A seminar on the participation of the Russian Orthodox Church in overcoming AIDS

A SEMINAR ON THE PARTICIPATION OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN OVERCOMING AIDS

A reflection-action seminar on the Theological, Ethical and Pastoral Aspects of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Participation in Overcoming AIDS took place on December 24, 2002, at the Department for External Church Relations, Moscow Patriarchate. It was organized together by the Department for External Church Relations and the Synodal Theological Commission. It was attended by representatives of Synodal structures, theological schools, parishes, monasteries and charitable organizations of the Russian Orthodox Church as well as scientists, sociologists, physicians, psychologists, specialists in medical ethics and bio-ethics, and clergy and church workers with an experience of work on HIV/AIDS and drug-addiction.

The participants in the seminar were given information about the trends in the spreading of HIV/AIDS in and outside Russia and the ways in which the infection is transmitted. They also heard reports about the social conditions of people with HIV. Special attention was given to issues involved in the theological understanding of the causes of the disease. It was noted that HIV-infected people stand in special need of the Church’s help.

One of the reports was devoted to the attitude to disease and death as it was in the Middle Ages and as it is in the Modern Time. The experience the Ploschansky Hermitage of Our Lady of Kazan was considered as a case study on church rehabilitation of drug-addicts and HIV-infected people.

Recommendations were worked out for the development of a concept of church work with people living with HIV/AIDS. Among other results of the seminar was the establishment of a special working group for the development of this concept. The group is made up of theologians, clergy, Orthodox specialists in psychology, medicine and philosophy, as well as Health Ministry officials.