Panel: NEW GENERATIONS AND THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH



89.3 - FOR A PEDAGOGY OF FAITH IN THE AGE OF CONTENT CREATORS

AUTHORS:
Avellino A. (Sapienza universitá di Roma ~ Roma ~ Italy)
Text:
In recent years, the growth of content creators and online spiritual communities has profoundly transformed the ways in which religious experience is communicated, shared, and constructed. Digital platforms have become privileged spaces for the search for meaning, the narration of faith, and spiritual dialogue, especially for younger generations. In this context, the Church is called to question its educational and pastoral role in the digital world, not only as a producer of content, but also as a body capable of accompanying, discerning, and forming. This article analyzes the Church's forms of engagement with content creators and online spiritual communities, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive education in faith and religion that combines theological competence, digital literacy, and ethical responsibility. Education in faith, in fact, cannot be limited to the transmission of doctrinal content; it must help believers critically interpret media language, recognize the authenticity of online spiritual experiences, and avoid simplification, polarization, or exploitation of the religious message. Through a dialogue between pastoral theology, media studies, and religious pedagogy, the paper proposes several practical avenues for a conscious ecclesial presence in the digital world, capable of leveraging the evangelizing potential of new media without sacrificing the formative and communal depth of the Christian experience. In this sense, collaboration with content creators can become an educational opportunity, provided it is grounded in criteria of discernment, formation, and ecclesial co-responsibility.