Archbishop Elpidophoros of America spoke about the connection between Orthodox teaching and a socially just democracy at the annual conference of the Saint Andrew’s Freedom Forum in Washington. This year’s event was dedicated to the memory of US Senator John Lewis, who was one of the leaders of the civil rights movement in the US.
The topic of the debate was “a socially just democracy creates a more perfect union” and three African-American congresspeople spoke at the event: Karen Bass, Terri Sewell, and Joe Neguse. The Greek Orthodox Church’s contribution to the African-American struggle is widely recognized in the United States, as Archbishop Iakovos was the first white religious leader to walk alongside Martin Luther King Jr. in the historic march in Selma, Alabama.
Looking back at history, Archbishop Elpidophoros argued that the pain and discrimination historically imposed on socially vulnerable groups must be boldly acknowledged. As he stated, the founders of the United States did not consider the phrase “a more perfect union” to include blacks, Native Americans, and women.
“These populations were subjected to enslavement, genocide and marginalization, respectively. For this reason, we must not succumb to the temptation to romanticize a past that ignores these people. We must take seriously the notion of justice for those who have been subjugated against their will, falling victim to economic and political exploitation, deprived of their rights and who, in many cases, have been physically and culturally exterminated. In this sense, the American Civil War, rooted in the evil of slavery, was a war for the idea of ‘a more perfect union,'” he said.
He argued that the historical sins of slavery and genocide must be acknowledged to show remorse and pave the way for the equitable administration of justice for all. In this light, he argued that this historical heritage had undermined the possibility of freedom and justice for all.
“Therefore, in order to move decisively and spiritually towards a more perfect union, we must be honest and bold in our evaluations… As St. Paul puts it in his letter to the Galatians: There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither man nor woman, because you are all one in Christ. The Christian affirmation of social justice that can build a ‘more perfect union’ is rooted in the deeper truth of the ecumenical councils, that in Christ, we are one, and that every man is loved equally by God,” said Archbishop Elpidophoros.
Source: ANA-MPA