The Digital as Sacred Space: Exploring the Online Religious Dimension

Daniele Battista

Academicus International Scientific Journal, 2024, issue 29, 21-37

Abstract: In the current context where digitization permeates all aspects of everyday life, the religious world is not immune to the influences associated with technological aspects. In recent years, a space has emerged on the internet where a collective faith is recognized, even through electronic means, bringing together individuals into a community that takes on the characteristics of a sacred place. This raises new questions about the concept of sacredness itself in relation to digitization, as this process has opened up the possibility of new forms of communicating the sacred through electronic means, transforming the very concept of the sacred into a digital dimension. The use of virtual environments or digital tools to spread a religious message has given space to creative figures who experiment with innovative language within the religious traditions. In this scenario, research has emerged aimed at understanding the multiple aspects and meanings of this new sacred experience. The objective is to analyze how these religious traditions adapt to and appropriate the digital dimension, exploring the dynamics of interaction between the sacred and the digital, as well as the theological, cultural, and social implications that arise from it. Through the exploration of these themes, this article aims to explain how digitization has redefined traditional concepts such as sacred place and how religious practice has evolved in the digital age. The goal is to offer a perspective on the transformation of the sacred in the digital context, exploring tensions between tradition and innovation, authenticity and fragmentation, participation, and distance in the contemporary religious sphere. This article aims to provide an understanding of how the digital has redefined the concept of sacredness, opening new horizons and challenges for religion in this new era.

Keywords: social media; digitisation; social religion; religious influencers; cyber-religiosity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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