Politics of a Church at War: Maronite Catholicism in the Lebanese Civil War

Author: Henley, Alexander

Source: Mediterranean Politics, Volume 13, Number 3, November 2008 , pp. 353-369(17)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

Intrinsically linked to the power-sharing Maronite Catholic community, and historically tied to the fate of Lebanon, the Maronite Church was deeply involved in, and affected by, the 1975-90 Civil War. This study seeks to understand the changing role of the patriarchs during this time, recognizing that their relative withdrawal from politics - declining to assert the temporal authority of their predecessors - does not equate to the marginalization of the church as a whole. Analysing the internal politics of the church as a microcosm of the community's struggle, the study examines in detail a threefold relationship between the patriarchate, the papacy, and the monastic orders.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13629390802386713

Affiliations: 1: University of Manchester, UK

Publication date: 2008-11-01