The Smartphone and the Church

The inexorable march of technological progress has seen electronic media gradually supplant their paper counterparts. The Church, too, finds itself subject to these changing tides but maintains its discerning and selective approach.

In what circumstances can a clergyman employ electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, or e-books to read prayers directly from the screen? What advantages and challenges accompany this practice?

Can smartphones help laypeople during the worship service?

Many concur that electronic gadgets are not inherently malevolent. The physical source of where one reads a text may not be the pivotal issue. However, the words "all things are permitted to me, but nothing shall possess me" (1 Corinthians 6:12) remind us of the potential pitfalls.

Electronic devices undoubtedly simplify various aspects of our lives, but they also have the capacity to ensnare us, curtailing our freedom in manifold ways. The easy accessibility of diverse content through smartphones can become a perpetual temptation and result in squandered time.

Nonetheless, there is a beneficial side to this technology that has prompted numerous hierarchs and priests to endorse the use of gadgets by parishioners during services. It offers an opportunity to follow the text of the divine service, particularly for those not well-versed in it or for those who may have difficulty comprehending it aurally, perhaps due to unclear recitation or singing in a specific church.

"When discussing stichera or changeable hymns, it can be beneficial to consult a smartphone to enhance our understanding of their meaning. Using a smartphone is a clever idea in itself, but its usage must be sensible." Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan.

However, even as we acclimate to the sight of individuals following the service on their smartphones within the church, the glowing screens still stand out conspicuously amidst the semi-dark ambiance of prayer, creating a discord with the overall atmosphere and illuminating their "pale-faced" users, as aptly noted by one parishioner.

Yet, mobile devices can serve as a gateway for Orthodox Christians to explore the riches of spiritual thought. Many valuable programs and resources have been developed for them, encompassing the Bible, prayer books, texts of daily services, commemoration books, offline works of the Holy Fathers, liturgical calendars, hagiographies, collections of sayings, and entire libraries of books. Numerous priests and laypeople employ their gadgets for daily prayer rules, especially when there are others resting in the same room, and it is undesirable to disturb them with light.

The Phone as an Assistant in Preaching

Furthermore, for some clergy, electronic devices become indispensable tools for sermon preparation. These devices serve as outlines, sources of relevant quotations, or even repositories of entire sermon texts. While live speaking is undoubtedly potent and effective, not all possess this gift or have an encyclopedic memory, and the manner of information delivery from the lectern remains a matter of personal choice.

Service Book on the Screen

We would like to reiterate that, according to the Instructional Message, conducting the divine service using a service book remains obligatory. This is essential to avoid confusion and awkward pauses, which, unfortunately, have been observed in practice.

For more than a decade, some clergy members have been using smartphones as their service books for various reasons. Some find it progressive, convenient, and quite acceptable, while others do so out of necessity due to challenges in finding hard copies in the appropriate language. However, the majority of priests still adhere to more conservative views, maintaining their commitment to tradition.

"It is more aesthetically pleasing and a sign of good ecclesiastical taste when a priest or deacon recites the Litany from the Book of Office rather than reading it from a phone screen, which can be somewhat disruptive." Archpriest Feodor Borodin from Moscow

Online discussions surrounding this issue have yielded certain conclusions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of employing gadgets in this new role.

Advantages:

✅ Access to Comprehensive Resources.

It provides access to the service book, the complete book of needs, and other valuable resources all in one compact medium.

✅ Portability and Backlight.

There's no need to carry unnecessary items, and the backlight is useful in dimly lit conditions.

✅ Customization.

The ability to edit the text allows for adjustments based on objective necessity and local traditions, such as names and titles of bishops and superiors to be commemorated or petitions during the Litany. It permits the compilation of a service book or liturgy tailored to one's needs and preferences.

✅ Backup for Physical Books.

Even for those who primarily use physical books, having liturgical texts on a smartphone can be invaluable when a service book is misplaced or for accessing rare orders of service available only in the comprehensive book of needs, which is large, heavy, and not commonly found.

A reader serves with Patriarch Bartholomew, reading prokimena from a gadget (October 2023)

Disadvantages:

❌Desacralization

Some clergy members argue that using electronic devices may contribute to a desacralization of elements that, while not considered sacred themselves (such as the service book), are part of the established sacred order of worship. Most parishioners are drawn to traditionalism, and such deviations can cause confusion.

❌User Errors:

There is a high likelihood of accidental button presses, which can lead to screen changes, hesitation, and frantic searching. Missing the bookmark selection button in a hurry is also common. Devices can shut down unexpectedly, or software glitches may occur. In this regard, a paper service book with necessary bookmarks is as reliable as a Swiss watch.

❌Versatility:

A smartphone's versatility can be a double-edged sword. If the gadget is damaged, loses power, or experiences technical issues, you may find yourself at the service without the service book and its other essential functions.

❌Eye Strain:

The use of electronic devices as service books can strain one's eyesight due to screen flickering in semi-darkness (e-books have an advantage in this regard). When the font is enlarged, less text appears on the screen, necessitating more frequent page-turning.

❌Notation:

Novice clergymen often find it convenient to make pencil notations in the service book promptly, including both textual and schematic notes.

❌Fragility:

The likelihood of dropping a slippery smartphone is higher compared to a regular service book, and the consequences of a fall can be more severe.

❌ Illumination Issues:

While inside the altar is generally brighter than the church and there are fewer people, the glow of a smartphone screen may be disruptive, particularly on the ambo, especially in the dark.

"When you often have to celebrate divine services in a room instead of a church and use household items for church utensils, you feel the need for special, exclusively ecclesiastical things.

In such cases, you will always prefer the Octoechos to printouts and a service book to a smartphone, which is used for many purposes beyond sacred texts." Priest Dimitri Kulakov (serves in Delhi, India)

Conclusion

☑️ The transition from paper books to digital media might be as natural a progression as the shift from handwritten to printed books, albeit often met with resistance. Similar protests were raised when electric lighting was introduced into churches at the start of the last century, leading to a boycott of "electrified" services.

☑️ Yet, electronic service books have fewer advantages compared to their printed counterparts. Nonetheless, it is prudent to approach this transition with thoughtfulness. In some scenarios, it may be more practical to digitize the choir than to secure an adequate number of physical books. In other instances, reading prayers from a screen may be more convenient than from the pages of a book.

However, if the use of gadgets is more likely to tempt the congregation than to serve their well-being, the clergy should not persist in that direction.

☑️ Ultimately, it is far more crucial to nurture the desire for communion with God and the determination to resist that which seeks to possess us, not for our betterment.