The controversy continues and is intense. It’s being discussed among friends, at family dinner tables, and especially in the… trenches of social media. At the center of it all is the stance of Church during the pandemic and now the issue of closed churches in light of the Christmas. Some spoke of it as a symbol of irresponsible conservatism, which resulted in infuriating scenes of overcrowding in front of churches and a rebellion by priests.
Some people felt that the closed churches were a source of pain; the initial measures were considered overly strict. But the debate that has been sparked will not be easily resolved. We turn to people who have strong views on church matters and the gift of expressing them with composure and empathy.
Stavros Zouboulakis: The Church will emerge battered from the crisis
A prolific writer, Stavros Zouboulakis, although he always speaks openly about his Christian faith, does not hesitate, when necessary, to criticize the behavior of the official Church. He does just that in the case of the pandemic: «I believe the Church made a mistake in the early stages of the pandemic because it was unwilling to comply with the restrictive measures. He constantly engaged in guerrilla warfare against them.
This happened in many parishes. In the second phase, I think her stance was more prudent». Speaking specifically about the Holy Communion, Mr. Zouboulakis believes that the Church could have handled this issue differently, citing as an example parishes of the Orthodox Church in America, where The faithful each receive Communion with their own separate spoon. «There is a theological possibility, a theological basis, for changing the manner in which Holy Communion is administered.”.
Bread and wine, when transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, do not become imperishable; therefore, they can transmit disease», he argues. The manner in which Holy Communion is administered, combined with the violation of safety measures in several instances, are the two reasons that, in his view, led to the distrust shown by the State toward the Church, a distrust that led to «disproportionately harsh» measures.
«The measures that were initially announced were unfair,» the thinker emphasized, comparing them to the practices of European countries such as France, where churches are operating normally, with social distancing measures in place among the faithful. Discussing the future of the Church after the pandemic ends, he predicts that it will find the Church weakened, having lost «the support of a large number of our fellow citizens, who, although not believers in the full sense of the word, were not negatively disposed toward it.».
Will this crisis bring about changes in the issues that have been at the center of the debate surrounding the Church? Mr. Zouboulakis is not very optimistic. «I don’t see any forces within the hierarchy capable of bringing about such a reevaluation.».
Chrysostomos Stamoulis: Everyone made mistakes
To this day, the Orthodox Church remains caught between two stances, which During the pandemic, he displayed mixed reactions. «On the one hand, it tried to stand by the state, and on the other, there were extreme voices within it that felt their faith was being offended,» notes the professor of theology at Aristotle University, Chrysostomos Stamoulis.
A leading theologian, Mr. Stamoulis acknowledged that this unprecedented crisis, while it took the Church by surprise, also presented it with a great opportunity. «The Church could well find itself at the forefront of modern society,» he notes, adding that, throughout its history, the Church’s goal has always been to facilitate the relationship and dialogue between God and humankind. In the event of a pandemic, this could be achieved by changing the manner in which Holy Communion is administered.
He even points out that the tongs used today in Holy Communion were first introduced in the 9th century, and this was for practical reasons. «The Church could, for pastoral reasons, within the framework of its ecclesiastical economy, proceed to in a variation of the manner in which Holy Communion is administered». In his opinion, the mistakes made during the pandemic were not solely the fault of the Church.
Mr. Stamoulis notes that there were members of the political scene as well as of society at large who turned unilaterally against the Church, while other sectors were operating with great ease. «What the Church has also called for is embarking on a path of asceticism», he admits, saying that The loss of church life took a heavy toll on the members of the church community.
«What is happening now for the faithful, the members of the church, is an exercise, an act of love. »However, this practice of love is a more important matter than the observance of religious rituals. The Church of Christ does not live by form, but aims at the truth of things.” He hopes to see this truth prevail in a new theology, which he chooses to believe will emerge for the Church in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Metropolitan Nektarios of Argolis: An Opportunity for Genuine Self-Reflection
«For someone who has no connection to the church, the closure of churches is of no concern. For the faithful, however, it is unbearable»: With these words, the Metropolitan Nektarios of Argolis The toll of closed churches during the pandemic. Society had not experienced anything like this since the time of the persecutions, and, as the Metropolitan notes, it was only natural that this would create division among the faithful. However, it did not lead to extreme reactions.
Metropolitan Nektarios does not condone extremism, nor does he agree with arguments claiming that churches function as antimicrobial enclosures or that Christians do not fall ill. On the issue of Holy Communion, he takes a different stance: «From personal experience, I can attest that I have not been infected by sick people with whom I have received Communion. On the other hand, there are also people who have their doubts and fears. I respect that.”.
»The Church should show understanding toward these people as well.". The Divine Liturgy is, as he describes it, the center of the life of the Orthodox Church, something he feels that neither those outside the church nor those in power can understand. He refers specifically to Christmas: «I recognize the danger of syncretism, but »I consider the measures to be unfair and excessive.".
The Metropolitan hopes that the post-pandemic era will heal the wounds inflicted by this crisis. The Church, too, bears the burden of these mistakes. «In some cases, both clergy and the faithful have shown insensitivity and superficiality. I would also add an inability to engage in a dialogue addressing the challenges of our time. Perhaps some of them were the cause of our fellow human beings falling ill, or even dying.”.
This whole attitude is bound to spark outrage among the broader public. It’s something we’ll have to face. I hope the pandemic gives us the opportunity to engage in genuine and honest self-criticism.».
Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia: Together, the Church and Science Can
Looking back at the period since the start of the pandemic, the Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia He acknowledges that the Church may have been taken by surprise at first, but has since gained the experience to unite rather than divide. The problem, he says, is that a large portion of the media chose to highlight the isolated voices of extremists who do not represent the official position of the Church.
«To this day, the Church has collaborated and continues to collaborate precisely because it believes that the Church and science can work together to help protect humanity. After all, there are quite a few priests who are doctors.». The Metropolitan believes that a similar collaboration between the Church and the State would be more helpful in tackling the pandemic.
«I would like a representative of the Church to be present at every opportunity for dialogue, because the Church knows best how to curb certain actions the State has attempted to take.».
Human life must be at the center of everyone’s efforts; however, as he himself points out, It is not just the body, but also the soul. For the faithful, the Metropolitan explains, their souls are strengthened through their participation in the Divine Services and the Sacraments of the Church. The Holy Eucharist, the Center of Everything. «The Holy Communion is not a means of transmitting germs, but »one way in which people are sanctified.".
The mistake the Metropolitan identifies lies in the way the Church has spoken about all of this. «It is our fault that we have not yet managed to clearly show the world what the Church’s mission is. I think that after the pandemic, we will devote ourselves much more to »How can the Church contribute to social progress, social cohesion, and people’s genuine joy?".
The concept of the Church, he states, cannot be separated from the concept of salvation. «The Church is the “body of Christ” that embraces humanity with the sole purpose of its salvation.».
