From Online Orthodoxy to Parish Orthodoxy
By: Bishop Stephen Introduction: The Blessing and Danger of Digital Conversion Over the last two decades, countless people have encountered Orthodoxy through the internet. Podcasts, YouTube lectures, Twitter debates, online catechisms, digital libraries, and social media personalities have introduced thousands to the beauty of the Orthodox faith. In many ways, this digital expansion has been providential. A seeker in rural America can now hear the homilies of St. John Chrysostom , study the writings of the Cappadocian Fathers, or watch the Divine Liturgy from a monastery on the other side of the world. For many converts, “online Orthodoxy” was the first doorway into the Church. But a doorway is not a home. The internet may introduce someone to Orthodoxy, but it cannot fully form an Orthodox Christian. There is a growing danger in our time: many people become deeply invested in Orthodox discourse online without becoming deeply rooted in the sacramental and communal life of an actual par...