Posted by Photini
on 8/8/2009, 7:32 pm
Orthodoxy is a continuation, fulfillment
and advancement of Hellenism.
This is from
The National Herald
letter to the editor
The Greek Orthodox Church in America: What is Her Calling?
To the Editor,
I must take exception with George K. Lavas' view, as published in his letter in your July 18 edition: i.e., that the Greek Orthodox Church in America should have Religion as its ONLY priority.
Like Mr. Lavas, I was born in America and speak Greek fluently, but my view on this matter is not dictated by my Greek bloodline, ability to speak Greek or place of birth. My view is predicated on the simple truth that Orthodoxy is a continuation, fulfillment and advancement of Hellenism, which is inextricably intertwined with Western civilization and the Orthodox Christian faith.
One need not be of Greek origin to recognize and embrace this truth, and if anyone doubts this truth, ask yourself why our Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself in human form 2,000 years ago? What was unique about the world at that time? Why didn't He come at another time?
Let's consider the timing of the Incarnation: Greek culture went onto influence every aspect of Western culture and set the stage for Alexander the Great to spread Hellenism, Greek thought and the Greek language throughout the ancient world. Alexander did not seek to conquer the world, but to unite it under Hellenism. The Hellenized world Alexander fostered, wherein Greek was the international language, is the world which existed when Christ came.
Christ walked among a people and society which had been infused with Greek language and thought. If the Jews are the chosen people, then the Greek language and thought of the ancients is the chosen language of Christianity. The message of Christ – that God loves us, and that our ultimate calling is to be in union with Him without ever losing our own identity – is not at odds with the teachings of the Ancients, but a fulfillment of those teachings. The individual is preserved, but is also called to participate in unison with his community and culture.
When the Church emerged in the Fourth Century after 300 years under Roman persecution, She was in need of a Creed. She found a voice in the Three Hierarchs, Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. These Church fathers were steeped in the study of the Ancients. Despite the views of some of their contemporaries, who considered the teachings of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle to be pagan and therefore of little or no value, the Three Hierarchs combed through the flowers of ancient thought and knowledge and, like honey bees, selected the good pollen which influenced their teachings and writings, including the Divine Liturgy.
For example, the Ancients taught that virtues are obtained by habit, not by birth. Good habits (e.g., going to church and participating in the Divine Liturgy regularly) are good for you.
Another example where the teachings of the Ancients are fulfilled is in the Gospel of Saint John the Evangelist. This gospel is undeniably imbued with Greek thought: "In the beginning was the Word (Logos)…"
The meaning of "logos" has a long history starting more that 500 years before Christ, and yet, Saint John chose it to open his Gospel. If we simply accept the English translation of "logos" as "word," then
we have lost the true message which Saint John, and ultimately Christ, was trying to impart to us. The Church Fathers knew this, hence their study of the Ancients when formulating the Creed, composing the
Liturgy and defending the faith against heresy.
The Greek Orthodox Church is both the trunk and the roots of the Orthodox Christian tree. The Russian, Serbian, Romanian and other Orthodox Churches are the branches of that tree. That makes the Greek Orthodox Church first among equals.
History undeniably places the primary responsibility for preserving Her connection to Christianity's original language on the shoulders of the Greek Orthodox Church. In other words, it is the responsibility of each faithful person to learn and understand the Greek language and teach the Greek language to the next generation.
I appreciate the practical approach which Mr. Lavas proposes in his letter. The Greek Orthodox Church in America should impart the teachings of Jesus Christ to Greek Americans in their primary language
(English in most cases). After all, Saints Cyril and Methodios brought the Slavs to Christianity in their own language.
But if we follow this line of thinking too rigidly, we will end up, in the not too distant future, with very few of the faithful (including the clergy) having sufficient knowledge of the original language in which the Apostles and the Church fathers transmitted the Orthodox faith. A balance needs to be maintained between preserving knowledge of the original writings and teachings in Greek, and preserving the faith for a largely English-speaking congregation. This is not an easy balance, and most parishes miss the mark by leaning too much in either direction. Having said that, I believe balance can and must be achieved if we hope to pass a pure and undiluted faith onto succeeding generations.
If somehow we think the Church and faithful in Greece should bear this responsibility alone, we should think again. Greece today is suffering from an influx of legal and illegal immigrants, as well as a general European malaise toward anything religious. Orthodoxy and the Greek language survived the fall of Constantinople and over 400 years of Ottoman subjugation. The Greek Orthodox Church in America and all those who consider themselves true Hellenes are now the new defenders of the Orthodox faith and the Greek language, the language through which the one true faith has been handed down to us through the ages.
We must embrace this awesome responsibility, and not relegate the teaching of Greek to an "extra-curricular activity," as Mr. Lavas suggested. The Lord revealed Himself and His teachings to a Hellenized world. The Apostles and Church Fathers transmitted these teachings in Greek. Let us, the body of the Church, preserve and advance our experience of the Orthodox faith by learning and teaching its chosen language, Greek.
Christ Economos
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