Orthodox war and peace
Orthodox war and peace

Endowed chair "Orthodoxy, Human Rights, Peace Studies”

Regional Focus: Russia, Ukraine, Post-Soviet Space
Duration
9 October 2024 until now
Project type
Research

Since as early as 2012, activities of the endowed chair are devoted to the conceptual debates between Orthodox theology and the concept of human rights and an exploration of the Eastern Christian traditions concerning questions of war and peace. Though avoiding too narrow a regional focus, due to the scientific background of the professor, particular attention is given to developments of religion and society in Russia and Ukraine. Generally, activities consist of scientific research on related topics, valorization activities such as comments on current events in the media, advice to NGOs, Think Tanks, professional consultations, publications and in the organization of workshops and conferences.

Orthodox Theology and Human Rights

One of the Chair’s main focus points of research is the exploration of conflicts, differences, but also intersections and potentials for mutual enrichment between the concept of human rights and patterns of the Orthodox theological tradition. Human rights are still often – inappropriately – perceived and treated as a Western project, nurtured by both Christian tradition and particular Western traces such as Renaissance, Enlightentment. Orthodox Christian tradition, on the other hand, is a Christian, but not Western tradition.

Peace Studies

A second focus of the chair’s scientific and public activities is connected with the teaching on war and peace in both the Eastern and Western tradition. There is obviously more than a mere theoretical relevance to such studies. Eastern Christians, for example in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, Armenia and, last but not least in Russia and Ukraine are finding themselves in the midst of the conflict zones of today’s world. More often than not there is a historical dimension to these conflicts, which needs to be known for an appropriate understanding.

Religious traditions with regard to war and peace are generally ambivalent. Religions, including the Eastern Christian denominations, in conflicts can take the role of either peace builders or fire accelerants. They can be used and misused, and all this can be witnessed and analyzed. As a result of preparational studies carried out so far, the question behind the mentioned ambivalence – more complex than public opinion often wants to have it – is that of “religion and ideology”. Studies, lecture activities and publication activities of the chair in recent years have been devoted to this theme.

The chair devotes particular efforts to the reconstruction of an Eastern Christian tradition concerning questions of war and peace.

Funding

In the initial phase, the chair was sponsored by IvOC and two Dutch NGOs, Stichting Vredeswetenschappen and Kerk in Actie, and partly also by the foundation Porticus. After 2017, the chair and its activities continued the cooperation between IvOC and the PThU. Thereafter former sponsors retired, leaving IvOC currently as the sole financial supporter.

Given the obvious relevance of the chair’s research and valorization activities against the background of current developments in Russia and Ukraine, we are actively searching for new sponsors.

Contact information

alfons.bruening@ru.nl