Pope Francis' Encyclical Laudato Si'

"Those who read the Encyclical will be impressed by the depth and the thoroughness with which the ecological problem is treated and its seriousness is brought out, together with concrete suggestions and proposals on how to act in order to face its consequences. There is in its pages food for thought for all: the scientist, the economist, the sociologist and above all the faithful of the church. My own comments will be limited to the richness of theological thought and spirituality of the Encyclical. Time and space prevent me from doing full justice to the treatment of these aspects. I shall limit myself to the following points: The theological significance of ecology; The spiritual dimension of the ecological problem; and The ecumenical significance of the Encyclical. Paper delivered at the international consultation on "Resources and Best Practice Models for Ecotheology, Climate Justice and Food Security", held at the Academy of Volos, Demetriades Diocese of Church of Greece, 10-13 March, 201

A new dawn? The Roman Catholic Church and environmental issues

This is a PDF version of an article published in New Blackfriars© 1997. The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com.This article discusses the stance of the Roman Catholic Church on environmental issues and argues that the Church tends to stay on the fringe rather than get involved. Some of the ways in which Roman Catholic theologians have incorporated environmental issues into theological reflection is discussed, as are environmental challenges facing the Church in Britain (conservation, resources, biodiversity, animal welfare, biotechnology, cooperate/individual ethics, environmental justice, economics/policy development, and global issues)

Perichoresis and Ubuntu within the African Christian context

This article is about the juxtaposition of the notion of perichoresis in the work and theology of the Cappadocian Fathers and the notion of Ubuntu in the African Traditional Religion (ATR). Perichoresis was a result of an attempt to understand and to resolve the relationships within the Trinity. The issue at hand was how to make sense between the one and the many at the same time. The Cappadocian Fathers understood the oneness of God as unity in plurality, not a singularity. One Ousia and three hypostases were based on the understanding of the relationships within the trinity. The question of three yet one God (the church in Jerusalem continued worship of God the Father and Jesus Christ in the Power of the Holy Spirit), the apostles according to the information we have never question nor try to resolve the position and status of Jesus within the oneness. It appears as though they celebrated the tension rather than resolving it. They heard from Jesus, who said to them ‘you believe in God believe also in me’ and ‘if you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him … whoever has seen me has seen the Father’. They also heard him when he said ‘I am in the Father and the Father is in me’. The article is going to investigate and analyse the two notions, Perichoresis and Ubuntu, within the African Christian context. Yet there is a tension between Jesus and the ancestors. Can this tension be resolved? The notion of Ubuntu is based upon the understanding that a person becomes fully a person in the presence of other persons. It is a notion that deals with the relationships from an individual to the community and from physical to spiritual perspectives. The article shall also attempt to analyse any categories of thinking that are within the ATR that may better explain the relationship within the Trinity

The Task of Orthodox Theology in Today’s Europe

In this article H.E. Metropolitan Bishop Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. John Zizioulas underlines the meaning of Orthodox Theology in contemporary Europe. Orthodoxy is not foreign to Europe but an integral part of its spiritual identity. Europe’s foundations include the Christian East just as much as the Christian West. Orthodox Theology means not a repetition of Tradition but an engagement with the past for a human future and a culture of tolerance and dialogue

MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH AND THE MYSTERY OF THE HOLY TRINITY

