Orthodox Moral Theology and Shared Metanorms: A Philosophical‐Theological Reading of the Social Ethos Document

ABSTRACT In recent years, Orthodox Christianity has gained increasing visibility in global discussions on social ethics, encompassing issues such as climate change, environmental protection, peace, and human rights. The following paper examines the underlying metaethical framework of the Ecumenical Patriarchate's Social Ethos Document , analyzing how it can contribute to contemporary discourses on shared metanorms and values. Through close textual analysis, it investigates the metaethical assumptions of the document and its articulation of a theologically grounded anthropology. Special attention is given to the engagement of the document with human rights, which is a historically contested theme within Orthodox moral theology. Drawing on the concepts of divine likeness , theosis , and the personal understanding of ethos in Eastern Orthodoxy, this paper argues that the Social Ethos Document advances an integrative normative approach that bridges theological social ethics and secular human rights.