political hesychasm -- any comments on this?

[anthony022071]

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The Revival of Political Hesychasm in Greek Orthodox Thought: A Study of the Hesychast Basis of the Thought of John S. Romanides and Christos Yannaras Daniel Paul Payne, B.A., M.Div. Mentor: Derek H. Davis, Ph.D.

< In the 1940s Russian émigré theologians rediscovered the ascetic-theology of St. Gregory Palamas. Palamas’s theology became the basis for an articulation of an Orthodox theological identity apart from Roman Catholic and Protestant influences. In particular the “Neo-Patristic Synthesis” of Fr. Georges Florovsky and the appropriation of Palamas’s theology by Vladimir Lossky set the course for future Orthodox theology in the twentieth century. Their thought had a direct influence upon the thought of Greek theologians John S. Romanides and Christos Yannaras in the late twentieth century. Each of these theologians formulated a political theology using the ascetic-theology of Palamas combined with the Roman identity of the Greek Orthodox people. Both of these thinkers called for a return to the ecclesial-communal life of the late Byzantine period as an alternative to the secular vision of the modern West. The resulting paradigm developed by their thought has led to the formation of what has been called the “Neo-Orthodox Movement.” Essentially, what the intellectual and populist thinkers of the movement have expressed in their writings is “political hesychasm.” >

 

[anthony022071]

< Certainly, Neo-Orthodox thought has fueled anti-Western sentiments in Greece and produced ethno-religious nationalism; however, their argument is not for Greece as such, but for the religion of Orthodoxy in its universalist understanding. Social scientific literature, by ignoring the religious thought of the Neo-Orthodox and its sources, has not properly understood this phenomenon. For, according to some Neo-Orthodox thought, Orthodoxy is not a nationalist issue but a transnational religion that incorporates people of all nationalities. It is not limited to Greeks as such. However, because Orthodoxy is Greek, all Orthodox are Greek (Roman). Here we see the importance of a civilizational understanding of identity constructed by the Neo-Orthodox. As such we are not dealing with a matter of ethnonationalism or even ethno-religious nationalism, but instead a religious culture that transcends nationalist categories. This religious culture is found in all Orthodox countries in the form of a culture of hesychasm, rooted in Orthodox monasticism. However, the degree of its public and political involvement is most strongly noticed in the case of Greece, where the Orthodox identity of the nation is under the strongest attack by the forces of Western secularization and liberalism on the one hand and the pressure of Islamic assault from the East on the other. It is my contention that the Neo-Orthodox movement of Greece, especially in its religious formulation, is an attempt by Orthodox intellectuals to construct a unique Orthodox identity separate from the West and distinct from the East as a means of answering the civilizational issues that confront the modern Orthodox peoples. In this regard, I do not understand Neo-Orthodoxy or Orthodoxy, for that matter, to be an alternative modernity, but instead a post-modern tribal sectarianism that represents a differing political vision against the West. Neo-Orthodox theologians root their political vision in the ascetic theology of the Christian East. >

 

[Badaliyyah]

I do not know Romanides well at all, but Christos Yannaras’ stuff is very good and I am happy to see it being increasingly translated into English.

The basis of a good deal of Orthodox theology in Palamas is indisputable. Neo-Palamism has dominated Russian Orthodoxy especially throughout the 20th century. This is not as true in Greece (e.g., Zizioulas does not have a significant Palamite influence and in so ways his theology is an attempt to offer a Patristic alternative to Palamas (usually these two go hand in hand, e.g., Lossky). Nonetheless one certainly sees a profound Palamite influence on Yannaras.

Yannaras’ critiques of modernity are insightful and often anticipate post-modern authors, though Yannaras pursues those topics in an entirely theological vein. As a political theologian he is outstanding, and should be read much more widely than he currently is (his work not being in English didn’t help).

The accusation of tribalism seems hard to justify. Clearly Yannaras’ East/West distinction is a little flat and at times (INCREDIBLY) unfair. Many have commented on this. But Yannaras, in looking for alternatives to modern Western thought and in attempting to revitalize and secure Orthodoxy in the Islamic world, never gives up on the idea of Truth (which would of course be none other than the Logos).

salaam.

 

[Allyson]

Interesting, given that it was Peter the Great, I think, who was the Czar of Russia that because of a desire to import Western European culture, who also made it so that Western theology was studied, and so there was a decline in traditional Orthodox thought. (I don’t know much about this topic, so any insight is welcome).
This would also seem to be political, for it was done to create a unity of culture with the West of Europe. A return to Orthodox thought, Palamas or not is as a political action certainly makes sense in this context. However, it does nothing to prove that Palamas is any less important historically.

Of course, man is a politcal animal, and what’s wrong with that?

 

[anthony022071]

Here is the complete essay.

beardocs.baylor.edu/bitstream/2104/4847/1/daniel_payne_phd.pdf