Monday 30 August 2010

The Bible in Transmission (Summer 2010) – The Growth of Surveillance and its Impact on Society

The latest issue of The Bible in Transmission, published by the Bible Society arrived a few weeks back. This theme for this one is ‘The Growth of Surveillance and its Impact on Society’, with the following contributions:

Chris Sunderland
Editorial


David Landrum
From Big Brother to the Big Society?

Considers the reasons for the growth of surveillance in the UK and its consequences. Christians have a responsibility to offer a vision for our society and stimulate debate about civil liberty issues.

Pearl Luxon
Safeguarding Children and the Surveillance Society

In our churches we need to develop healthy environments and informed vigilance to provide safer places for children. This includes the use of strict standards of monitoring to help reduce risk.

Eric Stoddart
The Risk of ‘Risk’

We live in a culture of fear. Any healthy society has an inevitable level of risk. We must learn to fear rightly and respond properly to risk, fostering courage and resilience and giving voice to those who bear the most risk.

Toivo Pilli
Christians Under Surveillance During Communism

Describes the Estonian experience of life under surveillance and the ethical and religious trials Christians faced during communist rule.

David Lyon
God’s Eye: Surveillance and Watchfulness in the Twenty-First Century

Outlines the characteristics of today’s surveillance society. Surveillance capacities may be said to have God-like features. However, God’s all-seeing knowledge of us is very different to the ‘eye in the sky’ of contemporary surveillance.

Jason Pridmore
Engaging Contemporary Consumer Surveillance Practices: A Biblical Perspective

Considers how a surveillance society shapes us as human beings. Fear and suspicion replaces trust and deep interpersonal relationships. Our sense of belonging and self-identity is undermined.

James Catford
News from Bible Society

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