For most Orthodox, the practices and theological views of the early Church have a normative value extending to the present day. Of course, this can cause tensions within Orthodoxy, since there was no single view on some topics of great importance, including war and military service. Nevertheless, we may discern a certain congruency of perspective—a[…..]
Section: War And Christ
Inga Leonova speaks with Jim Forest, Conversion Not Domination
The Just War theory emerged in Western Christianity and never became rooted in Eastern Christianity. Instead, in the East, there is a relatively undeveloped theology that war is sometimes forced on a nation under attack, but is only justified to the extent that the nation is defending itself from invasion.
Orthodoxy and Conflict
Is it just me, or has 2017 been a year with an appalling amount of conflict? Polarized politics, rampant urban violence, pitiless terrorism, horribly destructive civil wars: while it is true that crime statistics and historical analyses show that our times are really no more conflictual than previous eras, life certainly feels tense, tenuous, and[…..]
Communion with the Prince of Peace
Basil the Great’s Canon 13 advised soldiers who had killed in war to refrain from receiving communion for three years. His linking the question of war with the Eucharist may seem surprising: after all, the Eucharist is often viewed through the lens of sacramental theology as a liturgical practice.
The Ascetics of War: The Undoing and Redoing of Virtue
There is no “Just War” theory in the Orthodox tradition: on this much, there is widespread agreement. To be more precise, Orthodox thinkers agree that there is no Just War theory in the Orthodox tradition, in the form of distinctions between the criteria for jus in bello, or right conduct in war, and jus ad[…..]
Just War and Orthodoxy: A Response to the Catechism of the Russian Orthodox Church
In the summer of 2017, the Russian Orthodox Church released a draft of the Catechism of the Russian Orthodox Church for church-wide discussion and review. The document is quite controversial, both because it has few predecessors—leading many to wonder whether the Church should produce official catechisms—and, in particular, because it endorses ecumenism.
Escaping the Conflict Cycle: A Gospel Approach
Religion is often blamed for conflict, whether within a family, within a country, or between countries. Yet history and personal experience show that religious conflict is not what it seems to be. Conflict is laden with past hurts and persistent grievances. It seems at times unstoppable. This quality is a result of what is sometimes[…..]