Thessaloniki, September 30, 2025
Photo: vimaorthodoxias.gr
The scientific conference of “Theologia,” the journal of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, opened yesterday in Thessaloniki with the participation of five Orthodox primates.
In attendance were Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, Archbishop George of Cyprus, and Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, along with hierarchs representing various other Local Churches, reports Vima Orthodoxias.
The conference will run for several days and focuses on the interaction between theology, society, and technology in the modern era, particularly examining challenges posed by artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
In his greeting, Pat. Bartholomew emphasized that theology must transmit “the message of the Gospel intact” while adapting to contemporary conditions without altering its core.
“The Church’s witness to the world doesn’t necessarily mean secularization. Never in history has humanity experienced such radical upheavals in its way of life as in our own time. Technology is redefining politics, art, personal relationships, and our daily lives,” he noted.
He also warned about the distortion of religious phenomena and fundamentalism born from fear of rapid changes. “Humanity isn’t a given; it’s always under threat. People continue to seek real meaning in life, and no technology can provide it,” he concluded.
President Konstantinos Tasoulas of Greece spoke about theology’s potential to contribute to public dialogue on technology.
The president questioned whether technology will become a tool for community or a factor in isolation and addiction. “Man is not simply a biological being; he is a person in freedom. Artificial intelligence lacks choice and experience, cannot give meaning to the world, only process it. However, we do not demonize it. It is a supreme achievement and we expect it to serve the good through a fruitful dialogue between theology and technology,” he emphasized.
Abp. Ieronymos of Athens pointed out that technology isn’t neutral but carries specific values and conceptions within it.
“Technology isn’t a simple tool; it carries a way in which we understand the world. Even when we use it for good, it teaches us to see people and society through the prism of speed and efficiency. The technology we know developed within capitalism and inherently carries its goals: the priority of profit,” he noted.
The Archbishop reminded listeners that despite technology’s benefits in healthcare and daily life, there’s a danger of downgrading the human factor. “Technology replaces experience with image. But man is neither a machine nor a product; he is the image of God. The measure is always man. Technology can change world history, but has no effect on the eschaton,” he emphasized.
According to organizers, the conference aims to demonstrate how Orthodoxy can participate creatively in dialogue with science and technology without abandoning its role as spiritual guide. Theology, they note, can offer valuable tools for addressing ethical, social, and existential dilemmas arising from the new technological age.
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