26.03.2014.
Lecture by Colonel Grozdic at Orthodox Theological Faculty
Lecture by Colonel Dr. Borislav D. Grozdic, professor of military ethics at the Department of Social Sciences of the Military Academy was held tonight at the Orthodox Theological Faculty.In the spirit of cooperation between the military and the Church, and to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, Colonel Grozdic gave a lecture – Orthodoxy and war – pearls of Serbian military ethos in the First World War. The lecture was attended by professors and students of the Orthodox Theological Faculty, as well as cadets and participants in the course for reserve officers of the Military Academy.
Prof. Predrag Puzovic, Dean of the Orthodox Theological Faculty, expressed his satisfaction that it was for the first time in the history of this higher education institution that “one officer held a lecture”.
- Cooperation between the Serbian Armed Forces, namely the Military Academy and the of Orthodox Theology Faculty, is not one-sided – it is mutual, and for us soldiers are always dear guests. I hope it will remain so, Dean Puzovic said.
Colonel Grozdic has also expressed his pleasure and honor that he was given the opportunity to teach students about the topic of Orthodoxy and the war.
- I wish to start with the quote by Dusko Kovacevic that the Serbs have five seasons – spring, summer, autumn, winter and war, and it will be so until we realize that we are not force of arms and that we have to replace our courage from the past time with the wisdom in the present and in the times to come, Colonel Grozdic said.The lecture is divided into two parts – the Orthodox view of the war and pearls of the Serbian military ethos. In the first part, Colonel Grozdic asked and answered the questions about justification and resort to war, and what is the view of the church, if it approves it, then, is it possible to speak about the Orthodox viewpoint in the war, how to reconstruct the Orthodox view of the war and are Orthodox Christians allowed to oppose evil with evil. The topics were also the importance of religion and spirituality for the soldiers and morale and patriotism.
- We should distinguish between the essential overcoming evil and the task of protecting the world from war. Traditional views that govern the ethics of war and peace are – pacifism, realism and just war theory. Bottom line is that the war essentially always remains evil, Colonel Grozdic said, adding that only the best people can be oppose evil by force and stay at the spiritual and moral heights.
In the second part of the lecture Colonel Grozdic cited the examples of "pearls of Serbian military ethos", after which the participants had the opportunity to ask questions.
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