The Second International Scientific Conference of the journal Theology concluded with the keynote address of Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki, Director of the Publications Department of the Hellenic Bible Society.
“The city of Thessaloniki, with its apostolic tradition and the living presence of Saint Gregory Palamas, is not merely a place of history but a constant reminder of our responsibility to connect faith with reason, tradition with renewal, spirituality with everyday life,” said the Metropolitan. He emphasized that, once again, Thessaloniki became a center of dialogue—dialogue that is not confined to narrow academic boundaries but opens toward the major questions of our era, questions that touch the very core of human existence in a rapidly changing world.
Reflecting on the diverse presentations delivered by eminent theologians, philosophers, scientists, and researchers, the Metropolitan highlighted several key insights:
- Technology as a shaping force: Technology must not be viewed merely as a tool but as a force that shapes how we think, communicate, and live. It is not neutral; it embodies values and assumptions.
- The risk of dehumanization: There is a danger that technological development may transform humans from creators into creations, from subjects into objects of manipulation, if they forget their transcendent calling.
- Opportunities and limits: Technology brings vast possibilities in science, medicine, communication, and education, yet it also demands boundaries, discernment, and responsibility.
- The Church’s responsibility: The Church must not position itself as an enemy of technological progress but as a voice of critical reflection, discernment, and hope.
The Metropolitan further noted that discussions at the conference revealed how technology affects every level of human life—shaping society and institutions by altering communication and public life, reshaping the economy by creating new forms of work but also inequalities, influencing education by introducing new learning methods alongside risks of superficial knowledge, and even redefining human self-understanding, relationships, and spirituality.
“In this complex context, the Church’s voice must be humble yet firm,” he stressed. “Technology, however advanced, cannot become an end in itself. The human person is greater than their works. Each person is made ‘in the image and likeness of God,’ and their value is measured not by efficiency or digital data but by freedom, relationship, and love.”
Drawing conclusions from the conference, Metropolitan Philotheos set out guiding principles for ongoing work:
- Dialogue between Church and science is not a luxury but a necessity. Both must meet, exchange arguments, and mutually illuminate possibilities and limits.
- Philosophy and theology must provide not technical fixes but deeper answers about the nature of technology, humanity’s stance toward it, and ultimately the meaning of existence in a rapidly advancing technological age.
- Society needs technology that serves the human person—not a human person enslaved to technology.
- The Church is called to speak in the language of the Gospel, the language of truth and love, offering not fear but hope, not rejection but discernment.
Concluding his address, Metropolitan Philotheos declared: “Our work does not end here. On the contrary, it begins now. This Conference is not an endpoint but a starting point. The lectures and discussions have provided us with a wealth of knowledge and experience, but above all, they have opened new paths—paths of collaboration, paths of deeper study, paths of shared reflection.”
Photo: Christos Bonis
