Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, is encouraging students to step away from digital distractions through its second annual Digital Rest initiative. Throughout February, students are logging off social media, entertainment platforms and online shopping to focus more intentionally on their relationship with God and others.
Josh Rutledge, Liberty’s vice president of spiritual development, said, “I don’t want students to be depressed and anxious. I want them to know the abundant life that God has for them, and if they allow the phone to dictate the terms of reality for them, then they’re going to end up anxious.” He emphasized, “This campaign is not about anti-technology. It’s not even anti-phone. It’s going, ‘Who is the master of it? Who’s in control? Do you have control of the phone and do you use it as a tool for your benefit or does it have control of you?'”
Students report academic, emotional and spiritual benefits, including improved focus, better sleep and renewed time in Scripture and prayer. Liberty also distributed digital blockers and created a devotional guide titled “Lookup” to support participants. University leaders plan to survey students to measure the initiative’s overall impact.
