An international symposium on Orthodox missiology has opened at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Bucharest, bringing together scholars and church representatives from Romania, Greece, the United States and Bulgaria to examine new forms of Christian mission in an increasingly digital society.

The symposium, dedicated to the centenary of university-level research in Orthodox missiology, features more than 30 presentations. According to Romania’s Basilica news agency, participants are discussing how the Church can engage with society, young people and believers amid rapid technological and cultural change.

Key topics include the mission of the Church in a technology-driven society, artificial intelligence, digital media, secularization and changing patterns of family life. Particular attention is being given to communication with children and young people and to new ways of presenting religious content within what participants describe as an “algorithmic culture.”

Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church sent a message to the symposium, emphasizing that the central task of Christian mission remains the proclamation of the Gospel and the transmission of the Christian faith.

At the same time, the patriarch said that while the content of the faith remains unchanged, the methods and tools used by the Church in its missionary work can adapt to changing cultural and social circumstances.

Patriarch Daniel also highlighted the importance of combining theological education with practical engagement with young people. As a historical example, he referred to the “Sunday School” established in 1926 by Romanian professor Vasile Ispir, where theology students taught schoolchildren and accompanied them to church.

The current symposium is dedicated to Ispir, regarded as a founder of university-level missiology in Romania. The year 2026 marks the 140th anniversary of his birth and the centenary of the establishment of the Association of Orthodox Missionary Students.

The discussions in Bucharest are focused on how Orthodox missionary activity can preserve its theological foundations while responding to changes in communication, technology and contemporary social life.