New concerns about Orthodoxy grow within and without it. Many no longer have a romantic outlook on Orthodoxy of the sort that flourished in the second half of the 20th century but see it as intrinsically susceptible to weaponisation. To correct this outlook, the Orthodox need to start a thorough self-evaluation through ecclesiology and political theology. The paper explores the ecclesiological and theopolitical preconditions that have led to the support of dictatorships in the past, as well as the modern wars waged between the Orthodox peoples. It also suggests ways out of the ongoing crises of the Orthodox identity and theology based on the Church’s emancipation from imperial and authoritarian phantoms, as well as on observing the demarcation lines between the church and the state. Shifting from the “ecclesiology from above” to the “ecclesiology from below” could help the Orthodox church overcome the crises.

Christianity emerged valuing horizontal socio-political relations, which it inherited from Jesus Christ, and which resonated with the ideals of ancient Greek and Roman republicanism. As the church engaged with the Roman Empire, its republican roots faded,adopting monarchical traits. Still, republicanism never disappeared from the church or the Christian Empire. In the former, it took the form of synodality and became reflected in the ways of electing bishops. In the latter, the church became a part of the power-sharing system, effectively substituting the Senate. In contrast to the stereotype that the church is intrinsically monarchical and supports monarchies, this paper argues that the original Christian ethos is more republican than monarchical. As a result, the church has the potential to enhance democracies in the modern geopolitical landscape.