Technological Choices and Their Liturgical Implications: Challenges Encountered by Indiana Churches in the Pandemic Transition to Online Worship Services

The Covid-19 pandemic forced many churches into a digital experiment. When lockdowns and health and safety regulations prevented churches from meeting in person, they were pushed into novel forms of technical engagement. The move toward online services required churches to make many modifications to their worship, altering many traditional liturgical elements and practices. These changes created both unease and excitement for members of the congregations, as well-established rituals and service structures adapted to a technologically mediated environment and the confines of the digital screen. This article examines some of the most common ways con-gregations were forced to change or rethink the liturgical elements of their services during the Covid-19 pandemic as they transitioned to online services. First, we highlight the initial challenges that congregations faced in moving from offline, traditional services to new, online services. Then we consider what type of challenges were most consistent in terms of how the digital shift raised liturgical or theological questions. Finally, we reflect on the potential liturgical implications of the most common choices and strategies made by congregations during the pandemic. These issues are considered in light of findings from the “Tech in Churches During Covid-19 Project,” a three-year research study of 2,700 Indiana churches that made a transition to digital worship services during the pandemic. Funded by the Lilly Endowment and in collaboration with the Center for Congregations in Indianapolis, these churches were able to secure grants that were used to purchase key equipment for online streaming purposes. The data from these churches provide unique insights not only on the short-term challenges that online worship created but also on the potential long-term implications of the liturgical choices and modifications made.