Ecology

The environmental crisis we face today has reached an unprecedented scale. Despite our divine charge as stewards of the Earth (Genesis 2:15), humanity has regrettably become a catalyst for its gradual and relentless deterioration. According to the United Nations, our “human influence on the climate system …[has led to] severe, pervasive, and irreversible impacts on people and ecosystems.” It is imperative to address this issue from a theological perspective, as the ecological crisis, according to American historian L. White, Jr., has deep theological roots.

Metropolitan John Zizioulas induced the Orthodox Church to take the leading role in responding to climate change as a critical existential challenge. He focused on the importance of environmental care very early in his formative years, but it will spark a vigorous discussion in systematic ecumenical theology only by the end of the 20th century. While political leaders and environmental activists have gradually begun to prioritize the issue, it is important to acknowledge the early recognition and efforts of individuals like John Zizioulas in addressing the urgency of climate change.

In the context of these conditions, Zizioulas has begun the effort to study the theological concept of creation in relation to the so-called “ecological problem.” The first step was taken by the publication in English of three of his public lectures at the University of London, which were attended and discussed by distinguished non-theological scholars. These lectures, which were also published in Greek (Η κτίση ως Ευχαριστία, Creation as Eucharist, 1992), programmatically outline the most comprehensive book on the history of the world as “creation” seen from the eschatological perspective, which was published in 2023 under the title Remembering the Future.

Metropolitan John Zizioulas offers a fresh and distinctive approach to eco-theology. He contends that humanity must adopt a “doxological attitude” toward creation, recognizing our priestly role in its preservation. This priestly function extends to our daily lives, manifesting as a “cosmic priesthood” or “priesthood of creation,” representing a fundamental human calling. Zizioulas asserts that safeguarding the natural environment is “a fundamental religious obligation ordained by God Himself.” This “ecological ethics”, as Zizioulas calls it, embraces the inherent calling of humanity, inviting us to present creation to its Creator through acts of thanksgiving, laden with liturgical significance.

However, Zizioulas goes beyond mere historical considerations of ecology by introducing eschatology into the discourse, a theme he extensively explores in his magnum opus, Remembering the Future. “Eschatology is a source of ecological ethics, so much needed in our time. Creation too has the right to a future—not just human beings. By depriving so many species of their future through direct or indirect extinction we negate the very purpose of Christ’s Resurrection which includes the restoration of the created order in its entirety.”

In his reflections, Zizioulas encourages us to embrace a positive view of ecology, fostering an attitude of love toward nature, and discourages an ecology based on fear. “We should not ask people to respect the environment simply for negative reasons, such as the fear of destruction; this would be an ecology based on fear. We should ask people to take a positive view of ecology, something like an attitude of love toward nature.” (Priests of Creation: John Zizioulas on Discerning an Ecological Ethos)

Zizioulas has proposed that Orthodox theological writing in Greek replace the term “cosmology” with “ktisiology” (ktisis = creation). While this neologism may be challenging to use in English, he is correct in highlighting the necessity for a term that encompasses all aspects of creation, including humans, and signifies the ontological dependence of the entire creation on God.

Zizioulas’ perspective carries profound relevance when the Church is prepared to imbue this Eucharistic ethos into our relationship with creation, nurturing a new culture that “resacralizes creation.” It calls upon every individual to engage in the priestly service of offering creation back to its Creator, fostering a transcendent connection with the “other,” an action deeply aligned with the essence of love. He addressed the issue of human beings exalting themselves above the rest of creation and the resulting abuse of natural resources for short-term gains without considering the long-term consequences for the environment and future generations. In his theological reflections, Zizioulas emphasizes the need for a more balanced and responsible relationship between humans and the natural world. He suggests that a response to the ecological crisis requires a form of “ecological asceticism.” By drawing parallels with the practices of ascetics and mystics, he emphasizes the need for a profound transformation in our relationship with the natural world.

In his ecological treatises John Zizioulas offers a coherent and comprehensive theological resource that is needed for a “spiritual revolution” leading to “an impressively wide-ranging vision of what human freedom means in a fragile material universe” (Rowan Williams).

Theology

Ecology