A theological and ethical analysis of the response of the Eastern Orthodox to the COVID-19 pandemic

The response of the Eastern Orthodox Church to the COVID-19 pandemic reflects its distinctive theological and liturgical traditions as well as its decentralized system of governance. Foundational beliefs and practices inform Orthodoxy’s understanding of the imperative to care for the physical well-b...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review and expositor
Main Author: LeMasters, Philip 1964- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Sage 2022
In: Review and expositor
IxTheo Classification:CH Christianity and Society
KAJ Church history 1914-; recent history
KDF Orthodox Church
NCH Medical ethics
RC Liturgy
Further subjects:B Eastern Orthodoxy
B Covid-19
B Orthodox bioethics
B Pandemic
B Abortion
B communion spoon
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:The response of the Eastern Orthodox Church to the COVID-19 pandemic reflects its distinctive theological and liturgical traditions as well as its decentralized system of governance. Foundational beliefs and practices inform Orthodoxy’s understanding of the imperative to care for the physical well-being of the sick. Points of disagreement arose in Orthodox communities concerning public health restrictions on attendance at the Divine Liturgy, the use of a common communion spoon, whether diseases may be transmitted through the Eucharist, and the appropriateness of receiving vaccinations tested or produced with cell lines derived from the tissue of aborted fetuses. Such contested matters reflect points of tension between characteristic beliefs and practices of Orthodoxy and its commitment to care for the health of neighbors during a global pandemic.
ISSN:2052-9449
Contains:Enthalten in: Review and expositor
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/00346373221133843