On the “Meaning” of Politics - Christos Yannaras - Translated to English by Jonathan Cole

Jul 31, 2026

A concise but provocative meditation on the meaning of politics, presenting Christos Yannaras’ sustained reflection across Western and Eastern theological and civilizational traditions. The book critiques the Western Christian political tradition—its individualistic epistemology, utilitarian organization, rationalistic efficiency, and religionized Christianity and its harmful ideologies—while proposing a counterposed Greco-Christian understanding grounded in communion. Politics is framed as a contest to discover and manifest truth, orienting human life toward harmony with the universe’s ordered beauty.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages94

Reading Time3 h 57 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Introduction

Reverence and justice

Necessity and freedom

Forms of organized coexistence

Cohesion through coercion

Leitourgima’s degeneration into office

Ratio dethrones authority

The desire for “salvation” dethrones ratio

Ecclesia and religion: incompatible modes of existence

When truth becomes the priority

Politics: contest or art?

Shared need as shared truth

The pre-political character of freedom

The alignment of the ecclesia of the demos and the ecclesia of the believers

The exercise of authority as responsible service

The common roots of democracy, community, and the parish

The political consequences of the Ecclesia’s religionization

Religious totalitarianism

Ideology: the alienation of truth into accuracy

Societas: the alienation of communion into partnership

Religious “salvation” and political individualism

Materialistic and idealistic utilitarianism

The Ecclesia is the aim of politics

Augustine is Europe

Political forms of religious individualism

The Ecclesia’s alienation in confessionalism

A Trinitarian archetype of politics

Comprehension is not knowledge

Bibliography

Index

On the “Meaning” of Politics This book offers a concise, yet provocative, summation of Christos Yannaras’long reflection on the meaning of politics. It provides vital clarification on Yannaras’ conception and understanding of politics and his interpretation of its historical development in the Western and Eastern theological/ civilizational traditions. The book critiques the Western (Christian) tradition of political thought and praxis, namely its individualistic epistemology, its utilitarian political organization, its obsession with rationalistic efficiency, and its religionized Christianity with all the destructive ideologies flowing therefrom. It aims to recover and counterpose a Greco-Christian conception and practice of politics based on communion, the ecclesia, truth as a collective and common contest or struggle to discover, reveal and manifest cosmic reality and an ontological vision of humans living in harmony with the ornamental order of the universe. With a foreword by Rowan Williams, this is a highly original and significant meditation on the meaning of politics that will be of interest to both political theologians and political philosophers. Christos Yannaras is Professor Emeritus at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences in Athens, Greece. Jonathan Cole is Assistant Director of the Centre for Religion, Ethics and Society at Charles Sturt University in Canberra, Australia. Transforming Political Theologies Series Editors: Judith Gruber, Vincent Lloyd and David True Titles in the series include Witnessing Peace Becoming Agents Under Duress in Colombia Janna L. Hunter-Bowman On the “Meaning” of Politics Christos Yannaras Translated to English by Jonathan Cole For more information about this series, [please visit: www.routledge.com/Transforming](please visit: www.routledge.com/Transforming)Political-Theologies/book-series/TRPT On the “Meaning” of Politics Christos Yannaras Translated to English by Jonathan Cole First published 2024 by Routledge 4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RNand by Routledge 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2024 Christos Yannaras, translated to English by Jonathan Cole The right of Christos Yannaras and Jonathan Cole to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978-1-032-49314-5 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-032-53207-3 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-003-41086-7 (ebk) DOI: 10.4324/9781003410867 Typeset in Times New Roman by Apex CoVantage, LLC Contents Foreword vii Translator’s note ix Translator’s acknowledgements x Introduction 1 1 Reverence and justice 13 2 Necessity and freedom 15 3 Forms of organized coexistence 17 4 Cohesion through coercion 19 5 Leitourgima’s degeneration into office 21 6 Ratio dethrones authority 23 7 The desire for “salvation” dethrones ratio 25 8 Ecclesia and religion: incompatible modes of existence 26 9 When truth becomes the priority 28 10 Politics: contest or art? 32 11 Shared need as shared truth 35 vi Contents 12 The pre-political character of freedom 38 13 The alignment of the ecclesia of the demos and the ecclesia of the believers 40 14 The exercise of authority as respo

FAQs

What does the book argue about the Western Christian tradition of politics?

It critiques Western Christian political thought and praxis for relying on individualistic ways of knowing, utilitarian organization, rationalistic efficiency, and religionized Christianity that generates destructive ideologies.

What positive political vision does the book propose in contrast to the Western model?

It calls for recovering a Greco-Christian conception of politics rooted in communion—through the ecclesia and a shared, collective struggle to discover, reveal, and manifest truth and a cosmic-ontological vision of human harmony with the universe’s order.

How does the book define politics in relation to truth and knowing?

Politics is presented as essentially connected to true knowing, distinct from accumulating accurate information, and oriented toward living in alignment with reality and toward eternal life.

Jul 31, 2026

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