Le jeûne d'Internet. Réduction et abstinence des médias numériques au service de l’expérience spirituelle / Internet fast. Reduction and abstinence from digital media and spiritual experience

The use of digital media for the religious practice is no longer the exception, but seems to have become a common practice. Parallel to this, we observe more and more forms of total or partial renouncement of use of the Internet during a particular period of reintensification of the religious or spiritual life. Taking the examples of asceticism of religious virtuosi with Catholic monks and nuns, Christian Lent and fasting and hiking weeks that are part of a holistic spirituality approach, this article shows with the help of empiric data how actors consciously reduce their use of the Internet for religious purposes. Some even speak of an Internet fast which would be an indispensable counterpart to the food fast. However, in many cases, disconnection appears to be more difficult than food fasting and is then seen as a new type of virtuosity. Re-examining the classical categories of the sociology of religions that are fasting and asceticism, this article shows how they are redefined today with new objects of application. For the institutional Church, it is also an opportunity to restore plausibility to practices - especially the Lenten fast - which had gradually fallen into disuse.