CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF WORSHIP ISSUES IN THE CYBERSPACE

The COVID-19 pandemic took the world by storm, and the church was left with how to grapple with the loss of the physical embodiment of its devotional activities, resulting in the practice of virtual worship through the internet, known as cyberspace. The post-COVID era tends to have raised another concern about some, who now regard cyberspace as a place of permanent devotional and worship engagement. Critical Appraisal of Worship in Cyberspace seeks to highlight inherent issues raised by the advent of cyber worship and online devotional practices. Given ongoing narratives, it evaluates perceived problems against traditional norms and suggests a way forward. The paper critically appraises selected studies regarding liturgical practices on the internet and weighs issues critical to Christian evangelical faith and practice. The article notes that cyberspace will never be able to represent the Christian worship experience fully. It recommends that worship in cyberspace be left to emergencies and not necessarily expediencies on the part of members when they cannot make it in person.