Getting Meta - How do we even start asking the right questions!?!?
I wanted to write up some of the process I underwent when I was considering whether I might personally adopt the use of WhatsApp as a platform to maintain communication amongst church community. I'm a big fan of the Scriptural cycle that Helen Collins coined, and so I wanted to use that as the framework for this piece.
The Scriptural Cycle comprises five stages. Collins uses ‘intersecting axes’ to suggest that while we will consider each stage discretely, ‘they are necessarily interrelated.’ Collins model calls for the selection of Scripture passages to be undertaken by reading Scripture humbly, recognizing that our interpretation is based upon our own context and history . The Gospel verse of the lectionary of the day on which reflection begun is Luke 18:1-8, and it is this that will be the primary focus of our reflection.
Context and Technical Introduction.
The church community in which I am based has access to multiple corporate communication platforms and chooses to utilize WhatsApp for communicating staff information. As someone who did not utilize WhatsApp upon arrival for personal ethical reasons which will be explained as we explore the topic, there was a necessity to reflect on whether this should be adopted personally, and whether there was a need to challenge or recommend alternatives to the current practice.
WhatsApp is a multimedia messaging application created in 2008. It supports multiple different platforms including most modern mobile devices and computer operating systems. WhatsApp enables users to send photos, video, messages and animations to individuals and groups, and has variable privacy settings that enable these to be received only by those that the user already knows, or from anyone. It currently has over two billion users in over 180 countries. WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms Inc. ‘Meta’ are more commonly known as the owners of Facebook Inc, the name that they operated under until October 2021.
Both WhatsApp and their parent company have been involved in multiple controversies, and cataloging them in their entirety would be beyond the purview of this reflection. Google is, as always, your friend here.
I will broadly categorize a brief overview of some of these controversies as ‘Privacy Issues,’ whereby the application allows for access to data by design and ‘Ethical Issues,’ where WhatsApp is utilized or regulated in manners which could be considered to cause harm.
The list of controversies of both WhatsApp and its parent company is lengthy, and as such we do not have space, nor would it be pertinent to this reflection, to deal with all their history. As such, the issues listed below are given as examples of our categorization to aid our discussion during the reflection.
Privacy Issues
Examples are such things as WhatsApp by default does not encrypt certain elements of its data which can lead to users expecting a higher level of security than the application offers . WhatsApp has also been found to allow access to their user’s data to authorities should they require access, a fact that they do not include in their information to users.
Ethical Issues
WhatsApp has been accused of failing to regulate or control the spread of misinformation on their platforms, which has been linked to multiple incidents of considerable harm, including manipulation of voting results and the murder of individuals wrongly accused of crime. Meta has also recently been found to have contributed to the suicide of a teenage girl, and their regulation has been found to be detrimental to the mental or physical health of its users.
The application itself has also been linked to addictive-like behaviour, particularly in older generations. Undergraduate and youth use has been found to be less indicative of addiction like behaviours.
WhatsApp can also be of great benefit to communities. It has been found to enable greater access to education, and is particularly useful for disabled communities and individuals to maintain contact when physical engagement is difficult. However, those who use WhatsApp have been found to engage with it more than fifty times a day, and nearly half of users claim that WhatsApp use imposes on times when they should be doing something else.
Scripture
Luke 18:1-18 falls towards the end Jesus’ “Jerusalem Journey.” This section contains almost half of unique Lukan material and is focused primarily on parable and teaching. The focus is primarily on the concept of the reality of discipleship under Christ, and thus what the new way to follow God will look like.
With its focus on issues of justice this parable being unique to Luke makes sense given Luke’s desire to communicate that the gospel ’is for the poor, the lost and the Broken” and “Luke is the Gospel for Women.” It highlights that no matter the cause of the injustice, God’s heart is for justice. We also hear how critical it can be that ‘people initiate the call for justice.’
Exegesis
18:1. The instruction to continue praying was countercultural to the listening God-fearer. The Jewish people would consider praying three times a day enough, as they did not want to weary God . However, Jesus is teaching that we ‘pray continually’ (1 Thess 5:16). With reference to the verses focus on liberation, Nolland notes that the focus of prayer here must not be on prayer in general, but on prayer in connection with vindication (as per Luke 17:22) The believer is not to despair (ἐγκακεῖν) but to pray continuously in knowledge that God will respond.
