Greek theologian explains how to be a Christian in the digital age
“The external world changes with digitalization, but our inner world remains untouchable,” says Archpriest Theodoros Zisis.
The Church, as the Body of Christ and a divinely established institution, cannot change along with the world by adapting to the challenges of globalization and digitalization. So said renowned Greek theologian and professor at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Thessaloniki, Archpriest Theodoros Zisis, in an interview published on the UOJ’s Greek-language YouTube channel.
According to Fr. Theodoros, despite the rapid development of digital technologies and the transformation of external life, the inner world of a Christian remains inviolable. “The Gospel is not what must be updated – man is. Christ is not for one era but for all times and all peoples. If the Church were to change every time the world changes, it would cease to be the Church and become part of the world,” the theologian emphasized.
He recalled the example of Justin Martyr, the philosopher who was struck by the fearlessness of early Christians in the face of death. This, he said, became the living witness that brought Justin to faith. “This shows the power of true Christian life – that the Church does not need to modernize for the world, but must instead transform the world through its unchanging holiness,” said Fr. Theodoros.
When asked how modern laypeople can live according to Orthodox tradition amid the realities of digital life, he pointed to the importance of inner prayer. “The Lord said, ‘Enter into your room and pray to your Father in secret.’ This means we can remain in communion with God despite the noise of the outer world. If a person has tasted the grace of the Holy Spirit, he is no longer dependent on external conditions,” he noted.
Special attention in the interview was given to the relevance of the Holy Fathers in today’s world. Fr. Theodoros emphasized that each of them bears a timeless message, but he especially highlighted Saints Gregory the Theologian and Gregory Palamas, along with other teachers of the hesychast tradition. “Today’s person, weary of noise and distraction, especially needs stillness, prayer, and the purification of the heart – and it is precisely in this legacy that we find answers and consolation,” the theologian concluded.
According to Fr. Theodoros, Orthodoxy remains alive precisely because it maintains an unbroken continuity with tradition, rather than following the fashions of the age. Only faithfulness to the truth of Christ can save a person in an era of spiritual confusion.
As previously reported by the UOJ, the Greek theologian once remarked of the OCU to the effect that a tomos is not magic that turns laymen into bishops.
