Give death

This article by Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Georges Khodr addresses the theological and ethical question of the act of killing, considered in all its circumstances. Written in the form of a theological meditation, the text draws on the experience of the Lebanese context, marked by decades of war and violence, to examine the spiritual and anthropological meaning of murder. The central idea is that taking a life constitutes a usurpation of God's creative power and radically severs the bond between humanity and its Creator. The theological contribution of the article lies in the articulation between the absolute condemnation of murderous violence and the figure of Christ as the only true Life-Giver, who, by freely accepting his own death, restores life. This reflection is rooted in the Orthodox patristic tradition of the theology of life and deification.