Will Religion Be The Next Driving Force Of Technology?

For many years now (and when I say many, I mean ever since the dawn of religion) there has been an ongoing debate amongst religions and especially Christianity as to what role technology should play for Christians. There has been much resistance and in some cases, there is downright contempt for technology. But is that really fair?...

Let's face it, we live in a highly plugged-in world. Technology now is now a part of our every day life in practically every waking hour and non-waking hour for that matter. Our children have grown up in this world and now expect technology in everything they do from video games to cellphones.

It should be no surprise that since this is the case, it's inevitable that technology is going to be a very important component for many Christians decades into that future. Our youth of today have grown to expect technology and will most likely demand it even in their Religious and Christian worships.

Actually, let's not pretend that technology is a vision of the future for Christians, technology is here right now for Christians.

From Christian educational tools and games, to Sermons within our Churches, to missionaries for Christ, technology is with us and becoming a powerful tool. Special software is being used in a Church from everything including managing the Finances of our Churches to helping to prepare the ministries. Many churches are becoming wireless communication centers that would rival some of the most wired College Campuses. Software can be used to request prayers and assist and become involved in the actual ministries themselves.

These new technologies allow Churches to increase the effectiveness by providing an entertaining sermon while also allowing them the ability to post these sermons online.

Even on Missionaries, the use of technology is becoming an important asset. The task of keeping track of all the goods being donated and by whom had become an unmanageable task for those involved in the missionaries. The missionary on the ground had no way of managing the ability to not only provide the necessary materials for those in need, but they also had no way of gathering and storing the materials needed to teach the people. The use of databases and other laptop software has helped alleviate this gigantic task. Now databases can store and inventory the donations providing those on the ground with instant access to this information.

Even with this great increase in technology being used by Churches, is this still an untapped market that has great potential? I can see that for a long time into the future, Christians are going to be impressed with new tools for both education and entertainment. So, is this untapped market going to be the next "silicon valley"? With such great potential and so many opportunities, I can't imagine that many profit and non-profit companies won't be testing the water to see where this could go.

Again, we get back to the nagging question. Are Christians going to embrace this potentially new flood of technology and software, or are they going to shun it? Perhaps the more important question is, does God approve of its use? That not so simple question must be answered first. That question will be the deciding factor as Christians across the globe decide on a generally accepted answer to it with the help of God.

If we do decide that God approves of the technology becoming an integrated part of the Christian way of life, watch out Silicon Valley, because here comes the army of God!!!

John Mitchell is a contributing editor to Christianzine.com from which this article on Religion and Technology can be read.