FOR PEOPLE
AND PLANET
Poverty is not caused by
the lack of material resources. It is the immediate result of our exploitation and waste.
- Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
ORTHODOXY AND FINANCE
Orthodox Christianity, often referred to simply as Orthodoxy, is one of the three major traditions of Christianity, with around 300 million followers worldwide, approximately 12% of all Christians. Orthodox Christianity traces its origins back to the early Christian Church and the apostolic period. It comprises a diverse group of autocephalous (self-governing) churches that share a common theological and liturgical tradition.
CORE BELIEFS & PRACTICES
The word 'orthodox' (meaning 'right believing') describes those who preserve the true faith and follow the practices defined by the first seven ecumenical councils of the early Church.
Orthodox Christianity developed in the Eastern Roman Empire in key cities such as Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. It split from the Catholic Church in the Great Schism of 1054.
There are two branches within Orthodoxy: Eastern Orthodoxy, mostly practiced in Europe and 80% of the global Orthodox population, and Oriental Orthodoxy, mostly found in Africa. While there are similarities, there are key doctrinal differences, and Oriental Orthodox churches were considered heretical for centuries until new dialogues in recent decades resolved theological disputes.
Today, the largest Orthodox Christian population outside Eastern Europe is in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has an estimated 36 million adherents, nearly 14% of the world’s Orthodox population.
Worship is at the centre of church life in Orthodoxy and icons are venerated as a way of connecting with the divine. Important values include a faithfulness to tradition and Orthodoxy as the true faith; the centrality of liturgical worship, the seven sacred sacraments, asceticism and spiritual discipline, community and communion; family, and a commitment to social justice.
The spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodoxy is Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, seen as 'first among equals' among the heads of Eastern Orthodox churches.
When you are weary of praying and do not receive, consider how often you have heard a poor man calling, and have not listened to him.
– St John Chrysostom, 347-407
Baptismal chant, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. Photo: Matthew Jellings
WHAT DOES ORTHODOXY SAY ABOUT WEALTH AND MONEY?
Orthodox Christians believe that wealth and resources are entrusted by God. Therefore, acting as responsible stewards, we are expected to manage and use resources carefully. While there are warnings about the dangers of wealth, it is not considered evil in itself. Instead, it is the love of money which the Bible describes as 'the root of all kinds of evil' (1 Timothy 6:10).
Believers are generally encouraged to avoid excessive attachment to material possessions, and the pursuit of wealth for its own sake is viewed as detrimental to spiritual well-being. Instead, individuals are encouraged to focus on the eternal and spiritual aspects of life.
Usury is discouraged, as are exploitative practices that take advantage of people in need. Giving to those in need is a core principle in Orthodox Christianity, with wealth serving as a means to serve others and support charitable causes. This act of giving is considered an important aspect of Christian love and compassion. Humility is highly valued in Orthodox spirituality, and the display of excessive wealth can be seen as contrary to this value.
Orthodox teachings encourage avoidance of speculative behaviour, as well as investments in businesses or industries that are deemed harmful or exploitative, or not aligned with Orthodox Christian values. Instead, investments that contribute positively to society and uphold ethical principles are favoured.
WHAT DOES ORTHODOXY SAY ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EARTH?
Russian Orthodox Church worshippers queue in the Cathedral Square at the Trinity Lavra of St Sergius monastery, Sergiyev Posad. Photo: Trinity Lavra of St Sergius
The Orthodox perspective on environmental issues is guided by theology, liturgy and the writings of early church fathers. These emphasise the importance of stewardship and care for the earth – a concept rooted in the belief that God created the world and entrusted it to humanity's care.
Creation is viewed as a divine gift, reflecting God's wisdom, beauty, and goodness, and therefore should be treated with respect and gratitude.
Orthodox theology often emphasises the concept of cosmic redemption. This means that the work of Christ's salvation extends to all of creation, not just humanity. The renewal and healing of creation are seen as integral to God's plan of redemption; the material world is not to be despised or rejected but cherished and respected as a manifestation of God's love and beauty.
Many Orthodox voices have criticised the consumerist culture that promotes over-consumption and environmental degradation. This aligns with the Orthodox tradition of asceticism, where followers give up material comforts to focus on spiritual wellbeing.
