Indonesian Journal of Christian Education and Theology (IJCET)
Vol. 5 No. 3 (2026): August 2026

The Role of Social Media and Virtual Communities in the Growth of Christian Faith in the Digital Era

Irene Laura Simanjuntak (Universitas Kristen Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Aug 2026

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the role of social media and virtual communities in the growth of Christian faith comprehensively. The method used is qualitative through a literature study of various scholarly sources and analyzed using a thematic approach. The results show that social media expands access to religious content, supports digital evangelism, and facilitates faith communities across geographical boundaries. However, there is also ambivalence in the form of shallow spirituality, digital distraction, and the commodification of faith. Virtual communities function as a new form of koinonia, but they do not fully replace the physical relationships that are essential in faith formation. This study contributes to the development of an integrative digital theology that emphasizes the importance of synergy between digital faith practices and real communities.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

ijcet

Publisher

Subject

Religion

Description

Indonesian Journal of Christian Education and Theology (IJCET) is a peer-reviewed international journal that covers the fields of scientific research, literature studies, and academic scholarship that study Christian Education and ...