LE SYMPOSIUM INTERNATIONAL LE LIVRE. LA ROUMANIE. L ...

392 VIcTOR GODEAnU
the school curriculum, the first teachers/professors and scientists being
very often clergymen. Moreover, most of the books were printed in presses
located in monasteries, under the supervision of Church representatives.
therefore, the context made that the new fused to the old tradition. on
the long run, the outcome was a new type of scientific discourse – rather
philosophical and introspective, than strictly pragmatic – that will be the
hallmark of most eastern scientists for long time, up to this day.
the key to understanding the attitude of the 18 th century orthodox
Church toward the new science has multiple sources, related to its complex
theological tradition, its position within the ottoman empire’s general policy,
and not least to the nationalistic projections of its leaders. the educational
policy of the ecumenical patriarchate – representing the orthodox Church
leadership – adopted western science as a booster of national consciousness
among the Greek people. the prevalent and nevertheless legitimate policy
of the patriarchate concerning that matter was that, ultimately, all the new
science developed from the ancient Greek knowledge.
the consequent fusion between culture, tradition and rational thought
that took place is a proof that historical evolution is not a simple straightline
scheme but a complex, dynamic and often unpredictable process.
today, at the beginning of the second decade of the third millennium,
the cultural and civil compatibility between different areas of our continent
is an important issue on the global political arena. nevertheless, the
dedicated research to the european history of ideas reveals that, except
the much-troubled second half of the 20 th century, our continent was never
regarded by contemporaries other than a global, single entity, nevertheless
heterogeneous.
Historical background of Chrysanthos Notaras’ life and activity
the extremely thoughtful measure of using the ecumenical patriarch
as unique authority over all Christians in the empire, taken by the sultan
Muhammad II, and the later political symbiosis with the Phanariotes, gave
the ottoman empire the opportunity to have access to, and a substantial
degree of control, over the interior policies of the vassal countries like
Walachia and Moldavia. After the 1453 turkish conquest of the Balkan
peninsula up to the Danube, the heads of local Churches being traditionally
ordained and appointed by the patriarch and their role being to complement
in their turn with the Church’ blessing the authority of the secular local
ruler, immediately and naturally the ecumenical authority entered the
political playground.