Greek-Orthodox religion - Research Paper Example

?Greek-Orthodox religion I. Introduction and Thesis ment Greek Orthodox religion is the terminology used to represent all the Christians “whose liturgical practices and language are derived from those of the Greek-speaking Byzantine empire” (Laderman and Leon, 294). These are also the people who belong to the Eastern Orthodox Christianity headquartered in Constantinople (Laderman and Leon, 294). Byzantine Christianity, which is the base of Greek Orthodoxy, is built with a combination of Christian and Hellenic heritage and is marked by “its liturgy, use of religious images (icons), veneration of saints and relics, monastic practices, and imperial grandeur” (Laderman and Leon, 294). The term orthodoxy represents, “proper glorification of God through appropriate worship” (Makrides, 66). The “defining feature” of Orthodox Christianity can be put more precisely as, “doctrinal correctness” (Makrides, 66). It also has its own “ritual tradition and institutional structures” (Makrides, 66). The basic theological premise of this strain of Christianity is not completed simply with a “belief in one Christian God” but has to be “the correct (“Orthodox”) belief in the one true and Trinitarian Christian God” (Makrides, 66). For Greek Orthodox religion, the ultimate salvation of the faithful is “dependent on upholding the sole correct Christian faith, uncontaminated from deviant interpretations and influences” (Makrides, 66). The Greek Orthodox believers declare that they are the preservers of Christianity in its pure and correct form. They have drawn their theological beliefs and rituals from the seven Ecumenical Councils held between 325 and 787 and claim that they are preserving Christianity in the pure form as established by the Apostles (Makrides, 67). When a deep study is made into Orthodox Christianity, it can be seen that Greek Orthodoxy has a more profound sense of ecology than any other Christian religious system. In the present scenario of environmental destruction and predictions of global warming, it is the theology of Greek Orthodoxy that can lead human kind to evolve a comprehensive Christian ecology, which can impart a platform for our interactions with nature. The Trinitarian relationships as is delineated in Greek Orthodoxy can become the basis for deriving an ecological perspective based on Orthodoxy. The “relationships” itself establishes the relational aspect of the “very being of things” (Edwards and Worthing, 99). These relations are again, profoundly anchored in the “Trinitarian relationships of mutual love” (Edwards and Worthing, 99). The logic behind this supposition is that “if the Creator’s being is radically relational, then this suggests something about the nature of created reality” (Edwards and Worthing, 99). This is why Greek Orthodox theologian, John Zizioulas is quoted as saying, “it is communion that makes things be: nothing exists without it, not even God” (as cited in Edwards and Worthing, 99). From this theological background arises the notion that human and all other living creatures are “radically inter-relational and interdependent” (Edwards and Worthing, 100). And God is defined as all creatures in communion (Edwards and Worthing, 100). Hence, Orthodoxy states that “the distinction between creator and creation is dissolved” which presents humans as embedded in nature, in God (Edwards and Worthing, 114). It is evident from the above discussion that while Western Christianity is rightfully criticized for being created the human-nature duality, and the notion that God has created nature to serve the humans, Eastern Orthodoxy resolves that dualism. It has a more environmentally realistic notion about this topic, as is delineated by White who wrote about this subject in the website, www.asa3.org. White has elaborated this argument by putting Greek Orthodoxy against Christian anthropocentrism. He (White) said: The Greeks believed that sin was intellectual blindness, and that salvation was found in illumination, orthodoxy that is, clear thinking. The Latins, on the other hand, felt that sin was moral evil, and that salvation was to be found in right conduct. Eastern theology has been intellectualist. Western theology has been voluntarist, The Greek saint contemplates; the Western saint acts. The implications of Christianity for the conquest of nature would emerge more easily in the Western atmosphere. The contemplation of the Greek saint and the notion of sin as intellectual blindness can easily correlate with humanity’s approach to nature as well. The harm that humans impart to nature also is a product of intellectual blindness about the need for balance in nature for the survival of humans. Contemplation has also some connotations with nature, which is why saints have the routine of entering deep nature, far away from human contact, to contemplate and find salvation. But, exclusively giving the patent for religious ecology to the Greek Orthodox could possibly invite refutations as well. For example, the most celebrated saint of Western Christianity, St. Francis of Assisi, had put forth an ecological world-view based on Christianity so profound that White has called him, “a patron saint for ecologists.” White, in the website, www.asa3.org, has explained the ecological approach of St. Francis, “The key to an