Christos Yannaras

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ

Christos Yannaras (Athens, April 10, 1935 – Kythira, August 24, 2024) was one of the most significant and influential figures of Greek intellectual life in the 20th and 21st centuries. A professor of philosophy, theologian, thinker, and author with a multifaceted body of work, Yannaras succeeded in bridging the gap between Orthodox theology and philosophy, offering new readings of tradition through the lens of existential thought and cultural critique.

Biography

Early Life and Studies

He was born in Athens on April 10, 1935. He grew up in an intellectually stimulating environment and showed an early interest in theology and philosophy. He studied Theology at the University of Athens and later pursued advanced studies in Philosophy and Theology in Bonn and Paris. He earned his PhD in Philosophy from the Sorbonne, having already completed a doctoral dissertation in Theology in Greece.

Academic Career

Christos Yannaras was a Professor of Philosophy at Panteion University. He also taught at universities abroad, including in Paris and Geneva, and was a guest professor at various European institutions. His academic work emphasized the relationship between philosophy and theology, as well as the importance of Greek patristic thought as a form of existential philosophy.

Philosophical and Theological Thought

Yannaras' thinking was deeply influenced by the Orthodox tradition, existentialist philosophy (especially Martin Heidegger and Gabriel Marcel), phenomenology, and the dialogue between East and West. A central axis of his work is the concept of the person, not as individuality but as relation—as a "mode of existence." This conception, inspired by the theology of the Cappadocian Fathers, stands in contrast to the modern Western individualism.

His understanding of Orthodoxy was deeply existential and eschatological, marked by a critical stance towards both institutional church structures and Western modernist theological discourse. He also critiqued modern Greek culture, believing it had been severed from its roots—namely the Roman/Orthodox cultural continuity.

Public Presence and Political Discourse

For decades, Christos Yannaras maintained a prominent presence in Greek public discourse, especially through his columns in the newspaper Kathimerini. His writings were reflective, deeply concerned, and often fiercely critical of political institutions and cultural frameworks. His interventions were particularly vital during periods of crisis, such as the post-2010 financial collapse, when he strongly criticized the political elites and the consumerist orientation of Greek society.

Final Years and Death

In his final years, he divided his time between Athens and the island of Kythira, where he passed away on August 24, 2024, at the age of 89. Although he had retired from teaching, he continued writing and engaging in public debate until the end of his life.

Legacy and Influence

Christos Yannaras' contribution to Greek and Orthodox thought is immense. He was one of the few contemporary thinkers to successfully translate theological tradition into philosophical and cultural reflection with global resonance. His work provokes, inspires, polarizes—but above all, compels reflection. For many, he was the most important Greek philosopher of late modernity.

Works of Christos Yannaras (continuation of English translation):

Among Christos Yannaras’ most important books are the following:

The Freedom of Morality, 1970 (in English: 1984)

The Person and Eros, 1976 (in English: 2007)

Elements of Faith: An Introduction to Orthodox Theology, 1986 (in English: 1991)

Orthodoxy and the West: Hellenic Self-Identity in the Modern Age, 1992 (in English: 2006)

The Enigma of Evil, 1992 (in English: 2012)

Postmodern Metaphysics, 1993

Religion Without God, 1994

The Inhumanism of Globalization, 2001

The Meaning of Reality, 2004

Against Religion: The Alienation of the Ecclesial Event, 2004 (in English: 2013)

Chora Tis Sfalis ("Land of Error"), 2013

To Koinon Anoigma ("The Common Opening"), 2020

Metamorphosis of the Hellenic, 2022

He has also published books on philosophy, literature, language, and Greek political life, such as:

Eisagogi sti Filosofia (“Introduction to Philosophy”)

Neoelliniki Phronisi (“Modern Greek Mentality”)

I Glossa tis Religion (“The Language of Religion”)

I Katalysi tou Prosopou (“The Dissolution of the Person”)

I Ekklisia sto Politiko Mesaiouna (“The Church in the Political Middle Ages”)

Ellinismos kai Ellines (“Hellenism and Greeks”)

Poli kai Politeia (“City and State”)

Ta Kokkina Grammata (“The Red Letters”)

Yannaras has also written articles in newspapers and magazines for decades. His most frequent public intervention has been through his weekly column in the Sunday edition of Kathimerini, one of the most widely read newspapers in Greece. He has also participated in international conferences and delivered lectures in many countries, including France, Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia.

His thought has influenced modern Orthodox theology and Greek intellectual life. He often emphasizes the existential dimension of theology, the difference between person and individual, and the necessity for the Church to be distinguished from religion as ideology or institutional power. His writing style is dense and philosophical, frequently drawing from patristic sources, phenomenology, and existentialism.