"Today the western countries are thought to be cultured, enlightened, because in this area science was cultivated as well as technology. No one can doubt this, but the problem remains, however, to what extent science and technology constitute a complete civilization. When several external features based simply and exclusively in logic are cultivated and other aspects of the personality of man are ignored, this cannot be called civilization.
During the Renaissance period in the West, ancient Greek philosophy was studied, many centers were created for the study of the problems which the ancient Greek philosophers posited. But when Hellenism is isolated from the Orthodox Tradition, when it ceases to be Romanity (Romaiosyne), then it is retrogressive and incapable of solving the existential problems of man.
Consequently, the contemporary European is spiritually and existentially crippled. He has a developed scientific thought, he is distinguished by his technical infrastructure, he has rules of behavior and good conduct, but he cannot solve his ontological and existential problems. Contemporary western civilization is one-dimensional. For this reason, we can say that there reigns a particular form of neo-barbarism in the West.
The West today has need of the Roman tradition which solves all of the problems of man. We must not go to Europe as their poor relatives with an inferiority complex, but as spiritual nobles, since we have the spiritual nobility of humanity, all of the best elements of authentic humanism.
- Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos of Nafpaktos (Born and Bred Romans)
(My translation)
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