The passing of seminal philosopher/theologian Christos Yannaras last month constitutes a great loss for Hellenism. Through his books and columns, readers learned about terms like ‘personal otherness’, ‘manic love’, etc. He challenged them to view Hellenism as an ecumenical proposal, to distinguish the Orthodox faith from the religious pietism of the West or the oppressive theocracy of the East, to seek out the reasons why the Parthenon is far more important than other global monuments like the Eiffel Tower.

The late professor often wrote about the Hellenic Diaspora. Among his beloved quotes was a characteristic passage from Nobel laureate Odysseas Elytis’ book ‘The Public and Private’: “if only people could reckon the importance of nations… by how much nobility they produce, even under the harshest and most unfavorable conditions, like our nation during the years of Turkish occupation, when the simplest knit shirt, the shabbiest boat, the most humble chapel, the icon-screen, the pot, the blanket… all these things gave off an air of nobility just above that of the Bourbons. What halted these movements that became worthy enough to develop into communities?”

Yannaras appears to have seen the virtues that Elytis mentions in the Greek Communities of the Diaspora, sometimes hailing their efforts and achievements, and sometimes criticizing them for their failures and entrenchment behind a provincial folklorism that dulls Hellenism’s ecumenical cosmopolitanism.

His passing should serve as an opportunity for us to consider the direction in which the Diaspora is headed. Following the failure of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad, the Greek state never again seriously focused on the systematic organization of Diaspora Greeks into a collective global body. Perhaps rightly so, inasmuch as the hucksterism that prevails in the Greek state would inevitably be transferred over to Diaspora institutions. Of course, in recent decades, the Hellenic Diaspora has become a microcosm of Greece proper, and when Athens sneezes, all Hellenism catches a cold…

Despite the impressive individual achievements of many Greeks abroad in their particular sectors, the organized Greek Diaspora seems to be steadily in decline, resulting in the dissolution of many associations, the fragmentation of local communities, the emptying of churches, the closing of Greek schools, the loss of the Greek language, the distortion of the Greek culture, etc.

The situation is particularly concerning in the Greek-American Community. Greek education is in crisis, although this doesn’t seem to concern institutional bodies, nor have any serious solutions to remedy this situation ever been examined. Organizationally, most institutions have retained the same design they had over a century ago, when the first wave of mass migration to the country necessitated their formation. The need to modernize or at least make organizational corrections doesn’t appear to be a priority. Indicatively, the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York – the organizational body responsible for the Greek Parade – has been unable to hold proper elections since the pandemic! Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of America appears to be in a permanent tailspin, with the Archbishop’s controversial decisions far overshadowing any constructive initiatives or essential reforms.

Considering the financial wherewithal of the Greek-American Community, its collective goals and institutions present an unbecoming paucity. The recent $400 million gift to Columbia University by prominent Greek-American P. Roy Vaggelos is a case in point. The fact that not even a fraction of his vast wealth seems to have been available to earmark to a Greek school or similar community institution is striking. Sadly, the Community has seen this scenario again and again with many of its magnates – who apparently don’t see Greek letters as being worth the investment. In any event, the disappointment is not lot just limited to major donors, but the entire organized Hellenic Community, which hasn’t managed to convey the significance of the legacy that it has been called to preserve.

There is no magical solution. Modern Greece is itself being devoured by a political system that insists on constraining society’s creative forces out of fear of relinquishing privileges and control…even if this goes against the best interests of the nation.

If Hellenism is to continue its historical path outside the narrow borders of the Greek state, it must rediscover the defining qualities of the Greek Community that allowed it to establish itself across the four corners of the globe and stand out. It must once again discover its singularity so that it may have something of value to offer; to enable it to love and be loved by its members and society at large.

Its members must once again discover the singularity of the treasures that each local Greek Community is handling (language, institutions, community of relations, etc.), which will draw the attention of not only its wealthiest members, but will unite everyone in a collective effort for the sake of our common future.

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