AP/HUMA 3800 6.00

God Online: Religion in the Digital Age

An interdisciplinary investigation into the changing nature of traditional religions in the digital age. This course examines ways in which religion is being shaped by digital culture, including the widespread social acceptance of new technologies and scientific ideals. The course will focus on monotheistic traditions-Islam, Judaism, and Christianity-but will include discussions of other religious traditions as well.

This course creation is a response to the need to connect student awareness about current changes in digital culture, specifically as those changes impact traditional world religions. Students from numerous disciplinary interests will find this to be of interest and relevance.

An interdisciplinary investigation into the changing nature of traditional religions in the digital age. This course examines ways in which religion is being shaped by digital culture, including the widespread social acceptance of new technologies and scientific ideals. The digital is changing human beings—we are adapting to new technologies more so than technologies adapting to us. Living in the digital age is not merely about new forms of communication and binary thinking, but about radical changes in beliefs, practices, and even self-identity. This course takes an interdisciplinary approach (sociology, history, religion, philosophy, psychology, etc.) that relies on the basic paradigm—friends, enemies, strangers—in order to frame the dynamic relationship between religion and the digital.

Topics include religion in the context of: new technologies, new forms of communication, popular culture, film and media, changes to notions of religion and culture. What does the current digital and techno-scientific culture mean for religion, and vice-versa? Is spiritual understanding possibly based on a digital understanding? Does the digital offer us new ways of participating in religion? Does the digital mount a fundamental opposition to the spiritual?