In his letter, the Ecumenical Patriarch says, “It is a shared
conviction that, in our time, the natural environment is threatened like
never before in the history of humankind.” While modern advances have
provided great benefits, they can also prove destructive if misused.
Bartholomew continues, “Protection of the common good, of the
integrity of the natural environment, is the common responsibility of
all the inhabitants of the earth.” However, while many individuals and
communities have shown their commitment to ecology, “nations and
economic agents” have been unable to make decisions for the good of the
environment.
“How much longer,” asks Bartholomew, “will nature endure the
fruitless discussions and consultations, as well as any further delay in
assuming decisive actions for its protection?”
Human culpability for the ecological crisis
The reduction of pollution that has resulted from the lockdowns and
other measures during the coronavirus emergency demonstrates “the
anthropogenic nature of the contemporary ecological crisis,” says
Bartholomew. Therefore, he says, there must be “a change of direction
toward an ecological economy.”
Economic concerns must be balanced against genuine concern for the
environment: “It is inconceivable that we adopt economic decisions
without taking into account their ecological consequences.”
A pioneer in protecting the environment
Bartholomew notes the efforts of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in
recent decades in the field of protecting the environment. This
commitment, he says, is “an extension of its ecclesiological
self-awareness,” and not simply a “circumstantial reaction to a new
phenomenon.”
The ecological concern of the Orthodox Church is a part of the nature
of the Church, he says: “The very life of the Church is an applied
ecology.” Care for creation, says Bartholomew, is an act of praise of
God, while “destruction of creation is an offence against the creator.”
Faith strengthens Christian witness
Finally, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew says the Orthodox tradition
of care for the environment provides a defence against certain aspects
of contemporary culture, founded on the idea of the “domination of man
over nature.”
In the face of the grave challenges of the environmental crisis,
faith in Christ can help us not only see the problems with the current
culture, but also help us to see the “possibilities and prospects of
contemporary civilization.”
Bartholomew calls especially on “Orthodox young men and women to
realize the significance of living as faithful Christians and
contemporary people,” adding, “Faith in the eternal destiny of man
strengthens our witness in the world.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch concludes his Message with best wishes for
“a propitious and all-blessed new ecclesiastical year, fruitful in
Christ-like deeds, for the benefit of all creation and to the glory of
the all-wise Creator of all.”