Greece
The ancient culture and traditions of Greece are possibly the best known in the world. Ancient Greek society provided literary as well as governmental bases that laid the groundwork for modern Western civilization. Greece’s landscape is a testament to its contrasting pagan and Christian past. Ancient structures pay homage to the Greek gods and goddesses of the elaborate mythology of the Greek city-states. Christianity made its appearance through the missionary journeys of Paul.
During years of domination by the Ottoman Empire over Greece, the Greek Orthodox Church worked to keep the Greek language and culture alive and encourage independence. When independence was finally won, the church maintained its political influence, receiving support from the Greek government, and shaping it in turn. The church survived through Nazi, fascist, and communist dominion as well, emerging stronger than ever. The Greek Orthodox Church became the main source of cultural identity for the people.
Though Orthodox Greeks make up a vast majority of the population, the country also contains a significant number of Greek Muslims. Most of these Muslims live in the mountain areas of Greece, separated from the rest of the culture, and split into three major ethnic groups: Turks, Pomaks, and Roma Gypsies. All of these ethnicities retain their own cultural traditions and languages, which have been strongly influenced by Islam.
Though the Greek Orthodox Church has a strong cultural hold on the people, most still do not realize the importance of making Christ their Lord and Savior through a personal relationship with Him. The Orthodox Church encourages devotion to the church over a personal relationship with Christ.
Despite this strong cultural hold by the Greek Orthodox Church, many evangelical ministries have continued to grow throughout the country. These ministries have been able to break the bonds of cultural Christianity by introducing people to a personal Savior that desires to relate to them directly.
If you would like to be a part of helping the peoples of Greece learn what it means to get to know Christ in a personal way, please contact us at hope4cee@pobox.com.