18:2 Deschryver argues that the parable references a known and historical event, however as Morris notes If we consider the importance of the figure of the widow and the judge as symbols of the oppressed and authority then this fits more accurately into the genre of parable. Nolland references uses of the figure of the judge by Dionysius and Josephus in support of this interpretation. Although ambiguous, ἐντρεπόμενος here must be understood to reference one’s actions towards the other, as otherwise it would conflict with the meaning of verse five.
18:3 The importance of the parable is the focus on the figure of the widow as the vulnerable. Wiersbe argues that we are intended to contrast the figure of the Widow for this reason, however given verse one’s focus on consistent petition and the echo of that in verse three the supporting argument for the widow as the figure of the oppressed or other seems more likely. Verse 3 is a reminder of the reliance on constant petition. As Nolland notes ‘Against the background of v 2b, the appearance of a widow seems to doom any prospect of justice in this story’
18:4 Against the expectations set by the previous verse, here we have an unexpected response. Perhaps there is hope that the widow will receive the vindication she deserves.
18:5 The verb ὑπωπιάζῃ has much discussion as to its translation. It should be noted that a lesser meaning of the verb to wear out has no documentary evidence outside of this verse. Translation is complicated further by the phrase εις τέλος and its relation to the clause. If we are to consider this related to ἐρχομένη then we must consider that the shaming itself is to be achieved over time. However, related to the verb ὑπωπιάζῃ allows for a translation of ‘to the utmost.’ Nolland notes that if we consider ὑπωπιάζῃ in relation to shame then the second option fits us the best, as this relates most closely to Luke 11:8. If the purpose of the parable is to consider the eschatological reality being communicated to the god fearer, then it is ‘at the end’ where the prayers to the judge may be answered.
18:6 The contrast of the unjust judge and just God forces the hearer to draw comparison to the expectation of the righteous of the vindication of God. If the petitioner would expect this from an unjust judge, what more can they expect from the just God.
18:7 If the unjust Judge offers to the woman such forgiveness, then surely God will offer infinitely more. Morris and Nolland agree that although there is no specific reference to an eschatological frame here, the promise of vindication to the elect is based upon the promise of judgement. Regarding the “Them” referenced in the text, Morris states ‘God’s delay in vindicating the elect is to give people the opportunity to repent. Either way the delay is seen as part of God’s gracious purpose, but whether this is the purpose of strengthening the elect or of giving opportunity to the wicked to repent we cannot be sure. ’
18:8 The similarity between these verses and 11:8 emphasizes the inclusion of ‘ἐν τάχει.’ The speed of judgement results that we cannot wait till we exhibit our faith which within the scope of this parable is specifically prayer.
Overview
The purpose of this parable is to remind us of God’s protection for the vulnerable and the needy. Constant petition of prayer is an action in which our faith is strengthened, and the counterculture instruction to ‘pray constantly’ is a reminder of the contrast between the covenant of Law and Grace. The widow is an image meant to invoke a belief that justice is not possible in this situation and contrasts God’s concept of justice with humanity’s. Finally, by placing the pericope in an eschatological frame the reader is forced to focus on the expected justice of God at Christ’s return. We are to pray constantly because God answers prayer.
The emphasis on haste in the final verse reminds us to consistently be in a state of self-reflection, whereby we are asking ourselves if our actions themselves are in keeping with God’s will.
Testimony
This stage ‘is about discerning which life situation the Scripture passage has stirred or prompted in each reader.
The references to the vulnerable and needy in the parable are a reminder that while WhatsApp can make things more accessible, its reliance on electronic forms of communication can be a limitation. In my own experience working in the digital sphere, digital communication can be more difficult for the elderly, and while it can aid those with disabilities to access communication often it also provides a hinderance. This is because good accessibility requirements are often not inherently enabled on digital products, and the training and utilization of accessibility options is often not sought by able users.
This leads to forms of ableism when we discuss how digital communications systems make things more accessible.
The inference in verse three to the physical presence of the widow being important to her petition suggests a focus on physicality. The use of digital communication can be more than one dimensional. As Thomas Moore notes ‘the soul prospers in an environment which is concrete.’
