Question. Per dp-restoration-requires-meeting-abel-figures, the Principle of Restoration teaches that humans approach God through meeting an Abel figure — and the verb “meet” is load-bearing (not seeing on TV, not hearing in a stadium, but personal contact). Does this requirement foreclose broadcast and streaming ministry entirely, or are there forms of mediated encounter that satisfy the condition? What about: livestreamed services where the pastor responds to chat in real time; small-group video calls (Zoom Bible study); recorded sermons followed by in-person small-group discussion; one-on-one online discipleship?
Why it matters. Most contemporary UC ministry (and most contemporary church ministry generally) relies heavily on mediated communication — recorded sermons distributed online, livestreamed Sunday services, YouTube ministries, Zoom Bible studies. If “meeting” requires unmediated physical presence, then the bulk of current UC ministry infrastructure does not satisfy the Restoration condition, which is a significant strategic concern. If “meeting” requires relational encounter (which can occur through some mediated forms), then most current infrastructure is acceptable but specific design choices (mass-broadcast one-way streaming with no return channel) remain problematic.
Current best guesses. Three plausible readings:
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Strict physical: Only embodied face-to-face encounter satisfies. All broadcast and streaming fails the test. Implication: dismantle most digital ministry infrastructure; invest in member-to-member in-person infrastructure.
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Relational encounter: What matters is two-way relationship — being known and being responded to by name. Two-way mediated communication (Zoom one-on-one, small interactive group calls, livestream with real-time chat moderated by the speaker) satisfies; one-way broadcast does not. Implication: invest in two-way digital channels, dismantle one-way mass broadcast.
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Mediated-with-physical-follow-up: One-way broadcast is acceptable as long as it leads to in-person meeting downstream. Implication: keep broadcasts as recruitment funnel; require pipeline to in-person small groups.
The question also bears on is-uc-network-currently-open-or-closed — if Abel-figure-meeting is foreclosed by current ministry forms, UC’s network openness is structurally compromised.
Source. Raised in br-06-uc-and-the-populist-style REVIEW, from dp-restoration-requires-meeting-abel-figures.