Modernity always poses new challenges and unsolved problems for all people, related to new discoveries. Each new discovery generates thousands of questions—the realm of the unknown expands geometrically in proportion to what is known. Similarly, theologians of all ages have always had numerous problems to resolve for the present day: to convey the Gospel (interpretation, hermeneutics of the Church’s traditions, which express the experience-knowledge of the God-man mystery, the Kingdom of God) in the language and culture of contemporaries, and to respond to the questions of modernity that arise in connection with the emergence of new phenomena that did not exist in the past (bioethical problems: abortions (termination of pregnancy), contraception, surrogacy, prenatal (pre-birth) diagnostic methods, cloning, transplantation, fetal therapy methods, euthanasia; problems of ecology, globalization, and secularization, etc.). Naturally, these phenomena undergo reception in the Church, which, after studying them, pronounces the final word. The theologian has the key with which he solves all the tasks set before him—the Sacred Tradition of the Church. The spiritual man judges all things, yet he himself is judged by no one…, we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2: 15-16). The Holy Spirit guides the Church into all truth (cf. John 16:13).
Perhaps it is time to review such a phenomenon as photo and video recording of the Liturgy and its worldwide broadcast. Since all the main sacraments are rooted in the Eucharist, we will keep in mind all sacraments when we conduct reflections on the filming and broadcasting of the Liturgy.
Let’s strive to scientifically resolve this issue, and as we know, science is the critique of the obvious. First, we need to pay attention to the fact that all patriarchs bless the broadcasting on television (without cutting anything!) of Christmas, Easter, jubilee, and ceremonial services; this list should also include Liturgies performed in squares, stadiums, in front of churches in the eyes of the whole world (Christian and pagan!). At first glance, it seems obvious that all questions should be dispelled, as there is a universal practice and blessing of the hierarchy (patriarchs, metropolitans…). We will first focus on this obvious fact to be scientifically consistent, so that we can move on to theological argumentation.
The Church – for 15-20 years in the field of video. For the reception of phenomena, recognizing their benefit or place in the Church, this period is not sufficiently large. As an example, we can consider agapes, love feasts in the early Church. In the early Church, the Eucharist was performed after the so-called love feasts, about which we learn from the apostolic writings. Apostles, of course, took part in these agapes! The Church did not immediately move away from this practice, did not immediately separate the Eucharist from the agape. Apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians (about 30 years after the Ascension), criticizes the practice of performing the Eucharist after common love feasts, where they ate and drank excessively, and then partook of the Eucharist. Already by the end of the 1st century and the beginning of the 2nd century, we see that the Eucharist is separated from the agape, about which it is no longer mentioned in the context of the liturgy. The Church as an organization grew and grows, and will continue to grow. In this case, the reception took about fifty years!
Now, let’s try, theologically arguing, to shed light on understanding this phenomenon. Let’s start considering this issue within the framework of liturgical theology. Initially, let’s consider the text of the liturgy, in the context of which we will single out two phrases, two exclamations of the priest: ‘Those who are uninitiated, leave. Those who are uninitiated, leave. Let no one of the uninitiated remain, only the faithful; Doors, doors! In wisdom, let us attend (see above).
Now, more than ever, the words spoken to the uninitiated at the liturgy, preserved by divine providence in the text of the Liturgy, are relevant. Theological disputes, to remove this litany (prayer) for the uninitiated from the liturgy, are inappropriate from a theological point of view (since the meaning and content of this litany are incomparably deeper than the formal side! The examination of which does not fall within the scope of this article), nor from a purely practical side – it is absolutely impossible to do this. Because if there are no pagans, non-believers in the church, then, if the liturgy is being filmed, they are present through television. If you are filming the entire liturgy from start to finish, then to the exclamation – those who are uninitiated, leave – you should add the phrase: ‘and those who are watching on TV, turn it off or switch to another channel.’ Those pagans who are present in the church can be taken out, but where is the guarantee that those who are watching the broadcast of the liturgy on television will obey and humbly execute the order for their own benefit. Therefore, to be insured, confident that no one is peeking, the exclamation is needed: ‘Those who are uninitiated, leave, and those who are recording on photo or video – stop, cease.’ It is not allowed for the uninitiated to be present at the liturgy of the faithful, nor to see it on television, which is equivalent to being present at the liturgy. Before the Eucharistic canon, we hear another exclamation: