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Orthodoxy & Politics

Aegyptian
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
I don't know if this is the appropriate subforum but:

I'm planning to write a paper or a book on Orthodoxy and Politics (the political philosophy of Christianity).

Does anyone have any advice for me to look into, like books, church fathers on politics, certain Scripture verses, which might help in analysing the correct Orthodox political principles? Just say whatever comes up in your mind, where I should look in to.

I'm already looking into Romans 13 for example. And the Acts of the Apostles. And all of the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the stories about the Jewish people wanting kings in the OT, when all kings failed because the only just government comes from God.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Comments

  • mabsootamabsoota
    you could write how compromising by doing the will of the state has messed up the orthodox church, like when there has been corruption from (eg.) the roman empire that contributed to the schism of 451AD that took 1,500 years to fix. also all the big churches have had times in their history when bishops got their places through bribing government officials etc.
    the times when the church has been pure and holy have been times of persecution. to see good examples of how to relate to the state, look at the behaviours of our patriarchs baba kyrilos and baba shenouda, who did not compromise their faith.
    may God preserve His church and keep us holy and always focusing on our eternal home, and not on this world, which passes away  :)
  • sherrymikhail04sherrymikhail04
    Very cool idea for a book! I will buy it for sure... I was never into politics until last year when we woke up that one morning and Julia Gillard was the prime minister of Australia without voting her in, and also the Egyptian revolution... I wouldn't say it's a passion at all though, I am just more informed.

    I remember the following verse was used with Bishop Daniels' Christmas cards for Government officials (lol):

    Isaiah 9:6-7 (New King James Version)

    For unto us a Child is born,
          Unto us a Son is given;
          And the government will be upon His shoulder.
          And His name will be called
          Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
          Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
            Of the increase of His government and peace
          There will be no end,
          Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
          To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
          From that time forward, even forever.
          The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

    I also spent so much time in my university library and out of procrastination I went on a search for Coptic Books... I found this cool ancient one called "Nag Hammadi Library" - Very interesting. And then there's THOUSANDs of books about religion + other topics and heaps about Orthodoxy and Eastern Orthodoxy... I found a book about Coptic Textiles... There's probably one even called "Orthodoxy and Politics" you never know! So I suggest you go to the library and do a massive search, and from that you can begin to structure what kind of things you would include. There's only so much you can learn from being in a library.
  • ilovesaintmarkilovesaintmark
    There is the whole of the Pentatuch.  All of the Epistles: Pauline and Catholic.

    In fact, the whole Bible.
  • Aegyptian
    [quote author=mabsoota link=topic=11047.msg133573#msg133573 date=1300784363]
    you could write how compromising by doing the will of the state has messed up the orthodox church, like when there has been corruption from (eg.) the roman empire that contributed to the schism of 451AD that took 1,500 years to fix. also all the big churches have had times in their history when bishops got their places through bribing government officials etc.
    the times when the church has been pure and holy have been times of persecution. to see good examples of how to relate to the state, look at the behaviours of our patriarchs baba kyrilos and baba shenouda, who did not compromise their faith.
    may God preserve His church and keep us holy and always focusing on our eternal home, and not on this world, which passes away  :)


    Great idea! I'll definitely look into this. I'm very interested in this subject already. So if God gives me the time and strength I hope to study on this subject.

    I also spent so much time in my university library and out of procrastination I went on a search for Coptic Books... I found this cool ancient one called "Nag Hammadi Library" - Very interesting. And then there's THOUSANDs of books about religion + other topics and heaps about Orthodoxy and Eastern Orthodoxy... I found a book about Coptic Textiles... There's probably one even called "Orthodoxy and Politics" you never know! So I suggest you go to the library and do a massive search, and from that you can begin to structure what kind of things you would include. There's only so much you can learn from being in a library.

    And this is a great piece of advice also! :-) And thanks for Isaiah 9 you give me.

    @ilsm: The whole Bible is full with great advice, but not every book is about how we should act politically of course. This is why I should focus on some books of the Bible. But I definitely should research the Bible on my own as broad as possible, maybe with the help of Abouna.
  • sherrymikhail04sherrymikhail04
    You also need to look at the life of Christians, more specifically Orthodox or Coptic Christians throughout the ages... how people lived... I have a document on the life of Coptic people.. and it has just rules for EVERY aspect of their lives and at the beginning it says that it is in no way affiliated with the church.. but how they actually lived.. well it's based on the life of the church anyways, but it's not official kind of thing.. lol I hope I make sense... I'll have a look at it and see if it says much about Politics.
    I think that random cool book that I found called "Nag Hammadi Library" has something in it about Politics too... I also think it is available to read online... but I'm not sure... I'll see if I can find anything anyways.
    I think after you look into other sources you will find were the Bible will fit in with it all.. give it time.

    GBU
  • peterfarringtonpeterfarrington
    Be careful as the Nag Hammadi library is a collection of heretical gnostic texts and is not Orthodox.
  • sherrymikhail04sherrymikhail04
    [quote author=Father Peter link=topic=11047.msg133788#msg133788 date=1300905362]
    Be careful as the Nag Hammadi library is a collection of heretical gnostic texts and is not Orthodox.


    Yeah, I read that it was in no way accepted by the Coptic church, but I didn't know it was THAT heretical like you put it. I thought it was something like how we like Origen's teachings but we don't consider him a saint.
    Makes me more curious to have another look at that book now  :P
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