An examination of the perceptions of digital religion across digital nativity, gender, & race in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Living in an accelerated global society where advanced technology leads to the interconnection of people, it is essential to recognize why change is necessary for maintaining sustainability within religious organizations. Americans are integrating digital technology, computer-based technology, and virtual technology into their lifestyles, revolutionizing society. Social cultures are evolving as technology impacts digital natives, gender, and race, influencing changes in behaviors, customs, and beliefs. The purpose of this research study was to analyze the perception of digital religion across digital natives, gender, and race in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during COVID-19. Digital Religion is a term that combines religion and online practices resulting in online religious activities. Church attendance is dwindling as men and women of various races and digital nativity disaffiliates from the church. Church leaders are contending with varying viewpoints and scarcity of modern technology. Technology use is prevalent among growing digital natives raised in a digitized world, who view electronics as essential and imperative. If millennials and digital natives prefer virtual reality, then the question becomes, how will church leaders in the 21st century successfully incorporate digital religion into their ministry to preserve religion? Some church leaders realize that sustainability requires successful entry into the digital world, while others remain egoistic and consider digitalization insignificant and irrelevant convinced that digital religion may misguide biblical principles and alter religious traditions. Despite varying viewpoints, technology use in The United States is increasing in every demographic including, but not limited to, age, ethnicity, and gender. To reduce the widening divide, faith-based organizations must embrace technology and implement new ways of propagating their message, marrying old ways with new ways to improve church attendance and increase growth in the future. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)