Anthony G. Roeber is Professor of Church History at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. This interview is based on his new book, Orthodox Christians and the Rights Revolution in America (Fordham University Press, 2024).
JF: What led you to write Orthodox Christians and the Rights Revolution in America?
AR: I was prompted by questions put to the Orthodox by two Emory University scholars, John Witte, Jr., and Frank S. Alexander about Orthodox views of human rights; notions of a Christian society; rights about free speech and expression, and questions of gender equality.
JF: In 2 sentences, what is the argument of Orthodox Christians and the Rights Revolution in America?
AR: The book argues that Orthodox Christians have not only accepted but also rejected various types of “rights” claims in the U.S. That pattern of partial acceptance and rejection includes debates within the Church itself regarding rights and duties of bishops, clergy, and laity.
JF: Why do we need to read Orthodox Christians and the Rights Revolution in America?
AR: No book previously has attempted a comprehensive examination of how the Orthodox have engaged the issue of rights, both those inherited from a long tradition of their own and claims to rights that have expanded from sources beyond their own faith community.
JF: Why and when did you become an American historian?
AR: Awareness of my own family’s history coupled with a fascination with the history of the Church both played a role in my first research and writing efforts in the 1970s.
JF: What is your next project?
AR: Orthodox and all Christian groups face a growing shortage of clergy in a society where adherence to all institutional forms of Christianity appears to be in decline. I’ve been urged to undertake an historical analysis of the issues that have contributed to these developments.
JF: Thanks, Anthony!