The doctoral dissertation deals with the connection between evangelization and the Church through modern means of social communication. Evangelization is a proclamation of Christ as Savior and Lord to every human. In a secularized Western European society, Christianity has fallen into an identity crisis. Because of that, new evangelization is a relevant topic in the modern world. The goal of new evangelization is to proclaim the gospel, which has the power to change and renew the human heart in the encounter with the living Christ. The modern conciliar and post-conciliar understanding of the concept of evangelization is linked to the overall mission of the Church. The initiator Evangelii nuntiandi clearly states that evangelization is part of the process of conversion that begins with the first proclamation of the gospel and continues in an ever-deeper immersion in the mystery of God's love. Evangelization begins with the action of the Holy Spirit through the proclamation of the word of the good news. The new evangelization is directed primarily to the Church itself.
Evangelization has its origin in the gospel, which must be proclaimed through all communication channels. The Church's teaching notes that the early Christians proclaimed the good news by witness (martyria), proclamation (kerygma), sacramental celebration (leiturgia), brotherly love (koinonia), and intercession for society (diakonia). Evangelization can be accomplished through the testimony of life, living preaching, preaching the gospel, catechesis, the use of social media, the experience of one's own faith, the sacraments, and popular religiosity. It is important to find the appropriate form of communication and use of media that are appropriate to the modern moment. From word of mouth through the written word, from printed books to the mass media, the church always used new forms of communication. Electronic media such as radio, film, and television were the forerunners to the new media (internet and social networks) which can be used in modern evangelization.
This dissertation deals with the topic of social media and its use in parish communities. The emergence of new media did not create just new forms of communication, but also new cultures. Today, more and more attention is paid to the communication processes themselves, which changes the attitudes and behaviors of individuals and society as a whole. The first Areopagus of the modern age is the world of communications, which is creating a “global village” (RM 37).
In such an environment, new digital media are emerging and can be used in evangelization services such as email, chat rooms, blogs, forums, social media, or websites. Social media is attractive because of its low price, sufficient quality, speed, and availability. Therefore, social media can be expected to take a dominant role in the field of communication. The world of social networks abounds with a diverse range of platforms that allow for different forms of activity and interaction. Today, social networks have become an indispensable medium in the communication of modern society. They have become a global medium that is not limited by place, time, or status. Their popularity depends on the adaptation and development of new technical solutions in order to meet new needs of users. The goal is to attract new users. Although many social networks are active nowadays, this dissertation presents the possibilities of some important social networks such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Plus, Tumblr. The communication that takes place in this space is visited daily by hundreds of millions of people around the world. Through new media, the Church influences the perception that it has in society, but also Church uses media in its evangelistic mission activities. The church needs to recognize its role in the virtual world of digital technologies and available opportunities. The use of electronic social media in new evangelization does not encroach on fundamental theological postulates but implements the principle of cooperation between faith and real possibilities, where the action of the Holy Spirit is a key element in proclaiming the gospel. Jesus Christ still works in the Church today by the Holy Spirit. Effective evangelization is not be possible without it. The church has all the necessary "tools" to preach the gospel. Today’s modern media presents Sunday sermons, not only during Sunday worship, but anytime and anywhere. The media can be used as a tool for the daily spiritual growth of the individual, through spiritual thoughts and catechesis.
The church has not yet used all the possibilities offered by new media. Today’s media demands openness and dynamism in communication, which is why the gospel message needs to be conveyed “in modern language through modern media” with many images and videos and a smaller amount of text messages. In this way, the gospel message could reach broad masses of people, and at the same time be encouraging for everyone. In the modern digital cyberspace, pastoral care also takes place on the web, which offers many opportunities and challenges. In addition to the official website, the church uses several pages that offer Christian content, informing about the work of religious institutions, church associations, and organizations. Many parish communities have their own website that offer its information and spiritual content related to the life and work of the parish community itself. Through its activities and efforts in cyberspace, the church creates a platform that is not limited to a few people, but an audience for the whole world. In this way, the good news can reach all areas covered by the internet. Through it, it is possible for everyday virtual spaces to become like a Roman forum, a meeting place that the Church further "sacramentalizes" and dedicates with the message of the gospel.
Additionally, this doctoral dissertation researched the use of internet websites and social networks in the work of parish communities. All parish websites of the Catholic and Evangelical Church AC in Slovenia were analyzed. The presence of websites, their updates, the presence of evangelistic and informational content, interactivity, and the use of social networks were investigated. Research has shown that significant progress can be made in all areas. To help in this direction, this dissertation proposed a conceptual model of the parish website and a pastoral model of “salt in cyberspace.” The proposed concept and model can be applied to the parish pastoral care of the Catholic and Evangelical Church in the Republic of Slovenia, which will increase the success of the Church's evangelistic mission.
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