Yesterday marked the release of the 47th World Communications Day message from Pope Benedict XVI entitled “Social Networks: portals of truth and faith; new spaces for evangelization.” As you can probably guess, the Holy Father spends much of this message speaking on both the role of social media as a tool for spreading the Gospel, and our own role in social networks as witnesses to that very Gospel. We’ve gleaned over the message, and from it we bring you five tips for engaging in social media from Papa Benedict himself!
1) Listen, be respectful and hold fast to the value of reasoned dialogue
Anyone with experience in more heated discussions on Facebook and Twitter would know that logical arguments and reason are popular motifs in debates about religion, science and politics. However any reference to logical fallacy and argumentation is often used as a shallow weapon for attack, rather than a rule to follow in ordered debate. Pope Benedict warns against an overshadowing of the “gentle voice of reason” by “those who express themselves in a more persuasive manner”. The Pope calls on all of us to be committed to a true dialogue through reasoned debate and respect those with different ideas – where “dialogue and debate can flourish and grow”.
2) Treat the digital realm as part of the daily experience
Those who are not familiar with social networks can risk treating the digital realm as a “parallel or purely virtual world”. For those not involved with social networks, there can be a temptation to downplay or ignore them as false worlds that are separate to real-life. Pope Benedict reminds us that social networks are “part of the daily experience for many people”, and that they “reshape the dynamics of communication which builds relationships”. Any evangelisation effort in the 21st Century must not only have a presence in social media, but must also have an understanding of how new social media shapes the human experience.
3) Embrace new platforms, be creative
Pope Benedict notes that venturing on to social networks is not just about “keep[ing]up with the times”, but to give the “infinite richness of the Gospel” new avenues to reach all the nations. These new types of communication may be unique in their form compared to those of past generations, but the Pope reminds us that effective communication itself remains unchanged: focused on stimulating the imagination as our Lord did through His parables. After all, the Catholic Church has a deep tradition in dynamic communication, with “the Cross, icons, images of the Virgin Mary, Christmas cribs and stained-glass windows”. The new media are not methods that lie beyond the reach of an ancient church, but simply an exciting new way for her to bring the truth to the world, as she has done for 2000 years.
4) Be a witness in the street, not just a preacher on the soapbox.
Evangelisation in social media is not just about overt statements of faith, but also about a witness that compliments the explicit Gospel message. In the past great saints like St Benedict, St Francis of Assisi and St Mary of the Cross have shown us how to be witnesses in different contexts. Today’s digital realm offers us yet a new context, and the Pope suggests that we are to be witnesses through “a willingness to give oneself to others by patiently and respectfully engaging their questions and their doubts”. Such witness is vital for faith in the 21st Century, as it “confirms the importance and relevance of religion in public debate and in the life of society”.
5) Remember: we already have a saviour
The Holy Father tells us that in our eagerness to share the Gospel in the digital environment we should not forget that it is the word of God itself that has the power to “touch hearts, prior to any of our own efforts.” Evangelisation is indeed ultimately the work of God; we must remember this if we are to be effective witnesses in an environment where “sensationalism can at times prevail”. The Pope calls us to trust that the God-given “desire to love and be loved, and to find meaning and truth” present in every human being “keeps our contemporaries ever open”.
Those are our five take-aways, but please read the message for yourself and let us know in the comments below what you think!
