From Screens to Souls: The Possibilities and Limits of Digital Spirituality
Bogoslovni vestnik July 15, 2026 Matjaž Celarc
Digital spirituality—virtual liturgies, prayer apps, online communities, and digital retreats—offers unprecedented access and resonance but risks enclosing believers in curated environments that privilege immediacy and algorithmic mediation. The article examines this phenomenon through theological anthropology, especially the human person as imago Dei: embodied, relational, and called to communion. Neuroscience and psychology show how digital technologies stimulate reward and bonding systems, generating a sensation of connection, yet without embodied presence and mutual vulnerability such experiences often lack depth for lasting transformation. Digital spirituality can supplement religious life but carries risks of commodification, superficiality, and addiction. Authentic spiritual maturity requires embodied, accountable relationships; digital tools may serve as companions but never substitutes.