@article {2122,
	title = {Open wall churches. Catholic construction of online communities},
	journal = {Prisma Social revista de investigaci{\'o}n social},
	year = {2017},
	pages = {298-323},
	abstract = {The discussion regarding how global Catholic organizations have employed the new tools of digital media has become increasingly poignant and no longer focuses on liturgical limitations but on participation, social justice and new frameworks for reaching new targets. From the Vatican itself, specifically through the Pope{\textquoteright}s profiles on social media, Catholicism has proven to have an increasingly responsive presence on the web, although Catholics are usually creative without breaking the rules in the ways they extend their religiosity into new platforms. Newly born digital portals have embraced new participatory tools that shape other ways of understanding communion, which is a key concept among Christian communities. Rather than dwelling on whether Catholic portals are incorporating secular strategies to foster engagement, we explore the 19 most powerful Catholic websites according to Alexa ranking, and divide them into different categories that allow us to analyse how they build communities and thus foster the concept of belonging, which is one of the aims that they pursue. Data have been collected in three different moments (2014, 2015 and 2016) where these websites, belonging to 5 languages (Spanish, English, French, Portuguese and Italian) from 9 countries have been taken into account, according to Catholic population indexes. },
	keywords = {Catholic, churches, online communities},
	url = {https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=6234753},
	author = {Bosch, M.D. and Sanz, J.LM. and Abello, J.M.C and Sanchez, J.S.I and Gauxachs, A.S}
}
@inbook {2159,
	title = {Virtual Buddhism: Online Communities, Sacred Places and Objects},
	booktitle = {The Changing World Religion Map},
	year = {2015},
	pages = {3869-3882},
	publisher = {Springer },
	organization = {Springer },
	address = {Dordrecht},
	abstract = {Until recently, there has been a dearth of research which focuses on Buddhism online. This chapter contributes to our understanding of the relationships between media, religion and culture and specifically explores the themes of authority, community, identity and ritual. Examining Buddhism on the internet helps us to identify the position of Buddhism in society, the possible implications both online and offline and how people engage and communicate in a place (cyberspace) not constrained by geographic boundaries. An interdisciplinary approach, drawing from material culture, anthropology and religious studies examines how Buddhists, primarily in the U.S. and U.K., use the internet in daily life. This includes how they express their belief, practice Buddhist rituals, develop communities and communicate with others. {\textquotedblleft}Virtual Buddhism{\textquotedblright} is illustrated by examples of virtual places, ritual and religious artefacts found in the online world of Second Life and how social media (Facebook and blogs) are used by Buddhists and non-Buddhists. This chapter provides an introduction to some Buddhist groups and individuals who use the internet and mobile technologies to engage with Buddhism. The discourse raises a number of questions, for example, why Buddhist communities are evolving online and the blurring of boundaries between offline and online environments which could challenge traditional concepts of Buddhist authority. Understanding how the internet is being used in the 21st century, is a huge undertaking. The examples presented provide insights into how some individuals are using mobile technologies, social media, and virtual worlds to establish Buddhism online, offline, and negotiate both spheres simultaneously.},
	keywords = {Buddhism, online communities, sacred place, Virtual},
	issn = {978-94-017-9375-9},
	url = {https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-017-9376-6_204$\#$citeas},
	author = {Connelly, L}
}
@article {2144,
	title = {Online Ultra-Orthodox Religious Communities as a Third Space: A Netnographic Study},
	journal = {International Journal of Communication },
	volume = {11},
	year = {2017},
	abstract = {This research applies a netnographic approach to explore the extent to which online communities function as a third space that supports a networked religion. Five months of observation at a leading online ultra-Orthodox Jewish forum revealed four chief characteristics: religious{\textendash}secular discussion{\textemdash}the forum served as a platform for religious discourse as well as a sphere for discussing a wide range of subjects unrelated to religion; identity game{\textemdash}members constantly played two types of identity games: personal and group; intense activity{\textemdash}the forum was characterized by rather intense activity patterns; and a unique religious expressiveness{\textemdash}this was reflected in textual and visual representations and exhibited in online debates. Findings indicate that the forum offers its members a third space of digital religion that is hybrid in any possible sense and reinforces a lively networked religion. While it aims at enabling serious discussion of religious matters, it also serves members as a social sphere in which they can communicate about extrareligious issues; express their personalities, skills and opinions; and even play with their anonymous peers.},
	keywords = {Judaism, netnography, networked religion, online communities, Spirituality, third space, ultra-Orthodox},
	url = {http://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/6515},
	author = {Okun, S and Nimrod, G}
}
