A prayer ceremony for favourable weather, national peace and prosperity at the Tây Ninh Cao Đài Holy See. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Phú

HÀ NỘI — As digital transformation reshapes every aspect of life in the 21st century, religious activities in Việt Nam are undergoing profound change. Faith is expanding beyond traditional places of worship into the digital sphere, enabling religious teachings to reach wider audiences more quickly than ever before.

The adaptation of religious organisations and the State's ongoing legal reforms are not only facilitating religious life in the digital era, but also reaffirming the Vietnamese Government's commitment to safeguarding the right to freedom of belief and religion in accordance with the law.

When religious preachers enter the digital space

More than 95 per cent of Việt Nam's population participates in religious activities. The country has officially recognised or granted operation registration to 43 organisations representing 16 religions, with nearly 28 million followers. Rapid advances in digital technology and AI are creating new spaces for religious practice that transcend geographical boundaries.

According to Đỗ Hương, an expert from the Hồ Chí Minh National Academy of Politics, online religious activities initially focused on information sharing and community engagement after the 2016 Law on Belief and Religion took effect. However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 became a turning point, accelerating the shift towards online worship and marking the beginning of a broader digital transformation across religious organisations.

Buddhist sermons on YouTube, Facebook and TikTok, online Catholic Masses and Protestant Bible teachings have become increasingly popular, making religious teachings more accessible to people in remote areas, older adults, people with disabilities and overseas Vietnamese communities.

Most Venerable Thích Nhất Từ, permanent member of the Executive Council of the Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) and permanent deputy head of the VBS's International Department, said: "As the world embraces digital transformation, cyberspace has become an online place of Buddhist practice. Thanks to an open legal framework, religious organisations have quickly established a presence on YouTube, Facebook and TikTok.

"Digital media has erased geographical barriers, enabling both people in Việt Nam and around 5.5 million overseas Vietnamese to access Buddhist activities together."

The transition to digital platforms has also placed new demands on religious speakers. Zen Master Minh Niệm, whose online teachings have attracted wide audiences, noted that every gesture and expression can now be recorded and spread instantly, requiring religious preachers to exercise even greater care in their public communication.

Today, many radio programmes, podcasts and online sermons have become an important source of spiritual support, particularly for Vietnamese living abroad. Hoàng Thị Minh Phương, who lives in France, and Vũ Thị Duyên in Japan said listening to Vietnamese-language sermons helps ease homesickness while maintaining their connection with Việt Nam's cultural and spiritual traditions.

Nevertheless, Niệm stressed that technology remains only a supporting tool.

"The Dharma is conveyed not only through words, but also through energy, presence and lived experience," he said.

"Technology can bring Buddhist teachings to more people, but genuine spiritual transformation still requires direct experience. The most important foundation for any religious teacher remains authentic spiritual practice."

Expanding opportunities to preserve religious heritage

Digital transformation is reshaping not just religious practice, but also the preservation of spiritual and cultural heritage.

UNESCO Representative to Việt Nam Jonathan Baker said: "Heritage and the preservation of heritage are priorities for both UNESCO and Việt Nam.

"The digitisation of heritage and cultural expressions in all their forms is an important tool that enables us to preserve some of the most vulnerable forms of cultural heritage, while also giving all segments of the population, particularly young people, the opportunity to learn more about their culture, including religious manifestations and other forms of heritage."

He emphasised that digitisation is not an end in itself. Intangible cultural heritage can only be truly preserved when communities continue to practise and pass it on in contemporary life. Digital archives thus need to be regularly updated and developed with active community participation in preservation, management and promotion.

Managing religions in the digital environment

While the digital space creates new opportunities, it also presents significant challenges for religious activities. According to Hương from the Hồ Chí Minh National Academy of Politics, social media allows anyone to interpret and disseminate religious teachings online, meaning religious authority is no longer confined to formally trained clergy. This increases the risks of distorted teachings, commercialisation of spirituality and the exploitation of religion for personal gain.

In practice, several illegal religious organisations and movements, including the World Mission Society Church of God, Bà Điền, Dừa, Bà Cô Dợ and Đề Ga Protestantism, have used the internet to recruit followers, spread superstition, incite ethnic division and threaten social order. The anonymity and speed of online communication have made detecting, verifying and handling violations increasingly difficult.

Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Nguyễn Đình Khang said digital technology and AI are transforming religious practices by enabling online participation and supporting heritage preservation. At the same time, they require stronger legal education, improved digital literacy among religious dignitaries and followers, and monitoring and enforcement against online violations.

"In the next few years, the ministry will continue developing its specialised religious database, apply AI to identify potential risks and support religious organisations in expanding their official communication channels," he said.

A legal safeguard for the digital era

To meet the demands of digital transformation, the National Assembly on April 23 adopted the revised Law on Belief and Religion, which will take effect on January 1, 2027. The legislation represents a major institutional milestone, providing a legal framework for religious activities in cyberspace while continuing to safeguard citizens' right to freedom of belief and religion.

Trần Minh Thu, head of the General Affairs Division under the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, said the revised law clearly sets out notification and registration requirements for online religious activities. It also defines the responsibilities of organisations and individuals, specifies prohibited acts and requires religious organisations to incorporate digital activities into their charters.

Alongside legal reforms, the Government Committee for Religious Affairs has partnered with digital transformation firm FPT IS to develop a religious database linked to the National Population Database under Project 06. The digitalisation of religious data is expected to improve transparency, shorten administrative procedures and enhance governance efficiency.

The revised law demonstrates Việt Nam's consistent policy of respecting and protecting human rights, including the right to freedom of belief and religion, while improving its legal framework to keep pace with technological development and practical needs.

Building 'digital wisdom'

While stronger legislation provides an essential foundation, a safe online environment also depends on individual awareness and the responsibility of religious organisations.

Pastor Nguyễn Hữu Mạc, head of the Evangelical Church of Việt Nam in the northern region, said: "Technology has made pastoral work and care for believers much more convenient, but it has also brought an increase in misinformation. Religious organisations therefore need to build official communication channels while guiding followers to use social media responsibly.

"Although technology changes rapidly, core values such as morality, compassion and genuine faith remain unchanged."

Hương from the Hồ Chí Minh National Academy of Politics said that everyone, especially young people, should develop 'digital wisdom' by learning how to verify information and recognise AI-generated fake content before accepting or sharing it.

From a legislative perspective, Most Venerable Thích Đức Thiện, a member of the 16th National Assembly, said advances in AI – including experiments in some countries with robots delivering religious teachings – require continued research and appropriate legal updates. In his view, the key issue is not technology itself, but how it is governed to serve humanity while protecting freedom of belief and religion.

For religious organisations, the most effective response remains the dissemination of accurate information and the timely rebuttal of false narratives. Most Venerable Thích Nhất Tự said the principle of "planting fragrant flowers to outgrow weeds" by promoting more positive and authoritative content will help foster a healthier online environment and strengthen public trust.

Digital transformation is expanding the space for religious practice, allowing cultural, ethical and spiritual values to reach broader audiences than ever before. Alongside this process, Việt Nam continues to refine its legal framework to ensure that freedom of belief and religion is fully protected in the digital age.

Technology may transform how people access faith, but it cannot replace spiritual experience, religious practice or the enduring human values at the heart of religion.

Supported by a robust legal framework, the engagement of religious organisations and the digital wisdom of every citizen, cyberspace can become a platform for preserving cultural and religious heritage while strengthening freedom of religion in Việt Nam's next stage of development. — VNA/VNS