Introduction to Orthodox Social Thought

This lecture will briefly review what modern Christian social thought is and what are some of the key principles of Western Christian social thought, before introducing insights from the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Despite some disappointing official documents, the Orthodox Tradition has a wealth of resources to confront the problem of poverty in our unique age of abundance. Drawing from sources throughout Scripture and Church history, and in constructive dialogue with Western Christian traditions, this lecture will explore the common ground of natural law and human dignity, as well as the uniquely Orthodox contributions of asceticism, sacramentalism, and catholicity or sobornost' -- the spiritual unity of Christians in the Church on the basis of a holistic understanding of the incarnation of Jesus Christ or what St. Maria Skobtsova called, "The imitation of the Mother of God." The talk will conclude with how these insights might be integrated with the principles of modern economics and be applied to issues of today, such as wealth and poverty, usury, and transhumanism.