Some people think social networking fosters community. Others think online networking is superficial and competes with deep human interaction. Whichever side of the fence you’re on, the Wi-Fi, worldwide movement is changing how we interact with others.
Jesse Rice believes that Facebook offers a profound look at our deepest needs. In his new book, The Church of Facebook: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community (David C. Cook), the author explores social networking and its impact on culture and the church.
“Facebook has become part of our lives,” Rice told Religion News Service. “And we’re just beginning to learn how to be human in it. Online, we have power over how we express ourselves. You can take the time to choose your words carefully, edit your responses, PhotoShop a picture until you get it just right. Real conversations, real relationships don’t allow that. They include awkward silences.”
“Without understanding how technology is reshaping community and relationships we will not be effective leaders,” says minister and author Dan Kimball. “Jesse raises excellent observations and provides hopeful ways to respond without cheapening what biblical community really is.”
Throughout The Church of Facebook, Rice notes that while personal profiles are revealing, they hint at even larger truths: They uncover our desire for identity, our craving to be known, and our need to belong.
Sample the book on Scribd
More information at ChurchOfFacebook.com
