Larry D. Lauer

My honors college class this spring has been exploring the topic “how media revolutions change everything.”  And next week we will consider the compelling and ever-changing topic of religion. In preparation for the class I made a list of just some of the issues:

1. Since television, and now digital media, how do people want to experience religion?

2. What has been the impact of new media on mainstream church attendance? How have worship services and Sunday school changed in those churches?

3. What accounts for the growth of on-line and broadcast religion? Of mega-churches?

4. Given the traditional concept of “separation of church and state” what accounts for the growth and aggressiveness of the religious right in politics?

5. What impact has 24/7 media reports about social issues such as racism, homelessness, and poverty had on religious people and church goers? How are they responding?

6. How have academic departments of religion and seminaries responded to media inspired changes in society?

7. How have religious institutions changed their approach to recruiting new members and building ongoing relationships with them.

8. How can a diverse democracy successfully deal with societies in the middle east and elsewhere  where religion and politics are one in the same thing?

Knowing the right questions and analyzing the underlying issues can provide much needed context for understanding situations and options. But just as with 24/7 “breaking” news and polarized political pronouncements, once again consumers of today’s media are on their own to separate facts from “malarkey.” And as confusing as it may be… we all are on our own to decide our responses and courses of action.