- Jan 25, 2009
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Shalom 
Concerning why I was writing this, I was sharing because I was curious as to what others think on the development of iPads..and what benefit they have for those in liturgical circles.
This is said light of others saying that tradition/remaining a semblance to what happened in early Christianity means that there is not to be so much modernization. SOme of this has been debated when it comes to things like pews, for examples, as well as with other things people often say are apart of circles that're more contemporary (i.e. bright lights, video streaming, etc)..but with the argument against using pews being that it's a form of modernization/trying to "keep up", I've found it interesting whenever there doesn't seem to be much said in regards to priests who have kept up technologically with sermons.
I've shared elsewhere some of my experiences with Orthodoxy, specifically Coptic Orthodoxy (discussed in #37 ) and how the serivce procedded to lead me into a state of surprise when the priest began to preach--and right when my friend ( a former Eastern Orthodox monk himself ) whispered "It'd be wild if the priest had an iPad ", the priest immediately pulled one out to use for his sermon. That was something I was DEFINATELY not expecting to see from someone in their 70s (I think) ministering the Word in a Coptic Orthodox Church But I really had to stop and think why I'd be shocked that someone couldn't be for traditional/ancient liturgical practice and apart of the Ancient Faith and yet not up-to-date as well.
And when studying the issue, I was actually surprised to see that what I witnessed firsthand with the priest wasn't the first. There was one priest who was using an iPAD at wedding ceremonies and alot of people in the secular world have been intrigued by it:
Using the tablet has many pros and some cons, with the first category including advantages such as the scrolling instead of page turning, that can be tough sometimes. Additionally, one can increase the font size on the slate in order to avoid eye strain--and I suspect that is one of the reasons why I once saw an elderly Coptic Orthodox priest use one when I was in service listening alongside others. However, part of the cons are that others may surely consider it sacrilege by replacing the holy book with an iPad
As shown in the video below, the iPad is also used in an orthodox seminary in Finland as a tool for study. With the iPad present in education, medicine and religion theres virtually no place without an iPad nowadays and it really has me processing on whether or not I'd get one:
For reference:
There are others who've been about the use of iPads within Orthodoxy, such as the Rev. Archdeacon Kirill Sokolov...one who is currently working with colleagues at other leading schools on piloting iPads and other emerging technology in the classroom. As it turns out, amongst Liturgical circles apart from Orthodoxy, the subject of iPADs has been very controversial. In example, iBreviarythe daily prayer book for iPhoneis a full Roman missal for iPad, allowing priests to celebrate mass in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Latin. The Vatican-sanctioned application, created Padre Paolo Padrini, includes:
With the iPAD Debate, some things that inevitably get connected is what is the perspective a believer should have technology. At what point is it the case that a believer should not be concerned with keeping up with cultural trends--and at what point does it become either permissible or forbidden to participate in utilizing technologies that can benefit others?
If anyone who is heavily involved in liturgical circles (i.e. Orthodox, Anglican, Catholic--both Roman and Eastern rites, etc) here would have any thoughts, I'd love to hear
And to be clear, the conversation is also open to anyone who may be outside of liturgical circles as well. I ask that all simply be respectful of one another in the process.
Concerning why I was writing this, I was sharing because I was curious as to what others think on the development of iPads..and what benefit they have for those in liturgical circles.
This is said light of others saying that tradition/remaining a semblance to what happened in early Christianity means that there is not to be so much modernization. SOme of this has been debated when it comes to things like pews, for examples, as well as with other things people often say are apart of circles that're more contemporary (i.e. bright lights, video streaming, etc)..but with the argument against using pews being that it's a form of modernization/trying to "keep up", I've found it interesting whenever there doesn't seem to be much said in regards to priests who have kept up technologically with sermons.
I've shared elsewhere some of my experiences with Orthodoxy, specifically Coptic Orthodoxy (discussed in #37 ) and how the serivce procedded to lead me into a state of surprise when the priest began to preach--and right when my friend ( a former Eastern Orthodox monk himself ) whispered "It'd be wild if the priest had an iPad ", the priest immediately pulled one out to use for his sermon. That was something I was DEFINATELY not expecting to see from someone in their 70s (I think) ministering the Word in a Coptic Orthodox Church
But I really had to stop and think why I'd be shocked that someone couldn't be for traditional/ancient liturgical practice and apart of the Ancient Faith and yet not up-to-date as well.And when studying the issue, I was actually surprised to see that what I witnessed firsthand with the priest wasn't the first. There was one priest who was using an iPAD at wedding ceremonies and alot of people in the secular world have been intrigued by it:
Using the tablet has many pros and some cons, with the first category including advantages such as the scrolling instead of page turning, that can be tough sometimes. Additionally, one can increase the font size on the slate in order to avoid eye strain--and I suspect that is one of the reasons why I once saw an elderly Coptic Orthodox priest use one when I was in service listening alongside others. However, part of the cons are that others may surely consider it sacrilege by replacing the holy book with an iPad
As shown in the video below, the iPad is also used in an orthodox seminary in Finland as a tool for study. With the iPad present in education, medicine and religion theres virtually no place without an iPad nowadays and it really has me processing on whether or not I'd get one:
Ipad folosit la slujbe intr-un seminar ortodox din Finlanda - YouTube
For IPad Users: How to Use the Holy Bible Formatted for the Amazon Kindle on an IPAD or Phone
For IPad Users: How to Use the Holy Bible Formatted for the Amazon Kindle on an IPAD or Phone
For reference:
- 9GAG - Greek Orthodox Priest with ipad
- Useful Orthodox iOS apps (iPhone, iPod, iPad)
- iPad Goes Holy! Apple Tablet Spotted Being Used by a Priest for ...
There are others who've been about the use of iPads within Orthodoxy, such as the Rev. Archdeacon Kirill Sokolov...one who is currently working with colleagues at other leading schools on piloting iPads and other emerging technology in the classroom. As it turns out, amongst Liturgical circles apart from Orthodoxy, the subject of iPADs has been very controversial. In example, iBreviarythe daily prayer book for iPhoneis a full Roman missal for iPad, allowing priests to celebrate mass in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Latin. The Vatican-sanctioned application, created Padre Paolo Padrini, includes:
Texts of the Mass
The readings of the Mass
The breviary
The stories of the saints
The main Catholic prayers
Rites of the Catholic celebrations (anointing of the sick, weddings, funerals, etc.)
The iPad has been considered to be something that can even be mystical...as at least one priest has used the latest and greatest Apple device to say holy mass. This is seen in the example of one Catholic priest in Italy who recently employed an iPad to perform an outdoor mass in the place of a heavy bible. Don Michele Bigi, using the iPad to say mass at a summer camp in Gramolazzo (Tuscany) told The Apple Lounge that the Apple device was really easy to use. The readings of the Mass
The breviary
The stories of the saints
The main Catholic prayers
Rites of the Catholic celebrations (anointing of the sick, weddings, funerals, etc.)
With the iPAD Debate, some things that inevitably get connected is what is the perspective a believer should have technology. At what point is it the case that a believer should not be concerned with keeping up with cultural trends--and at what point does it become either permissible or forbidden to participate in utilizing technologies that can benefit others?
If anyone who is heavily involved in liturgical circles (i.e. Orthodox, Anglican, Catholic--both Roman and Eastern rites, etc) here would have any thoughts, I'd love to hear
And to be clear, the conversation is also open to anyone who may be outside of liturgical circles as well. I ask that all simply be respectful of one another in the process.
