In one of my posts last week, I mentioned the invention of the printing press, and how it was a technological innovation that had some far-reaching impacts in our world. Yet, if you were to compare some of the technological innovations today with the invention of the printing press, you'd probably have a handful of geeks laughing at you. After all, in today's world, books are old school. If you don't get your publications via computer or some other electronic version, you seem to be way behind.
Which brings me to an interesting question. What exactly constitutes our idea of technology? If a beekeeper designs a new kind of box in which bees make more honey, has that person had a technological innovation? Or maybe I should ask it in this way. Do we only associate technology with electricity in our day and age? If something is invented that increases our abilities to accomplish something, but it doesn't involve electricity, is that really considered a technological innovation?
I realize that, in some circles, asking that kind of question may be along the lines of questioning if the Bible really is the Word of God. It may seem rather blasphemous. After all, many of us have now lived in a world with electricity and electronics so long that life without them seems foreign. It's hard to believe that so many of these things have only come out in the last generation or so. To think of a room lit only by candles and not by the latest LED, powersaving lightbulbs seems so Middle Ages.
I would suggest that how we define technology will have some fairly significant impact on our faith life, as well. If we consider that the development of better ways of understanding communication is a technological innovation, that will impact our belief in the Holy Spirit and His working through God's Word. If we consider the invention of the printing press as a technological innovation, we probably find the thought of everyone having access to God's Word as a good thing. If we think that technology and technological innovation goes beyond mere electronic gizmos, it will inevitably have an impact on our faith life in some form or another.
I would actually be interested to know if, first of all, you have ever given any thought as to what constitutes technology, and then, secondly, have you wondered how technology impacts your faith life? Remember, it can have either good or bad impact upon you, and I am curious to see how you think about such things.
Which brings me to an interesting question. What exactly constitutes our idea of technology? If a beekeeper designs a new kind of box in which bees make more honey, has that person had a technological innovation? Or maybe I should ask it in this way. Do we only associate technology with electricity in our day and age? If something is invented that increases our abilities to accomplish something, but it doesn't involve electricity, is that really considered a technological innovation?
I realize that, in some circles, asking that kind of question may be along the lines of questioning if the Bible really is the Word of God. It may seem rather blasphemous. After all, many of us have now lived in a world with electricity and electronics so long that life without them seems foreign. It's hard to believe that so many of these things have only come out in the last generation or so. To think of a room lit only by candles and not by the latest LED, powersaving lightbulbs seems so Middle Ages.
I would suggest that how we define technology will have some fairly significant impact on our faith life, as well. If we consider that the development of better ways of understanding communication is a technological innovation, that will impact our belief in the Holy Spirit and His working through God's Word. If we consider the invention of the printing press as a technological innovation, we probably find the thought of everyone having access to God's Word as a good thing. If we think that technology and technological innovation goes beyond mere electronic gizmos, it will inevitably have an impact on our faith life in some form or another.
I would actually be interested to know if, first of all, you have ever given any thought as to what constitutes technology, and then, secondly, have you wondered how technology impacts your faith life? Remember, it can have either good or bad impact upon you, and I am curious to see how you think about such things.
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