ABSTRACTS OF ALL THE PAPERS/Rome

1.Carlos Coupeau

Communication, Spirituality and Bologna process.

“Excellent communicator,” “able to communicate the mission,” and expressions alike appear ever more often in job descriptions published by Catholic journals in English, like Americaand The Tablet. Not only with communicative skills, the curriculum that an international body of students will choose at the Istituto di Spiritualità of the Pontificia Università Gregoriana will have to reckon with communication and cultural theory in the near future. This paper chooses to make a start and meet that challenge for our conversation by submitting to discussion an example of curriculum transformation. Methodologically, it draws the concepts of the “subject” from communication theory after ideology criticism and redefines the task of Spirituality accordingly. Then, it introduces the student-centered Bologna process of learning and particularly brings competence and performance to the focus through six academic profiles to which communication skills constitute a transversal dimension.

2. Norman Melchor Pena, SSP

Elements of a theology for the instruments of social communications

Examines the elements of a theology for the instruments of social communication as read in the Church documents Inter Mirifica, Communio et Progressio and Aestatis Novae. As instruments of secular reality, the instruments of social communication can also be instruments of grace. They are gifts of God - diaconia of truth - that achieve their saving significance in their participation of making God’s truth become flesh. Films, plays, television series and written resources are cited throughout as paradigms.

A hermeneutics of communication is presented identifying two complementary nodes of understanding communication: process and semiotics. While the former centers on the transmission of messages and analyses made on communication as effective or ineffective, the latter focuses on the creation of meanings on what is transmitted and analyses made in terms of reading. Paper links them both with the attitude of the Church towards communication that thus has given shape to the documents cited. Paper reads the documents, identifies the theological elements inherent in them and groups them in three: 1) truth, communio, mission; 2) spiritual contribution of the people of God to the instruments of communication of which conscience and its formation is vital; and, 3) understanding communication. As part of the saving mystery, these instruments are ordained for communio et progressio, for communion and progress of the people of God with themselves, with others and with God.

3 . Joseph Palakeel

Theologizing in the Multimedia Culture

Towards a Communication Theology

According to the emerging cultural studies approach to communication (vis-à-vis instrumental approaches), the media are more than just tools/instruments of transmission; they also signify a particular state of mind, habit of thinking and mode of self-expression. Each media age - from orality, writing, print, audiovisual to digital – has a corresponding mind-set and consciousness. The “language of sound” (ancient poems and epics), the “language of the alphabet” (printed texts) and the “language of electricity” (audiovisual communication) have different vocabulary, syntax and logic. Naturally philosophy and theology of each media age are affected.

Today, convergence of technologies (digitization) has rendered mediated communication really synergistic and synaesthetic, making it possible for sound, image and text to work in tandem to create and convey meaning. This has crucial epistemological and semantic implications for theologizing. The present-day theology originated in the print culture (previous media age) and, consequently, exhibits the mindset of literate/textual communication. To make sense in the multimedia age, theology has to match the state of mind of the current media culture. This paper is an inquiry into the shape of theology in the digital age.

4. Paul Soukup

Teaching communication and theology

A media ecology approach allows a better integration between theology and communication,

either as a unit in an existing course or as a stand-alone course. Teachers can further borrow an

approach from catechetical instruction and highlight the communicative aspects of theology by

presenting the Christian collection, cult, creed, community, and code as broad areas of study. The

presentation shows how each of these depends on communication and how teachers can use the

media ecology approach to introduce students to relevant literature and habits of thought.

KEYWORDS: communication, theology, media ecology, orality and literacy, religious

expression.

5. Norman Tanner

Inter Mirifica (Vatican II): Document, Implementation and Future

The text for the talk is the section (pp. 93-118) on Inter Mirifica in the speaker’s recent book, The Church and the World: Gaudium et Spes, Inter Mirifica (Paulist Press, 2005).

The section considers (1) how the council came to compose the decree (2) analysis of the contents of the decree (3) reception of the decree since Vatican II (4) some considerations for the future. Tanner will present a short summary of the four sub-sections of the book and will then invite comments and discussion by the participants.

6. Jacob Srampickal sj

Contextual theology is an attempt at communicating theology: formation attempts

Looking at concepts like culture, inculturation, incarnation etc and backed by the Vat II’ Ad Gentes, Sacrosanctum Concilium and other related documents on local theologies and inculturation and Lonergan’s ideas of communicating theology, the author highlights how contextualized theology is an attempt at communicating theology. Drawing from his own personalized doing of theology and theories of communication, he concludes, India’s dalit theology, a contextualized regional theology following earlier versions like liberation theology, black theology etc, helps future priests relate in depth with dalits, the poorest, and the untouchables in society. He concludes by suggesting how theological formation can be made more communicative.

