The Magisterium of the Church on social networks
About
media in general, the teachings and values \u200b\u200bof the Church are plentiful: from the Council document "Inter Mirifica
" (1963), through the annual messages to the conference dedicated specifically to social communication (The first is of Paul VI and dates from 1967) to the Apostolic Letter of John Paul II, "
The rapid development of media 'of January 24, 2005.
Internet in particular has also attracted the attention of teachers. The result of this consideration are the documents of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications' Ethics
internet "and"
The Church and Internet ", both of 28 February 2002.
The first provides, in four parts, disturbing findings about the Internet and moral recommendations, the second in three parts, is built around opportunities and challenges that the Internet presents the Church, and then outline some recommendations.
The reflection on the digital world has been accompanied by practical work on it: the online institutional portal of the Holy See was born just months after the world wide web was operating. And throughout this time, also with the further development and specific social networks, the evangelizing efforts of the Church has taken shape with specific projects and official
YouTube, Facebook
,
Blogger and Twitter
.
Going to the point of church teaching on social networks, what is it and where is it? What sub-topics touched in a more incisive?
The message alluded at the beginning was the first but not the only place where Benedict XVI offered an initial assessment of the approach-sometimes called 'social network. " In 2010 and 2011 has returned to play related topics.
, 2009 The message type may be considered "phenomenological" substantially since the last two checks: one on the use and benefits when he says:
"The easy access to mobile phones and computers, combined with the global reach and the widespread presence of Internet, have multiplied the means to instantly send words and images over long distances and even the most remote places in the world. This possibility was unthinkable for previous generations. Especially young people have realized the enormous potential of new media to facilitate connection, communication and understanding between people and communities, and use them to get in touch with friends, meeting new friends, to create communities and networks for information and news to share their ideas and opinions. In this new culture of communication derive many benefits: families can stay connected even though its members are far away from each other, and students and researchers with easy and immediate access to documents, sources and scientific discoveries, and thus working in collaboratively from different locations, in addition, the interactive nature of new media provides more dynamic forms of learning and communication that contribute to social progress. "
and a second might be called "anthropology of social networks" because of the popularity they have and the human need to which they respond:
"[...] their popularity among users [...] responds to the fundamental desire of people to enter into relationship each other. This desire for communication and friendship is rooted in our human nature and can not adequately understood as a response to technological innovations. The desire to stay in touch and the instinct for communication, which seem obvious in contemporary culture are basically modern manifestations of the fundamental and enduring tendency of humans to go beyond himself to enter into relations with others. "
In message for World Day of Social Communications, 2009 also a reflection-up call about a concept which often revolve around human relationships: that of "friendship." It is a further deepening and original contribution was a novel by the Supreme Pontiff, not only in Catholic circles:
"The concept of friendship has been a resurgence in the vocabulary of digital social networks have emerged in recent years. This concept is one of the noblest achievements of human culture. In our friendships, and through them, we grow and develop as human beings. Precisely for this reason has always been considered the true friendship as one of the greatest goods that can be humans. Therefore, it has to be careful not to trivialize the concept and experience of friendship. It would be sad if our desire to establish and develop online friendships outside of our availability deteriorating family, neighbors and those we meet in our daily reality in the workplace, at school or during free time. Indeed, when the desire for virtual connection becomes obsessive, the consequence is that the person is isolated, disrupting its interaction real social. This ultimately alter the rhythms of rest, silence and reflection are necessary for healthy human development. "
Benedict XVI's message begins with a necessary clarification: "The primary task of the priest is to proclaim Christ, the Word of God made flesh, and the communication of divine grace that saves us through the Sacraments. " On that basis touches three most: 1) the risks and opportunities for priests, 2) the actual action of the priest in the digital world and 3) the specificity of the set in general in social networks.
On the first point states:
"the growing multimedia and a variety of functions that are in communication, may involve the risk of use dictated primarily by the mere requirement to be present, considering internet only, and erroneously, as a space to be filled. On the contrary, calls to priests the ability to participate in the digital world in constant fidelity to the Gospel message, to exercise their role as leaders of communities that are increasingly expressing through the many "voices" that emerged in the digital world. Must announce the Gospel using not only traditional media but also those provided by the new generation of media (photo, video, animations, blogs, web sites), sometimes unreleased dialogue and instruments for the evangelization and catechesis '.
On the second point reminds
"In contact with the digital world, the priest should be transparent, rather than the hand of a user simple means, their closeness to Christ who gives soul to the pastoral commitment not only of its own, but the continuous flow of communication of the 'network'. Also in the digital world, it must show that the loving concern of God in Christ for us is not a thing of the past, nor the learned theory, but a concrete reality and actual. Indeed, the pastoral in the world must show the people of our time uncertainty and confusion today that "God is near that in Christ we all belong to each other. Who better than a man of God can develop and implement, through his competence in the field of new media, a ministry that make God alive and present in the reality of today? Who better than him to present the religious wisdom of the past as a treasure to fall back to live with dignity today and properly build the future? ".
