* By Martin Hoegger
On 8 and 9 October 2025, the Higher Patriarchal Academy of Crete hosted a scientific and theological symposium on the theme: ‘Towards a just, participatory and sustainable society based on responsibility: ecotheology as a challenge for contemporary ecumenical Christianity’. Among the many presentations, those by Professor Stylianos Tsophanidis and Metropolitan Theodoros of Seleukia illustrated the richness of Orthodox thought on creation and its spiritual relevance in the face of the ecological crisis.
Ecumenical convergence around creation
Professor Tsompanidis recalled that the ecological question is not foreign to the Christian faith. As early as the 1960s, the World Council of Churches (WCC) reflected on the challenges posed by technology and the environment. The Vancouver Assembly (1983) marked a decisive step with the ‘Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation’ programme, making the ecological crisis an essential dimension of the Church’s mission.
This movement has been echoed in Catholic thinking, notably in Pope Francis’ encyclicals Laudato si’ and Laudate Deum. A common language has gradually emerged among the Churches: the climate crisis affects the poorest first, overconsumption destroys human dignity, and ecological conversion is above all a spiritual conversion.
The cosmic vision of salvation
Since the Orthodox Churches joined the WCC in 1961, Orthodox eco-theology has profoundly renewed the theology of creation and the Holy Spirit. The Canberra Assembly (1991) rethought the relationship between God, the world and humankind from a Trinitarian and Eucharistic perspective. Theologians such as Nikos Nissiotis have developed a cosmic vision of salvation: God wants to unite and transfigure all creation.
From this intuition arose the idea of a ‘liturgy after the liturgy,’ which extends the Eucharist into social and ecological engagement. Patriarch Bartholomew, nicknamed ‘the green patriarch,’ gave this theology a universal dimension. His vision of a ‘cosmic liturgy’ makes creation a mystery to be celebrated and not exploited, calling for sobriety and communion.
His collaborator, Metropolitan John Zizioulas, developed the notion of ‘God’s cosmic economy,’ affirming that salvation embraces the entire cosmos. Together, they have had a lasting influence on Christian theology and inspired the encyclical Laudato si’.
A faith lived in sobriety and gratitude
Metropolitan Theodoros of Seleukia prefers to speak of theological ecology rather than ‘ecotheology.’ (This one is a proposal of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew). For him, ecology is not a particular field of theology, but a way of living out one’s faith. In the Orthodox tradition, everything starts with the liturgy: it teaches gratitude towards creation, while asceticism teaches us to receive without possessing.
Since 1989, on the initiative of Patriarch Dimitrios, 1 September has become the Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. His successor, Bartholomew, has developed a vast ecological pastoral programme: annual messages, educational programmes and scientific dialogues have made Constantinople a spiritual centre of Christian ecological awareness.
A spiritual crisis before a technical one
For Patriarch Bartholomew, the ecological crisis is a symptom of a deeper crisis: modern man has broken his communion with God and nature. Egocentrism, greed and technocratic logic have replaced gratitude and respect. He calls for a threefold conversion: of lifestyle, by rediscovering simplicity; of education, by teaching ecological responsibility; and of consciousness, by assuming universal co-responsibility for all.
Social justice and ecological justice
In Orthodox thinking, poverty and the degradation of nature are closely linked. The seminars of the Patriarchate of Constantinople have shown that overproduction, the concentration of wealth and a lack of moral will fuel injustices that affect the most vulnerable. It is not the lack of resources that creates misery, but the unlimited desire to possess. Hence the call for an ecological economy based on social and environmental criteria.
In conclusion, Metropolitan Theodore quotes Patriarch Bartholomew: “The earth groans, but it also hopes. Modernity has revealed the power of technology, but the Gospel reveals the power of conversion. Christian ecology is not a green ideology, but a path of reconciliation with God, man and nature. At the dawn of the Decade for Climate Justice, it becomes a test of credibility for faith: to believe is to live soberly and serve life.
Conclusion
These two lectures, by Professor Tsophanidis and Metropolitan Theodore, revealed the depth and relevance of Orthodox theology of creation. Both show that ecology is not a peripheral issue, but a way of confessing God as the source and end of all life.
In a world threatened by greed and indifference, the Orthodox tradition offers a message of hope: ecological conversion is above all a conversion of the heart. It invites us to live sobriety as a spiritual act and to recognise creation as a sacred gift.
Professor Christoforos Arvanitis put it aptly after these two lectures: this vision reminds us of a simple, biblical wisdom: ‘Blessed are you, Lord, who gives rest in little things.’ The only greed that the Church can encourage, according to the Fathers, is greed for virtues. This may be the key to a civilisation of moderation: to ardently desire justice, peace and the integrity of creation — and to translate these desires into concrete actions, starting today.
* Martin Hoegger is a Reformed theologian and author living in Switzerland. He participated in the Heraklion conference. https://www.hoegger.org
For other articles on the theme of this Symposium, see here: https://www.hoegger.org/article/eco-theology
