Religious Liberty in OST
We shouldn't underestimate the role (for good and ill) of religion not only in domestic politics but also in conflicts around the world. Just recently, for example, the Moscow Patriarchate has called Russia's invasion of Ukraine a “Holy War” before going on to bless the forceful annexation of Ukraine and Belarus into a “greater Russia.” As more than one commentator has observed, this means that the Russian Orthodox Church has now publicly supported genocide.
This and other current events highlight the timeliness of the work of Giovanni Del Piero not only for Orthodox Christians but also for Catholic and Protestant Christians, Jews, Muslims, and anyone wishing to understand the role of religion in current affairs.
Gio is a young scholar researching the Orthodox Church's understanding of religious liberty. Last summer, he was a Shaftesbury Fellow with the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy, and this Fall he will participate in the John Jay Fellows Program. The embedded video presentation is based on his work at the CRCD. I’ve attached a PDF of his Shaftesbury paper. Your comments and questions about Gio’s presentation are most welcome.
Father, Bless.
Thank you so very much for posting this presentation. I found it to be thoughtful, sober, and balanced. Equally, it was validating as I continue to consider my own role as an Orthodox Christian in my community.
- Adam in Illinois