9 “Social Theology” and Social Work in the Romanian Orthodox Church: A Paradoxical Development?

This chapter looks at the evolution of the work and philanthropic network of the Romanian Orthodox Church (RoOC), helping to shed light on some apparently contrasting views of Orthodox engagement in modern society. It discusses several documents, including the Law no. 489/2006 on religious freedom and general status of denominations, the 2008 Statutes of the RoOC, and various documents related to the Church's status as a social services provider. The task of developing a Romanian Orthodox thought or social theology is largely delegated to theologians, save on the key topic of human rights, where Patriarch Daniel Ciobotea appears to be interested in taking the lead. This paradoxical evolution of work and thought of the Orthodox Church on separate tracks may be due, in part, to the partly decentralized construction and incremental institutionalization of the RoOC's role. Keywords: paradoxical evolution; Patriarch Daniel Ciobotea; philanthropic network; religious freedom; Romanian Orthodox Church (RoOC); services provider; theology; work