St Nectarios on Christology

St Nectarios, the much beloved saint of the 20th century, is remembered as a great example of Christian love, sacrifice and long-suffering. However, one aspect of his legacy that is often overlooked is his significant theological work. St Nectarios was a very learned man and through his writings in modern Greek, he made the Apostolic and Patristic theological traditions of Orthodox Christianity approachable to the wider public of the Greek nation.

In his extensive writings on Christology, St Nectarios examines the coming and the person of the Saviour and Messiah, Jesus Christ. Using a similar style of writing to earlier Church Fathers, St Nectarios begins with the Scriptures and draws out multiple references to Christ from throughout the Old and New Testaments.

He examines the origin of sin and death, the types of Christ in the early Old Testament and the prophecies of His coming. However, he also draws on the writings of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, to highlight that it was not only the people of Israel who were looking for the Messiah. He uses examples from various poets, philosophers and historians, who were able to foresee that the solution to the problem of sin and death would arrive in the form of a divine man, the Son of Man who would also be the Son of God. St Nectarios also expands on the revelation of Jesus as Christ and Saviour in the gospels and epistles of the New Testament and in His living presence in the tradition and worship in the Church, always relating theology with the need for a personal relationship with Christ.

Several of St Nectarios’ theological works have been recently translated into English. His collection of work on Christology has been translated and published by St Nectarios Greek Orthodox monastery in New York.

Source: December-January 2015 Lychnos Edition