Digital Theology and Social Media

REALIS has adapted course materials taught in Western universities and seminaries for Ukrainian students. This course is based on English-language monographs by contemporary Western theologians, sociologists, and church pastors. Mastery of the material is assessed through seminars and the completion of students’ independent assignments.

First and foremost, the seminar is a space for students to present their personal views on the topic studied. It is your time to share fresh ideas, test your own theses, and articulate your vision of the subject under study.

We encourage students to develop practical skills and build a professional portfolio of their own publications on social media. If they wish, students can publish journalistic posts on social media and websites related to lecture topics as independent student work. At the same time, the classical forms of independent work in the humanities—essays and term papers—remain, which you can share with your peers during the seminar.

Assignments are reviewed separately by two REALIS instructors, who provide the student with feedback on their independent work.

Students must complete the full course, submit all independent assignments for each module, and write a master’s thesis.

The REALIS diploma is an educational institution’s document certifying the completion of the course material. The Christian Center REALIS has been providing education for over 20 years and is a respected institution in Ukraine; its reputation guarantees the knowledge acquired by graduates. A course graduate can use the diploma to apply for further academic studies at the REALIS master’s program or at other educational institutions.

A master’s diploma is an academic degree awarded based on the taught material and the student’s independent work.

At present, the REALIS Center does not issue state-recognized diplomas, yet we operate according to international standards of educational quality within the framework of the Bologna system. Our programs meet international standards in terms of credit load, learning formats, and quality of instruction.

No, REALIS does not award a bachelor’s degree.

In our course, we examine the body of scholarly works that focus on the practical aspects of using social media in church practice and Christian missions.

This is a part of theology that studies digital transformation, digitalization, society, and religion.

With the general digitalization of society, many Ukrainian churches have implemented digital communication channels to reach their audiences. Administrators and volunteers managing these channels need knowledge at the intersection of theology and digital ethnography to effectively convey their message to the audience.

Broadcasting a worship service is not a complete or fully authentic form of worship; therefore, we critically examine aspects of worship through digital media and study methods to best engage the church’s virtual audience in live worship.

We will explore which messages work best for different media platforms and audiences, and help you develop Christian practices of prayer and worship for your audience based on the reflective study of the practical experiences of other churches.

We believe that all saved Christians are part of the one Church, which Christ established on earth. Therefore, if Christ has saved them and joined them to His Church, how can we claim that those present online are not part of the Church, or that a virtual church is not real?