The quest for a harmonious relationship between humanity and the environment quickens as ecological problems escalate in our modern world. Irresponsible use of the environment has caused pollution, diminished natural resources, accumulation of radioactive waste, disease, famine, and abnormal climatic conditions. In response to the myriad solutions offered by the scientific community, the author proposes another dimension, a theological solution put forth ten centuries ago by the Byzantine mystic St Symeon the New Theologian.
More a vision than a concrete solution, St Symeon's perception of the human being relative to the universe provides a gauge for the use of scientific data. St Symeon addresses the misuse of material goods, social inequality due to privatizing what belongs to the community and waste due to excessive wealth.
Claiming that the duty of the human being is to elevate creation to a state of beauty consistent with the intentions of the Creator, St Symeon charges humanity with the awesome task of perceiving the Word of God within creation and bringing that logos, that word, to fruition.
About the Author: Anestis Keselopoulos is the Director of the Department of Ethics and Sociology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
