Digitalisation Dialectics in Religious Preaching: Analysis of Religious Communication Transformation in The Digital Era

Abstract : This study aims to examine the transformation of religious communication in the context of digitalization, focusing on the practice of digital preaching in the Archdiocese of Ende. Using a qualitative approach and critical paradigm, this study explores how the dynamics of preaching have changed due to the penetration of digital technology into the religious life of the Catholic community. The case study method is used to understand the local and cultural context in the preaching process, involving data collection techniques in the form of in-depth interviews, participatory observation, documentation, and digital content analysis. The results of the study show that digitalization has influenced the way preachers convey messages of faith, expanded the reach of audiences, and created new spaces for interaction between preachers and the congregation. However, this transformation also presents challenges, such as the loss of depth of personal relationships, the emergence of disinformation, and fragmentation of understanding of faith. This study highlights the importance of critical reflection on digital media as a means of preaching, as well as the need for contextual and participatory communicative strategies so that religious messages remain authentic and relevant. In the context of the Archdiocese of Ende, digital preaching is not only a technological adaptation, but also a form of cultural and theological dialectic that reflects changes in the social and religious structure of the congregation. This research contributes to the study of religious communication and encourages the church to continue to strengthen digital literacy in preaching for the sustainability of faith in the digital era.