Under the chairmanship of Archbishop Hieronymos, the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece convened its second regular session.

In its context, Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki presented his proposal on the topic of  “Artificial Intelligence: The Church in the face of the emergence of a new anthropology”, which includes 10 proposals for the Church's views on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The Church versus Artificial Intelligence — The Metropolitan of Mesogaia on the 'new anthropology'

With a deeply theological but also penetrating speech in regard to societal developments, His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki analyzed the phenomenon of artificial intelligence, placing it pensively versus the spiritual identity of man.

He characterized the challenge of artificial intelligence as “perhaps the greatest the Church has ever been called upon to face – even greater than persecutions and heresies.”  While the old delusions had doubted God, today's technological deification does not merely deny Him, but eliminates Him from the horizon of existent.”

The Metropolitan warned that if man replaces his mind and his spirit with the “mechanical logic” of technology, then he is in danger of losing his very hypostasis as God’s created image. The man who is “according to the image and to the likeness” of God” - he characteristically said – “can become incomprehensible to his very self”.

The Church's proposals for artificial intelligence

His Eminence submitted certain proposals for the Church's stance towards the new age. Among other things, he stressed:

- The need for a substantial understanding of what artificial intelligence means and its impact on man.

- The rejection of conspiracy theories, but also the indifference towards technological developments.

- The utilization of technology for the social and pastoral work of the Church, with an active role by young people.

- The creation of  “our own algorithm” as he said;  a spiritual program that can “learn to do whatever is good”.

- The preservation of mystery and mystagogy, away from emotional illusions and any superficial “religious experience”.

- The reinforcement of prayer, of grace and of authentic witness as a response to the logic of artificial omnipotence.

- The awareness that the Church does not exist for fighting against developments, but for illuminating History with the witness of faith and the perspective of the Realm of God.

“The new man of God versus the product of the machine”

In concluding his presentation, Fr. Nikolaos underlined that only when the life of the Church is in accordance with the teaching of the Gospel, can it inspire and convince.

The renovated, spiritual man, he said, is incomparably superior to the artificial creation of the new anthropology, while warning that if the Church loses its living witness, “the God of artificial intelligence will seem more real than ours”.

The Holy Synod unanimously approved his proposal and stressed the importance of spiritual vigilance in the face of the rapidly evolving technological reality.

At the beginning of today's schedule, a dialogue had taken place earlier on the proposal by  Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos, on the role of monks in the Tradition of the Church.

The Synod also acknowledged the smooth functioning of the Holy Monasteries in accordance with the approved regulations, and redefined the verification procedure for the degrees of monastic life through Abbots' Councils and the pertinent Metropolitans. The work of the Hierarchy will continue tomorrow, Thursday, October 9th.

The announcement by the Holy Synod

The Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece convened today, Wednesday, October 8th 2025, in its second Regular Session, under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, in the Conference Hall of the Holy Synod of Hierarchs.

After the prayer, the List of the participating Hierarchs was read and a quorum was established. Then the Minutes of yesterday's Session were validated.

Following the above, a wide-ranging debate ensued on yesterday's Presentation by His Eminence the Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Saint Vlasios, on the subject: 'The rasophore Monks in the Tradition and life of the Church',  during which many Reverend Hierarchs took the floor.

The Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece first of all recognizes the current situation in the Holy Monasteries that operate in accordance with the approved internal Regulations

Furthermore, it decides that the status of the degrees of monastic life is based on the responsible declaration by the Abbots Council, as recorded in the monastic register of the Holy Monastery and confirmed by the pertinent Metropolitan.

Then, according to the Order of the Day, the Reverend Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki expounded his Proposal, with the topic: “Artificial intelligence: The Church in the face of the emerging new anthropology”.

In the first part of his proposal  he described the entire phenomenon, making extensive reference to mechanical intelligence and how the human identity is affected by it, pointing out in particular that “the challenge for our Church is perhaps the greatest in Her history, perhaps even greater than that of persecutions and heresies.  The persecutions and heresies did not deny God - they disrespected the true God.  The contemporary deification of Technology - in fact, the attributing of the characterization ‘Intelligence’, replaces the human mind with mechanical logic and intelligence, and eliminates God from the horizon of the existent – of human beings.   The “One Who Is” does not exist; He is disregarded and erased, as “one who is not”. The God-fashioned man, who is 'in accordance with God's image and His likeness' that we are talking about, will probably not be comprehended by the man that we are addressing”.

In the second part of his proposal, the Reverend Metropolitan Nikolaos submitted ten propositions regarding the stance of the Church on the issue of artificial intelligence:

- We need to understand exactly what artificial intelligence signifies, also how and to what degree it affects humans. What justifies excitement for the achievement and what justifies fear and caution about its consequences.

- We should not look behind all this phenomenon for conspiracies, nor be indifferent towards how the world is progressing, but to know that History repeats itself, as it is described in the Bible.

- We should utilize modern technology in the organization of the structures and the social opus of the Church, the enrichment of her pastoral work with new ideas and in general, the expression and dissemination of Her witness in a way that is purely Hers, trusting mainly young people with relevant experience and knowledge.

- We can make our own algorithm, which we can 'catechize', so that it does only good.

- We can highlight Orthodox theology with an intuitive, contemporary language.

-  Preserve the mystery and the mystagogy, separating them from emotional illusions.

- Place emphasis on the power of prayer, through which the Church speaks.

- Not speak of signs and wonders, but to live with signs and Grace, illumination and revelations, power and gifts.

 - Believe that as a Church we possess the treasure of God's answers to the provocation of every evil and every plot from the left, and that we possess the word of God's Logos.

 - Understand that as a Church we do not exist to overturn any developments no matter how bad and dangerous they may seem or actually are, but that we exist in order to be the headword that will confess the faith throughout History and to bear witness to the perspective of God’s Realm.

In the conclusion of his Proposal, the Reverend Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, among other things also stated: “That is why even our life as a Church must necessarily be compatible with our teaching and the Gospel. Life with power, consistency, but also signs.

Only then will the otherness of our word give rise to divine zeal, excitement, inspiration and will naturally convince that the 'new', the renovated man is incomparably superior to the product of the emerging new anthropology.

Otherwise, artificial intelligence will dominate the world, it will impose itself on us.  Its God will loom far more real than ours and certainly more convincing”.

The Holy Synod of the Hierarchy applauded the detailed Proposal by the Reverend Metropolitan Nikolaos. 

The Holy Synod of the Hierarchy will continue and will conclude its work tomorrow, Thursday, October 9th, 2025.