Garner notes that a faith ‘that sees flesh-and-blood relationships as primary may struggle to find language to speak to virtual environments or even recognize the need to do so.’ However, Phillips offers an alternate understanding of digital being, drawing on the work of Heidegger to argue that physicality is unavoidable, even while we communicate in digital form. We cannot help but be embodied, even in the digital sphere. However, the parable reminds us that we then must be as focused on the concept of justice as we are in the physical world.
The petition of the widow is costly, in terms of both time and effort. It required something of the petitioner. The use of digital communication can remove some costs, and thus devalue the form of communication. I wonder if it is simpler to message someone to say, “praying for you,” than it is to be in person. There is also a lack of accountability introduced by digital. In the physical, it is far simpler to know if someone is praying for you at that moment.
Discernment
This stage is defined not simply as an act of reflexive analysis, or exploration, but the discernment of the presence of Christ through the utilization of tools that can be associated with these disciplines. Collins defines this stage as asking, ‘How do we reflexively discern an encounter with Christ through the passage and in our lives?’
Through this passage, we are reminded that we to be self-reflexive, asking ourselves if our actions are prayerful and mindful of the most vulnerable.
If we are to constantly be in prayer, then technology that can aid us in maintaining communication with each other can be beneficial in this. However, as indicated in our introduction we must be mindful of the shortcomings of this technology.
Privacy issues can degrade the individual. If we adapt Floridi’s model of ethical consideration of the digital, then we are forced to ask ourselves are we honoring our duty of care for the individual when we conduct communication utilizing WhatsApp? If, as Floridi argues, we are to consider ‘information’ ontologically, that is in the same sense as we consider emotion or physical being, then does suggesting a communication platform which has proven not to consider private information important negate our duty of care?
We must also consider the utilization of digital communication for purposeful or unintentional dissemination of misinformation. While nobody is immune from the effects of misinformation, the effect of misinformation is significantly increased on those with mental disorders and those who struggle with memory recall and ordering (both effects that can significantly affect the more elderly). There is also evidence that misinformation and depression/anxiety can create a negative feedback loop. Can one use a platform that has been evidenced to enable the spreading of misinformation without acknowledging or mitigating these risks?
As the parable reminded us, the physical involvement in petition and prayer is a core part of the Christian Faith. The anonymity in digital interaction has been supported in multiple studies to encourage cyber-bullying and further anti-social and harmful behaviors. If physical proximity in communication and utilizing platforms that do not allow for anonymity mitigates these concerns, then can we continue to encourage the use of platforms that do not consider these issues important?
These questions must be asked in self-reflection considering the implications of verse eight of our passage regarding an eschatological judgement. The opening verses of our pericope remind us that we are to be mindful of those that are most vulnerable, and most needy. The world may consider them beyond justice, but in God’s justice they are the priority. The questions that arise from the discernment phase are directly related to our care for other individuals, and our consideration of our actions regarding our utilization of tools for communication.
Participation
Reflecting on the use of WhatsApp as a digital communication platform, it is clear there are both benefits and concerns with its adoption by churches. The stage of participation in this reflective model calls for us to consider how we are called to participate in this area of ministry. Writing on how we can better reflect on our engagement in digital communities, Campbell and Garner note a similar need to focus on the concepts of justice, stating that the purpose of a digital community is to ‘Seek to establish communities of shalom that reflect true neighbourliness through the recognition of others as persons and through integrity in all our relationships.’
The concerns about Meta as a parent company, the proliferation of available alternatives that provide similar benefits, and the ethical concerns regarding data management and protection of individuals suggest that engaging with WhatsApp as a platform does not meet the general criteria of evaluation. However, it’s adoption amongst so many people lead us to recognise that there is a convenience factor to its use.
As such, perhaps God is calling us to be prophets in the first circumstance. To talk to those utilising the software not only about practical alternatives that offer the same feature sets without the ethical concerns of the parent company, but also with asking further questions of digital engagement.
Drawing from our exegesis of Luke 18 and our reflection, I suggest a threefold response to this question.
Firstly, that we petition in prayer for discernment in how we engage with technology, not considering it simply a passive tool.
Secondly, we consider the impact on the neediest of our society, and whether our engagement with WhatsApp furthers the concept of Justice or is detrimental to it.
Finally, perhaps we can view our concept of convenience in an eschatological frame, rendering the question of whether the level of convenience renders the use of the technology justified.
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