Christian Ethics and the New Media: Introduction and Media Defined
Scripture and Communication
“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:5-6)
A primary, driving force behind any Christian’s ethic is going to be Christ’s dual command, to love God with all the faculties of one’s being and to love one’s neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:37-40). Furthermore, this command is given flesh for the Christian be remembering what Christ did for him on the Cross. He shows His children much love and much patience. As such, He expects their ethics to follow that same, Grace-driven trajectory. The Christian is called in Colossians by Paul to be gracious in her speech. His communication is to be seasoned with salt. Her actions are to be wise and time-redemptive.
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:29-32)
Secondly, the Christian is called to communicate in such a way that grace is given to those being communicated to. Christ-followers are not to be causes of unbiblical division and strife. They are called to be “kind”, “tenderhearted” and forgiving. Blog Battles and Flame Wars[1] are to be “put away”. Meanness and a harsh spirit have no place within the Christian community. Christians have been redeemed by the Holy Spirit, in Christ and by God’s kind Grace. To use the New Media to communicate in such an evil, wicked way is to grieve the Spirit.
“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:13-17)
Finally, the New Media is not wicked in and of itself. Media of all types can be used for much good. When Johann Gutenberg created his printing press, it created untold (and at that time, unparalleled) possibilities for spreading the Word of God to men and women all over the world.[2] Yet, that same technology has also been used for much evil over the centuries. Likewise, the New Media, those vessels of that ever culturally-precious commodity, information, can be used for much good and much evil. The rightness is not in the thing itself, but in the use of it. It’s not the medium in which the ethical question lies but in the use of the media. Such abilities to spread information should be viewed as gifts from God. The problem lies within the human heart and its propensity towards evil and unethical actions.
[1] Stephen Leahy, “The Secret Cause of Flame Wars,” Wired, February 13, 2006,, Blog Post, http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/02/70179.
[2] Heinrich Wallau, “Johann Gutenburg,” in The Catholic Encyclopedia, 7th ed, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07090a.htm. (accessed April 26, 2010).