Summer School of Theology 2022: Theology of the Other under Pressure of the Empire

The theology of the Other goes hand in hand with the themes of hospitality, dialogue, and acceptance of the Other. This theology argues that true human existence is characterized by "infinite responsibility" with respect to the Other. The Other that our Self is concerned about becomes an opportunity to transform such Self by freeing up space for the Other's otherness. The desire to dominate or appropriate the other becomes instead a recognition of this otherness. Such a transformation becomes a part of our share in building the Kingdom of God, in which a person becomes a witness to God's hospitality. But is the Other always a guest to be received, or is the other also a threat to be overcome? This issue becomes painfully acute in the context of present-day Ukraine, which is facing the threat of conquest by Russia and currently is suffering the tragic aftermath of the full-scale war started by Russia. The pressure of the empire leads to the ethical reassessment of the Other, and, in fact, this new assessment may lead to putting pressure on the Other. No wonder one culture defends the dignity of the Other, and another, where an individual is ignored or suppressed, leads to violence and aggression against the Other.