The Internet in Mission and Ecumenism ... - Reformiert online

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Address Database / Information on Countries Using the option "addresses" you reach the address archives of the worldwide Reformed Church. Here you can search for countries, names, statistical information and much more. The searches are divided into different sections: "simple search", "churches", "theological academies" and "libraries". Depending on the search terms you receive an appropriate list by means of which you can then get to the detailed information. If connections to other churches exist, they in turn can be reached via a link. The same is true of information on countries which in turn can display both up to date and historical facts regarding the countries. Full Text Database The full text database makes available to those searching for information, books, periodicals and official publications (legal texts) by means of extensive search functions in PDF (Portable Document Format) and Text Format. For reformed online's working team it was important to edit the texts in such a way that would enable the user who gets results from his search to quickly distinguish between hits relevant to his interests and those of no interest to him. This is to be attained in the following manner: each text which is put into the database receives from the collaborator besides the bibliographical interim data such as the author, the publishers... a structure pertaining to its thematic contents. This is stored in an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file and contains the division into separate chapters, articles or also paragraphs. For the user it appears as a list of contents with which he can comfortably view the chosen work and then directly select separate passages. The search takes place either by means of interim data (the author, title... can be searched for), or by entering terms which are searched for in the full text, or using a combination of both. The result is presented in a hit list, which, on the one hand, identifies the document that has been found and, on the other hand, shows the hits along with a brief context, in order that the respective relevance can be assessed already at this stage. If the desired work has been found, the user can have the different pages displayed. The terms for which he searched are shown in red and are underlined, so that here also clarity is retained. Furthermore, it was a concern of the Johannes a Lasco Library to retain the ability to use quotes. If a document also appeared in printed form, then the online edition appears in an identical form, in order that the user can depend fully on specifications such a page numbers etcetera. This is possible in PDF (Portable Document Format) because in it – as opposed to word processing formats like MS-Word-Documents or Text-Documents – the text behaves similarly to a picture, that is, regardless of the representing system, it is set and no longer variable. In order to reduce the amount of work involved for the operators, an input module was developed with the help of which the respective organizations which would like to publish documents can structure and enter these using the Internet, with the result that the employees of the Johannes a Lasco Library often only have to take over a control function which precedes the public being able to access the material. Further Education Especially churches in poorly developed countries positively welcomed the further education section. Since mid-2000 two theologians with post doctorate qualifications have been developing a "Basic Course in the History and Theology of Reformed Protestantism" consisting of 24 lessons for reformed online. These lessons should not only have a representative character but should also pursue an educational concept. This is why they also contain examination questions and answers, besides source material, references to literature and working instructions, so that those interested can test their learning achievement. As soon as the first lesson appeared in German and English, employees of a missionary society from Chile approached the Johannes a Lasco Library requesting permission to translate the lessons into Spanish, pointing out that it was difficult to acquire teaching material. The outcome of this was a good cooperation, which resulted in many an advantage to both partners. Likewise, a course in biblical 28
studies on the New Testament compiled by a university lecturer from the University of Erlangen can be found in this section. This course has already been completed. In order to give people who, up to now, have not been very familiar with Reformed Protestantism a short and concise general idea of it, a category "Encylopaedia" was introduced, which introduces the main themes by means of a list of terms. Communication Potential Over and above these documentary offers, "reformed online" also makes communicative elements available, with varying success. Visitors' Book Since the beginning of the system there has been a visitors' book in which users can leave comments, remarks and requests. In their entirety they are organized neither thematically nor according to subject matter, with the result that they only present a small feedback. Debates and the comparing of notes between users are hardly ever launched here. Indeed, a much greater number of comments sent to the visitors' book by e-mail are directed at the operators. Debate Platform (not moderated) A debate platform was installed at the same time as the visitors' book. It is open, that is, it can receive written messages and can also be read, but is neither commented on nor moderated. In this form it was not accepted by users, so we already decided, some time ago, to take it off the direct access on the homepage and in addition to experiment with other possibilities. Debate Platform (moderated) We are endeavouring to pursue this path together with the Association of Churches and Missions in South Western Germany (EMS): up to the present time there have been two moderated platform systems in English and Indonesian which can be retrieved under the name "protestants-online". Both of these are open to readers of topical discussions. However, only a private circle of Indonesian theologians can take part in the discussions. The course this kind of communication takes and its success can be pursued at www.protestants-online.net. Closely connected to what I have been talking about is the question: "How open is such an Internet system allowed to be?" Especially in the intercultural context no one cultural group is able to address all the others adequately, that is, even if the operator of the Internet service happens by chance to be situated in Germany, he still has to take care that all other users are able to enter their own information into information pool. As it is, the operator takes legal, ethical, cultural and religious-theological responsibility, and due to this fact, it would not be responsible if he were to publish every kind of information, whoever the author, without examining it first. Let us take the example of a press report: wherever it originates, anyone can enter it by using a corresponding WEB-form and send it to the editor. At this stage, though, it must be possible, without too much effort, to detect the arrival of a new report. This can be examined and, if necessary, edited. After this the employee can submit the report which can then be found by all users at its corresponding position. Yet other information "deliverers" are soon well-known and their reliability and quality of information is always obvious. They receive extended rights and can publish their information without it being examined. The participation of many people in an Internet platform is important, is even absolutely necessary, but in the intercultural and also ecumenical context it bestows on the operator great editorial tasks. 29
Page 1 and 2: Evangelische Landeskirche Evangelis
Page 3 and 4: 1. Program of the Consultation "Mis
Page 5 and 6: communication and learning - and we
Page 7 and 8: 3. Input 1: “Implementing Multicu
Page 9 and 10: 2. Mission and Ecumenism The words,
Page 11 and 12: Critique In such an instrumental pe
Page 13 and 14: offices and improving the services
Page 15 and 16: A few years ago one of our visiting
Page 17 and 18: gap between sender and receiver is
Page 19 and 20: 6. Internet and Mission: Possibilit
Page 21 and 22: government, NGOs, churches and pare
Page 23 and 24: i. Net as Alternative Media Net can
Page 25 and 26: Appendix FTP - File Transfer Protoc
Page 27: Here the Internet seemed and seems
Page 31 and 32: 6. Working Groups on the three Inpu
Page 33 and 34: Other Preconditions: - Cultural dif
Page 35 and 36: Topics that were not selected: �
Page 37 and 38: 7.3 Results of Working Group 3 Tech
Page 39 and 40: 7.5 Results of Working Group 5 Advo
Page 41 and 42: 8.3 Results of Working Group 3: Dif
Page 43 and 44: Annex 1: Power Point Presentation b
Page 45 and 46: Virtual Learning Community • Cont
Page 47 and 48: Different communication styles •
Page 49 and 50: Layout of learning environments •
Page 51 and 52: Virtual collaboration -Groupware -T
Page 53 and 54: Annex 2: Power Point Presentation o
Page 55 and 56: Jesus’ Mission and Communication
Page 57 and 58: Mass media Networking Churches and
Page 59 and 60: Annex 3: List of Participants EMS S
Page 61 and 62: Resource Persons Dr. Joshva Raja, A

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