Within the project “Kinonia Interviews,” we conducted an interview with Sanja Anđelković Lubardić, Editor-in-Chief of Hram Television and Radio “Slovo Ljubve.” The interview was prepared by Catechist Branislav Ilić, editor of the Kinonia portal and a permanent expert associate of the Section for Electronic Mission of the Missionary Department of the Belgrade–Karlovci Archdiocese.
• Dear Sanja, you have decades of experience in the Church’s mission through the media. How do you assess the importance of missionary activity conducted through information technologies?
Digital platforms, media, and electronic devices are today the means which modern man uses continuously. If the Church wishes to reach the person where he is at, then it is natural that our presence in that space should be dynamic, thoughtful, and responsible. Mission through digital channels is not a substitute for liturgical life, but rather its extended reach—the possibility of conveying the word of the Gospel to those who are searching for meaning, support, instruction, or guidance. Through digital media, the Church today can offer authentic, irreplaceable, and truthful content that is genuinely needed by humanity today.
• The Internet can be a pulpit from which we proclaim the Word of God; however, its improper use can lead one astray. In what way can modern persons safeguard themselves from the negative aspects of the Internet?
The Internet in itself is neither good nor bad—it is merely a tool. Yet a person must know what he is searching for within that vast space. Above all, it is important to exercise moderation and establish clear boundaries: the time spent online should be controlled, and the content we follow should be in tune with Christian morality and our inner peace. Furthermore, each individual must be aware that virtual experience is incomplete and must never replace living relationships with people, family, and community. Finally, a liturgical and prayerful rhythm helps prevent the soul from becoming scattered and wandering aimlessly; rather, it enables one— within the digital world too—to remain vigilant and protected, capable of discerning the not infrequent traps and ill intentions.
There is an increasing number of pseudo-Christian and sectarian profiles, groups, and websites that can be highly dangerous. The quickest way to verify any platform that calls itself “Orthodox” is to determine whether it has an ecclesiastical blessing for its work or not; in this sense, it is safest to follow official Church, diocesan, parish, and similar communication channels. Anything in the digital space that addresses matters of faith without such confirmation need not be well-intentioned or beneficial—quite the opposite.
• By a paternal decision of His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia, the Missionary Department of the Belgrade–Karlovci Archdiocese was established. Since you are familiar with the work of this missionary body, could you share with us your impressions of its activities thus far?
The Missionary Department of the Belgrade–Karlovci Archdiocese is an excellent example of how a Church body can devote itself to mission in an organized and purposeful manner—actively and with visible results. One can clearly discern persistent and consistent work, expertise and knowledge, along with the tireless engagement of clergy and professionals who seek to convey and strengthen faith in a clear, accessible, and contemporary language, while carefully preserving the spirit of the Church and her tradition. This serves as a guiding example: mission is not the task of individuals alone, but of conciliar effort, and the spiritual word must reach everywhere human beings are found. Therefore, special commendation is due for the initiation of missionary work in Belgrade schools. Unfortunately, we have learned in the hardest possible way that even our schools are no longer safe spaces—neither mentally nor physically.
• The Kinonia portal is the first major project of the Missionary Department of the Belgrade–Karlovci Archdiocese intended for mission via the Internet. The portal is conceived as a conciliar endeavor involving a large number of collaborators. What advice would you offer to all those who labour on this important missionary project?
First and foremost, I would like to express gratitude to all who contribute their knowledge and talents to this project. My advice would be simple: always keep in mind that every text, every photograph, every video is part of the Church’s mission, not a personal project. It is essential to preserve dignity and credibility, to strive for clarity, and not to succumb to the temptation of speed at the expense of truthfulness and substance. Most importantly, everything should be done with knowledge, prayer, and the awareness that we are being watched and read by a person for whom the very question of survival may sometimes depend precisely on whether he can believe.
• I state with pride that Hram Television and the Kinonia portal have a very successful collaboration, and God willing, it will be applied even more concretely in practice. In your experience, how important is cooperation among Church media? Does such cooperation convey the message that Church media are free from the kind of competition characteristic of secular media?
