{"id":40761,"date":"2025-02-20T13:59:51","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T21:59:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=40761"},"modified":"2025-02-20T13:59:51","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T21:59:51","slug":"divine-connection-no-password-required","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/divine-connection-no-password-required\/","title":{"rendered":"Divine Connection, No Password Required"},"content":{"rendered":"

I put another log on the fire and closed the door to the wood stove. I waited a moment until the flames caught, sending warmth into the room. I sat down, opened <\/span>The Anxious Generation<\/span><\/i> by Jonathan Haidt, and picked up where I had left off the night before.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just as I started reading, my phone pinged a notification. I had placed it face-down on the table beside me, intending to focus on my book. Still, I reached for it. The message wasn\u2019t important, but I let myself get sucked in for a few minutes before putting the phone down and returning to my reading.<\/span><\/p>\n

As you might imagine, this happened several more times over the next few hours. But as I read further into Haidt\u2019s text, I realized that I was embodying the very problem he described. My phone was fragmenting my attention, disrupting my ability to focus deeply. Determined to resist, I resolved to ignore future notifications. The pull was strong at first, but I noticed something: when I acknowledged the urge and let it pass, it faded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Haidt\u2019s book argues that today\u2019s youth are growing up in a world where attention is constantly fragmented, real-world relationships are displaced, and digital addiction stunts emotional resilience. He describes how schools that have banned phones see noticeable improvements in student focus, well-being, and peer relationships. One eighth-grader gave words to my experience as I ignored the phone: \u201cFor the first half-hour of the school day, my phone is still in the back of my mind, but once class starts, then it\u2019s just kinda out the window.” [1]<\/span><\/p>\n

This experiment in phone-free education reveals something deeper: <\/span>when we remove distractions, we regain presence.<\/b> And when we regain presence, we rebuild connection\u2014both with others and with God.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Digital Disruption of Attachment<\/span><\/h2>\n

Haidt warns that smartphone-based childhoods have led to an epidemic of anxiety, depression, and emotional fragility. He identifies four key harms:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Attention fragmentation<\/b> \u2013 The inability to focus deeply due to constant digital interruptions.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Social deprivation<\/b> \u2013 Reduced face-to-face interactions weaken emotional and relational skills.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Addiction<\/b> \u2013 Dopamine-driven feedback loops keep users compulsively engaged.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Sleep disruption<\/b> \u2013 Excessive screen time undermines mental and physical health. [2]<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Each of these factors interferes with something foundational:<\/span> secure attachment.<\/b><\/p>\n

    In the 1950s, psychologists John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth demonstrated that secure attachment\u2014formed through consistent, loving interactions\u2014creates a <\/span>secure base<\/span><\/i> from which a child can confidently explore the world. Todd Hall, in <\/span>The Connected Life<\/span><\/i>, explains that <\/span>early attachment patterns shape how we relate to others and, ultimately, how we relate to God<\/b>. [3] When screens replace human presence, secure attachment is disrupted, leading to increased insecurity, fear, and isolation.<\/span><\/p>\n

    This isn\u2019t just a psychological concern\u2014it\u2019s a crisis of formation. Jim Wilder, in <\/span>Renovated<\/span><\/i>, argues that spiritual transformation occurs through attachment love, what Scripture describes as <\/span>hesed<\/span><\/i>\u2014God\u2019s steadfast, covenantal love. [4] When digital culture weakens human attachment, it also weakens our ability to trust in and experience the deep love of God.<\/span><\/p>\n

    A Secure Base: The Foundation for Growth<\/b><\/h3>\n

    A <\/b>secure base<\/i><\/b> provides both comfort and challenge<\/b> (Todd Hall\u2019s very helpful terms [5])\u2014essential ingredients for healthy development. Hall describes how attachment figures offer security, allowing children to take risks and explore, knowing they can return for support when needed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    But today\u2019s digital environment replaces embodied relationships with fragmented, asynchronous interactions. Children and adults alike are increasingly untethered, lacking the deep, face-to-face connections that build resilience.<\/span><\/p>\n

