Today's Europe

The horror of two successive world wars and desperation in the face of such total destruction has given the peoples of Europe a firm resolve to live together in a spirit of reconciliation, unity and creativity. Thus, the deadly sound of firearms and aerial bombardment has given way to the harmonious melody of a unified cultural symphony. Following the recent collapse of the totalitarian regimes, all the countries in Europe from the Ural to the Atlantic and from the North Sea to the Mediterranean can at last participate in this creative orchestration.

It is obvious that such a co-operative effort does not in any way mean the eradication of the particularity of each people but, on the contrary, for each to make a positive contribution from the wealth of its own tradition, with a view to the unchanging common goal: the securing of freedom, peace and the moral uplifting and prosperity of the peoples of the European community. We are talking about a song of deepest consolation - a message capable of bringing hope to the other parts of our troubled planet.

The spiritual experience of the Orthodox

Greece, as of 1980, the tenth member of the European Community, is like most of the European countries that belong to the late socialist "bloc" and which it appears will sooner or later become full members of the European Economic Community (EEC) - deeply impregnated by Orthodox teaching.

From the earliest apostolic times up to today, the Orthodox church had given uninterrupted realization to the one and unique truth (1) The Son and Word of God is forever among us, to save us from sin and to lead us to deification (2). This furthermore is what was foretold by the prophets, preached by the apostles and formulated in the doctrines by the fathers throughout the centuries (3). It is to this goal that every Christian sets their sights whether man or woman, who has taken responsibility for their own faith.

Whenever the Orthodox Church is referred to we mean an indissoluble unity, in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, with the triune God (4). For this reason it is completely natural that there should be fellowship in the Holy Spirit among the various Orthodox peoples, for all the differences presented by their different historical sub-structures as to ethnic origin, language, ethos, customs and outlook. This unity is a result of their common faith in the triune God and their common spiritual experience of the dramatic and overwhelming encounter of human beings with the living Lord (5) and the personal struggle to accept Him or reject Him.

Perhaps this is the reason why the Orthodox base their faith on Holy Tradition alongside Holy Scripture. By tradition we do not in any way mean to suggest a collection of dead forms and outworn customs. On the contrary, we are talking about an unshakeable certainty on the part of the faithful over the course of two millenium that anybody who consciously chooses the path of repentance, ascetic discipline and prayer, is redeemed from the curse of the law and from slavery to corruption and death (6).

This is practically tantamount to a continuous struggle to - cast off selfish inclinations, humility of thought in the face of world vanity, and an exodus from the closed ego ready for the decisive encounter with the "least of the brethren" of Christ (7).And however unthinkable such an attitude to life may seem, or even plain stupid to people at large, it is the only certain way for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to bear fruit, both in the individual human being and in society at large, and to transfigure them (8).

The position of women in the eucharistic community

Within this soteriological perspective of the church the term "sexism" or discrimination against women, which is a reproach against civilization, has never had the chance to thrive. Each and every day of the year, the Orthodox church honours the memory of holy martyrs, confessors and ascetics, men and women alike, whose lives are living proof that neither sex is excluded from the kingdom of Heaven (9). An even more eloquent expression of this truth is the silent teaching of the Orthodox icons on the walls and iconostasis of Orthodox churches, where the faithful give equal veneration to men and women saints one alongside the other (10). What is more, from the apse of the sanctuary shines forth the image of the most highly honoured human being of all, the All-holy Mother of God, Theotokos, exalted above the angelic hosts of heaven, who contained the uncontainable Son and Word of God.

This undisputed truth has not, however, found complete expression in the life of the church. The reasons for this have nothing at all to do with theology,but are a result of the survival of non-Christian convictions and of political and economic factors as wellas human weakness and sin (11).From the earliest Christian times women have been represented according to their personal inclinations and special vocations, in the liturgical, pastoral, teaching, social and missionary work of the church. In all this the scope of their activity and their degree of participation have been restricted not by any ecclesiological principles,but by the mentality and convictions prevalent in the cultural
framework surrounding them. And there is no escaping the fact that throughout the past four millenia at least, the areas where Christianity was disseminated were profoundly male dominated.

The cry of exasperation of Gregory the Theologian from the depths of the 4th century AD has a topical ring to it even today, about the unfair treatment of women by the laws of society compared to men (12). Humanity, however, moves at a very slow pace when it comes to accepting radical revolutionary ideas, and needs long periods of time to assimilate them.

Our own age, undoubtedly influenced by the presence of Christianity over two millenia, and also intensively marked by the change brought about by the industrial revolution, has woken up to the realization that the world's female population is capable of assuming many important roles in society, reinforcing, enriching and complementing the work of men (13)

This is the valuable challenge which the secular world now puts to the Orthodox communities. There are no longer, at least theoretically, any obstacles of prejudices on the part of society against equal rights for women and men in the life of the parish and diocese. This indicates that women, who always take an eager and effective part in the charitable, educational and pastoral work of the church, also have a right to a position of equality with men in the meetings where decisions are made. The signs of the times are pressing the administrative system of the Orthodox churches towards a more general review of the place of the lay element in the life of the community, and in this context the participation of women must also be given full recognition.

However, whilst waiting for the realisation of this lesser objective, Orthodox women continue with the more important task of offering their spiritual experience to the world. The charismatic female nature, sensitive to transcendent realities and revered within the Orthodox tradition of repentance,
prayer and participation in the sacraments, sings its own resurrection hymn "Christ has conquered death and joy has arisen the tomb!" In the frozen wasteland of boredom and greed and in the dark desperation of affliction of personality and the delusion of contentment, the bright light of the
resurrection dispels darkness and warns with its grace the oppressed human being.

It would not seem to be mere coincidence, then, that the Risen Lord made his first appearance to the myrrh bearing women.

I I Timothy 3.16
2 Anastasios Yiannoulatos, "In the Line of the Fathers",1931 p.11
3 cf. the synodikon of the Holy and Ecumenical 6th Council of the Orthodox faith.
4 Ion Bria, Petros Vasiliades, "Orthodox Christian Witness" Katerini, 1989, p.111
5 John 14:23
6 Galatians 3:13
7 Matthew 25:40
8 Galatians 5:22-23
9 Galatians 3:28
10 Icons. Windows on Eternity. Compiled by Gernadios Limouris,WCC, Publications, Geneva 1990. p.8
11 Ecumenical Patriarchate, Inter-Orthodox,Theological Consultation "The Place of Women in the Orthodox church and the question of the Ordination of Women". Rhodes, 1988 p.8 para. 24.
"Human sinfulness has led to practices which do not reflect the nature of the Church of Jesus Christ"
12 Gregory the Theologian, Logos 37,PG 36,289 B." I do not accept the legislation, and I do not endorse the custom.The legislators were men, and that is why the legislation is against women".
13 Dimitra Koukoura,Women in the Contemporary World and the Mission in Education. "Your Will Be Done", "Orthodoxy in Mission ", Tertios Katerini, WCC Geneva 1989, ed. G.Lemopoulos, p.193.
14 For the positive image of the secular world, cf. Olivier Clement, "Witnessing in a Secularised Society", "Your Will Be Done", Orthodoxy in Mission", Tertios Katerini, WCC Geneva 1989,pll7-135.
15 Matthew38:9-10