This article emphasizes the significance of depicting God throughout history and in the church, while also presenting the Orthodox tradition’s approach to such depictions. In Orthodoxy, an icon signifies the presence of the depicted person while maintaining its transcendence. This presence is considered hypostatic and personal, as emphasized by Zizioulas. Following a brief overview of the fundamental doctrines of Orthodox iconography, the article addresses a challenging question raised by some theologians: whether the Holy Trinity can be depicted in creation. The possibility of depicting the Holy Trinity is affirmed, stemming from the depiction of the Logos, the Son of God, as the Holy Trinity coexists in Christ. The subsequent topic explores the apocalypse of God. Zizioulas draws upon the works of the fathers and the liturgical life of the church to create icons and symbols as a unique means of integrating creation with God. The hypostasis imparts truth and reality to the symbol. Only through the icons and symbols offered by the church, with its mysteries, can we experience a union of God and creation, akin to what was accomplished in Christ. Finally, Zizioulas echoes St. Maximus, asserting that the eternal presence, presently hidden by the icons, will only be revealed in the eschaton.This article emphasizes the significance of depicting God throughout history and in the church, while also presenting the Orthodox tradition’s approach to such depictions. In Orthodoxy, an icon signifies the presence of the depicted person while maintaining its transcendence. This presence is considered hypostatic and personal, as emphasized by Zizioulas. Following a brief overview of the fundamental doctrines of Orthodox iconography, the article addresses a challenging question raised by some theologians: whether the Holy Trinity can be depicted in creation. The possibility of depicting the Holy Trinity is affirmed, stemming from the depiction of the Logos, the Son of God, as the Holy Trinity coexists in Christ. The subsequent topic explores the apocalypse of God. Zizioulas draws upon the works of the fathers and the liturgical life of the church to create icons and symbols as a unique means of integrating creation with God. The hypostasis imparts truth and reality to the symbol. Only through the icons and symbols offered by the church, with its mysteries, can we experience a union of God and creation, akin to what was accomplished in Christ. Finally, Zizioulas echoes St. Maximus, asserting that the eternal presence, presently hidden by the icons, will only be revealed in the eschaton

ინტოლოგია და ეთიკა

Ethics today is preferred not only in secular life but also in ecclesiastical life. It is taught in schools, in the faculties of theology, and, at the same time, in society, it is even equated with dogma (if not more importantly). You can imagine, even in the church it became much more acceptable to deviate from dogma than from moral norms.Interestingly, the term "ethics" was completely unknown in the Orthodox tradition until recent centuries. It is almost never found in ecclesiastical moms, nor was it taught in schools until recent years. This is a term of Western origin that, like other terms, we have inherited in the Church. The tragedy is that due to the conservative nature of our church, we can not follow the current that characterizes the understanding of ethics in the West. This, in turn, continually creates a kind of chasm between the church and society, as society is obliged to support the changes in Auba's ethics that are taking place in Western society.დღეს ეთიკას უპირატესობა ენიჭება არა მარტო საერო ცხოვრებაში, არამედ საეკლესიოშიც. ის ისწავლება სკოლებში, თეოლოგიის ფაკულტეტებზე და, იმავ-დროულად, საზოგადოებაში მას დოგმის თანასწორადაც კი მოიაზრებენ (თუ უფრო მნიშვნელოვნად არა). თქვენ წარმოიდგინეთ, ეკლესიაშიც კი გაცილებით მისაღები გახდა დოგმიდან გადაცდომა, ვიდრე ზნეობრივი ნორმებიდან. საინტერესოა, რომ მართლმადიდებლურ ტრადიციაში ტერმინი „ეთიკა“ უახლეს საუკუნეებამდე საერთოდ უცნობი იყო. იგი თითქმის არ გვხვდება საეკლესიო მა-მებთან, არც სკოლებში ისწავლებოდა ბოლო წლებამდე. ესაა დასავლური წარ-მოშობის ტერმინი, რომელიც, სხვა ტერმინების მსგავსად, ჩვენ ეკლესიაში დამ-კვიდრდა. ტრაგედია ისაა, რომ ჩვენი ეკლესიის კონსერვატორული ხასიათიდან გამომდინარე, ვერ მივყვებით იმ დინებას, რომელიც დასავლეთში ეთიკის გაგებას ახასიათებს. ეს კი განუწყვეტლივ წარმოშობს ერთგვარ უფსკრულს ეკლესიასა და საზოგადოებას შორის, რადგან საზოგადოება ვალდებულია, მხარი აუბას ეთიკის იმ ცვლილებებს, რომლებიც დასავლეთის საზოგადოებაში ხდება