By Efi Efthimiou
With the presentation of Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria, the second day of the proceedings of the Scientific Conference of the journal Theology began, with the theme: Church, Science, Politics, and Technology.
Present are Patriarch Daniel, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, Archbishop George of Cyprus, and Archbishop Ioannis of Albania, with the Primates chanting a prayer together.
This second day will feature important speakers, including Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia, Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia, constitutional scholar Evangelos Venizelos, as well as several University Professors.
The lecture of constitutional scholar Evangelos Venizelos, within the framework of the Conference of the journal Theology, was on the topic of technology as a challenge for democracy.
As Mr. Venizelos emphasized, there is a problem that has arisen because there is no control in the field of technological functions. The EU does not have the power in this area that would allow it to set real rules and limits.
Liberal democracy, which is linked to the rule of law, is a very recent historical phenomenon, with only two centuries of life. And the great problem is that democracy is a minority and Western-centered system. In the world there are 88 democracies, and only 29 are fully liberal, while in the rest there is no democracy at all; in some of these states elections are not even held. In this way, democracy is also weakened, because authoritarianism exerts an appeal.
Faith is an individual matter, as is the right to vote. But democracy and the Church are collective entities.
Professor Christos Tsironis of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki referred to the Sacred in the era and realm of artificial intelligence. As he emphasized, communication with the deceased through the digital integration of reality was in the past exclusively part of spirituality, of the sacred. The algorithmic transformation raises questions about the essence of human existence. In the public sphere today, the sacred is not limited to religious life; this diversity does not negate the concept of the sacred but shows that it is under negotiation in pluralistic societies.
