Digital Shepherds in Lebanon: Christian Witness, Sacred Algorithms, and Theological Mission in a Surveilled Age

Abstract

This article explores Lebanese Christian digital presence within the framework of Sacred Algorithms: Religion in the Digital Age. In a society marked by economic collapse, migration, and religious plurality, digital platforms have become vital arenas for Christian witness, reshaping authority, belonging, and mission. The emergence of online clerical and lay initiatives shows how spiritual authority today is hybrid: rooted in sacramental legitimacy yet co-constructed through algorithmic visibility. The study develops four lines of analysis: the rise of digital spiritual authority in Lebanon and its negotiation within local and diaspora contexts; the ethical and theological challenges of surveillance and religious freedom in fragile environments; the successes and limitations of digital engagement, including the impact on parish life; and a theology of digital witness framed by proximity, synodality, solidarity, and mission in a multi-religious society. The Lebanese case highlights that algorithms are not neutral but powerful gatekeepers of religious presence. The central question is whether digital witness can remain faithful to the Gospel’s call to proximity, community, and transformation without being reduced to metrics of popularity and visibility.