Man or machine: The soul of Russian Orthodox church bells

An automated future where the robots have stolen human jobs is a widespread modern concern. Even the most traditional of professions can be vulnerable, for example, church bell ringing in Russia.

For time immemorial Russia’s Orthodox faithful have been called by the ringing of bells, but while many churches have been built in Russia recently, the ranks of professionally trained bell ringers remain depleted by the officially atheist Soviet era.

Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands reports now on how a recent expansion of the Orthodox Church has created a skills shortage that is being filled by machines.