Ghosts in the Machine:

Susan Wyche Gillian R. Hayes Lonnie D. Harvel

Advisor: Dr. Rebecca E. Grinter

An Exploratory Study of Senior Pastors’ Technology Use in Atlanta-Area

Churches

Motivation

Method

•64% of the nations 120 million Internet users have done things online that relate to religions or spiritual matter [1].

•Technology increasingly used in religious services (i.e. simulcast sermons, podcasting sermons, hymns projected on video screens)

•Over 75% of megachurch congregations are located in Sunbelt states, with nearly half of them in the southeast region. Georgia has one of the highest concentrations of mega churches [2].

•19 interviews with senior pastors at mainstream, Protestant, area churches. Predominately Baptist and Methodist.

•Sunday visits to area’s largest churches

•Expert interviews with theologians (Candler School of Theology, Emory University)

[1] Hoover, S.M., Schofield, L., and Rainie. (2004) Faith Online. Pew Internet & American Life Project.

[2] Thumma, S. (1996) The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory: The Megachurch in American Society. (PhD Dissertation). Emory University.

Initial findings/ Relevance to CHI community

Thank you to Genevieve Bell for her thoughtful guidance and to all of the pastors at area churches for their time and interest.

Question? Comments?Please e-mail

spwyche@cc.gatech.edu

Can we design interfaces that afford spiritually connectedness while preserving the

communicative convenience that web technologies offer congregations?

“I need to look at people’s faces, so much of what is said, is not what’s said…”

““There are issues of propriety… people need safe places where There are issues of propriety… people need safe places where they can speak and know their words are not going anywhere.”they can speak and know their words are not going anywhere.”

“With e-mail you can’t get that voice inflection… and things can be taken out of context really easily…”