[B-Greek] Biblical Greek is a Living Language in the Orthodox Tradition
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Tue Feb 5 16:52:46 EST 2008
Here's another of those messages that slipped through the cracks; I
got it as a "bounce" -- it evidently didn't go properly through
incoming channels.
From: Nikolaos Adamou <nikolaos.adamou at hotmail.com>
Date: February 5, 2008 1:57:33 PM EST
To: <b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Biblical Greek is a Living Language in the Orthodox Tradition
The use of Biblical Greek in the Greek orthodox tradition, in
Byzantine chants, and original text is very much a live characteristic
among modern Greeks. I will give an example. Few years ago, the late
Archbishop of Athens Christodoulos, asked in an encyclical form, that
the Gospel will be read in modern Greek rather the original Biblical
Greek. This direction was not accepted by the people. Biblical Greek
still is a very comfortable language to church goers in the Greek
Orthodox Church.
Although, in the US we do face difficulties dealing with Biblical
Greek in the seminary, and several of its ordained graduates feel very
uncomfortable and foreign in our traditional language.
I have to confess, if I have to write something official in Greek, I
still feel more comfortable in "kathareuousa" rather than the current
language.
The fact that I do not speak to my children or my Greek Language
students in the way that the Gospel is written, or the way that I
write official documents, does not make these forms of language "dead".
The poetic tonality of the ecclesiastical Greek, particularly the book
of Psalms, the way that traditionally Apostolic and Gospel readings
are chanted in services underline this living tradition that we carry
through centuries.
To me, Biblical Greek has this living characteristic, like the
unlocked secretes of Parthenon's marbles.
This is something that those of us who live in America, we have to
pass with reference to our children and all those who were born
outside of the motherland.
Nikolaos Adamou, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Business Management
BMCC / CUNY
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