Digital culture as the context of contemporary catechesis

Abstract

Summary Digital culture, as a common phenomenon closely related to the everyday life of children, ado-lescents, and adults, has an impact on the upbringing of the younger generations, including education to mature faith. Thus, it becomes a catechetical challenge. The influence of digital culture on catechesis is mentioned in both the new Directory on catechesis and the latest papal documents. Digitalism appears as a new kind of culture that changes language, shapes a new mentality, or changes the hierarchy of values (see DK 359). This article undertakes the task of characterising digital culture, as well as considering its impact on the area of education and formation of a young person. This article highlights the positive impacts, especially those related to overcoming barriers related to distance or the inability to speak freely, as well as the threats and dangers it brings, which are primarily the result of objectifying relationships and prioritising participation in the virtual world over creative presence in the real world. An important feature of the described phenomenon is a certain kind of ambivalence, which consists of a simultaneous positive and negative impact in many areas, indicating the need for appropriate media education enabling a critical and reasonable use of the benefits and avoiding dead-ends. The last part of this article also identifies some practical challenges for teaching religion at school and parish catechesis resulting from the universality of digital culture and its possibilities for methodology and didactics, as well as indications concerning the application of cyber-means for catechetical activities.