jeudi 15 avril 2004
Christian blogging
Due to Michelle's graduate work on Christian blogging and her results from surveys she had 135 people fill out, other bloggers have written about the effects of "Holy Huddle Blogging." It's interesting to see how a large majority of Christian bloggers do not purposely seek out relationships with non-Christian bloggers.* I know that this is an issue which some Christians are criticizing, because we are to be salt and light to the world. My two cents is that this "holy huddle" is not something to be condemned (though certainly not encouraged as a clique), but rather a spiritual network of bloggers, through which we encourage one another in fellowship, strengthen community internationally and seek to build up accountability. This in itself is an example of the incarnational ministry that should serve as a witness to other bloggers. While Christians should not cut themselves off from the world, it is only natural that people with similar interests will inevitably congregate together. Even though I do have more relationships with Christians online than I do with non-Christians, it does not mean that I am limiting myself to strictly Christian reading. I still read plenty of non-Christian blogs; however, I do not link to them because I am not necessarily advocating them. This does not imply though, that I am shut off from the rest of the world. It is unfortunate that I have not reached out to non-Christians more, and I do appreciate that all of this blogology (really, it should be a science) has researched this matter more thoroughly.
*The terms Christian blog[ger] and non-Christian blog[ger] seem to have a few feathers ruffled, but I personally think that this is used more so in demographic information as a means of identifying blogs and their writers. What else would I call myself but a Christian blogger?
I'm currently reading Tim Bednar's paper on "We Know More Than Our Pastors: Why Bloggers Are the Vanguard of the Participatory Church". I participated in the survey a few months ago so I'm curious to see what the conclusions drawn from it will be. By the way, the "Nelly" that is quoted on page 39, is actually myself. I have a confusing name, I suppose :)
Libellés : blogging
