A theological and ethical analysis of the response of the Eastern Orthodox to the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The response of the Eastern Orthodox Church to the COVID-19 pandemic reflects its distinctive theological and liturgical traditions as well as its decentralized system of governance. Foundational beliefs and practices inform Orthodoxy’s understanding of the imperative to care for the physical well-being of the sick. Points of disagreement arose in Orthodox communities concerning public health restrictions on attendance at the Divine Liturgy, the use of a common communion spoon, whether diseases may be transmitted through the Eucharist, and the appropriateness of receiving vaccinations tested or produced with cell lines derived from the tissue of aborted fetuses. Such contested matters reflect points of tension between characteristic beliefs and practices of Orthodoxy and its commitment to care for the health of neighbors during a global pandemic.