THEOLOGY, POLITICS AND CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES
Orthodoxy as an ecclesial community has from its beginning been conscious of living and moving in the world, but not being a product of this world (in the world but not of the world). Its eschatological and Eucharistic nature has always attributed to its identity a paradoxical character. Likewise today, Orthodoxy seems to be once more at a crossroads, having to confront various challenges that rise sharply before it.
Throughout its history, Eastern Christianity, even though marked by the tension between “the empire and the desert”, often chose to be dragged behind the chariot of the empire or state authority (eg. Byzantium, Tsarist Russia, Ottoman Empire, Balkan national states). In doing so, it drew closely alongside many forms of power, often authoritarian and undemocratic, whose spirit and ethos could hardly be in harmony with the Gospel and its principles. This is why fundamental achievements of modern civilization –such as human rights, political liberalism and the demands of democracy, social justice and respect of otherness– appear still to sit uneasily in traditionally Orthodox environments. In these contexts, the Church and its theology continue to be fascinated by the nostalgic recollection of pre-modern models of shaping and organizing society.
In addition, the harsh contemporary economic reality has emerged as an unprecedented challenge to prevailing ecclesiastical perceptions and attitudes. The financial crisis, a phenomenon with European and global dimensions, has pushed a significant part of society toward marginalization, misery and poverty, causing strong turbulence that threatens social cohesion. At the same time, this tragic situation is aggravated by the increase of immigration from African and Asian countries, which we might term a global, and irreversible phenomenon (due to policies followed and international dynamics). It is also indeterminate, as it concerns the agonized search of people for a more secure and hopeful future. Instead of understanding and facing this new situation, the Church is often enslaved in a sterile moralistic, conformist rhetoric by repeatedly abolishing through its choices the catholicity and ecumenicity of its message. This rhetoric does not practically confront the pain and suffering of the victimized human person, who is in danger of being lost in the obscurity, anonymity and social maelstrom of economic deprivation, but it often justifies anti- Christian attitudes and practices.
And yet, the challenges for Orthodoxy do not end here. A number of conflicts and disputes have arisen in the Middle East and North Africa, threatening once again the fragile peace in the region, including the very survival of the Christian populations, whether Orthodox or not. This situation offers a great opportunity to the Orthodox Church and theology to enter a self-critical dialogue with their recent past, allowing them to re-examine choices and practices that have resulted in impasse. The “Promised Land”, Jerusalem and Palestine, the cradle of Christianity and of all monotheistic religions, appears to be back at the heart of this debate, always ground for tough political, cultural and religious disputes and controversies. In contrast, however, to what happened in the past, Christians now seem to be confronted with their survival and continuing presence in these early centers of Christian faith. They have become victims of conflict for various reasons: the continuing occupation of Palestine and the various rising fundamentalisms (Islamic and Jewish); the imperialistic interventions of various forces in the wider region; the authoritarian and dictatorial regimes which now collapse in the midst of popular and youth uprisings; their adherence to a closed communitarian and national model –which is incompatible with the fluidity and changeability that characterizes our era– allied to high living standards and good quality education, all of which affords mobility and flexibility, often resulting in emigration.
In this context, the Orthodox Church, despite its significant presence in the region throughout history, and, in many cases, its reconciliatory role, seems to be ineffective (not necessarily by its own fault), as are all the other Christian churches, in working toward the inculturation of the Gospel and faith in local communities, as well as toward the respect of human rights and religious freedoms. It seems often powerless to successfully promote the issues at stake on the international level, and thus contribute to a culture of cooperation, concord and reconciliation that aims at broader peace in the region.
Critical questions emerge with regard to these various challenges. What is the role of the Church in consolidating global peace and social 4 justice? Can there be a kind of “political theology” or “liberation theology” in an Orthodox perspective? How can the catholicity and ecumenicity of the Church be compatible with it being reduced to merely an element of ethnocultural identity, and identification with communitarian/parochial standards and models? How could the notion of “sacred geography” be understood theologically, especially the notion of the “Holy Land” together with the “election” of the “chosen people”? Does occupation “de-humanize” both the oppressor and the oppressed? How is resistance theologically justified, and what does love for one’s neighbor and for one’s enemies mean in this context? Is Orthodox theology ultimately incompatible with the modern models of organization of life, with political liberalism, religious freedom and otherness, and the improvement of conditions for women in traditional societies? How should the Church and its theology contribute toward confronting the economic crisis and social injustice? What is the stance of the Church toward the challenges that emerge from the achievements of biotechnology and bioethics on the one hand, and growing global emigration on the other?
The Volos Academy for Theological Studies will address the above questions during the forthcoming International Conference on “Living the Christian Faith in Palestine and the Middle East. Theological and Political Challenges in Orthodox and Ecumenical Perspective”. This conference will take place June, 20-22 in Volos, in collaboration with the WCC Program on “Churches in the Middle East: Solidarity and Witness for Peace”.
In parallel, from March to November 2011, the Volos Academy will also host a series of events, conferences, seminars and book presentations on topics such as: “Orthodoxy and Political Theology”; “Economic Crisis, Poverty and Social Justice: the Word of Theology and the Church”; “Theological Portraits: P.N. Trembelas: Between Tradition and Renewal, Between Academia and Mission”; “Being Human, Becoming Divine: Elisabeth Behr-Sigel’s Contributions to the Church”; “Theology and History. Reflections upon Contemporary Anthropological Challenges”; “Teaching Ecumenical Theology in the Orthodox World”; “Experiential Learning as a Tool in the Courses on Religion: Using Techniques of Drama Education”; “ And on Earth Peace …A Vision and A Demand for Societies and Churches Today: An Orthodox Contribution”; “Theology in Dialogue: the Work and Publications of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies”; a workshop on Bioethics, etc.
Below you can flip through the program.
To download the entire program, click here .