    This pattern extends into our spiritual lives. If early relationships were inconsistent or disrupted, trusting in God\u2019s love can feel distant or abstract. Yet Scripture presents God as the ultimate secure base: \u201cI have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness\u201d (Jeremiah 31:3). In Christ, we are invited into a relationship of both deep security and bold exploration.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Awe: Reclaiming Attachment to God<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Recently, I\u2019ve found myself overwhelmed by the constant flood of distressing news. Doomscrolling doesn\u2019t feel good, but it gives me the illusion of doing <\/span>something<\/span><\/i>. Yet the more I consume, the more anxious and helpless I feel.<\/span><\/p>\n

    To counteract this, I\u2019ve begun a simple spiritual practice: looking for <\/span>one moment of awe<\/span><\/i> every day. I\u2019ve captured glimpses of beauty\u2014the first light of morning sparkling on the snow, the pink and orange hues of sunset over the lake, my dogs joyfully wrestling in fresh powder, the breathtaking view from the top of a ski lift.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    Then I came across Haidt\u2019s words:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cThe emotion of awe… is triggered by two simultaneous perceptions: first, that what you are looking at is vast in some way, and second, that you can’t fit it into your existing mental structures… If we want awe to play a larger and more beneficial role in our lives, we need to make space for it.” [6]<\/span><\/p>\n

    Although Haidt is an atheist, he echoes something deeply biblical, quoting Blaise Pascal, <\/span>\u201cThere is a God-shaped hole in every human heart.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0[7] Awe draws us into that space. It reminds us that we are small, yet deeply held. In those moments of wonder, we encounter a presence greater than ourselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Restoring the Secure Base in a Distracted Age<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Haidt, Hall, and Wilder all point to the same core truth: <\/span>we are made for deep, secure attachment, and digital culture is eroding it.<\/b> To reclaim this, we must be intentional.<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Individually<\/b>, we can cultivate awe, limit digital distractions, and practice presence with God and others.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • In families<\/b>, we can create spaces of connection\u2014meal times without screens, shared outdoor experiences, and daily moments of face-to-face engagement.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • In churches<\/b>, we can emphasize relational discipleship, embodied worship, and practices that foster deep, synchronous relationships.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      At its core, this is not just about psychology or social trends\u2014it\u2019s about the nature of God Himself. Jesus embodies the ultimate secure base, inviting us into a life of confidence, love, and resilience. <\/span>\u201cCome to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest\u201d<\/span><\/i> (Matthew 11:28).<\/span><\/p>\n

      The challenge before us is clear: Will we continue to let digital culture erode our capacity for deep relationships, or will we take intentional steps to build real, lasting connection\u2014with God, with others, and within ourselves? The choice to reclaim the secure base is ours.<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      \n

       <\/p>\n

      1 – Jonathan Haidt, <\/span>The Anxious Generation; How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness<\/span><\/i> (New York: Penguin Press, 2024), 248.<\/span><\/p>\n

      2 – Haidt, 120-136.<\/span><\/p>\n

      3 – Todd Hall, <\/span>The Connected Life; the Art and Science of Relational Spirituality<\/span><\/i> (Downers Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 2022), 37.<\/span><\/p>\n

      4 – Jim Wilder, <\/span>Renovated; God, Dallas Wilalrd & the Church That Transforms<\/span><\/i> (United States of America: NavPress, 2020),<\/span> 48.<\/span><\/p>\n

      5 – Todd Hall.<\/span><\/p>\n

      6 – Haidt, 212, 215.<\/span><\/p>\n

      7 – Haidt, 215.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      I put another log on the fire and closed the door to the wood stove. I waited a moment until the flames caught, sending warmth into the room. I sat down, opened The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, and picked up where I had left off the night before. Just as I started reading, my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2967,1214],"class_list":["post-40761","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dlgp03","tag-haidt","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40761","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/197"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40761"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40761\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40769,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40761\/revisions\/40769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40761"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40761"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40761"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}