The Romanian Legionary Movement: An Orthodox Christian Assessment of Anti-Semitism

Abstract

The Legionary Movement in Romania between the two world wars in this century provides a useful historico-ethical case study of the inter-relations among anti-Semitism, modern nationalism, and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. To be sure, this historical phenomenon is fascinating in its own right, and the burgeoning literature on this subject reflects the interests of historians and social scientists alike. The purpose of this essay, however, is to examine this complex political-cultural movement in the light of the secondary literature and the primary documentary source in order to evaluate it from the perspective of an Orthodox Christian moral theologian.