If we are guilty of relentless waste, it is because we have lost the spirit of worship. We are no longer respectful pilgrims on this earth; we have been reduced to careless consumers or passing travellers.
– Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
A SHORT HISTORY OF ORTHODOX ACTION IN THIS AREA
The Green Patriarch,
Bartholomew
Since the mid-1980s, the Orthodox Church has been a leading advocate for environmental awareness and action within the wider Christian world.
In 1989, the then Ecumenical Patriarch, Dimitrios, published the first encyclical letter on the environment, which called for September 1 to be a day of prayer for the protection of the natural environment. This has been adopted by many Christian churches (many of which have since extended it into a Season for Creation from September 1 to October 4, the Feast Day of St Francis).
His successor, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, convened his first meeting on the environment in 1991, where he was the first religious leader to say that to commit a crime against the natural world was a 'sin'.
He has since become known as the Green Patriarch, having organised many symposia on environmental issues, climate change, and water management, bringing together scientists, religious leaders such as Pope Francis, and policymakers to discuss these matters from a faith-based perspective.
In 2008, Time Magazine declared him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World for 'defining environmentalism as a spiritual responsibility.' In 2016, the Orthodox Church issued an encyclical titled "The Mission of the Orthodox Church in Today's World," which calls for an economy grounded on ethical principles and emphasises ecological responsibility.
KEY ORTHODOX STATEMENTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
There are many Orthodox statements and articles on the environment; here are a few of them.
'Our attitude toward possessions reveals our true god and master,' writes Fr James W. Kordaris in his sermon for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. He adds: 'We witness to Christ by the way we set our priorities in life... take a look at your checkbook and see your priorities. '
The Ecumenical Patriarchate organised an international ecological symposium in Athens and the Saronic Islands in June 2018, entitled 'Toward a Greener Attica: Preserving the Planet and Protecting its People.' Patriarch Bartholomew delivered the keynote address before 200 delegates.
The Green Patriarch and protection of the environment, 2007
This article traces the growing concerns of the Ecumenical Patriarchate about the environmental crisis, from consultations initiated by Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios in the mid-1980s, to why his successor, Bartholomew, elected in 1991, became known as the Green Patriarch.
This publication by Orthodox Churches in the Balkans and WWF includes different voices outlining the Church's response to the climate crisis. 'The Church has provided a prophetic voice in mane crisis periods of humanity, and that is perhaps needed now more than ever.'
The future does not belong to humanity when it pursues artificial pleasure and selfish wastefulness while ignoring or exploiting others: 'The future belongs to righteous justice and compassionate love, to a culture of solidarity and respect for the integrity of creation.'
Orthodox theologian Dr Elizabeth Theokritoff describes the Orthodox Church's engagement with the environmental movement as 'one of the most positive things that has happened in the past few decades' and a vital 'way to bear witness today to our faith in the living Saviour of the world'.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Francis, and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby issued their first joint message on the urgency of the environmental crisis, saying: 'We appeal to the heart and mind of every Christian, every believer and every person of good will.'
Issued by the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, this mission statement calls for an economy grounded on ethical principles and serving the needs of all, as well as an end to 'unfettered consumerism' and 'human responsibility for our God-given environment.'
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew gave a speech setting out the Orthodox position on the environment in which he said 'We must be spokespeople for an ecological ethic that reminds the world that it is not ours to use for our own convenience. It is God's gift of love to us.'
In this encyclical issued in 2019, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew emphasises: 'Care for the natural environment is not an added activity, but an essential expression of church life. It does not have a secular, but rather a purely ecclesiastical character. It is a “liturgical ministry.”
In 2015, the Russian Orthodox Church proposed an alternative Orthodox Finance System. Looking a lot like Islamic finance, it would ban usury (charging interest for lending money), speculative behaviour and investing in businesses contrary to Orthodox values such as gambling.
In 1989, Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios published the first Encyclical Letter on the Environment in which he said humans' abuse of the earth had 'led the world to the edge of apocalyptic self-destruction', adding: 'In view of this situation, the Church of Christ cannot remain unmoved.'
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