The achievements of technological development must also be used by the church if it wants to carry out effective evangelization work, the Deputy Secretary of State responsible for strategic affairs of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology announced on Tuesday at the online conference "Supporting an active life of faith with digital tools".
According to Balázs Nagy, the church must reach all people, therefore, if people get information from newspapers, radio, and television, Christian newspapers, radios, and televisions must be created, and if people are present in the online space, then the church must also be there.
Throughout history, the church has always been able to reach people, so if it is currently more difficult, it must be seen better, he said. He added that the goal of the conference is to present good practices that promote this in the online space.
He emphasized: the churches must map out which digital tools, interfaces, and methods serve the mission work most effectively.
The fact that during the coronavirus epidemic there were online spiritual exercises, marriage weekends, and spiritual guidance, during which you could gain experience in what can work online and what requires personal presence, he added, helps in this.
He said: Digital solutions for living the faith have been available in Hungary for a long time and are constantly increasing, such as the online Bible and community Christian platforms, which can be accessed by phone at any time.
He drew attention to the fact that there are times when presence cannot be replaced. "The online Masses were only meant to keep the fire going, not to ignite it," said the deputy state secretary, who called it gratifying that the Eucharistic Congress held in Hungary drew attention to the importance of presence.
According to him, the church has a competitive advantage, because in an age when the denial of values is fashionable, those platforms that promote solid principles gain strength. "Where nihilism dominates everything, the spaces where we talk about the truth are valued, and the created man instinctively seeks the truth. Let us help you find it!" - said the deputy state secretary.
Balázs Nagy also spoke about the fact that due to the coronavirus epidemic, digital solutions have come to the fore in education, work and administration, among other things, so that those social groups that until now were not in need of the online space could get to know developments that they were able to save time, energy and money, and those who were already at home in the digital world were able to meet new innovative platforms.
Levente Gál András, the professional leader of the Digital Wellbeing Program (DJP), spoke in a video message: DJP's goal at the start was to support programs that contribute to making people digitally competent.
The aim of the conference is to ask questions and give answers on how digitization can support faith activities, he said.
MTI
Cover image: Illustration by ERIC THAYER / POOL /Source: EPA
