Social Media and Christian Identity in the Age of Internet

Abstract

Recent advancements in the application of the social-scientific approach, especially the gossip theory in identifying the early Christian identity, have provided us tools for assessing modern Christian identity constructed by social media in the age of the internet. This article will first highlight some scholarly contributions of the gossip theory to the study of early Christian identity. Secondly, it will relate the previously highlighted studies with modern religious identity construction of which social media play an essential part. Finally, it will suggest that the way the early Christians responded to the gossip-constructed identity helps their modern counterparts to deal with the latter's situation. Research Contribution: This study aims to shed light on the modern Christian identity impacted by social media using the gossip studies done to observe the gossip-constructed identity of the early Christian. It also suggests that contemporary Christians will be prepared with the necessary tools at their disposal to respond to their situations. Keywords-early christian identity; modern christian identity; the gossip theory; the age of internet; social media