ΤΟ ΙΔΙΟ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ
The
historical context of this article was 1998 and before 9/11, when
certain Western nations supported the Muslims in Kosovo to strike the
Orthodox in Serbia. There is much written here that can still apply in
our contemporary situations, which is why I submit it for study.
of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou
Lately we see a rapprochement
between the Western world and Islam. Muslims are expanding in Western
societies, creating communities and building mosques in prominent
places. Apart from Europe I noticed such an upsurge in Vancouver,
Canada. The movement of Western Christians appears first in the study of
the Koran, and so there are conferences, lectures, etc. On the other
hand, there is also an approach of Western Christian nations with
nations ruled by Islam. Of course, there is also a fear of Western
people over the expansion of Islam.
We also see today a strong
collaboration of Western governments and Muslim nations, but at the same
time a disregard for Orthodox peoples. A most expressive example is
what is happening today in the Balkans. I firmly believe, and I can
support it with evidence, that this is not only a diplomatic move on the
international chessboard that simply has to do with political
interests, but it is a move that has to do with the whole mentality of
Western man.
It has been rightly observed
that history could be read in conjunction with theology, and vice versa.
It is a fact that historical choices created and changed the western
world, just as theological alterations created ideological-historical
data. That is, all the ideological and political systems and patterns
created in the West, such as capitalism, Marxism, agnosticism, atheism,
enlightenment, nihilism, etc. came from a reaction to a theology that
was removed from the original theological context of the Orthodox
Church.
Through this prism we must see
the approach between Western Christianity and Islam. I'm pretty certain,
even if at first sight it seems paradoxical, that Western Christianity
(Roman Catholicism and Protestantism) is theologically more akin to
Islam than to Orthodoxy. In the West there dominates the view of the
Protestant theologian Harnack that Orthodoxy is the pagan view of
Christianity. So in the entire theology and lifestyle, Westerners
understand Muslims better than the Orthodox.
* * *
Of course I do not have here the
opportunity to further develop this foundational, in my opinion, part
of the issue, but simply to highlight a few points telegraphically.
Islam speaks of the oneness of
God, and of course His essence, as it developed later in Sufism, while
there is a simultaneous devaluation of Christ, which is why love cannot
develop between God and man. This theological position can be perceived
by Western Christians, because they talk about the pure energy of God,
His essence, and not of the person with the meaning and importance
developed by the Fathers of the fourth century, who identified the
person with the substance (hypostasis). Essentialism remains in the
West, but when the person is spoken about it remains unsubstantial; it
is simply a personalism. Thus, the ontology of the person and
interpersonal-hypostatic relationships are unintelligible to Western
Christians.
The Koran also is distinguished
by its anthropocentrism and its realistic and sociopolitical character.
Later, however, when Sufism developed in Islam, it created a mysticism
associated with Neoplatonism. Westerners are distinguished by the same
mentality, having socialized the Gospel they have associated it with an
ontological character, but they also speak of an eastern-type mysticism.
The Greek Orthodox tradition insists on addressing ontological
problems, without altering its theology, what it says about God, and it
sees sociological phenomena through genuine theological contexts, and in
this way they do not secularize the message of Revelation.
Also, Islam promises a
worldly-dominated blissful happiness, the fulfillment of all desires and
sensations of the faithful, but also a mental blissful happiness after
death for the followers of Allah. Western Christians better understand
this blissful happiness, despite the ascetic life of the Orthodox Church
which ascetically aims at overcoming blissful happiness.
The same commonalities are
observed in other issues, such as the issue and source of Faith. For the
Muslim the Koran is the revelation of God, and the redemption of the
believer depends on the book and its reading. This mindset is also found
among Western Christians, for whom the Bible is the word of God and the
only source of faith, which is why Westerners better understand the
Muslim perception of Revelation rather than the Orthodox, for whom the
Gospel is not a Revelation but words about the Revelation. Also, the
commonalities between Western Christians and Muslims can be seen in
issues about war, Theocracy, etc. which we cannot expand upon here.
* * *
I repeat that the relationship
between Nations and their cultural traditions and religions should not
be seen only through political expediency, but through theological
contexts. This is why today in Greece we should pay great attention to
our Orthodox Tradition and its original expression, which is a shield
for our nation. This is what constitutes our nobility, which cannot be
perceived by Western Christians and Muslims, and therefore it represents
our consciousness.
Source: Ekklesiastiki Paremvasi, "ΜΟΥΣΟΥΛΜΑΝΙΣΜΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΔΥΤΙΚΟΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΣΜΟΣ", June 1998. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
Click:
Paul, the Christian equivalent to Mohammed
A Mysterious Mass Conversion From Islam to Christianity in Georgia
A Mysterious Mass Conversion From Islam to Christianity in Georgia
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