Subject Area
Religion, Theology/Religious Education
Abstract
Because of the unprecedented and unexpected force of the pandemic since 2020, most churches around the world have experienced some online worship during the lockdown of their cities or the mandated closure of the church buildings. For many people, online worship seems to be an equivalent, if not better, alternative for gathering together—a physical co-presence in worship—even after the pandemic has ended. As necessary and vital as online worship experiences have been for Christians during the pandemic, the witness of the church from Pentecost throughout Christian history indicates that gathered worship in physical spaces is irreplaceable for faith formation and the embodiment of the Christian community. Seeing, hearing, reciting, singing, and moving with others while offering praise, confession, intercession, thanksgiving, dedication, and receiving God’s Word in a physical space are unifying worship acts indeed. Week after week, the worship actions are stamped and sealed in our memory, shaping us to live as God’s people together. This thesis explores and analyzes the potential and perils of online worship, our pastoral response to the hybrid life, the benefits of in-person embodied worship, and wisdom from the hybridity of the workplace to suggest a reimagined healthy hybridity for worship and the other ministries of the church. Nine aspects of corporate worship are advocated for the renewal of worship. Advice for pastoral care for online worshippers, guidelines for joining online worship, and a Trio Digital Detox practice are also highlighted at the end.
Degree Date
Summer 2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
D.P.M.
Department
Perkins School of Theology
Advisor
C. Michael Hawn
Second Advisor
John D. Witvliet
Number of Pages
149
Format
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Recommended Citation
Lau, Yvette, Ying Wai, "The Blessed Assembly: Irreplaceable Physical Co-presence in Worship and Healthy Hybridity Reimagined after the Pandemic in the Digital Age" (2024). Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses. 16.
https://scholar.smu.edu/theology_music_etds/16
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Biological Psychology Commons, Cognitive Neuroscience Commons, Communication Technology and New Media Commons, COVID-19 Commons, Leadership Commons, Liturgy and Worship Commons, Music Performance Commons, Performance Management Commons, Performance Studies Commons, Place and Environment Commons, Practical Theology Commons, Science and Technology Studies Commons, Social Media Commons, Social Psychology and Interaction Commons, Sociology of Religion Commons, Work, Economy and Organizations Commons
