024 • Stephen Putbrese • Romans 11:33—12:2
The rapid adoption and ubiquity of the internet and its digital platforms have radically changed the way we relate to the world and one another, as well as how we view ourselves. While technology offers unbelievable new innovations and information availability, it has also fundamentally changed the way we think and behave and, in many ways, not for the better. How are we to move forward and thrive in a tech age? We need digital liturgies. Liturgy is a term typically used in religious settings, but it more basically refers to a customary repertoire of ideas, phrases, or observances. This series will explore biblical wisdom for living in an online world.
I Think And Therefore I Am
January 21, 2024 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 4:8–9
Does what we think about matter? Most people would probably agree that it does to some extent, but may not realize how and what we think transforms us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Modern neuroscience continues to confirm that our thought life reshapes our brains and therefore changes us into different people. However, it's quality, not quantity, that matters in this regard. In Philippians 4:8-9, the Apostle Paul directs the church to think a certain way. In our digital world, we are constantly bombarded with not only distracted thoughts, but also unhelpful material that leads to a confused, chaotic, and anxious life. In contrast, the outcome of right thinking leads to true peace.
I Am Not A Machine
January 28, 2024 • Stephen Putbrese • Deuteronomy 5:12–15
In his book "The Shallows: What The Internet Is Doing To Our Brains," Nicholas Carr writes, "Every tool imposes limitations even as it opens possibilities. The more we use it, the more we mold ourselves to its form and function...The tight bonds we form with our tools go both ways. Even as our technologies become extensions of ourselves, we become extensions of our technologies.” This is especially true of the technological tools of our digital age. While these tools provide almost unlimited opportunities, they also tend to enslave us to their own form and function. How can we learn to leverage our tools while also not allowing them to rule us? The biblical principle and practice of Sabbath. Sabbath is a word that literally means “to stop, cease, rest.” By intentionally detaching on a weekly set period, we are recognizing that we are not machines and will not be enslaved to the prevailing patterns of the world.
Attention Economy
February 4, 2024 • Stephen Putbrese • Proverbs 27:19–21
Three thousand years ago, King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:8, "the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing." The human heart is perpetually dissatisfied and constantly searching for new novelty. This problem is only exacerbated in our tech age, as we now live in what's known as an attention economy, meaning that every platform and device is vying for our finite and limited attention. This teaching will meditate on Proverbs 27:19-21 as we consider why it is that our eyes are never satisfied. Further, we will see how what we view and how we respond to praise reveals the depths of our hearts.