Orthodoxy and History in the Middle East
Article summary proposed by the Contacts review with LLM assistance
This article by Metropolitan Georges Khodr examines the historical and ecclesiological situation of Arabic-speaking Orthodox Christians in the Middle East, particularly within the framework of the Patriarchates of Antioch and Jerusalem. Belonging to both the theological essay and historical testimony genres, the text traces the trajectory of these communities from the Byzantine period to the contemporary upheavals of Lebanon and the region. The central idea is that Arab Orthodox identity is defined less by territorial roots than by an ecclesial and metahistorical consciousness forged through successive dominations. The article sheds original light on the tensions between Hellenism and Arabness within the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, on the dhimmi system, on the effects of Uniatism, and on the Orthodox refusal of any militia logic in Lebanon, thereby laying the foundations for a theology of Christian witness in an Islamic context.
This article has not been translated yet — it is available in its French version here.
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