Truth as the True National Treasure: A Plea for Lutheran Solas in the Greek Soul

This is a guest post by Jordan Tsakmalis, a dear friend and one of the very few Lutherans in Greece. He gave this address at the theological conference in Thessaloniki in September, 2025. May this essay reach the ears of our Lord Jesus as a plea for the faithful confession to find root in Greece.

Dear sinners, brothers and sisters, forgiven in Christ alone, by grace alone, through the gift of faith
alone, in word and sacraments alone, assurance of extra nos salvation, welcome in Greece,
добре дошли в Гърция,
добро пожаловать в Грецию,
benvenuti in Grecia,
bine ați venit în Grecia.

Our national poet, Dionisios Solomos, a great romantic poet of world status, the one who wrote what is today our national anthem, the Ode to Liberty, used to say ”Το έθνος πρέπει να μάθει να θεωρεί εθνικόν ό,τι είναι Αληθές.” = Greeks must learn to consider as national everything which is true”.

He meant, do not do the opposite.

What is the opposite? The opposite is this: In the name of nation and nationalism, people tend to consider errors and false doctrines as true, because they seem to be more relevant to their national pride. Because these errors and false doctrines caress human egoism.

But, this is a heresy. Truth is the point around which a nation must revolve and stand.

About what is truth, he used to say ”Η αλήθεια είναι καλή Θεά, αλλά τα πάθη του ανθρώπου συχνότατα την νομίζουν εχθρή.” = Truth is a good Goddess, but the passions of man often think her an enemy.

For is, it is more than clear what truth is. It is Jesus Christ, our Lord, in word and sacraments, forgiveness of sins, freedom and joy.

Usually, people from other countries know a lot about ancient Greece, maybe even about Byzantium. But they know little or nothing about modern Greece. So, in modern Greek history there is a great movement, without which the national awakening would not have happened and the national revolution for independence of 1821 would not have been realized.

This movement is called the ”Μodern Greek Enlightenment”. The purpose of the movement was to tell the truth to the Greeks and to wake them up from their state of national and religious unconsciousness. The purpose was to remind them of who their ancestors were and to give them a vision for the future. This movement began in the early 18th century and among them were many clergymen of the Orthodox church. That movement cultivated and elevated the modern Greek language and was full of splendid images and surprising revelations. But something was missing.

The truth that was missing was Christ for you, a man and a woman in bondage of sin. Their theological teachings were free will based and synergistic, i.e. As you have to do something to earn national liberty, you also have something to do in order you gain the after life salvation.

I grew up educationally within the context of this movement. I was a protestant, a member of the Presbyterian church in Greece and Greek Protestantism was always an offspring of both, British and American evangelicalism and, at the same time, a child of that national awakening movement. It is very characteristic that Protestant groups always used the translation of the Bible made by an Orthodox priest who belonged to that movement, the translation of archimandrite Vamvas, in collaboration with the British Bible Society. For me, for Greeks to learn about Lutheran theology, is the most important truth they could ever hear and the modern Greek enlightenment never succeeded to inform them about.

For me, for my countrymen, to learn the law/gospel distinction is the truth, the greatest truth, the meaning of life, that is, that Christ is their savior, not theoretically, but directly and actively, the forgiveness, by grace, through faith, in word and sacraments, the remission of sins for each one personally.

At this moment, in Greece one can find representation of the Roman Catholic church and every known Protestant group. However, what is tragically missing is the Lutheran truth, the Lutheran word, the Lutheran emphasis. This is my dream.

Dear sinners, forgiven in Christ, brothers and sisters, one of the most important military leaders of the Greek revolution against the Ottoman Empire, Theodoros Kolokotronis, used to say: ”Ο Θεός έχει βάλει την υπογραφή του για την ελευθερία της Ελλάδας και δεν μπορεί να την πάρει πίσω” (God has put his signature for the freedom of Greece and he cannot take it back).

Please pray that what has been started in recent years here, with my anemic, pale and poor strength, will continue and sprout and bear fruit.

Thank you for your patience.
Jordan Tsakmalis