A critical digital artifact that stages essential elements of the Catholic communion service in the aesthetics of an automaton.
Christian churches in Germany are experiencing a steady decline in membership. To attract new and younger members, efforts are being made to digitize church practices. Instant Church aims to support this trend by transforming religious traditions into modern formats and fostering discourse across diverse cultural groups. The user can experience a condensed and automated communion service within a few minutes with this machine
Title
Deus ex Machina: The Automation of a Religious Ritual in a Data-Driven Machine – Design, Implementation, and Public Reception
Abstract
Churches have a long tradition using technology to grow their audience and to connect worshippers. Technologies used in Christian service are not even perceived as such: consider architecture, the organ, and light. Yet, faith-based organizations have always been critical of new technologies. The authors used design science research methodologies to develop an artifact of the Eucharist of a Catholic service. “Instant Church” is an interactive machine that guides visitors through the service and creates an individualized wafer with a laser-engraved QR-code that points to a random Tweet with a hate message that invites a moment of thought. Over 700 visitors saw that exhibit. A qualitative evaluation showed a high positive acceptance by users under40 while older visitors had a negative perspective. The artifact proved to be a highly suitable tool to invite a critical discourse and at the same time serves as a learning tool about the service. Interactive intelligent solutions reach the generation of digital natives and enable the discourse on the relationship between technology and faith.
