The Saviors of God

Presentation

The author first presents a prologue. Given the sacred tone of the book, which strives to go beyond philosophy and metaphysics, this introduction is better understood as an admonition. The first words summarize the undercurrent of The Saviors of God: "We came from an abyss of darkness; we end in an abyss of darkness: the interval of light between one and another we name life."

Kazantzakis thought that there are two streams in life: the first one runs toward ascesis, synthesis, life and immortality, while the second one runs towards dissolution, matter, death. However, both streams are part of the universe, and being so, sacred. One of Kazantzakis' main concerns was what force drives the uncreated to the created. As opposition seems to be intrinsic to life and infinite, human beings should strive to ascend to a harmonic view of these oppositions, to be a guide for thought and action.

He borrowed ideas from Nietzsche, Bergson, Buddha, and Marx.

Significance

According to Kimon Friar, the English translator of many of Kazantzakis' writings, The Saviors of God occupies a central role in the work of the Greek author. In the second part of his lengthy introduction to The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel, Friar notes:

References

Notes

• Kazantzakis, Nikos. The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel. Trans. Kimon Friar. New York: Clarion / Simon and Schuster, 1958.
• Kazantzakis, Nikos. The Saviors of God. Spiritual Exercises. Trans. Kimon Friar. New York: Touchstone / Simon and Schuster, 1960.

References

1. "The Saviors of God: Spiritual Exercises by Kazantzakis, Nikos; Friar, Kimon (tr.) {{!}} Census of Modern Greek Literature".
2. "NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS MUSEUM FOUNDATION".
3. (2017-02-13). "Summary of Kazantzakis’: The Saviors of God: Spiritual Exercises". Reason and Meaning.
4. (1960-06-26). "A Writer's Private Credo; THE SAVIORS OF GOD: Spiritual Exercises. By Nikos Kazantzakis. Translated from the Greek, with an introduction by Kimon Friar. 143 pp. New York: Simon & Schuster. $4.50. Private Credo (Published 1960)".
5. ''The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel'', 1958, pp. xii-xiii. Following this passage is a synthetic yet thorough rendering of Kazantzakis' philosophy as expressed in ''The Saviors of God''.