In search of common ground: How can Eastern Orthodox theology develop a natural law theory?
Mavropoulos, AngelosORCID: 0000-0002-2306-8476
(2023)
In search of common ground: How can Eastern Orthodox theology develop a natural law theory?
Studies in Christian Ethics
.
ISSN 0953-9468
While natural law theory plays an important role for Catholic moral theology, it is true that
Orthodox ethics has not endeavoured to develop its own theory of natural law. This article
demonstrates the existence of the concept of natural law in Eastern Orthodox theology and
argues that the main reason for this neglect is Eastern Christianity’s traditional focus on faith
rather than reason. In addition, the author, based on biblical and patristic grounds, highlights
the necessity for a balance between the two to be found and provides a way in which
Orthodox moral theology could develop a natural law theory, should it ever feel the need to
do so, by first redefining its relationship with the science of philosophy, after so many years of
disregard.
Metadata
Item Type:
Article (Published)
Refereed:
Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:
Natural law; Christian ethics; Orthodox theology; reason; philosophy; natural theology