On a quiet summer evening in Prague’s Vinohrady district, a 20th-century Catholic church has a camera quietly broadcasting a service to a small but loyal YouTube audience. Pastors and priests have become media figures, some with thousands of subscribers.
On a nearby pew, a paper sign with a QR code states: “Donate here.”
In one of Europe’s most secular countries, where, according to Radio Prague International, about 30% of Czechs identify as non-believers, Prague’s churches are embracing technological innovation as a tool for relevance.
To understand the broader connection between innovation and religion, we spoke to two people whose views illuminate this picture: Walter Sylesh, the International Relations student from New Delhi India, and Dr. Paul Marshall, the Chair in Religious Freedom at Baylor University.
During an interview with EJI, Dr. Paul Marshall noted,
“Faith adapts. Otherwise, it becomes irrelevant. If religious institutions don’t speak to people in a modern language, they become museums.
“Religion has always evolved. The idea that it is static is a myth,” adds Walter Sylesh. “In India, transformation — social, spiritual, even technological — has been constant.”
He cites the example of the 2019 Digital Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious event, where millions of pilgrims wore RFID wristbands for security, drones with artificial intelligence tracked their movements, and digital signage displayed real-time information in sixteen languages.
Walter also highlights digital tools in religious spaces in India: QR code donations in Sikh gurudwaras, digital apps for azan in mosques, and LED projections of hymns in churches.
“Religion itself became the world’s first innovation ecosystem,” he adds. “Religious missions pioneered the construction of hospitals, schools, and social reforms. Innovation and faith have always been inextricably linked.”
The festival, which traditionally attracts millions of Hindu pilgrims, was marked by a technological breakthrough this year. The “Digital Mahakumbh” combined advanced IT solutions and ancient rituals, turning religious tourism into a high-tech ritual.
What it looked like in practice
2,751 CCTV cameras, including those with AI and facial recognition, ensured the safety and control of pilgrims’ movements.
AI analytics monitored crowd density in real time, preventing crushes.
Mobile apps with support in 12 languages helped pilgrims navigate, find temples, food outlets, and medical stations — all they had to do was scan a QR code.
The Kumbh Mela 2025 in the city of Prayagraj became the first-ever version of this pilgrimage in which digital infrastructure was built into every part of the event, from security to donations.
According to local authorities, over 400 million people visited the festival, including 1.5 million foreign tourists.
One of the most notable decisions was the introduction of the e-Hundi system — a digital platform for temple donations. Instead of traditional boxes, pilgrims could now transfer money through bank cards and applications. The system automatically issued electronic receipts. In the temples, every donation was registered in the system.
For Walter, the move to digital formats is not a loss of authenticity, but a necessary step for the survival of tradition in a rapidly changing world, especially for younger generations, for whom physical attachment to a church or mass is not a prerequisite for religious participation.
Dr. Paul Marshall highlights the challenges facing religious institutions in secular contexts such as Prague.
“In places where most people do not consider themselves religious, churches have to rethink their role,” he says. “Innovation is not only about technology, but is also a response to social and cultural changes.”
Marshall notes that while digital tools can expand reach, they cannot wholly replace real-life experience.
“There is a risk that streaming services become ‘just content’, lacking the depth of community and ritual. But if used thoughtfully, innovation can deepen connection rather than weaken it.”
Muslim communities in India are also adapting to the challenges of the modern environment. Following restrictions on the use of loudspeakers in several states, an app called “Digital Azaan” has emerged that automatically notifies worshippers of prayer times by broadcasting the adhan to their phones.
“This is an important example of how religious practice can adapt to changing laws and urban infrastructure while maintaining its essence,” says Walter.
In the context of global instability, the Indian experience offers a valuable lesson: pluralism and innovation are not contradictory. Moreover, religion can be a resource for development.
“When faith and technology go together, secularization does not necessarily occur. Sometimes there is a deepening of religious consciousness — in a more flexible, modern form,” notes Paul Marshall.
From the candlelit pews of Prague to the AI-powered pilgrimage grounds of India, one thing is clear: faith is not frozen in time. Across continents, religious communities are proving that innovation and spirituality are not mutually exclusive — they’re often intertwined. Whether through livestreamed sermons or mobile apps guiding millions of pilgrims, the sacred is finding new life in the digital age.
These transformations are not about replacing belief with technology, but about using modern tools to keep traditions alive, relevant, and accessible. As Dr. Marshall and Walter Sylesh remind us, innovation doesn’t dilute faith — it can deepen it, adapt it, and extend its reach. In a world constantly changing, religion’s ability to evolve may be one of its greatest strengths.
*Sabina Naukebayeva is an aspiring journalist and digital specialist. She has completed internships at Al Jazeera, Euronews, and the Agency for Financial Monitoring of the Republic of Kazakhstan, working on interviews, news stories, and media projects. She creates written content, records podcasts, edits videos, and manages social media.
**Tetiana Rak is the Chief Operations Officer (COO) at We Are Innovation. A journalist and freedom activist with 8 years of experience, Tania has worked with renowned media outlets including CNN, TechCrunch, Fox News, HackerNoon, the BBC, and Radio Free Europe, among others. Her unwavering dedication to championing the ideas of technological advancements and global digital transformations has earned her a distinguished reputation in the field. Through her work, Tania promotes the ideas of liberty and individual rights as a cornerstone of any rights-respecting society. Strengthened by the experience of war in Ukraine, Tania’s beliefs also stand for promoting technological advancements as the transformative tool to advance liberty, giving people the opportunity to speak, act, and pursue happiness without unnecessary external restrictions.
Source: We Are Innovation
