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CLAL Joins the Freedom Forum for a Debate on the Internet and the Democratization of Religion

By Judy Epstein, Director of Public Affairs

How is the Internet changing religion and religious beliefs? How is freer access to information changing religious practice? These are some of the issues that panelists will explore at a forum on the role of the Internet on religion and religious practice, sponsored by The Freedom Forum on February 5, 2001, in New York City.

Participating in the program will be Dr. Michael Gottsegen, CLAL Senior Faculty member and editor of the online magazine Derekh CLAL. Joining him will be leaders from other religious and non-profit institutions concerned with issues of faith and freedom online, including Elliot Mincberg, of People for the American Way; Ibrahim Hooper, of the Council on American-Islamic Relations; and Adam Clayton Powell III, of The Freedom Forum. Charles Haynes, a senior scholar at the First Amendment Center will moderate the program.

The program, to take place at the First Amendment Center at 6:30 pm, will look at the impact of Internet on broad social change and on individual spiritual practice. Federal, state and local governments' reaction, if any, to faith on the Net will also be reviewed.

"As the printing press democratized European Christianity in an earlier era, today the Internet is democratizing religion across the globe," said Dr. Gottsegen. "The Internet empowers religious elites to spread their message more effectively. Yet, at the same time, the Net threatens the authority of these elites whose message must now compete for attention with a proliferation of spiritual alternatives. Who will win the battle for "hearts and minds" in a world in which local religious providers no longer have a spiritual monopoly? Only time will tell."

For those interested in hearing the forum, it will be available on line through The Freedom Forum. (Check the archived web cast listings at www.freedomforum.org.)

The Freedom Forum, based in Arlington, Virginia, is a nonpartisan, international foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for all people. The foundation focuses on four main priorities, the Newseum, First Amendment issues, newsroom diversity and world press freedom.