By George Koumoulllis, Economist and social scientist
Greek Cypriots rank among the most religious people in the European Union. According to the World Values Survey, 90% of Greek Cypriots express belief in God, while 81% consider religion an important part of their lives. On the survey's ten-point scale, where 1 means "God is not at all important in my life" and 10 means "God is very important in my life," Cypriots score higher than almost every other European country, at 8.6, placing second only to Romania at 8.9. It is worth noting that countries where corruption is comparatively limited, such as Finland and Sweden, score 3.4 and 3.6 respectively.
This high score should not come as a surprise. Cypriot schools encourage the confession of children as young as ten years old, and collective church attendance is standard practice, with a small chapel present in the courtyard of virtually every secondary school. In short, Christian morality is actively cultivated, primarily through the Orthodox Church, which remains one of the central pillars of Cypriot society, exerting significant influence over the daily lives, values and culture of Greek Cypriots.
The paradox that emerges in Cyprus, in the relationship between corruption and religiosity, may well be a global phenomenon. How is it that Christian morality is so easily trampled by the very people who present themselves as its guardians? How is it that in a country so deeply religious, corruption has penetrated so deeply, becoming institutionalised and touching governance, the judiciary, healthcare and even the Church itself? How is it that the devout manage to ignore a Scripture which consistently condemns dishonest gain, greed and injustice, placing integrity and righteousness at the heart of a God-fearing life? The Bible explicitly forbids bribery, for it "blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous" (Deuteronomy 16:19; Exodus 23:8). It identifies "the love of money" as "the root of all kinds of evil," leading people away from the faith (1 Timothy 6:10). How did none of this register with Cyprus's self-proclaimed devout Christians?
Church leaders are not spared the critique either. Jesus condemned the religious leaders of his day for focusing on outward appearances while being inwardly "full of greed and self-indulgence" (Matthew 23:25). Were Jesus to visit Cyprus today and learn of the secret dealings involving fraudster Jho Low and the former Archbishop, the alleged "miracles" at the Avvakoum Monastery and other scandals, he would level exactly the same charge at Cyprus's church leadership, and would do so with a sense of déjà vu.
The fact is that Christian morality has failed to achieve its expected role as an instrument of ethical formation for Cypriots. Many people claim to be Christian yet have nothing to show for it in terms of moral integrity. What might be called "existing Christianity," meaning the social and practical application of the faith as opposed to the theoretical framework set out in the Gospels and in theology, has failed to prevent entanglement and corruption. One reason Christianity has not succeeded in reducing corruption is that, while its principles oppose it, its hierarchies and institutions often operate within human systems defined by self-interest, materialism and a lack of accountability, and those systems consistently override the moral teaching. The role of the Church is to function as the body of Christ on earth, dedicated to worship, to the strengthening of the faithful through community and teaching, to proclaiming the gospel of salvation and to serving the community with compassion. And yet the impression the Church of Cyprus frequently gives is that its objective is profit maximisation, as though it were a corporation. Its involvement in the golden passport scheme and the practice of touring sacred relics from church to church for financial gain, to say nothing of its position as one of the largest investors in the tourism sector, speak for themselves. In short, Christian ethics are pushed to the background as the Church is seduced by a culture of materialism that places money above moral standards.
The problem of corruption is compounded by a lack of accountability within the Church itself. The faithful have no meaningful ability to scrutinise their leaders, with the result that corruption within the institution remains unseen or unaddressed.
Another explanation lies in human nature. At the core of the problem is the inherent self-centredness of the human heart, with corruption representing what might be called a "loyalty problem," in which individuals consistently choose personal gain over biblical obligation.
A further explanation is that the religious can misuse the concepts of grace or divine blessing to rationalise their guilt, believing they will ultimately be forgiven for their sins regardless of what those sins are.