I will briefly consider the aims and approaches the editors articulate in the first edition of SALT as they relate to issues raised in my research. My response to SALT is informed by training in cultural anthropology and cultural ecology. I am thankful for a journal and colleagues who welcome cultural anthropology and qualitative approaches. My research is focused on the Greek Orthodox Church in the United States, religious fundamentalism and pluralism. I also conduct ethnographic research on the role of the Orthodox Church and theology in sustaining rural villages in Greece.

The aims of SALT, framed in the Introduction of the first issue address social, historical, and institutional forces that hinder the development of vibrant Orthodox parishes in the United States. Specifically, the focus in SALT on ‘promoting cross-cultural theology’ with a view to overcoming nationalism, ethnocentrism, and xenophobia in the American context is key. The Greek Orthodox Church in the United States, mired by a legacy of ethnocentrism and racism, is stumbling and falling apart in the context of a pluralistic religious landscape. The cross-cultural and interfaith approach in the SALT framework could be very useful to Orthodox theologians, clergy, and laity seeking to practice their faith in a plural society. And there is ample opportunity for interfaith, cross-cultural dialogue, theological reflection, and cooperation in the United States. To date, the Orthodox dwell mostly within ethnonational enclaves and jurisdictions. Needless to say, the ethnocentric and racist ethos of the Greek Orthodox church in the USA does not conduce to outreach and missions.

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