Summary: This presentation considers philosophical and sociological notions of trans-humanism as they are played out in the real-life experience of Christians online. A discursive analysis of Australian Christian bloggers, who claim a membership to, or concern with, the ‘emerging church’ movement, will form a case study to illustrate the theme. Sociologists, theologians, and cultural theorists involved in the twenty year old tradition of research into religion online have always debated about the future of Christianity, and whether the Internet will lead to a rebirth of a spirit-filled people, or to the ultimate demise of organised religion. Many now agree that online forms of religious community serve more as a complement than as a replacement to religious expression and communion in the offline world. For many Internet users, the virtual provides a space to explore new forms of religious expression that can be carried into life offline, and for them the virtual church offers a glimpse for what ‘real’ church could be like. For the same people, however, there are elements of ‘real’ church that cannot be replicated online. So they seek a harmony in their online and offline religious experiences. I propose that the use of Web 2.0 applications, such as blogs and wikis, facilitate this search for harmony, rather than promote a separation between online religion and offline religious practice. Consequently I argue that the increasing popularity of these Internet tools to express a religious identity and seek connections with others has impacts on how people participate in religious institutions in the real world. Specifically, this presentation will explore how bloggers connect online life in a highly technologised society with traditional notions of religious life and community participation.
