Digital Communication as a Space of Gift and Relationship: An Anthropo-Theological Analysis

Abstract

This paper examines digital communication as a contemporary space where the human vocation to gift (self-donation) and relationship (communion) is lived. Grounded in theological anthropology, it analyzes how students perceive digital interactions as mediating authentic self-giving in an increasingly digitalized world. The central question asks: To what extent do students experience digital communication as a space of gift and relationship rather than self-presentation or utilitarian exchange? The hypothesis holds that, despite risks of superficiality, digital platforms are positively appropriated as spaces of relational self-gift. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with 100 theology students at the Catholic University of Rwanda (CUR). Quantitative data were treated using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses were thematically analyzed. Results reveal predominantly positive perceptions: 82% affirm that digital communication fosters meaningful relationships; 78% identify their interactions as expressions of self-gift; 74% associate online exchanges with empathy and care; and 69% recognize risks of superficiality. Overall, 80% consider digital platforms as genuine spaces of communion. The study concludes that digital communication can sustain the anthropological logic of gift and relationship when guided by ethical and spiritual values, as the human being is inherently constituted for relational self-gift.