New Directions in Orthodox Christian Thought

The project promotes freedom of religion or belief in Orthodox Christian societies. Through internal Orthodox debate, it stimulates innovative reflections on the relation between Church and human rights. Several important fields of contemporary challenges have received limited theological and ecclesiastical attention. Encouraging dialogue in such fields, the project seeks to widen the scope of conversation.

Church viewed through a portal

Church in Tbilisi, Georgia. Photo: Credit Pieter Cronjé.

Background

There are major controversies in Orthodox Christian societies over freedom of religion and other human rights, not least concerning discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation. While the constitutions of most countries provide freedom of religion, minority groups often experience difficulties, including opposition from the historical churches.

Sexual minorities face discrimination many places, and certain gendered voices are silenced. Such forms of discrimination or degradation frequently seek justification through religious bodies. Hence, consciously or unconsciously churches may contribute to a simplistic political rhetoric that constructs a polarized dichotomy of traditional religious values on one hand and liberal modernist values on the other.

Current challenges are linked to contested notions of such important topics as national identity, state–church relations, sex and gender, and family and community. Orthodox Christian scholars and leaders can make a vital contribution to religious freedom by addressing these problems from within the tradition and engage critically and theologically with these discourses.

Critical Engagement

New Directions in Orthodox Christian Thought and Practice involves prominent Orthodox scholars and religious leaders. It facilitates a critical engagement with the Christian tradition in light of modern society, and will disseminate the scholarly insights on controversial issues, so that they may continue to be discussed in other Orthodox fora.

Activities

Violence and Orthodox Christianity

Violence can be understood to encompass inter- and intrapersonal issues, violence between groups such as nations, and violence against the environment. Orthodox Christians commonly claim to be opposed to violence, yet violence permeates Christian lives and Church history. Concrete issues, such as the war in Ukraine and the proper response to the environmental crisis, are divisive. Opinions on these pressing social and existential issues often reflect prejudices, assumptions, and vested interests.

The project Violence and Orthodox Christianity examines diverse perspectives on  religious values and conditions invoked to allow, justify, or conceal different types of violence, such as war, nationalism, violence against the environment, gender-based violence, violence against minorities, violence against Orthodox Christians, Orthodox Christians as perpetrators of violence.

Democracy and Church in the Orthodox World

A conversation about democracy and Orthodox Christianity is absent, both in Orthodox majority countries and among Orthodox minorities in the Middle East. The ongoing promotion of "traditional values" as part of a new global polarization gives rise to anti-democratic attitudes. The "Arab Spring" and subsequent conflicts in the Middle East entailed the actualization of issues of secular democracy and pluralism, with a direct impact on the large Orthodox minorities in the region.

Church traditions and non-democratic structures are used to justify various political agendas. The hierarchical leadership model prevents non-clerical, including all female, participation in most decision-making processes. Dissenting voices, which could contribute to change, are excluded and marginalized. This also undermines demands for democratic changes in society.

Lasting constructive changes are necessary and possible, but must spring from the orthodox tradition's own discourse. The project Democracy and Church in the Orthodox World examines questions about hierarchy, the role of the laity, gender discrimination, the position of religious minorities, nationalism, human rights and church/state relations.

Gender and Sexuality in Orthodox Christianity

In 2016, the project launched a three-year series of international workshops under the heading "Gender and Sexuality in Orthodox Christianity.” In 2016 and 2017 gender and sexuality in the Orthodox world, both from historical and theological perspectives were discussed. Presentations and discussions identified problems and resources considered oppressive as well as liberating examples from within Orthodox tradition and history. The concluding 2018 international workshop, New Directions in Orthodox Ministry, debated contemporary challenges and attempt to work out practical approaches to deal with gendered issues. What are the pressing challenges? The focus was on concrete, experiential, corporeal, and pastoral aspects.

The project resulted in the volume Orthodox Tradition and Human Sexuality ( Thomas Arentzen, Ashely Purpura, and Aristotle Papanikolaou, eds.), in 2022, and Rethinking Gender in Orthodox Christianity (Ashley Purpura, Thomas Arentzen, and Susan Ashbrook Harvey, eds.), 2023. 
 
A Study Guide, Orthodox Tradition and Human Sexuality: A Study Guide serves as companion to the book, but may also read read independently. It seeks to facilitate informed reflection over sexuality and sexual minorities within the Orthodox world.

Previous projects

From 2012 to 2015 New Directions in Orthodox Christian Thought and Practice organised a series of annual international workshops on topics related to Church, nation, minorities, and pluralism.

Publications

Contact

Lena Larsen

Academic secretary

  • Lloyd Abercrombie

International Expert Committee

Tags: freedom of religion or belief, FORB, Gender, Christian Orthodox church, International Department, SOGI
Published Aug. 17, 2017 11:28 AM - Last modified Feb. 20, 2024 8:44 AM