Response

Submitted November 2, 2004

I am a first generation Greek “peasant” who has earned a BA, MA and PhD from the school of hard knocks. My father was from Mytilene and my mother was from Constantinople. They came to America at the turn of 20^th century. They taught me to appreciate my heritage but they made one very important point. I was to remember I was an American above all. I was taught the tenants of Orthodoxy not under the idea of Hellenism but as the teaching of Jesus Christ and His “illiterate” Apostles.

1) If ignorance fosters confusion, than elitism (gnosticism) fosters artificial barriers that judge some people better than others.

2) The culture in which the church resides is the overcoat of the church not it’s essence. You mention Greek, Russian and Serbian churches, but it is time to realize that there is an American Orthodox Church whether you want to accept it or not.

3) As far as education from the Greek Sunday schools goes, I will say this: I would say a majority of those so schooled do not know the essence of Orthodoxy and fall away. What needs to been done is to educated the folks in the tenants of the Orthodox Church and not pass the Hellenic Culture off as the essence of the Orthodox. Many converts come to the Orthodox Church because their soul seeks the true church. I will say this: I have often had the opportunity to recommend a friend to visit an Orthodox church but held back because there wasn’t a church with an English liturgy in their area. This language issue is a big problem when it comes to evangelizing America.

4) As you say, the Hellenic culture was in place as was the Roman infrastructure. These two items provided a solid base for this new church to grow in. The original church of Jesus Christ began to be Hellenized at the end of third the century.

5) Finally, there must be good translations from the original Greek texts to native language of the land. Whether that is English, Russian, Serbian or African countries. These translations must also define the words used because there are different definitions for the same words.

6) As it has often been said the basic teaching one gets, as a child of the Orthodox Church is “Yiayia theology”. That is what we remembered until one yearns to learn the truth. The truth can be learned in any language and in any culture. The reason for this is because the true seeker has their eyes opened by the Holy Spirit. Not having the right cultural understanding is not a handicap. Truth is power and it will set you free.



Volume 6 Number 45 - Tuesday, November 9th, 2004	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY