One and a Half Metres from God: Examining the effects of moving the church community online due to COVID-19 on personal religiosity at the Motion Church.

Abstract

Facing a global pandemic, the Motion Church, which is an evangelical church situated in Utrecht, the Netherlands, was forced to move all church events online. The switch to online church impacted the way through which the community manifested itself. This thesis analyses the question of how and why moving the Motion Church community online impacted personal religiosity. Through the study of worship and Bible study as sensational forms, as well the different platforms used, it can be seen that the online community has led to a lack of intimacy and meaningful communication. For some members, it meant that it became more difficult to have religious experiences and a good relationship with God. This leads to the conclusion that being online has distanced people from God.