~ Orthodox Theological Digital Library I.M.D. ~

Synoro, Issue30, (1964), 128 pages.

             The 1^st essay of the volume, by Tassos Zannis, is dedicated to the nine biblical odes- entire hymns or solemn prayers of high lyric elation and divine inspiration.

             The 2^nd essay comes from Stergios Vitti and concerns the continuous fight of the Swedish writer Pär Lagerskvist with himself and the permanent and ceaseless search of God.

             The 3^rd essay of the Orthodox theologian Vladimir Lossky refers to the relation of man and Church beginning from the interpretation of the notion of catholicity, essential quality that it is attributed from the beginning to the Church and through it, to the exploration of the significance of the person.

             In the 4^th essay, Nikos Zias attempts an assessment of the great Byzantine Exhibition of Zappeion focusing, besides the artistic, on the spiritual or theological message of the exhibition as well.

             In the next text of S.T. Eliot, translated by Eleni Tsigkris, the mental and sentimental ways of approach of Christianity are presented, as well as the need of spiritual development of people in the near future, with the simultaneous attempt to define the latter, the projection of family as its fundamental means and the underline of its agreement with nature.

             In the section that follows, Sotos Chondropoulos presents his short story “Up in the Village”. Then, the short story by Keti Chiotellis “Pleasant environment” is published. The section is completed with the text of Chr. Yannaras “Niphonas Kelliotis, anonymous hagiographer” and the “Diary of a priest of the village” by George Bernanos, translated by Eleutherios Mainas.

             In the section “Poetry” the poems “Prayer” and “Greek Summer” by Angelos Parthenis are presented, as well as the poems “Genesis”, “the bird”, “complaint”, “words of shepherds” by Tasos Romanos, and the poem “the caravan” by Matthew Mountes. The section is completed with “I loved you so much my friend…” by Andreas Aggelakis.

             The permanent informative column “Comments” emphasizes the feeble presence of Theology in the spiritual life of Greece and the efforts made for discipleship in the particular formulations that the living word of Theology found in Tradition, through the pages of the journal Synoro.

Synoro, Orthodoxy and Marxism, issue 31, (1964), 88 pages.

This issue of Synoroapproaches the topic of Orthodoxy and Marxism by publishing 4 essays related to it. D. Kourtesis starting with the acceptance of the relation of the faith with the economic activity of people concludes that there were periods in the history of the Church when this extremely important relation was underestimated.  The undervaluation of the material hypostasis of the person began to be reversed as Marxism came to remind the Christians that the person has also a material hypostasis. Christianity without accepting enemies seeks the positive elements in every phenomenon. The publications of this issue have to be seen in this perspective.

Prof. (at AUTH at the time) S. Agouridis writes the first study titled “Marxist anthropology from a Christian viewpoint”. In this study he traces the roots of Marxist anthropology that identify the person with history - more than in Hengel- between the opinions ofFeuerbach and Stirner. He observes the Marxist ideas on the prospect of man progressing through history via socio-economic changes and heading from need to freedom while maintaining his particularity towards collective benefit in the context of a Socialist society. This Marxist eschatological anthropology has impressive resemblances but also differences with Christianity which the writer mentions in his text.

             In the second study titled “Marxist history and sacramental history”,Jean Daniélou examines the common to Christianity and Marxism view of the world as history and also its aim as the attainment of freedom. The latter is differentiated in Christianity as it comes through theosis, which is achieved with the sacramental life of the Church, while in Marxism is achieved through freedom from economic bondage and capitalistic estrangement.

             Thirdly, the significant study ofS. Bulgakoff “Orthodoxy and economic life”, is offered to us. Here the characteristics of the Orthodox economic man are presented through an exploration of the economic characteristics of Christianity and Orthodoxy.

             The issue closes with the essay of Keti Chiotelli “The Church and the earthly”, where the petitions, with which the church requests the divine support to cover the human needs, are presented.

              In the issue there is also the study of St. Vitti “The stragle with doubt in Father Lagerkvist”, in which the writer examines the self as cause of the writer’s weakness to meet God, and Helen Karita’s narrative “To Trisai”. Additionally a “Taxidiotiko” on Sinai having “desert” as its subtitle by Chr. Yannaras is also published, as well as two short stories of Helen Dambounelli with the titles “The neighbour and the date of death” and five poems by El. Maina from the collection “The Hermit”. 

             The issue closes with the permanent informative column “Epikera”, with reports on the problem of Cyprus at that period, a book-review on “Astheneis kai odoiporoi” of G. Theotokas and letters of readers.

Synoro, The Orthodox thought on modern art, Issue 31, (1964), 88 pages.

 This issue of Synoro dedicates its 4 studies to the examination of the importance and the possibilities of contemporary art in the light of Orthodox tradition. The issue opens with the text of Kostis Gartzou “Contemporary architecture and Orthodoxy” in which there are reflections on contemporary architecture of temples. Gartzos after referring to the historical development of the Christian temple, which achieved to express the worshipping function of the building through the exploitation of materials and techniques of the various historical periods, he criticizes the uncritical use of new materials that replaced the old ones and which, having different possibilities and aesthetics, create buildings which are inelegant and irrelevant to their theological identity. The writer’s opinion is that the study of new materials, their possibilities and right use can attribute new forms in temple building in the context of the live worshipping orthodox tradition.

            Paul Evdokimov is the writer of the second study under the title “Contemporary art or the stultification of wisdom” which refers to the progressive dis-sanctification of ecclesiastic but also secular iconographic art in the West, initially after the 13^th century. It also refers to the weakness of its creative development in the East where the mimicry and imitation of older icons failed to connect contemporary art and its demands with the sacred.

             The third essay of the issue with the title “Modern art in the liturgical space” is signed by Chr. Yannaras who distinguishes the “religious” art of Christian West from the “theological” art of the East. The writer recognising the modern art of the West as an effort of resistance against religious conformism points out its weakness to escape from the personal field and adhere in the ecclesiastic one. He proposes adherence to the Byzantine tradition until contemporary modern art kneads with the ecclesiastic experience and attributes acceptable results.

             Nikos Zias in the “Diagram of terminology of modern art” that follows attempts mostly a concise informative report that is also critical of the most important currents of the so-called modern art (impressionism, expressionism etc).

             In the issue are also published: the narratives “Fairy tale of ’64” by D. Konstantinos - Christodoulou, the Christmas narrative “Kai egeneto espera kai egeneto proi…”by Heinriech Böll in translation of Tasos Romanos and “The house” of A. Kostakou - Arvaniti. Keti Chiotelli in the next pages dedicated in poetry translates Christmas hymns in Modern Greek while poems of Andreas Aggelakis and Nikos D. Triantafillopoulos are published, as well as four poems of P.V. Paschos.

In the permanent informative column “Epikera” (pp. 268-277) criticism is practised on the absence of theological speech by the ecclesiastic men of the time (members of the Holy Synod). There are presentations of new publications and critique of selected theatrical performances.