Use of Technology on the Holy Day: Which Religions Use It and Which Do Not

Technology and Sacred Time

Religions that set aside a holy day—a sabbath, a day of rest, or a day of communal prayer—often have rules about what may or may not be done on that day. In the modern world, a central question is the use of technology: electricity, cars, phones, computers, and screens. Which traditions allow or encourage technology on the holy day, and which restrict or forbid it? The answers vary widely and reflect different readings of sacred texts and different communal priorities.

Judaism: From Strict Prohibition to Selective Use

In Orthodox Judaism, the observance of Shabbat (from Friday evening to Saturday evening) traditionally involves a broad restriction on “work” (melakhah). The Talmud and later codes list thirty-nine categories of forbidden labour, which have been extended by rabbinic interpretation to include many activities that involve creating, completing, or using certain kinds of technology. As a result, many Orthodox Jews do not use the following on Shabbat:

• Electricity: switching on or off lights, appliances, or electronic devices is generally prohibited, because it can be seen as completing a circuit or “kindling a fire” (Exodus 35:3). Some use timers set before Shabbat to control lights.
• Driving: operating a car is typically forbidden (ignition, combustion, and “carrying” in a domain are among the issues).
• Phones and screens: use of telephones, televisions, computers, and smartphones is avoided so as not to violate prohibitions on completing circuits, writing, or business.

Conservative Judaism often allows more flexibility: driving to synagogue may be permitted when walking is impractical, and electricity may be used for purposes that enhance rest and community (e.g. lights, heating). Reform and Liberal Judaism generally do not impose such restrictions; technology is widely used, and the focus is on setting aside time for rest, family, and worship rather than on legal prohibitions.

Christianity: Generally Permissive, with Exceptions

Most Christian traditions do not forbid the use of technology on Sunday (or on their day of worship). The emphasis is usually on gathering for worship, rest, and family, not on a list of forbidden activities. Using a car to go to church, using electricity at home, watching religious or family programmes, or using a phone or computer is widely accepted. Some congregations stream services online or use projectors and sound systems in church—technology is often integrated into worship itself.

Seventh-day Adventists, who keep Saturday as the sabbath, encourage rest and avoidance of secular work and commerce on that day. Views on technology vary: many avoid secular entertainment and unnecessary labour (e.g. shopping, business), but use of lights, transport to church, and sometimes phones or media for spiritual content is common. There is no uniform ban on electricity or devices comparable to strict Orthodox Jewish practice.

Some Anabaptist and Plain groups (e.g. certain Amish and Old Order Mennonites) limit or reject technology in daily life overall; their restrictions apply every day, not only on the holy day, and are tied to community identity and simplicity rather than to sabbath law alone.

Islam: Friday Prayer and Technology

In Islam, Friday (Jumu'ah) is the day of congregational prayer, but it is not a full day of rest in the way the Jewish or Christian sabbath often is. Use of technology is generally permitted. Mosques use loudspeakers for the call to prayer and often use microphones and sound systems. Many Muslims use phones, apps, and broadcasts to follow prayer times, listen to sermons, or attend virtual religious talks. There is no widespread religious prohibition on using technology on Friday; the focus is on attending the communal prayer and on spiritual focus, not on turning off devices.

Other Traditions and Summary

Baha'i and other faiths with a designated day of rest may have their own guidelines; practice varies. In general, the strictest limits on technology on the holy day are found in Orthodox Judaism, where the goal is to cease from creative and productive work and to honour the sabbath as a day set apart. Most Christians and Muslims use technology freely on their holy day, often to support worship (e.g. streaming, communication, travel). Conservative and Reform Jews fall somewhere in between, with a trend toward using technology in ways that support rest and community rather than commercial or mundane work.

Understanding these differences helps to respect the practices of others and to see how sacred texts and tradition are applied in very different ways in the modern world.

Sources and Further Reading

Jewish practice: Talmud tractate Shabbat; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim; contemporary Orthodox and Conservative responsa. Christianity: denominational statements on the Lord's Day and rest; Seventh-day Adventist guidelines. Islam: Qur'an 62:9; hadith and contemporary mosque practice. General: scholarly and journalistic comparisons of sabbath observance across religions.