Essay / Misc.

Brief Guide to Theology on the Web

“As far as theology is concerned, “www” might stand for “wild, wild west.” Whatever law may hold sway in the civilized territories of academic theology, it is unenforceable out on the range. Internet theology, unlike other academic disciplines, has not been guided or normalized by the presence of any established institutional presence. With a few exceptions, the most useful internet theology websites are the work of fans and amateurs, students and private citizens who do what they do out of love for the subject. “

That’s how I start a short article called “Theology on the Web,” which is the latest entry in the “Surfing the Sites” series at Catalyst. For more than thirty years the little journal Catalyst has been providing “Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives for United Methodist Seminarians.” The new issue is out, so click on through to read my article. It provides some good links, a little reporting, and a dash of analysis. Read it quick before it becomes even more out of date as the web moves on from this snapshot. I conclude the article with the observation:

The internet is a great thing, and someday somebody should do something with it for theology. Disciplines like biblical studies or philosophy can boast of indispensable online reference tools, but to date theology cannot. The theological entries at Wikipedia are as good as anything currently available…

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