Moral Choice and the Concept of Evil in Military Narratives of Orthodox Christians

The article contributes critically to the current discussion of militant piety in Russian Orthodox Christianity. It argues for a more historically informed use notion piety, which can benefit from critical discourse analysis personal narratives and focus on lived experience religion Christians who were involved wars. analyses ego-documents collected two recent volumes: first showcases stories clergy believers WWII; second volume gives voice army officers late Soviet Both volumes mold accounts into larger narrative with view provide discursive means reflection upon wars offer an exemplary Christian attitude war. In these narratives, beliefs principles understood by religious people not abstractly but context their individual collective experience. reveals how course Great Patriotic War changed Christians’ attitudes initial self-sacrificial service defense Motherland waging sacred war against Antichrist forces evil later ensuring retribution Nazi criminals interpretatively exempt commandment love. does present normative ideal warrior rather it sheds light real “militant piety”, practical religiosity soldiers officers, built relationship God professional activity, regularly described as “work”. doctrine love forgiveness its abstract form would be inapplicable this accounts, however, ethics is adapted circumstances military transformed based self-sacrifice, loyalty, duty.