understanding of Francis is his belief in the virtue of humility not merely for the individual but for man as a species. Francis tried to depose man from his monarchy over creation and set up a democracy of all God's creatures.” But the Western Church suppressed this stream of thought and hence it can only be seen as the vision of a unique individual. And it had no approved theological base in Western Christianity, as is observed by White in the website, www.asa3.org. The Ecumenical Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, Bartholomew, had declared that “destroying the environment is a sin” which has great theological implications as cited by Carl Pope in the website, www.christianecology.org. Owing to his staunch support for environmental causes, the Ecumenical Patriarch has been named by the title, the “green patriarch” because he “has persistently proclaimed the primacy of spiritual values in determining environmental ethics and action,” as is described by the website of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The website has also delineated the spiritual foundations of the Patriarch’s environmentalism in the following lines: Some of the central Scriptural passages or events that comprise the foundation for the Ecumenical Patriarch’s conviction about the sacred commission and obligation to protect the environment include the creation of the world by the loving Creator (Genesis 1.26), Genesis 2.15 (about the need to serve and preserve creation), Genesis 9.8-17 (about the covenant between God and the world), and Ezekiel 34.18-19 (about using and not abusing creation), as well as the Lord’s Beatitudes (Matthew 5.2-12) and Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor (Mark 9.2-3). Genesis 2.15 has said that “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (The Holy Bible: English Standard Version, Gen. 2.15). Here what is implied is that humans have a responsibility to take care of all other living creatures on earth. Similarly, it is also warned in the Bible that humans should not misuse the resources that God has given them (The Holy Bible: English Standard Version, Ezek. 34.18-19). The Beatitudes also say that only the meek will inherit the earth (The Holy Bible: English Standard Version, Matthew 5.2-12). Based on all these evidences in the Holy Scripture about responsibility of humans to protect environment and to live in harmony with nature, the website of Ecumenical Patriarchate reports, their Patriarch announcing,: To commit a crime against the natural world is a sin. For human beings to cause species to become extinct and to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation; for human beings to degrade the integrity of the earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests, or by destroying its wetlands; for human beings to injure other human beings with disease by contaminating the earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life, with poisonous substances – all of these are sins. It is the basic theological attributes of the Greek Orthodox religious system that enabled the Patriarch to derive such a powerful argument for environment from it. This is also enabled by the Orthodox tradition of respecting the scriptures as well as the traditions on an equal footing. From this point of argument, it is very logical to view nature as a “Divine Creation and shared inheritance” as is described in the website of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Conclusion Religion and spirituality had originated from human beings wondering at the way nature existed and was organized. Hence, it can be seen that human awareness of God had been inspired by nature alone. But once the human-nature dualism took roots in human thought, religion was separated from mystery and anchored in pragmatism. Amidst the chaos caused by such a world-view, the Greek Orthodox Church had preserved its ecological roots and the present leadership of the Church also draws wisdom from that heritage. It is in this context that Greek Orthodox Church can be viewed as a fountain of profound ecological spirituality, which needs to be nourished and cherished. Works Cited Edwards, Denis and Worthing, Mark William, “Biodiversity and Ecology as Interdisciplinary Challenge”, Brooklyn Park: ATF Press, 2005.Print. Laderman, Gary and Leon, Luis.D., “Religion and American cultures: an encyclopedia of traditions, diversity, and popular expressions, Volume 3”, California: ABC-CLIO, 2003.Print. Makrides, Vasilios, “Hellenic temples and Christian churches: a concise history of the religious cultures of Greece from antiquity to the present”, New York: NYU Press, 2009. Print. Pope, Carl, “Religion and Environment”, Fund for Christian Ecology, 10 November 1997. web. 06 June 2011, http://www.christianecology.org/CarlPope.html The Holy Bible: English Standard Version . Ed. Crossway Bibles. Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2006. Print. White, Lynn. Jr., “The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis”, Journal of American Scientific Affiliation, Vol.21, pp.42-47, June 1969. web. June 6, 2011, http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/1969/JASA6-69White.html Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, “Orthodoxy and the Environment”, 2011. web. 07 June 2011, http://www.patriarchate.org/environment Read More