austraLasia #1903
Digital Virtues now available - free
ROME: 15th July 2007 -- Digital Virtues - 'reflections, frameworks and practical matters for institutes of consecrated life and their members', has been a labour of love developed over a two year period. It has now been published initially in a form fully consonant with the principles it espouses - it is an 'open book', issued under a Creative Commons licence, which permits its readers to take the ideas developed within and adapt or improve upon them. The only thing a reader does not have permission to do is to make money from them!
The work is currently available in two formats, one html, therefore viewable directly online, the other a commercial, print-ready pdf which could be read online but which is obviously intended for downloading where it can then be read on-screen or output to paper. Both are available from Bosconetwww.bosconet.aust.com, under the 'What's New' rubric. In its paper form it runs to 95 pages including Table of Contents and a complete index.
Digital Virtues is a unique work - and I mean that in the truest sense of the word. Over this two year period I have scoured all obviously available resources to see what has been on offer in terms of Church documentation or the documentation of Religious Congregations by way of reflection on the digital world, on some of the issues that result from a new and at times invasive culture. There was not a great deal on offer! Therefore the 'reflections' parts of this book are indeed unique. You will not find them elsewhere - except, at least in their initial and provocative form, in a certain letter written by a certain Superior General: Pascual Chávez, of course (AGC 390). The final chapter, chapter 8, specifically acknowledges this and indicates how it became the stimulus for these reflections which do not merely repeat his own but develop them.
If you choose the online version to begin with, you will find a straightforward navigation process, easy screen-chunk sections. It would make an excellent 'taster' to find your way around quickly. If you choose to download the pdf version you will not only have a typeset potential printout in hand but the additional value of sidebars which can guide you through your reading.
Though it may seem strange to be recommending the final chapter, I am doing precisely that, as a way of noting what the main issues in the book are, and at the same time being confronted with the same stimuli for reflection that moved the author to write.
Each chapter concludes with a 'digital to-do list' directed either to a community (local, provincial, world) or to individuals. At all times the material is directed to members of consecrated life - how does the digital world impinge on them, what actions could they be taking? There is ample reflection for the community level, indeed there are frameworks in there for reflection by communities. Along the way no doubt there are challenging statements, and nobody says you have to agree with them! But you might allow them to pose their questions to you nonetheless.
If you feel that parts or the whole have been valuable for you personally or for your community, or indeed if you feel that you could improve on them, the licence permits you to do the latter, and courtesy suggests you let me know how you feel. Both ways can help a future edition be even better. In due course it may find its way into print on a commercial basis (where the licence will alter a little). That depends on whether the work fulfils a need. Presentation of several chapters at meetings of consecrated life around the world have already demonstrated some need and warm acceptance. austraLasia's readers are another group who now have the chance to indicate this.
Click here to comment on this item.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
Digital Virtues now available - free
ROME: 15th July 2007 -- Digital Virtues - 'reflections, frameworks and practical matters for institutes of consecrated life and their members', has been a labour of love developed over a two year period. It has now been published initially in a form fully consonant with the principles it espouses - it is an 'open book', issued under a Creative Commons licence, which permits its readers to take the ideas developed within and adapt or improve upon them. The only thing a reader does not have permission to do is to make money from them!
The work is currently available in two formats, one html, therefore viewable directly online, the other a commercial, print-ready pdf which could be read online but which is obviously intended for downloading where it can then be read on-screen or output to paper. Both are available from Bosconetwww.bosconet.aust.com, under the 'What's New' rubric. In its paper form it runs to 95 pages including Table of Contents and a complete index.
Digital Virtues is a unique work - and I mean that in the truest sense of the word. Over this two year period I have scoured all obviously available resources to see what has been on offer in terms of Church documentation or the documentation of Religious Congregations by way of reflection on the digital world, on some of the issues that result from a new and at times invasive culture. There was not a great deal on offer! Therefore the 'reflections' parts of this book are indeed unique. You will not find them elsewhere - except, at least in their initial and provocative form, in a certain letter written by a certain Superior General: Pascual Chávez, of course (AGC 390). The final chapter, chapter 8, specifically acknowledges this and indicates how it became the stimulus for these reflections which do not merely repeat his own but develop them.
If you choose the online version to begin with, you will find a straightforward navigation process, easy screen-chunk sections. It would make an excellent 'taster' to find your way around quickly. If you choose to download the pdf version you will not only have a typeset potential printout in hand but the additional value of sidebars which can guide you through your reading.
Though it may seem strange to be recommending the final chapter, I am doing precisely that, as a way of noting what the main issues in the book are, and at the same time being confronted with the same stimuli for reflection that moved the author to write.
Each chapter concludes with a 'digital to-do list' directed either to a community (local, provincial, world) or to individuals. At all times the material is directed to members of consecrated life - how does the digital world impinge on them, what actions could they be taking? There is ample reflection for the community level, indeed there are frameworks in there for reflection by communities. Along the way no doubt there are challenging statements, and nobody says you have to agree with them! But you might allow them to pose their questions to you nonetheless.
If you feel that parts or the whole have been valuable for you personally or for your community, or indeed if you feel that you could improve on them, the licence permits you to do the latter, and courtesy suggests you let me know how you feel. Both ways can help a future edition be even better. In due course it may find its way into print on a commercial basis (where the licence will alter a little). That depends on whether the work fulfils a need. Presentation of several chapters at meetings of consecrated life around the world have already demonstrated some need and warm acceptance. austraLasia's readers are another group who now have the chance to indicate this.
Click here to comment on this item.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
