Blessing the “Blessing” of Technology

After a couple of inexplicable web browser crashes today, I was heartened to read this piece on MSNBC, posted yesterday from Associated Press reporter Raphael G. Satter.

The Rev. Canon David Parrott blessed a symbolic heap of laptops and smart phones on the altar of London’s 17th-century St. Lawrence Jewry church Monday. An effort, he said, to remind the capital’s busy office workers that God’s grace can reach them in many ways.

Invoking God’s blessing on the world around us is nothing new, and a variety of such blessings can be found in the service books of many Christian churches, including the Book of Blessings of the Roman Ritual, and the Episcopal Church’s Book of Occasional Services. Such blessings are part of the Christian’s confession of faith that God created the world as good, and redeemed the world in Jesus Christ from within the created order. Given our day-to-day reliance for information and entertainment on laptop and desktop computers, cellular telephones and a host of other devices, I’m frankly surprised that such a public blessing of the gizmos and gadgets didn’t gain media attention earlier!

Cody C. Unterseher

The Rev'd Cody C. Unterseher (1976-2012) was Priest Associate and former Theologian in Residence at Christ Episcopal Church, Bronxville, NY, and an oblate of Assumption Abbey in Richardton, ND. He held a B.A. in Theology from the University of Mary, Bismarck, ND; an M.A. in Liturgical Studies from Saint John's School of Theology•Seminary, Collegeville, MN; and an S.T.M. in Anglican Studies from The General Theological Seminary, New York, NY. At the time of his death, he was working toward a Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and serving as editor of <I>The Anglican</I>, the journal of The Anglican Society in North America. Fr. Cody died suddenly from complications associated with an aneurysm in April, 2012.

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5 responses to “Blessing the “Blessing” of Technology”

  1. Bill Dilworth

    I think that sounds terrific. At Epiphany we blessed chalk for the whole sacred doorway graffiti thing, and I remember that the blessing used asked that God “make it useful” for his servants.* I’m sure that something similar would be in line for smart phone and laptops.

    *I’ve got leftover chalk from the past two years now; I’m going to use it when I student teach next year.

    Reply
  2. Jeffrey Herbert

    I would worry about the considerable number of “less than sacred” uses for these laptops and cell phones. if such a blessing could help them avoid such uses, than I’m all for it…

    Reply
  3. Bill Dilworth

    I can’t see someone who uses their laptops for one of those purposes bringing it in to get blessed, though.

    Reply
    1. Jeffrey Herbert

      Now that I think about it, you’re probably right!

      Reply
  4. Bill Dilworth

    You know, we do things like bless cars without fretting too much about them being used in a bank heist or to go park on Lovers’ Lane, so on further consideration I’m not sure that it’s a problem.

    Reply

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