Augmented spirituality: Renewing human spirituality in a technology-driven world?

The last decades have witnessed major changes in the way spirituality is perceived and is being practiced. As digital technology is being fully integrated into our daily life, most human activities are moving from physical spaces to augmented spaces, i.e., hybrid spaces powered by computerized technology. One fascinating, yet emerging element of this digital revolution is the fact that spirituality is also moving to these augmented spaces. This paper explores how the needs for spirituality of Human beings can get actualized in the new age of technology. We will describe how technology is preparing and supporting a shift of spiritual experience from physical to augmented spaces, by analyzing how technology interacts with both spiritual practices (rituals and places) and mediators (officiants and artifacts). We will also describe how the new forms of inequalities may emerge from this shift and might further impact current and future spiritual practices.