When I thought about having a tag line for my site, I knew I didn’t want it be be the basic three. (Serious author-site pet peeve for me: “Author, Writer, Speaker;” “Writer, pastor, father;” “Writer, interloper, ping pong enthusiast.” I don’t care what your three things are—you’ve got to tell me more than just ascribing three nouns. You’re a writer for heaven’s sake!) Rant over. Here’s what I came up with:
All space is sacred space.
As I thought through what I wanted to communicate through my research work, it was this. We in habit the digital realm just as much as we do any of our physical contexts. In the last year an a half, more of our relating with our broader circle has taken place in digital spaces as opposed to the cafe, the break room, or the church lobby. We cannot deny that these spaces are integral to the general way of being in the world regardless of if we appreciate that fact or not.
And yet, we downplay the importance of these interactions. But how often have you read a post in the past year and a half and been incensed? (I read a post this morning from a former client that said they were “anti-[name of a specific government official]” and I vented to my flatmate, “you can’t be pro-life and anti-a-person! It’s a logical fallacy!“) I think we have such a strong reaction to these statements not because we don’t agree with them (though, on a level, yes, that’s why) but because we do not feel seen as a fellow human by such statements. We perhaps feel cut off from communion with that individual.
There is something sacred about sharing relationship with a fellow image-bearer. Where two or more are gathered, there Christ is among us. All space is sacred space. Even this space.
As I enter into writing my final dissertation chapter this week, I pray I can convey this well. If we are sharing the Word in our digital spaces, we hold a pastoral role. We shepherd the Church in a fashion and that is a deep honor and great responsibility.
May we tread this virtual ground as holy ground. Because it is. And may we recognize those we serve, especially those who may think or believe differently than us, also bear God’s image and therefore deserve our genuine love and care.
