Review article

Social networks, evangelisation, and catechesis

Jure Strujić orcid.org/0000-0001-9524-2763 ; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Split, Split, Croatia

Abstract

The fast development of new technologies has led to new forms of social communication that include interaction and multimedia, which, in return, opened the way to weakening of authority and formation of new ways of social interaction within the »digital continent«. Social networks, as the result of not only new technological possibilities, but also the »new culture«, are becoming a great challenge also for the Church. The Church recognises this challenge and, seeing new possible ways of evangelisation and catechesis, is trying to respond to it. The beginning of this article provides a reader with a list of challenges and social networks and points out the development of official Church position on means of mass social communication in the last half a century. In continuation the author analyses the most important social networks and web-services and how the Church is active on these nowadays. The final part presents the most used Catholic applications for smart phones that can contribute to better familiarisation with faith, education in faith, and personal or communal, especially prayerful, faith practice.

Keywords

means of social communication; internet; social networks; Christian proclamation; catechesis; Catholic applications

Hrčak ID:

162696

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/162696

Publication date:

26.7.2016.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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