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Christianity Today, May, 2009 |

From the Printing Press to the iPhone

Shane Hipps urges Christians to discern the technology spirits.

Interview by Mark Galli | posted 5/06/2009 09:55AM

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Efficiency and awareness of the clock have allowed the world to generate more resources than we've ever been able to generate in the history of the world. If distributed right, you can actually bless a lot of people. That's a gift.

So you're not anti-technology.

No, because it is impossible. It's like resisting the wind and the tides. Everything around me is a technology. It's silly to resist. But you can try to understand it. Christians are quick to critique it or adapt it or reject it without understanding it. My interest is to have deep discernment, to understand the actual power of these things, and then decide whether or not a technology is useful. I didn't own a cell phone until five months ago because of the way I feared it would shape my soul. I have to be disciplined about how this thing shapes me.

Related Elsewhere:

Flickering Pixels is available from ChristianBook.com and other book retailers. Zondeveran has an excerpt.

Shane Hipps's website has more information about the author and his book. His sermons are available at the website of his church, Trinity Mennonite. He also blogs and podcasts at Third Way Faith.

Rob Bell interviewed Hipps at the National Pastors Convention.

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May 2009, Vol. 53, No. 5

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John Murdock (republicantreehugger.blogspot.com)

Posted: May 12, 2009 4:58 PM

Lots of good stuff here. Those interested in the impact of technology would do well to read Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death. If a work from 1985 can be called prophetic, this is it. The final answer is somewhat disturbing, though. Calling technology as inevitable as the winds and tides buys into a view of "progress" that can be at odds with eternal truths. Frankly, there are some technologies that we should indeed oppose, not just "understand." One of Russell Kirk's canons was a "recognition that change and reform are not identical, and that innovation is a devouring conflagration more often than it is a torch of progress." In short, perhaps we'd all be better off without our cell phones (and in-vitro clinics, and the internet, and atomic bombs . . . ). It is indeed difficult to put the genie back in the bottle, but that doesn't mean we don't pay more attention to the next genie trying to squeeze his way out of the lamp. Perhaps we even stick a cork in it.

GardenGirl

Posted: May 11, 2009 8:39 PM


Not an enlightening article, mostly hot air. The reader response that stated "Technology is a tool, not a way of life..." had it right. Technology IS a tool that God is using to pouring out his goodness and his spirit all over this world in amazing ways, in places that human bodies cannot go, but thoughts and ideas can. God is taking back the airwaves over this planet, through his people.

Jim	Posted: May 11, 2009 12:07 PM

Technology has helped western "pastors" (and "christians" in general) mostly in negative ways though. 1) They spend their time watching tv instead of praying 2) They download their sermons from the internet rather then hearing from God (It's kind of hard to hear from God when you are so busy watching tv) 3) Close to 40% of "pastors" and 70% of "christians" use the internet to view porn (1 Cor 6:9-10) www.fleebabylon.com

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