When we speak of Church media, we are not speaking of a market, but of a mission. Our cooperation is not a matter of formal agreement—it is natural and necessary, because we share a common goal. In this sphere there is no competition in the secular sense, nor should there be: we are all engaged in the same mission. This is precisely why the cooperation between Hram Television and the Kinonia portal is fruitful and valuable, and I am confident that in the future it will become even deeper and more substantive.
• If we know that Christ is the foundation and centre of the Church’s mission, then it is clear that the missionary path is always the same. Historical continuity teaches us that the Church has never been “modern,” but always contemporary, for she constantly moves in step with the times. What challenges do today’s labourers in the field of media and Internet mission face?
The greatest challenge is superficiality. Contemporary man wants everything—immediately, briefly, and simply. Faith, however, requires time, patience, and depth. A second challenge is the atmosphere of aggressiveness and exaggerated personal opinions: in such a climate, Church media must remain calm, dignified, and restrained. And the third challenge is the preservation of the authentic language of the Church in a space that often drifts away from the actual meaning of the words it uses. It is precisely here that the maturity of Church media labourers is revealed: in their ability to offer content that is contemporary yet fully in the spirit of the Church—something that requires both solid education and strong media literacy.
• With your arrival, Hram Television has assumed a new identity, and, thanks be to God, the fruits of that effort are already visible. What are your plans regarding the future work of the only Church television channel?
Hram Television has become visibly stronger, richer in content, and more recognizable. The year now drawing to a close has brought us our highest viewership to date, with an increase of over 30% in audience share on Telekom’s cable system in Serbia compared to all previous years. It is precisely on the Internet—on which our conversation is focused—that it has become evident how great the need is among people worldwide, and especially among our Orthodox Serbs, for media coverage of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Our official YouTube channel has 203,000 subscribers, with nearly a thousand new followers each month, and the viewership of our programmes has surpassed 100 million views. Perhaps our greatest breakthrough has been on Instagram: from 16,000 followers a year ago, we have now exceeded 74,000, also with millions of views. Numbers are not a priority, but they offer two important insights: first, that the Church is needed by the people—always and everywhere; and second, that there is no success without constant, diligent work carried out with an ecclesial blessing.
Our plans are directed towards making the television an even stronger media pillar of our Church and of Serbs wherever they may live, serving as a media model of spiritual and national identity. Our guiding principles are reliability and accessibility, while the programmes that constitute the backbone of our schedule remain Vrlinoslov, Questions and Answers, the new Morning Programme, the most-watched Orthodox podcast Living Words, along with the original programmes such as Google Asks, A Lesson in History, The Temple of Culture, Youth in the Church, and The Chronicle of the Archdiocese. Certainly included are our music videos—now viewed worldwide—produced in-house, as well as topical and festive specials.
• As we approach the end of our conversation, I take this opportunity, on behalf of all contributors to the Kinonia portal and in my own name, to express gratitude for our shared cooperation, with the hope that our missionary steps will long continue to be aligned as they have been thus far.
I, too, wish to express my sincere gratitude to the collaborators of the Kinonia portal. Our mutual support and attentiveness are not merely professional—they are mission in action. When we labour with one another and for one another, our work acquires its true meaning. May the Lord grant that it remain so in the years to come!
• What is your message to the visitors of the Kinonia portal?
The message is simple: may every piece of content you read or watch here encourage you to seek Christ even more, to be strengthened in faith, and to cultivate personal humility and a more harmonious communion with your neighbours—to become better both to yourselves and to others. The Internet can be a place of great challenges and problems, but it can also become a space of encounter with truth, a place for critical reflection on the world in which we live. I wish Kinonia to be precisely that for everyone—a place of encounter and a place of truth.
• Dear Sanja, thank you for this inspired and instructive encounter.
Thank you for the invitation and for the opportunity to address the ever-growing readership of your portal. I look forward to every future step we take together in the mission entrusted to us.
Source: Kinonia Portal
