Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew inaugurated the work of the 3rd Halki Summit on Theology and Ecology on Saturday, June 1. The Summit, held in Constantinople, focused on the subject of “Theological Formation and Ecological Awareness”, in which more than fifty distinguished theologians and scientific experts participated, coming from forty theological schools and institutes from different countries.
“Our summit takes place during a very special anniversary year for the Orthodox Church. It has been thirty years since the Ecumenical Patriarchate issued its first environmental encyclical. September 1st marks the day on which we issue – annually since 1989 – a special letter to faithful across the world, cautioning how unrestrained “dominion” can lead to destruction, recommending communion as an antidote to unbridled consumption, and proposing asceticism as a solution to unlimited waste. Today, September 1st is commemorated by all autocephalous Orthodox Churches and all member denominations of the World Council of Churches. September 1st is also celebrated by the Roman Catholic community and the Anglican Communion,” the Ecumenical Patriarch said in his opening speech.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew noted that, despite the positive changes of recent years, we were deeply dismayed at the stubborn and slow progress that had unfolded during this period He recalled that only recently United Nations scientists warned the world about the unparalleled deterioration of our ecosystems, and then the Patriarch pointed out that the cause of all of these predicaments were generated by human growth and greed.
“We have failed to grasp how integrally we are interconnected with the rest of God’s creation, how responsible we are for the protection of our planet, and how critical our choices and actions are for the sustainability of our children’s future. We are convinced that any real hope of reversing climate change and addressing the environmental challenge requires a radical transformation of the way we perceive and treat our planet.”
It should be mentioned that at the Halki Summiti, which is considered to be a scientific conference, the distinguished environmental theologians, who participated in, examine the ways in which ecological awareness can be cultivated and promoted by Orthodox Theological Schools and Higher Education Institutions, through courses and other programs related to the protection of God’s Creation. The ultimate goal is that ecological awareness will be incorporated into the curricula of the Theological Schools, promoting this way the culture of dialogue and exchange of views and experiences, as expressed in the previous two Conferences, and as evidenced by the long-standing interest and ongoing initiatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, for three decades, to protect the natural environment.
