The Orthodox Issue in Jordan: The Struggle for an Arab and Orthodox Identity

What is it about?

The so-called Orthodox issue (al-qadỵa al-urthudhuksiyya in Arabic) is an ongoing conflict within the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem between the church leadership of Greek extraction and the Arab – usually lower-ranking – clergy and laity. The jurisdiction of the patriarchate includes Jordan. This article thus uses a case-study approach to a series of protests by the Greek Orthodox in Jordan in 2014 against a decision by the Patriarchate to relocate a local reform-minded cleric.

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Why is it important?

Studies on Chrisitians in Jordan are very rare, although they constitute a thriving and economically powerful group in Jordan. Also, even though research on Christians in the Middle East has made significant contributions over the past years, little attention has been paid to the role the laity plays in shaping community identities and narratives. In the case of Jordan—and partly because of the Orthodox Issue—the role of the laity is tremendous though. Thus using ethnographic, historical and philological methods, I argue that through their engagement in this struggle, Greek Orthodox Jordanians assert their identity as Christians, as Arabs and as loyal Jordanians. This offers a perspective into the complex interplay between church-community relations, the issue of pastoral care, and this community’s identity.

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