Orthodox Christian Thinking Never Fits Within a Straightjacket

 I offer a miscellany of articles recently read from the world of Orthodox Christianity. If you are not a member of some variety of Christianity, I hope you might find this of interest. For other Christians, I strongly suggest that you read and think about why your version differs from the source.

Metropolitan of Thessaloniki discussed the role of women, same-sex couples and juvenile delinquency:

He rejects the notion that the church is conservative while society is progressive. “I don’t like labels because they’re not always accurate. There have been, are, and will always be conservative individuals within the Church, but the Church as the Body of Christ is not conservative because it has nothing to ‘preserve. Christ is not a figure of the past, but comes from the future, as the ultimate victor in the history of the world and humanity.”

Regarding marriage equality for same-sex couples and the extreme reactions of some clergy, he emphasized that the Church should not reject anyone.

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“Christ does not coerce, nor does he crucify – he is crucified. He asks people to follow him freely. Problems cannot be solved through violence or oppression but through reconciliation and dialogue. Every person is an image of the living God. When people learn to respect God, they respect their neighbor,” he noted.

His perspective on the role of women in modern society is also noteworthy, as some clergy have linked juvenile delinquency to women’s emancipation, arguing that women should stay at home and focus on household chores and raising children.

“The Church does not hold this view. Today, women work and participate in social and political life. Christianity has made great strides in this direction. The Apostle Paul was the first to say that there is neither male nor female; all are equal before God,” ....

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