Contemporary War Ethics: Quest for a Metaphysical Solution to the Problem of Moral Value in recent debates. An Answer in Orthodox Theology and Philosophy

After a review of some of the key problems in modern ethical theory as relates to war and violent state conflicts, I will focus on St Gregory Palamas’ views on War and Peace and what we can learn from Palamas’ hesychastic approach regarding the social and political phenomenon of violence and war. My discussion will close with a brief examination of the problems related to the perspective termed ‘political hesychasm’ (which is used in the debates related to the recent war in Ukraine) and how this political and cultural perspective bears no relevance to the true hesychastic approach (and Palamite hesychasm in particular).