7. Marie Gannon, FMA

Social communications: secular teaching and Church teachings in the light of the moral

Standards of communication – some common ground

Is there common ground between indicators for good communication in the secular reality and good communication in the Church? This is the question at the basis of my presentation. It is part of the foundational work for the doctoral thesis, whose core Dtssa Christine Mugridge already presented for this Study Seminar. This topic seems to me to be very important so establishing the understanding that the Church did not copy standards and methodology for excellence in communications from the secular communication sciences, but has consistently, even before the development of this field, proposed and implemented these standards and methodology with varying degrees of success. In this editorial commentary regarding part of Christine Mugridge’s Doctoral Thesis which I guided, I would like to present two areas: the historical development of the teachings found in the secular science of social communications in the first section and then, in the second section, the historical development of the Church’s teachings in this field, prior to the contributions of John Paul II.

8. Basilio G. Monteiro

The Language of New Media: Some Theological Reflections

This paper examines the language of the digital media, simultaneously characterized by words, sounds and images, which shape the user of this digital media a different, sense of self, of the other, and of God, from non-user of digital media. Language is the keystone of human achievement and the essence of humanness; language is the means to conceive the understanding of self, other and God (Hertzler); language is the basis of human spiritual development; it is a vehicle of relationship with the other and God. Digital media provide another platform for us to communicate with meanings, and tap further into our need to make symbols – animal symbollicum (Cassirer). Further, the language of the digital media forces the users to re-examine concepts of mediation, telepresence, multi-location, and community. Traditionally Catholic Theology is constructed on the synthesis of Hebraism and Greek philosophy; the language of the digital media is challenging the theology founded in the Greek pre-suppositions and Hebraic thought.

The theological reflections borrow from Karl Rhaner’s Theology of Symbol, Karl Barth’s “who talks, and whence comes the talk” as commented by Graham Ward, Paul Ricoeur’s hermeneutic of proclamation, and Jacques Ellul’s theology of icon.

This study proposes that the language of digital media negotiates mediation, telepresence, and community, in other words, understanding of self, the other, of God, and relationship with them in a personal manner, in a decentralized digital context. The notion of God itself is undergoing a metamorphosis in the language of digital media.

9. José M. Galvan

ICT and The Eternal Beauty of Truth

The aim of this paper is to underline some aspects of modern Information and Communications Technology (ICT) that can give the opportunity to rediscover, at a cultural level, some aspects of the Christian Revelation. The paradigm-shift between modernity and post-modernity is seen as the key for rediscovering the relational dimension of mankind, that includes the sharing of the intentional objectives of intellect and free will, including not only the spiritual dimension but also the physical one. This new relational paradigm coincides with the finality of ICT. The transcendental foundation of this relational paradigm is founded on the Trinitarian doctrine of the Missions, which includes the material dimension of Creation into the Intra-trinitarian Dialogue.

10. Frances Forde Plude

Moving Toward Communication Theology

This paper explores the growth of analytical frameworks currently helping theologians to engage communication studies (more systematically than in the past) as they elaborate the conceptual meaning of faith. This also allows communication and cultural studies scholars to engage with the perspectives of theologians. Such engagement can help theological insights inform and enhance a digital culture rather than appearing to be anachronistic within the culture. Also offered: specific examples of the growth of Communication Theology content, methodologies, and some concerns and difficulties as we look through this lens or engage communication as a hermeneutical principle. A few recommendations are offered.

11. Giuseppe Mazza

Communicating God, Communicating like God:

The Trinitarian/Incarnational Principle as a Global Communication Analogy

Aware of the fact that theological reflection always focused special attention on the “way of the Trinity” and on the mystery of the Incarnation as keys to interpreting human and divine-human communication, this paper will propose a theological understanding of communication from the Trinitarian and Incarnational perspectives. The article especially insists on the analogical principle that balances and synchronizes both ecclesiastical/pastoral communicative action and the globality of God’s (Trinitarian and incarnate) self-communication, as a main concept for understanding and stimulating every operative pastoral dimension.

12. László Lukács

The Triune God as source and fundament of all human communication

A sketch of communicative theology

The research in the theology of the Holy Trinity has much in common with communication theories.

The main points of this “new theology” are as follows:

  • The loving communion of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is the source and final goal of the whole created universe;
  • revelation is the self-communication of God who is love;
  • incarnation, cross and resurrection are the peak-point of the history of salvation;
  • the Church is the Sacrament of Salvation;
  • the history of salvation is coextensive with human history with the final goal of reaching the loving communion of the Holy Trinity.

Though communication and communion are non-theological concepts they stand in the middle of recent theological considerations.

There are promising initiatives to elaborate a theology of communication, and, what is more, to create a communicative theology.

Our argumentation is structured in three steps:

First step:Communication within the immanent Trinity (“ad intra”)

Second step:The “ad extra” work of the economic Trinity

1. Revelation as divino-human communication

2. Divino-human communication as sacramental interchange

3. The climax of revelation: Jesus Christ the Symbol of God

4. The church as sacrament of salvation and communion of the people of God.

Third step:the possible impact of a communicative theology for church and society.

