Spiritual and Moral Education in/and Cyberspace: Preliminary Reflections

Abstract

THE EXPLICATION OF the hidden discourse of religiosity in the Internet can contribute to the construction of a powerful learning context for moral and spiritual education in the realm of media culture. This is an urgent task for education in Christian perspective. In this contribution we examine the idea that the Internet brings about an alternative awareness of reality (‘sensorium’) through which people may be able to develop a new religious affinity. The question is how this phenomenon should be treated in the framework of the spiritual and moral education of adolescents and young adults. Our position is that a ‘new media literacy’ should become a central theme of modern education. We offer an evaluative scheme in order to chart the boundaries and possibilities of the Internet for an effective learning process. Transethical, theological and educational considerations are substantial in this regard. Finally some concrete recommendations are made for the use of the Internet in the classroom.