Faith and cultures in Orthodoxy in the West

This article by Élie Korotkoff, drawn from a lecture delivered at the Saint-Serge Institute on the occasion of the Sunday of Orthodoxy in 2001, examines the relationship between the Orthodox faith and cultures in the context of the contemporary West. Adopting a reflective and pastoral approach, the author first analyzes the cultural heritages — Jewish, Greek, Byzantine, Latin — that have shaped the expression of Orthodoxy, before questioning the Church's capacity to engage in dialogue with modern cultures, particularly those of technical mastery, hedonism, and violence. The article argues that the Orthodox faith cannot be reduced to the preservation of national particularisms, but must become incarnate in the language and culture of host societies. Its theological contribution lies in the distinction between the treasure of the faith and its contingent cultural wrappings, and in a plea for a missionary, creative, and open Orthodoxy, free from syncretism.