The "Christian Apology" of Athanasius of Paros as a critical consideration of the Enlightenment from Orthodox Theology point of view

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleΗ "Χριστιανική Απολογία" του Αθανασίου Πάριου ως κριτική θεώρηση του Διαφωτισμού από την ορθόδοξη Θεολογία
3. Language term Greek, Modern (1453-)
4. lemma author Katsiampoura, Gianna
5. lemma category Orthodox theological tradition and practice - Modes of interaction > Conflict
6. Publication date 19-12-2017
7. lemma work Ζαννή, Ανθή [Author]. The "Christian Apology" of Athanasius of Paros as a critical consideration of the Enlightenment from Orthodox Theology point of view
8. lemma manifestations The "Christian Apology" of Athanasius of Paros as a critical consideration of the Enlightenment from Orthodox Theology point of view
9. Keywords Enlightenment - Greek Enlightenment - Kollyvades movement - St. Athanasius of Paros - Korais, Adamantios
10. Citations
    1. <p>Zanni, Anthi, <em>Η "Χριστιανική Απολογία" του Αθανασίου Παρίου ως κριτική θεώτηση του Διαφωτισμού από την ορθόδοξη θεολογία</em> (<em>The "Christian Apology" of Athanasius of Paros  as a critical consideration of the Enlightenment from Orthodox Theology point of view</em>), Hellenic Open University, Patra 2017</p>
11. Lemma body

    1. In this MA thesis, Anthi Zanni exercises a critical consideration of the Enlightenment from Orthodox Theology point of view, based on the work Christian Apology by Athanasius of Paros, an orthodox monk, member of Kollyvades monement.

       According to Zanni, in the 18th century, when Athanasius of Paros wrote his work Christian Apology, the Greek Orthodox millet was in a remarkable position compared to the "enlightened" Europe. The subjugation to the Ottomans had exhausted both financially, as well as, culturally the Greeks cutting them out of any cultural scientific and technological achievement of the free world. Afterwards the Treaty of Küçük-Kainartzis (1774), the historical facts are reversed for the benefit of the enslaved while creating favorable conditions for a national regeneracy. In particular the upper social classes because of their continuous trade with the West were able to "participate" to the leaping technological development and cultural growth of the Western world. Moreover, the knowledge of the western languages mainly French and secondly Italian as well as the translations of European writers works, contributed to the fact that the spirit of Enlightenment transfer rapidly to the wider social classes of Greek community. However, Europe's scientific achievements and innovative perceptions have been overestimated by the spiritual leaders of the nation, in their attempt to migrate to the Greek territory the Western spirit underestimating and relinquishing their Hellenic spiritual traditions. Thus, the radical tendencies of the Enlightenment - born essentially from Western concerns and searches - failed to integrate smoothly into Eastern tradition and mentality. and as such, were implanted in the Greek society.

       Hence, disagreements appeared and tensions were created primarily inside the Church and in the intellectual Greek society. The conflict between "conservatives" and "progressives" is about confronting of two different political visions and is clearly expressed in the conflict between A. Koraes and Athanasius of Paros. The ideological dichotomy that was present in the nation during the 18th century "sealed" the Revolution and determined for the most, the cultural and cultural character of the modern Greek state. The Christian Apology, which mostly focused on the "ideologies" of the Enlightenment the Patristic speech and examples. The declarations of equality and freedom announced by the revolutionaries are judged to be deceptive while true equality is found in the first Church and in the monasteries communes of Orthodoxy. On the contrary the freedom and equality proposed by the "new democrats" are forged at the time where themselves are building a new tyranny against those who disagree with their ideas.