Modern Evangelization Using Art, Music, and Social Media
- Elizabeth Messing
- Sep 21
- 2 min read
By: Elizabeth Messing
The majority of people nowadays have an account on at least one of the many social media platforms. Social media is a great way to share about your life, among other things. On that note, I've been seeing a lot more people sharing about Catholicism and religion in general. Because of that, people have a more accessible opportunity to learn about religion and maybe even join the Church. Using social media platforms is a great way to evangelize because it’s easier to reach a larger audience faster than without the internet.
Most of what I’ve been seeing lately is art. Art has always been a way to reach out and connect with people, even going back to 2nd-century paintings in Roman catacombs. Modern religious art may look different, but it has the same intent. One artist on Instagram, Anna Miriam Brown, illustrates Jesus and His apostles often to popular songs or trends. The way artists like Anna relate popular songs and trends to the Bible and its stories creates engaging and memorable posts. Additionally, in Anna’s posts, she sometimes raises questions like “How young Jesus was when He first understood He was born to die?” that make you really think of how “understanding the depths of Jesus’ sorrow is the key to understanding the depths of His love.”
Another way of sharing Jesus’ love and message is through music. There are many singers that write and sing Christian songs, like Lauren Daigle and Hillsong Worship. Some people don’t like that style of music, but there are other options of Christian artists. The Thirsting is a Catholic rock band that takes traditional songs sung at Mass, like “Salve Regina,” “Jesus Christ is Risen Today,” and “How Can I Keep From Singing?” and sings them in a rock style. According to their website, their mission is to “inspire souls to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.” There are also other great Christian rock bands like Jars of Clay, Third Day, and Disciple.
Other people on social media simply share relatable content connected to Catholicism, share Bible verses, or share about their faith. In 2012, the future Pope Leo XIV was interviewed about media, evangelization, and attracting people to the faith by CNS (Catholic News Service). When asked if social media can be used to help evangelize, he answered, “As a matter of fact, many people within the church recognize the value of social media if it's used properly, of course, and the need for the church to at least have a presence there.” This shows that using social media is a way to evangelize that’s geared toward society today.
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