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

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.
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