Matters of Birth and Death in the Russian Orthodox Church and Ecumenical Patriarchate's Social Documents

In a span of twenty years, two of the autocephalous churches of the Orthodox Christian world released documents addressing the social realities of contemporary life: the Russian Orthodox Church's Basis of the Social Concept (2000) and the Ecumenical Patriarch's For the Life of the World: T...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Frost, Carrie Frederick (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2022
In: Studies in Christian ethics
Year: 2022, Volume: 35, Issue: 2, Pages: 266-280
IxTheo Classification:KBK Europe (East)
KDF Orthodox Church
NCF Sexual ethics
NCH Medical ethics
Further subjects:B Orthodox Christian ethics
B Orthodox Christian social statement
B Palliative Care
B Russian Orthodox Church
B Orthodox Christian bioethics
B Suicide
B Ecumenical Patriarch
B Abortion
B postpartum prayers
B Dying
B Miscarriage
B Marriage
B Childbirth
B Euthanasia
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:In a span of twenty years, two of the autocephalous churches of the Orthodox Christian world released documents addressing the social realities of contemporary life: the Russian Orthodox Church's Basis of the Social Concept (2000) and the Ecumenical Patriarch's For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church (2020). This article offers a side-by-side comparison and analysis of the documents’ treatments of matters of birth and death, including childbirth, abortion, miscarriage, end-of-life care, euthanasia, suicide, and a vision of a good death. Detailed comparison demonstrates remarkable accord between the two churches on many of these matters. Differences of omission and emphasis appear to be indicative of contrasting demographic and historical situations, with the exception of one, notable divergence between the churches, all of which are discussed. The striking degree and depth of consonance between the documents offers potential for cooperation and unity as the two churches negotiate their conflicts while also seeking to guide their flocks and offer Orthodox Christian witness in an increasingly desacralized world.
ISSN:0953-9468
Contains:Enthalten in: Studies in Christian ethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/09539468211045332