I know that there are probably few people who support what Stalin turned the Soviet Union into. But from what I hear, the Catholic church opposes communism on a technical level in that it places the state above the individual. I was curious if the Orthodox church opposed it on this same level.
But all Communism inevitably leads tyranny, and there is no room for religion in Communism (unless it is run by the state, as can be seen in China - but forced beliefs are no beliefs at all).
Many Eastern Orthodox Christians, especially of the Russian nationalist flavor in the ex-USSR, don’t think the two contradict each other. The Moscow Patriarchate leadership didn’t have any problem with communism once Stalin made the Russian Orthodox Church the state church during World War 2 (The diaspora based “Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia” was firmly opposed to communism and remains so to this day, though they reconciled with the Moscow Patriarchate a few years ago) , likewise the Romanian Orthodox in Transylvania benefited significantly under communism at the expense of Catholics. There were also splits in the diaspora communities of the Romanian and Bulgarian Orthodox over communism.
It’s interesting to think about how Orthodox Christians define themselves in terms of their relationship to the state. They do seem to have a very different way of approaching politics than western Catholics and Protestants. The clear divide of Right and Left don’t quite apply in the same way.What communism? Communism has been dead in Orthodox countries for years, and exists in only three places China, North Korea, and Cuba.
Only Cuba is partially Catholic, not Orthodox and China and N. Korea are not remotely Christian.
So what’s the big deal?
I think more than the ideology of communism what disgruntled eastern Europeans are clamoring for is a return to a bigger role in their lives from the state. Many of them believe that the past governments provided full education and employment, and this is what they look to with nostalgia, not necessarily the ideology of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin.
I wouldn’t disagree. I think perhaps it indicates that those in the east define their ideology a lot less in terms of economics than we do in the west.
I am assuming you are referring to the former Soviet Union (a conglomerate of what is now 15 separate countries). The country of Russia is no longer a communist government.
you tell me what the big deal isWhat communism? Communism has been dead in Orthodox countries for years, and exists in only three places China, North Korea, and Cuba.
Only Cuba is partially Catholic, not Orthodox and China and N. Korea are not remotely Christian.
So what’s the big deal?
Eastern Orthodox themes are common in rallies of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (number 2 political party in Russia) and Orthodoxy is also on the party platform.
Different political systems have different kinds of political arrangements. Russia and the United States are shaped by completely different histories. Russians have a history of strong leaders, while the US was essentially founded on the concept of local rule.I wouldn’t disagree. I think perhaps it indicates that those in the east define their ideology a lot less in terms of economics than we do in the west.
Of course, a lot of Republicans in the USA seem to think wanting the government to do any more than run the army and police makes one a Communist. But we’d better not go there.
Some ramifications may still exist in pockets. But the Communist party lost power years ago.
they murdered the bishop in cold blood… and the ramifications may still exist? Interesting.
if putin ever loses power, these guys will fill the vacuum en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_the_Russian_Federation Russia has the largest Orthodox Church. Russia’s largest and only viable political opposition now is the Communist Party. So I think it is safe to say Orthodoxy’s relationship with communism is a pretty big deal.
That’s weird. Communists have spilled a TON of Christian blood over the past hundred or so years.
