The Church and Environmental Problems

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleЦерковь и проблемы экологии
3. Language term Russian
4. lemma author Asliturk, Miriam
5. lemma category Ethics - Orthodox Anthropology - Ecology and the environment
6. Publication date 12-11-2017
7. lemma work Cайт Одинцовского благочиния Московской епархии [Author]. Церковь и проблемы экологии
8. lemma manifestations Cайт Одинцовского благочиния Московской епархии
9. Keywords Russian Orthodox Church - ecological crisis - religion and ecology - ecological consciousness - environmental protection
10. Url Click Here
11. Citations
    1. <p>"Церковь и проблемы экологии", <a href="http://www.odinblago.ru/russkaya_cerkov/koncepciya/">Основы Социальной концепции Русской Православной Церкви</a>, <em>Cайт Одинцовского благочиния Московской епархии. </em>Retrieved from: <a href="http://www.odinblago.ru/russkaya_cerkov/koncepciya/xiii_cerkov_i_problemi_/">http://www.odinblago.ru/russkaya_cerkov/koncepciya/xiii_cerkov_i_problemi_/</a> </p>
12. Lemma body

    1. In this article, which is found on a Russian Orthodox encyclopaedia portal, the Orthodox Church expresses its deep concern about environmental problems. It argues that currently the Earth faces a serious ecological crisis. The accelerated pace of development of science and technology, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) posits, brought about widespread pollution of the environment; destruction of forests and soil and consequently steady curtailment of the genetic diversity of life. The ROC believes that these processes are caused by the unprecedented and unjustified growth of consumption in developed countries, where the desire for abundance and luxury have become the norm of life.

       The ROC believes that the harmonious relationship between man and nature was violated in prehistoric times, the cause of which was the fall of man and his alienation from God. Sin, born in the soul of man, had a detrimental effect not only on man himself, but on the entire surrounding world. Thus the relations of humanity with nature acquired a consumer character. People forgot that they were not masters of nature, but "housekeepers", who were to “store” and “cultivate” the environment and not to violently dominate it.

       The ecological crisis, however, have made people reconsider their relations with the environment. A system for protecting the latter is being developed; methods of interaction with nature are being revised; attempts are being made to create resource-saving technologies and non-waste industries that could simultaneously "integrate" into the natural cycle. Environmental ethics are developing and the consumer lifestyle is criticized. The Orthodox Church appreciates such activities and calls for cooperation in any action aimed at protecting the creation of God. One of the main principles of the Church's position in matters of ecology is the principle of unity and integrity of the world created by God. Orthodox Christians believe that the plant, animal and human worlds are interrelated.

       Environmental problems, according to the ROC, are of an anthropological nature: they are generated by man. Therefore, the answers to many questions posed by the environmental crisis are contained in the human soul and not in the sphere of economics, biology, technology or politics. This means that it is not possible to overcome the ecological crisis without dealing with the spiritual crisis as well: the transformation of nature must begin with the transformation of the soul.