Course

Global Orthodoxy after 1989, Distance Education

This course explores the current issues in global Orthodoxy against the broader background of the post-1989 social and political processes. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Union changed the global map and the political dynamics in a profound way. We witness to the growth of the Orthodox population in many areas of western Europe and north America, which changes the global map of Orthodox Christianity. The major global shifts, social and political changes that came as a result of the global economic integrations, the role of new technologies and new tensions and conflicts, have influenced many of the territories in which Orthodox Christianity has been the dominant and traditional faith. This presented the church as well as theology with new challenges and new topics, such as environmental crisis, feminist movements/feminist theology, gender and other identities.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:
– Describe contemporary challenges that the Orthodox Church faces in various parts of the world
– Discuss social and political issues that affect Orthodox Christianity both in the countries where Orthodoxy has been the traditional faith and in Orthodox “diaspora”
– Analyze the relationship between post-1989 globalization processes and the current changes within the Orthodox world

The course literature may be subject to revision.

Primary sources:

Bartholomew, Patriarch (2019). Patriarchal and Synodal Tomos for the Bestowal of the Ecclesiastical Status of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. (2 p.) https://www.patriarchate.org/-/patriarchikos-kai-synodikos-tomos-choregeseos-autokephalou-ekklesiastikou-kathestotos-eis-ten-en-oukraniai-orthodoxon-ekklesian

Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church (2016) – documents (80 p.)
https://www.holycouncil.org

The Basis of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church (2000), (70 p.)
https://mospat.ru/en/documents/social-concepts/

The Russian Orthodox Church’s Basic Teaching on Human Dignity, Freedom and Rights (2008), (20 p.)
https://mospat.ru/en/documents/dignity-freedom-rights/

For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church (2020), (30 p.)
https://www.goarch.org/social-ethos

 

Secondary texts:

Bentzen, Naja (2019). Ukraine: Religion and (geo-)politics: Orthodox split weakens Russia’s influence (report). European Parliamentary Research Service (8 p.)
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2019/635525/EPRS_BRI(2019)635525_EN.pdf

Kalaitzidis, Pantelis (2013). “Ecclesiology and Globalization: In Search of an Ecclesiological Paradigm in the Era of Globalization” St Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly, Vol. 57, 3-4, 479-502.

Leustean, Lucian N. (Ed.) (2014). Eastern Christianity and Politics in the Twenty-First Century. London: Routledge (600 p.)

Malacky, Deborah Belonick, Feminism in Christianity: An Orthodox Christian Response. Crestwood, SVS, 2012. (60 p.)

Eleni Makris (2008). “Learning About Ourselves: A Snapshot of the Orthodox Church in the Twenty-First Century” in Thinking Through Faith: New Perspectives from Orthodox Christian Scholars (Ed. by Aristotle Papanikolaou and Elizabeth Prodromou), Crestwood: SVS Press, 341-366.

 

Additional texts will be read in preparation for particular course assignments (e.g. research paper).
Suggested further readings include (but are not limited to):

Hjälm, Michael (2017). “The Role of the Church in Financial Crises: The Final Break with the Idea of Symphonia” The Journal of Eastern Christian Studies, 2017/1-4, 125-136.

Hovorun, Cyril (2013). “Church and Nation: Looking through the Glasses of Post-Secularism” St Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly, Vol. 57, 3-4, 423-430. 

Hovorun, Cyril (2015). Meta-Ecclesiology, Chronicles on Church Awareness. New York: Palgrave Macmillan (45 p.)Additional texts/handouts will also be assigned.

Ignatius, Demetrias of (2017). The Orthodox Church of Greece and the Economic Crisis. Volos: Volos Academy for Theological Studies (70 p.).

Kattan, Assaad E., Georgi, Fadi A. (Eds.) (2010). Thinking Modernity: Towards a Reconfiguration of the Relationship between Orthodox Theology and Modern Culture. Tripoli-Muenster: St John of Damascus Institute, Westphalian Wilhelm’s University. (50 p.) 

Michelson, Patrick L. Kornblatt, Judith D. (Eds.) (2014). Thinking Orthodox in Modern Russia: Culture, History, Context. Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press. (190 p.)

Parry, Ken (Ed.) (2010). The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity. Malden: Blackwell. (150 p.).

Roudometof, Victor. (2011). Eastern Orthodox Christianity and the Uses of the Past in Contemporary Greece. Religions 23390, 95-113.

Stoeckl, Kristina. “The Russian Orthodox Church’s Conservative Crusade.” Current History 116.729 (2017): 271–276.

Suslov, Mikhail (Ed.) (2016). Digital Orthodoxy in the Post-Soviet World: The Russian Orthodox Church and Web 2.0. Stuttgart: Ibidem Verlag (120 p.).

 

 

The schedule is available at the latest one month before the course starts. We do not recommend that you print the schedule as some changes may happen.

Open the Schedule

Grades

A = Excellent, B = Very good, C = Good, D = Satisfactory, E = Sufficient, Fx = Insufficient, F = Insufficient

Examination Format

  • Papers
  • Seminars
  • Take-home examination
  • Written examination

A Bachelor’s degree in Theology (equivalent to the Swedish Kandidatexamen) from an internationally recognized university. Proficiency in English through an internationally recognized test, e. g. TOEFL, IELTS, or the equivalent.

Completion of a course requires a minimum of 80% attendance at lectures and 100% attendance at seminars/group work and other assignments. Absence beyond that can be compensated by supplementing assignment(s) if the instructor finds it possible. In case of an absence of 50% or more, the course is considered as interrupted, even if assignments have been completed.

If a student due to disability has a decision from the EHS on special pedagogical support, the examiner shall, if necessary, adapt the examination and conduct the examination in an alternative way.

Established by Subject Representative College at Enskilda Högskolan Stockholm on January 22, 2020.