And on the third point emphasizes:
"who works as set out in the media have the task of paving the way for new meetings, maintaining the quality of human contact and care to people and their genuine spiritual needs. Rightful provide men and women of our time 'digital' signs to sense the Lord give them the opportunity to grow in expectation and hope, and to approach the Word of God who saves and fosters human development. The Word can sail offshore to the many crossroads created by the dense network of highways of cyberspace, and affirm the right of citizenship of God in every age, so that he can advance through new forms of communication through the streets of cities and to stop at the threshold of our homes and hearts .... "
In XLV message for World Communications Day Social 2011 (June 5, 2011) the Pope turned to address the third consecutive year the field of social networks. The title of the message, "Truth and authenticity of life announcement in the digital age, it was already indicative and eloquent as bringing attention to an often forgotten on the Internet under: consistency.
The first consideration is part of the deepening between three concepts: respect, information and 'profile' staff. Benedict says:
"transmit information in the digital world means more and more enter in a network in which knowledge is shared in the field of personal exchanges. Relativizing the distinction between producer and consumer of information and communication and is not limited to data exchange, but you want to share. This dynamic has contributed to a renewed appreciation of the act of communicating, mostly considered as a dialogue, exchange, solidarity and building positive relationships. On the other hand, all faced with some typical boundaries of digital communication: a partial interaction, the tendency to report only some parts of the inner world, the risk of building a certain image of themselves which often leads to complacency [...] The desire to share, to establish "friendships", involves the challenge of being authentic, true to themselves, without succumbing to the illusion of building artificially own "profile" public. "
Later involvement deepens between preaching the Gospel and the proper consistency in social networks (presented as a specifically Christian presence in them):
Communicating the Gospel through new media means not only to overtly religious content in different media platforms, but also give coherent testimony own profile and digital communication mode preferences, choices and decisions that are deeply accord with the Gospel, even when not explicitly discuss it. Nor can post a message in the digital world without the consistent witness who advertised. In new contexts and new forms of expression, the Christian is called back to answer who asks the reason for hope. "
The last point addresses the question of the relationship between popularity and truth:
"We must become aware of everything that the value of truth we wish to share is not based on" popularity " or the amount of attention it causes. We must make it known in its entirety, rather than trying to make it acceptable, perhaps misleading. It must become everyday food and not attract a moment. The truth of the Gospel can not be an object of consumption or enjoyment superficial, but a gift that calls for free response. That truth, even when proclaimed in the virtual space of the network is always known to be embodied in the real world and in relation to specific faces of the brothers and sisters with whom we share our everyday life. So, remain vital human relationships direct transmission of the faith. "
Papal
These messages are accompanied speeches of particular value as directed by the Pope to the participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications in 2011 and headed the Pontifical Council for Culture in November 2010 held its plenary session addressing the issue "Culture of communications and new languages."
In the first, Benedict XVI briefly reviews the cultural transformation that are conducting social networking aspects such as language, not just verbal, developed in them:
"The new languages \u200b\u200bthat develop communication Digital determine, on the other hand, a more intuitive and emotional capacity than analytical point towards a logical organization of thought and the relationship with reality, often pictured privilege and and hypertext links. The traditional sharp distinction between written and spoken language also seems to vanish in favor of a written communication that takes the form and the immediacy of orality. The dynamics of the "participatory networks, also require that the person is involved in what they communicate. When people exchange information, and are sharing themselves and their world view: they become "witnesses" what gives meaning to their existence. "
then abundant in the risks involved: "the loss of interiority, superficiality in living relationships, the flight into the emotion, the prevalence of opinion more convincing about the desire for truth. And yet these are the result of an inability to live fully and authentically the sense of motivation. "
is here comes the urgent invitation to a "reflection on the languages \u200b\u200bdeveloped by new technologies. The starting point is the same statement, which gives testimony of how God communicated his wonders precisely language and the actual experience of men, "according to the culture of every age" (Gaudium et Spes, 58), until the full manifestation of the Incarnate Son of himself. Faith always penetrates enriches, enhances and enlivens culture, and this, in turn, becomes the vehicle of faith, which offers language to think and express themselves. It is therefore necessary to be attentive listeners of the languages \u200b\u200bof the people of our time, to be attentive to the work of God in the world. "
Although messages and speech are not a matter alluded systematized on the issue that gives rise to the text itself are magisterial guidance valid in that they fulfill a role of moral education.
is planned to publish two documents of particular value in this field, systematized actualize the doctrine of the Church in the treated area, one would be the Congregation for Catholic Education would be on the use of internet seminars and other emanate from the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, on line and thoughtful review of the new opportunities and risks of today's digital world, especially social networks.
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