Digital Church Searching for Faith and Community in a Digital Age

Digital Church

Searching for Faith and Community in a Digital Age

Ga naar de Nederlandse tekst

Our society is digitizing at a rapid pace. What we considered futuristic 25 years ago has now become reality. Daily work, bank transactions, international contacts: everything is happening online and digitally. The church has also gone digital: a lot of communication is happening online and you can follow services live from your own living room. But what tensions does digitization bring? And what are the theological questions involved? We will think about this together during the online conference Digital Church. Searching for faith and community in a digital age.

During the conference, we will take you through various themes. For example, we will talk about artificial intelligence, the role of social media and online church services. And we also tackle theological questions: what kind of influence does digitization have on our image of God or ethics, for example?

Searching for faith and community in a digital age

This online conference is organized by the Theological University of Kampen | Utrecht and Verre Naasten (DVN). We believe it is important to think about the digital society in an intercultural context. In our network there are regular questions about this theme. On the one hand, digitization offers opportunities to the church: you can increase your reach, you are much more strongly connected worldwide and also involve congregation members in the church online. But on the other hand, there are challenges: how do you keep your church members physically involved and which developments can be threatening?

International conference

This congress is not only for Dutch churches. Various partners from the global network of Verre Naasten (DVN) and TU Kampen | Utrecht is also participating. Digitization is a theme that is particularly suitable for discussion in an international context: worldwide churches and religious communities have questions that touch on this theme. We are convinced that the international meeting will deepen the theme and can also provide the Dutch churches with new insights.

Program

  • 17 April 2023, 10-12 AM (CEST):
  • 17 April 2023, 14-16 PM (CEST):
  • 18 April 2023, 10-12 AM (CEST):
  • 18 April 2023, 14-16 PM (CEST):

First speakers announced:

  • Prof. dr. Jan van der Stoep, Theological University Kampen, the Netherlands
  • Marijn Vlasblom, Vice Principal af the Baptist Theological Seminary, the Netherlands
  • Rev. Methusela Limboo, Presbyterian Free Church Kalimpong, India
  • Allard Amelink, presenter and podcast producer, the Netherlands

Registration

We don’t want costs to be an obstacle to participation. That is why participants from outside the Netherlands are allowed to decide for themselves how much they can contribute. Dutch participants pay € 75. Also, if the available payment methods are a problem, feel free to fill in 0 (Zero) euro or just fill in the form below to registrate. If you have any problem with registration, please contact us at info@pepredikanten.nl.

Non-Dutch participants click here for registration, fill in the form at the bottom of the page

Nederlandse tekst

Digital Church

Zoeken naar geloof en gemeenschap in een digitale tijd

Onze samenleving digitaliseert in hoog tempo. Wat we 25 jaar geleden nog als futuristisch beschouwden is inmiddels werkelijkheid geworden. Dagelijkse werkzaamheden, banktransacties, internationaal contact: alles gebeurt online.

De kerk is ook gedigitaliseerd: diensten worden gestreamd en de collecte betaal je met een tikkie. Maar welke spanningen zijn er rondom digitalisering? En wat zijn theologische vragen die daarbij spelen? Daar denken we samen over na tijdens deze conferentie.

‘Ik ben geen lid van een kerk, af en toe kijk ik naar een online dienst. Lekker op mijn eigen tempo. Prima toch?’

De conferentie is geheel Engelstalig en gericht op voorgangers uit Nederland, India en Afrika, maar ook andere geïnteresseerden zijn van harte welkom. De organisatie is in handen van Verre Naasten en Theologische Universiteit Kampen|Utrecht.

Sprekers (meer namen volgen)

  • Prof. dr. Jan van der Stoep, Theological University Kampen, the Netherlands
  • Marijn Vlasblom, Vice Principal af the Baptist Theological Seminary, the Netherlands
  • Rev. Methusela Limboo, Presbyterian Free Church Kalimpong, India
  • Allard Amelink, presenter and podcast producer, the Netherlands

Programma

  • 17 April 2023, 10-12 AM (CEST):
  • 17 April 2023, 14-16 PM (CEST):
  • 18 April 2023, 10-12 AM (CEST):
  • 18 April 2023, 14-16 PM (CEST):

Certificering

Voor Nederlandse theologen is het mogelijk om aan de conferentie deel te nemen in het kader van Permanente Educatie (omvang 2 EC; 56 uur). Om voor certificering in aanmerking te komen dient aan de volgende voorwaarden te worden voldaan:

  • Deelname aan alle online sessies (8 uur)
  • Bestudering van relevante literatuur (opgave volgt; 40 uur)
  • Verslag (Nederlands- of Engelstalig) waarin gereflecteerd wordt op het hoofdthema van de conferentie met gebruikmaking van de bestudeerde literatuur (ca. 2500 woorden; 8 uur)
  • Voldoende beoordeling van het reflectieverslag door de docenten

Nederlandse deelnemers: klik hier voor registratie