Aristomenis Papadimitriou

Education

A.B. - The Florida State University

Biography

Aristomenis “Menios” Papadimitriou is a historian of religion specializing in the area of modern Christianity, with a focus on the Orthodox Christian tradition. 

At the heart of his work is the exploration of the convergence of religion with the poetics and politics of modernity and liberal democracy. His current research seeks to understand the intellectual, theological, and cultural currents driving the history of the Orthodox Christian Church on the American continent. He is particularly interested in the impact that enlightenment thought, colonization, and the formation of modern nation-states had on its diasporic landscape. Additionally, he is interested in the intellectual and political genealogies of movements and shifting boundaries in the eastern Mediterranean basin. His current working papers include, “Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith: The Sovereign Function of Religion in the Greek Diaspora” and “Ad Orientium: The Eastern Question and the Making of Modern Greek Religion.”

He is also dedicated to collecting, preserving, and making accessible primary sources and ephemera that reflect the history of Orthodox Christianity America. As Director of Archives and Research for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, he oversees the world’s leading repository and research center for the historical study of Orthodox Christianity in America and its global impact. In this capacity, he has prioritized broadening the department’s collections and programming with an emphasis on locating diverse and of historically underrepresented voices. He has contributed to and curated a wide range of exhibitions, including, The Greek Revolution (1821-1829) Through American Eyes; Legacy, Renewal & Unity:100 Years of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; Athenagoras, Archbishop of America and Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, 1931-1972.