NT Wright on Blogging & Social Media

In: Our Technological World

Commitment:
  • Words: 200
  • Sentences: 10
  • Grade level: 10.3-13.6
  • Read time: ~1.0 min @ 200WPM

1 Dec 2009

From Bill Kinnon:

This is NT Wright’s response to my question on his opinion of blogging during Imbi Medri-Kinnon’s interview shoot with the Bishop of Durham in 2007. Portions of this interview appear in her documentary, Mind the Gap – where she looks at the challenge for church leadership in the 21st Century.


I appreciated that Wright balances the value of online interaction with a set of possible negatives (such as feeding the Gnostic dream, loss of depth without physical presence, etc.) and then determines his own actions based on a set of personal convictions. He has decided not to engage in online discussion of his ideas not necessarily due to the aforementioned negatives, but because those interactions – for all their benefits – are not as valuable a use of his time as face-to-face interactions. N.T. Wright is astoundingly prolific, pumping out books and articles, touring and teaching, and still finding time to be the bishop of Durham. It seems that his time is well spent.

I would hope that we can all follow Wright’s example of having a set of personal convictions about the Lord’s calling in our life and then follow those convictions.

(HT: Out of Ur)

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20 Responses to NT Wright on Blogging & Social Media

  1. Avatar

    Michael

    December 1st, 2009 at 10:28 am

    I appreciate this, John. J.I. Packer made some comments about the value of blogging recently, too, athttp://www.worldmag.com/articles/16150:

    I’m amazed at the amount of time people spend on the internet. I’m not against technology, but all tools should be used to their best advantage. We should be spending our time on things that have staying power, instead of on the latest thought of the latest blogger—and then moving on quickly to the next blogger. That makes us more superficial, not more thoughtful.

    Reply

  2. Avatar

    Sara Taylor

    December 1st, 2009 at 3:52 pm

    John, thanks so much for posting this. Technology just sort of happens upon us and it is so important to take time to reflect on the way it is impacting our time and relationships. It isn’t neutral and this video is a great reminder/challenge.

    I love your blog and cant’ wait for your book.

    Sara

    Reply

  3. Avatar

    Rhett Smith

    December 1st, 2009 at 4:30 pm

    John,

    Good post…I like what you had to say about him determining his own actions based on the negatives, and what he values. He has decided that what he gains outside of the online world is of more value to him, than what others may decide.

    And way to go for showing more restraint than me on his comment about “cultural masturbation.” You are a better man than me…..

    I love Wright’s work and I’m glad he has chosen his time wisely….

    Rhett

    Reply

  4. Avatar

    cfguy

    December 5th, 2009 at 3:47 pm

    John, Thanks for posting this. It’s rare to be able to read a potential counter to current thinking about social media.

    Reply

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About this blog

John DyerI'm John Dyer a web developer working on sites like Best Commentaries, Bible Web App, Dallas Seminary. I'm also a seminary graduate and teacher at Irving Bible Church.

This blog is about the the role of technology in the redemptive movement from the Garden to the City. I believe technology is an amazing testament to the creativity embedded in the imago dei, but instead of assuming technology is always a neutral tool, I believe it - like culture in general - profoundly influences us.

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