Current International Crisis and Social Challenges for the Romanian Orthodox Church

Abstract

Current economic and financial crisis appears to be unprecedented in the last half century.A massive loss of confidence, both in the business sector and the consumers, both responding byrestricting spending, is in full progress. The world's financial and economic crisis is largely the resultof greed, of unjust gain, of financial speculation, of tax evasion worldwide. We live in a world wherepeople are seeking more temporary material wealth than spiritual wealth of the Faith and eternal life,and in addition to more severe material poverty, we see spiritual poverty and weakening of faith, acooling brotherly love and a decrease in good deeds and philanthropy. In this situation of economicpolicy without ethics, when everything is uncertain and unpredictable, changeable, and deceitful, weneed to close to God, the steadfast and insurmountable, just and merciful, but also an increase inalertness, attention and financial prudence. Romanian Orthodox Church is in a enough favorableposition into the Romanian society to take a proactive process of anticipating social problems thattrouble present Romanian society (poverty, social exclusion, unemployment, migration, domesticviolence, school dropout, alcoholism, drug abuse, aging, social system and poor health, lack ofmotivation and educational perspectives, youth work and family, etc.), which will ultimately lead todeveloping a comprehensive plan for promotion and social involvement that will play a decisive rolein solving social and spiritual needs of Romanians, present and future.

Keywords

• crisis
• social projects
• Romanian orthodox church
• Romanian realities