Mistrust has grown

The agreement between Greece’s leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Archbishop Ieronymos was a dead letter even before the latter acknowledged the deal was at a “dead end.”

Unfortunately, yet another opportunity for the separation of the Church of Greece and the state, which would have been of mutual benefit for both sides, has fallen by the wayside. 

Looking back, it seems that the initiative’s timing by the government – during the pre-election period – was a mistake. 

It gave the impression that the effort to separate church and state was nothing but a political transaction which caused an allergic reaction in all levels of the church’s hierarchy. Now, as Archbishop Ieronymos said, dialogue is needed.

The only problem is that it will be harder, given the mistrust that has grown.