I’ll be honest; The Church and New Media isn’t the sort of book I’d normally buy. But per chance, I ended up with a copy and decided to read it. This had nothing to do with the fact that CTC’s own, Dr. Taylor Marshall, is a contributor. But that alone should be enough to encourage CTC regulars to grab a copy. The contributor list is impressive: (among others) Fr. Robert Barron, Mark Shea, and a foreword by Cardinal Seán O’Malley.
In spite of the heavy hitters listed in the credits, I was a bit suspicious of how valuable, as opposed to simply marketable, the book would actually be. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book is packed with useful insights and even some fuel for contemplation. I found myself thoroughly enjoying it throughout the read and especially liked the first two chapters by Fr. Barron and Jennifer Fulwiler.
The authors present several angles on ‘new media’ and modern evangelization methods that were more than just food for thought for a crusty old ‘traditionalist’ like me. I found that, at times, it helped me balance my tendency to disregard any religious attempt at ‘meeting people where they were’. Brandon Vogt, a contributor and the official author of this book, did a fantastic job with the text layout which includes numerous quotations from the magisterium and other official Church documents. There’s even a small call-out section describing the efforts of our site, Called to Communion.
In summary, I would recommend this book to any Catholic. There is a little something for everyone in the chapters. Some chapters aim to give helpful start-up tips to aspiring Catholic bloggers, some talk about diocesan level efforts of online outreach, and some even discuss the theological importance of ‘new media’ in today’s changing world. I hope that CTC readers will pick up a copy and my hats off to Brandon Vogt and the rest of the contributors to such a worthy project.