When Churches Discovered the Digital Divide: Overcoming Technological Inaccessibility, Hesitancy & Digital Reluctance During the covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Abstract During the pandemic, many church leaders had to learn to manage a digital divide present within their congregations, which they were not aware of. This article explores the nature and traits of the digital divide many American churches encountered during this pandemic, based on a study of focus groups involving 478 church leaders from Indiana. This study identifies four specific challenges they faced in adopting digital media and adapting their services to the online environment, revealed by this digital divide. Specifically, this article explores the lack of internet accessibility digital literacy, generational gaps in digital knowledge, and dealing with in and dividuals who were resistant to change digital media, who could be described as exhibiting technological hesitancy or digital reluctance. These challenges are looked at through the lens of digital justice and argue the digital divide realized within churches during the Covid-19 pandemic has theological implications.