“Our individual greed is destroying our planet“
The Ecumenical Patriarch and Archbishop of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, regards the ecological crisis not only as a sin against God and creation but also against one’s neighbour – and, above all, against future generations. An exclusive interview with the “Green Patriarch” on the Feast of Saint Andrew.
By Markus A. Langer
Your All Holiness, what were your first experiences of nature as a young boy?
Patriarch Bartholomew: Our appreciation for the natural environment is directly related to the sacramental dimension of life and the natural beauty of the world. As a young boy, accompanying the priest of the local village to services in remote hillside chapels on our native island of Imvros, we connected the beauty of the mountainside to the splendor of the liturgy from an early age.
The natural environment provides us with a broader, panoramic vision of the world. However, through the spiritual dimension, we can better appreciate the broader aspects of such global problems as the threat to ocean fisheries, the disappearance of wetlands, the damage to coral reefs, or the destruction of animal and plant life.
When and how did your involvement with the environment begin?
Patriarch Bartholomew: Our first involvement with environmental issues and initiatives was through serving our predecessor, the venerable Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios, under whose inspired leadership, in 1989, September 1st was established as a day of prayer for the protection of the natural environment.
Therefore, upon our election as Ecumenical Patriarch in October 1991, we intensified these efforts and added a further ecumenical dimension to them, convinced that any efficient response would surely have to be more comprehensive and inclusive. So we began to organize symposia, seminars and summits on an international, interfaith and inter-disciplinary level, beginning as early as 1992, just months after our installation.
Why is the protection of the natural environment a fundamental religious obligation?
Patriarch Bartholomew: Our perspective of the natural environment derives from the fundamental belief that the world was created by a loving God. In the opening book of the Hebrew Scriptures, we read that “God saw everything that was created and, indeed, it was very good.” (Gen. 1.31) This world was granted by God to humanity as a gift, with the command to “serve and preserve the earth.” (Gen. 2.15)
This is why the ecological crisis is not primarily a financial or political problem; it is a profoundly spiritual and religious issue. However, we must discern the connection between spiritual commitment and moral ecological practice. And this places a great responsibility on churches and religious leaders.
What are the historical roots of our ecologic crisis, can they be found in Christian theology?
Patriarch Bartholomew: Insofar as human-induced, as we have already observed, the ecological crisis is a profoundly moral and spiritual problem. To persist in the current path of ecological destruction is not only folly. It is no less than suicidal, jeopardizing the diversity of the very earth that we inhabit, enjoy and share. This is why we have repeatedly described this phenomenon as a sin against God and creation.
Thus, we believe that the roots of this crisis are human. The rupture of the proper relationship between humanity and nature is due to the rise of individualism in our culture. The pursuit of limitless individual pleasure has been made into an ideal in our time. This means that ecological sin is due to human greed, which blinds men and women to the point of ignoring and disregarding the basic truth that the happiness of one individual depends on his or her relationship with the rest of humanity. There is a social dimension in ecology, which is equally crucial here. The ecological crisis goes hand in hand with the spread of social injustice.
Is the ecological problem an economic and political problem or anything else?
Patriarch Bartholomew: Orthodox theology takes the radical step of recognizing that the natural creation is inseparable from the identity and destiny of humanity; every human action leaves a lasting imprint on the body of the earth. Moreover, human attitudes and behavior toward creation have a direct impact on human attitudes and behavior toward other people. Ecology is thus inevitably related to economy, while all ecological activity is ultimately measured and judged by its effect upon the poor. This is what our Lord taught us in Matthew 25.
Is there anything in Orthodox spirituality that can help us in changing our attitude in relation to the environment?
Patriarch Bartholomew: The breadth and depth of the Orthodox cosmic vision implies that humanity is a part of a vision or theophany, which is always greater than any single individual. In this perspective, the natural environment ceases to be something that we observe objectively or exploit selfishly, and becomes a part of what St. Maximus the Confessor in the 7th century called “a cosmic liturgy” – a celebration of the profound interconnection and essential interdependence of all things.
This is why we have repeatedly emphasized the two fundamental principles promoted in the Orthodox classics of spirituality: “thanksgiving” (namely, the privilege and quality of human beings to receive all of God’s gifts with gratitude and glory to their Creator) and “ascesis” (namely, the ability and responsibility of human beings to place a limitation or restraint on their use of God’s gifts and the earth’s natural resources).
What is the relationship between international economy and global ecology?
Patriarch Bartholomew: The global crisis in economy calls for what, on the basis of the principles of “thanksgiving” and “ascesis,” we may describe as an ecological asceticism. All the great figures of the Christian monastic tradition were sensitive towards the suffering of creatures. This is not superficial romanticism; it springs from a compassion and conviction that between the natural world and ourselves there is an organic unity because we have a common Creator and share a common fate.
This principle of ecological asceticism can and must be adopted if our planet is to survive. Restraint in the consumption of natural resources is a realistic attitude and ways must be found to put a limit to the immense waste of natural materials. Technology and science must devote their efforts to such a task.
What is your vision of the future world?
Patriarch Bartholomew: If the earth is sacred, then our relationship with the environment is sacramental. In many ways, the “sin of Adam” was precisely his refusal to receive the world as a gift of communion with God and with the rest of creation. This is why the Orthodox Church articulates the concept of cosmic transfiguration. Such is the vision that we have of the world.
After all, ecological sin is a sin not only against God and the creation, but also against our neighbor. And it is especially a sin against future generations. By destroying our planet in order to satisfy our individual greed for pleasure, we bequeath to our children a polluted and damaged world with all the negative consequences that this will have for their lives. We must, therefore, act responsibly towards our children and those who will succeed us.
Last June, His Holiness Pope Francis issued his encyclical “Laudato si’”. It speaks to how the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor are one and that all forms of poverty – environmental and human – need to be addressed in an interconnected way. Do you share this approach?
Patriarch Bartholomew: The papal encyclical Laudato Si’ was an occasion of great joy and satisfaction for the Orthodox. On their behalf, we would like to express our deep gratitude to His Holiness, our brother Pope Francis, for raising his authoritative voice to draw the attention of the world to the urgent need to protect God’s creation from the damage we humans inflict on it with our behavior towards nature. This encyclical comes at a critical moment in human history and will undoubtedly have a worldwide effect on people’s consciousness.
However, we were also deeply and personally moved by the graciousness and generosity of the Pope to highlight the work of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in this area over the last three decades.
What were your thoughts and feelings when you heard that Pope Francis declared the 1st of September as a World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation as a sign of unity with the Orthodox Church?
Patriarch Bartholomew: If there is one thing that we firmly believe can make a difference in changing our world, it is prayer. And if there is one thing that has characterized the tenure of Pope Francis, it is prayer in action.
Therefore, we were deeply encouraged when His Holiness officially urged the Roman Catholic bishops and adherents to adopt September 1st as a day dedicated to prayer for God’s creation, just as we have done since 1989, when it was instituted by Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios. This practice had already been adopted by all Orthodox Churches throughout the world (in the early 1990s) as well as by the World Council of Churches and Conference of European Churches (during the 2000s). However, this year, it was also embraced by the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, and many others. Genuine prayer leading to committed action can literally heal and transform the world.
[Der SONNTAG, November 29, 2015, pp. 22-23]