Mr. Ivan Efreaim A. Gozum of the University of Santo Tomas Institute of Religion recently published articles that examined the complex intersection of religion, ethics, and technology. Through these works, Gozum calls for deeper, critical reflection on how digital technologies are reshaping human experiences into two essential aspects of life: healthcare and religious practice.
The first article, published in the Journal of Religion and Health, sheds light on the ethical challenges emerging in the era of virtual healthcare. Titled, “Encountering the Other in the Digital Sphere: Emmanuel Levinas’ Ethics of the Face and the Implications for Virtual Healthcare Ethics in Contemporary Society,” the paper, co-authored with Ms. Chastene Christopher D. Flake, an academic staff from the Angeles University Foundation, explores how digital health platforms and telemedicine risk undermining the depth of human relationships essential in patient care despite enhancing accessibility and efficiency. Drawing from the philosophy of the French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, the authors highlight how Levinas’ concept of the “ethics of the face” — which demands moral responsibility upon encountering another person — is challenged in virtual settings where physical presence is replaced by screens.
The study warns of the potential for virtual healthcare to depersonalize interactions, reduce empathy, and treat patients as mere data points rather than unique individuals. To address these concerns, Gozum and Flake propose integrating Levinasian ethics into virtual healthcare practices, emphasizing empathetic communication, ethical attentiveness, and the preservation of patient dignity through technology. The paper invites both the medical and philosophical communities to confront the ethical implications of increasingly digitized healthcare services in a post-pandemic world.
From focusing on health care, Gozum explores religious practices in digital space for his second paper. Also published in the Journal of Religion and Health, the study titled “Analyzing Physical to Virtual Religious Practices on Filipino Catholic Religiosity and Spirituality During the COVID-19 Pandemic,”explores the spiritual and religious implications of the Philippines’ transition from in-person to virtual religious practices during the pandemic. Known for its deeply Catholic identity, the Philippines was forced to adapt long-held religious traditions and celebrations — including Masses, processions, and festivals — to online platforms in response to health protocols.
The paper highlights how Filipino Catholic spirituality, deeply rooted in centuries of communal worship, was challenged yet reshaped through technology. Despite initial concerns over the lack of intimacy and physicality in virtual services, the study reveals that many Filipinos maintained, and in some cases even deepened, their religious commitments during lockdown. The Church quickly mobilized digital resources — from live-streamed Masses to virtual Visita Iglesia and online catechism — ensuring the faithful could continue participating in religious life from home. The study was done in collaboration with Mr. Reiner B. Lingad and Mr. Archimedes T. David–both are from the Angeles University Foundation.
While acknowledging the limitations of online worship, such as the absence of tactile rituals like receiving the Eucharist, the authors argue that the pandemic ultimately prompted a renewal of faith for many. The period of crisis fostered reflection, strengthened domestic spirituality, and expanded religious inclusivity by making services accessible to those previously unable to attend. The study concludes that although virtual practices cannot fully replace the communal and sensory richness of traditional worship, they have become valuable complementary tools for religious life in a rapidly evolving world.