Like many books this CD-Rom has a subtitle - actually several. It is important they are listed:

• How new media are changing present religious faith and experience.
• How media influenced the historical shape of Christianity.
• Signposts to a future Christianity.
• Research, Analysis, Resources.

I believe this CD-Rom is meant to be a subversive wake up call to institutional Christianity in an electronic age. This CD-Rom challenges the way the institutional church communicates, or relates to the wider world and indeed how we relate between ourselves. The aim of the CD-Rom can perhaps be seen in the preparation of 'slide show' resources (which can be used as Powerpoint presentations). The two groups specifically mentioned are:

Elders - workshops that lead our church leaders through the web of change that has come about, and youth groups/retreats - a dedicated seminar on Pop Culture.

The very fact it is produced on CD-Rom is itself a message. This is one of the new mediums of communication with which many institutional churches have had little involvement to date.

There are some particular challenges to academic seminaries, but perhaps not as detailed as I would have thought given Dr Horsfield's theological academic background.

The areas as noted at the beginning explore the following through a series of short articles and reflections:

Media: discussions about how media has and does relate to Christianity

History: how media have shaped Christianity. For example, the last revolution: printing.

There is also a brief interesting discussion about the debate as to whether Jesus was literate, and what this meant in his time.

Electrons: the electronic era. This is where the overall discussion in the CD-Rom is centred, as the focus is on communication by young people (where they communicate and receive information). This is Christianity in the marketplace like never before, along with a multitude of different groups plying their trade.

Signposts: These are challenges to the institutional churches.

A question is posed: What if God is creating something quite new? This question is asked in terms of our organisation and structure. The wider church is challenged to change our fixed assets into new ventures, and to re-direct resources from institutional work to new areas. It is a call for experimentation to begin without institutional reference (or interference) and develop.

This reminded me of an example in the NSW Synod of the Uniting Church where a grant has been given to enable the development of web-based lectionary resources centred in a local congregation which is open to new ways of being the church. Some people hope that these ventures will lead to a network of video linked churches in rural areas, or areas where it is no longer possible to provide stipended ministry.

Noting the included time-line showing the growth of the audio-visual communications it is worth considering that the churches have been engaged in many visual and new activities over the years, but the pace of the development of the web and our commitment to the printed book are major factors in terms of our interaction with the electronic revolution.

Dr Horsfield also recognises that these are significant times of challenge for the institutional church, which has never been quite pleased to see the faith 'decentralised'.

As well as the main body of text, which is made up of short 'snappy' article style pieces, there are 13 longer articles examining theology and teaching aspects of communication, different traditions of oral communication and three influential figures in communication development and theory (apart from Jesus!): Marshall McLuhan, Martin Luther and Samuel Johnson. The articles are up to 15 pages long. That is why it is helpful to have a scrolling mouse.

It is also helpful to be on-line, as there are references to some 1300 websites or links, and these resources enable one to easily move into the web to follow-up leads or receive material from the nominated example.

It is interesting to see the discussion in the CD-Rom about the current generation's frustration with speed and technology and their need for information instantly. I was somewhat frustrated at the time it took to move from one page to the next (probably only 2-4 seconds) on my relatively slow computer. Even I now have a feeling that things should be quicker if they are electronic.

The challenge of electronic communication is an area of real debate in many areas of the churches, but one example of the current debate was at the recent Australian Religious Press Association (ARPA) conference held in Sydney. On the issues at the AGM was the ARPA Newsletter. A decision was initially made to keep the newsletter in printed form as the organisation was a print based medium. Many of the journalists wanted a short newsletter which they could put straight in the briefcase and read on the bus. The eventual compromise was a resolution requesting the executive to explore provision of an electronic version for those who would like this format, as well as keeping the print version available. This is similar to the CRA options for Pointers.

Also at ARPA, there is now an award for the best website. This was won (again) by the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, with the South Australian Uniting Church site runner-up.

The author, or as I prefer, the presenter and communicator, Peter Horsfield, would be well-known to students in the area of communication, theology, media and Christianity. An ordained minister, he has worked in several areas with the Uniting Church in Victoria, and is currently the Manager of Research in the MA (Communications) program of RMIT University, Melbourne.

The creative production is by Redfish Bluefish, who also produced the CRA's CD-Rom, Australia's Religious Communities. It is excellently produced. A good example of this medium, not too overdone in useless flashiness, but still eye-catching and interactive and easy to read on the screen and very easy to follow.

It is a challenging 'read' and one that is best designed to be used within a group in order to start the network of discussion needed to bring about consideration for change.

If you would like to see for yourself before you buy, you can look up the the special introductory site:
http://www.mediatedspirit.com

Peter Bentley