13. Maria Way

Formation and Location

This paper seeks to follow the development of Vatican documents on communication and media and to consider whether all that can be done is being done in regard to the formation of religious and lay people. Is the formation they receive sufficient and suitable to enable them to spread the Church’s message in the best manner possible. The paper will use empirical evidence and Vatican documents in order to answer these thorny questions.

14. Joseph Faniran

Communication and theology in Africa: Towards becoming partners in dialogue

The Fathers of the first African Synod made the building of an inculturatedChurch the major task of the Church in Africa in the third millennium. But long before then, the African theologians had appropriated the term inculturation to describe the thrust of their theology. Yet, they pay little or no attention to the issue of social communication, its technologies and the attendant cultural changes. When they do, their attention is on the interpersonal or group level of social interaction, leaving out the mass communication. This presentation, therefore, makes a case for the need for communication and theology to become partners in dialogue in the life and mission of the Church so that the project of an inculturatedChurch may be realized in Africa.

15 Joan-Andreu Rocha Scarpetta

A Comparative approach to the Theology of Communication in Christianity and Islam

The paper is focussed in Theology and communications and the meeting points between them. A first introductory part presents the focal characteristics of the Christian theology of communication. The central part of the essay defines the main features of a Muslim theology of communication and its particular implications in the modern understanding of communication, public opinion and inter-religious dialogue from a Muslim perspective. The final part of the paper offers a comparative approach to Christian and Islamic theologies of communication as a ground for a better understanding of the two religious traditions from a communicative, intercultural and inter-religious perspective.

16Jim McDonnell

The Role of Media Education in Ministerial Formation

For over thirty years there has been a struggle to introduce what can be broadly termed 'media education' into ministerial formation. Unfortunately, it is often seen as simply a means of protecting students against the media, or as a marginal topic in pastoral practice or even dismissed as irrelevant to 'real life' pastoral practice. This paper, drawing on the author's practical experience, attempts to uncover some of the fundamental challenges raised by engaging in a study of the media and offers some perspectives on how 'media education' and the study of media culture is related to ministerial formation in general.

17. Francis Coffey

Words are not Enough:

Immediacy in Communication Drives Renewal of Teaching on Revelation

For its media and communicative aspects fundamentalism presents challenges for the development of the theology of revelation. The direct contact --- with God, with the righteous life, with truth --- claimed by fundamentalists concerns communication involving iconic signs. Pietri (2005) has shown that communication is part of the teaching in Dei Verbum that the saving fullness of Christ is revealed in deeds as well as words (2005). Media favours the iconic process that figures in the communicative power of deeds. The article explores whether there can be a theology of communications based on an analogy between media’s iconic capacity and the structure of revelation as deeds and words. If the iconic was integrated with other communicative capacities, Church media could develop practice that meets the felt-need of fundamentalists and offers correctives to their reductionism by honouring revelation more fully.

18 Miriam Diez I Bosch

Towards a Church Communication Policy: The case of Spanish Bishop’s Conference

Abstract: The paper aims to present Church Communication Policy from the perspective of identity and mission. By stating what constitutes an efficient communication’s strategy within the Church, the essay underlines the weak points and the possibilities of communicating from an institutional point of view, describing the simultaneous action between internal and external publics in order to communicate its essence. We study the case of the Spanish Bishop’s Conference as an example, highlighting the lack of a Public Relation’s policy in the Church. The final part suggests some best practices in order to construct an effective Communication Policy in the Church.

19. Christine Muggeridge

Toward the Development of a Theology of Communications in John Paul II; Excellence in the Communication of the Faith as Exemplified in the Apostolic Exhortation, Ecclesia in America

The organic development of a more humanist approach to the field of secular research in social communications coupled with the Church’s growing understanding of her relationship with the culture of the media and the mediated culture coincided with the “mediated” pontificate of Pope John Paul II. His theological perspectives were developed into a theology of communication with a pastoral emphasis. This last conclusion is indicated in the sample text, Ecclesia in America through the Pontiff’s proposal of a theoretical and strategic plan for the communication of the faith which incorporates excellence in communications management, principles, method and theory.

20. Msgr. Lucio Ruiz

Finding a theological base for communications

From its own beginning, the Church has used all the available means of communication in every moment of history. In our times it has shown a big interest in using media for transmitting the
faith. The Church has been also very active in reflecting about media, illuminating their pastoral benefits, their limits and their possible risks. However, the Church has been much less aware of the theological dimensions and the divine roots of every form of communication. Both the constituting elements and the mere possibility of communication are rooted in its theological origin. The ignorance of this profound reality leads to a reductive, instrumental/mediatic vision of communication, impeaching a correct understanding of its true dimension, its importance in the Church, and the place it would have to have as a theological-rooted expression of God’s life.