A while back I finished reading Flickering Pixels by Shane Hipps. To say that Hipps knows how media impacts the human mind is an understatement to say the least. As a former marketing specialist for companies such as Porsche, Hipps knows what avenues are used to most effectively communicate a message, especially in a world that has a love affair with technology.
Hipps does an amazing job of communicating the importance of media as the foundation for Flickering Pixels. Technology shapes our faith in a critical way, beginning from the advent of reading and writing all the way to our cutting-edge 4G and WiFi modern-day. Images, media, and technology are all directing and shaping our views towards God, faith, and community without us even realizing that it’s happening.
Here are some snapshots from the book that stuck out to me:
“Any serious study of God is a study of communication, and any effort to understand God is shaped by our understanding – or misunderstanding – of the media and technology we use to communicate.” (p. 13)
“To many adult minds, the digital land is a foreign country with strange languages, norms, and practices. Parents are undocumented immigrants, while their kids are native citizens of the land and serve as interpreters and gatekeepers.” (p. 134) – I completely agree, especially since I’m part of the generation of digital native citizens. The shift in technology (read: snowball effect) is making cultural relevance increasingly difficult for people who have failed to embrace the changes in technology.
Flickering Pixels is an exceptional read and it changed how I viewed technology, media, and culture-shifting perspectives. I would highly recommend this book, especially for anyone who extensively uses technology in their ministry. You can pick up a copy of Flickering Pixels here at Amazon.com.
Media shapes our faith and Flickering Pixels is an excellent explanation of why.