And the Word became digital

The image of Pope Benedict XVI reading the bible on a live television feed is projected inside the Holy Cross in Jerusalem's Basilica in Rome October 5, 2008.

ROME (Hollywood Reporter) - An assembly of Catholic bishops on Monday called for the use of mass communications -- including television, cinema, DVDs and even iPods -- to be used to spread the Bible in as many languages as possible.

The nod toward technology is not unusual: The Vatican had one of Europe's first Web sites, for example, and has always been quick to adopt new technologies. The bishops' conference said that the stakes are higher than ever, arguing that the written word was insufficient for the modern world.

"The voice of the Divine Word must resonate over the radio, on Internet channels with virtual distribution (and by) CDs, DVDs and iPods, and on television and cinema screens," an official statement said.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter