Ancient Wisdom for Modern Temptations

Over the last twenty years, social media platforms have radically changed how individuals interact with society and with each other. As with any secular phenomenon, Orthodox Christians are not immune from the temptations of influencer culture and infinite scroll. Recently, several Orthodox jurisdictions in North America have openly grappled with the power that social media has over their flocks and even their pastors.

In April of this year, the Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) updated an earlier document, “Social Media Guidelines for Clergy and Lay Leaders,” last revised in 2018. This new rescission aims to make clear the acceptable bounds of the online presence of OCA clergy, lay employees, volunteers, and others. The document largely consists of a series of “Best Practices” focused on two points – remaining vigilant regarding the potential impact of any social media posts and how they may reflect on the OCA and the Orthodox Church more widely.

In contrast to the OCA guidelines, two notable hierarchs recently issued more personal reflections, focusing not only on what Orthodox Christians post on social media, but also and especially what we allow ourselves to consume on those platforms, and how much of it.