Two Editorials
1- Between the gift of the Creator and the futility of creature... the search for justice
2- Again, on the Path of Spiritual Renewal facing Challenges
Between the gift of the Creator and the futility of creature... the search for justice
Welcoming speech by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches
Dr. Michel Abs
At the conference “Ecumenical Approaches to Climate Change”
Holy Spirit University - Kaslik - October 4, 2023
Since God created humankind and made a framework for him to interact and grow within, armed with the gift of the mind that leads to good management and know-how, this creature challenges nature and harnesses it for his life, progress, and well-being, creating a civilization that has been moving forward for thousands of years, producing inventions and innovations for a better life.
There is no doubt that harnessing creation to improve the lives of creature is a praiseworthy matter, and there is no doubt that the invention of advanced technology is a good thing for humanity, as it has made life easier for it and alleviated its pain. But the problem has become that the use of technology - in the sense of dependence on it - makes it so that, whenever a person reaches a level of creativity and technological performance, he will become in need of more technology, which will put him in a state of complete dependency that has no end.
The heart of the problem does not lie here.
The core of the problem lies in limitless human greed, which makes the use of technology a means of control, reaping vast wealth, and controlling the world’s resources and decisions, and here the environment is the victim.
Giant corporations did not hesitate to wreak havoc on the environment and prevent governments from protecting it in order to preserve their material interests, which are violent towards the environment. The story of the execution of the Nigerian poet and environmental activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, constitutes a blatant example of the criminal paths that are created against the environment. Few years ago in Lebanon, we were on the verge of producing more than one Saro-Wiwa via the campaigns that were carried-out by honorable Lebanese against the Bisri Dam project, which would have led to ominous consequences had it been implemented.
We are then faced with indifference towards the environment and everything that is environmental, as the environment is unfortunately made cheap in the face of the insatiable ambitions of the creature. The popular wisdom in Lebanon has come true, which says that “the world was for two people and was not enough for them,” in reference to Cain and Abel.
Here, since we are in the process of addressing the issue of climate change, we must stop before the phenomenon of induced climate change, that is, what results from environmental projects undertaken by countries, either to secure the interests of their citizens, or to impose an unwanted siege on their neighbors. These projects are such as dams or canals, which have made the poison cook and eat away, and the magic of environmental projects is reflected on the people itself, the magic of earthquakes, landslides, and other environmental disasters.
This results in damage to the environment and the lives of neighboring peoples. Therefore, I present a new concept that those working with the environment must adopt, which is “environmental injustice”.
For a country to undertake projects that deny water, to the point of drought, to its neighbors, for geostrategic and geopolitical reasons more than it is a national need, as an embodiment of expansionist or colonial goals, this is an injustice that the international community must deal with, using the appropriate tools.
I put this new concept before you who are gathered here, with the concern of protecting mankind from self-abuse, and I ask you to work to prevent “environmental injustice” from societies that cannot prevent it from themselves.
We, at the Middle East Council of Churches, are primarily concerned with the environment, as, in addition to being the natural space of human life that the incarnate Lord wanted “to be better,” it is the deposit of the Creator that He placed at the disposal of humanity to be passed down to generation after generation in a better way, not for one or two generations to consume it and leave its remains for the next generations to live on miserably. The logic of Sustainable Development is not far from the Christian vision of the environment and environmental justice.
Since the resumption of the activities of this blessed institution, the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME), the environmental concern has been present in all their programs and literature, which we mentioned in the four-year strategic framework that we presented in April 2021 to the international partners of the MECC. The names ranged from “Green Church” to “Environmental Theology,” until we settled on the name “Environmental Justice” with the launch of the Season of Creation program supported by international ecumenical bodies that will be mentioned later in my speech, and a number of concerned church members and activists in the environmental field, in addition to a praised church cooperation.
It goes without saying that the environmental situation in the world requires intervention that goes beyond precise and even human sciences. It calls for divine intervention that awakens those steeped in environmental apathy, reminds the creature of the importance of creation, and asks him what he has done with it. This beautiful, picturesque environment, the source of resources on which humanity has lived for thousands of years, has become exhausted, aging, consumed and placed on the brink of abyss. Drought, global warming, the hole in the ozone layer, and the rampage of the Amazon forest, the lung of the Earth and the element of environmental balance in the world, are all just the beginnings of what may lead to disasters that our scientific mind has not yet imagined.
Hence the importance of this conference, which was called for and organized by a enlightened group, which is fully aware of the environmental catastrophe towards which we are walking like someone walking in his sleep. Therefore, it is necessary to name and welcome these luminaries, praise them for their work and thank them for their efforts.
We first thank the Advisory Committee, and we also extend our thanks to the main lecturers, and to His Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Middle East Council of Churches,
We also thank the scientific edifices on whose shoulders the modern Lebanon was built, the University of the Holy Spirit - Kaslik, our host today, and whose president is present among us, and the Saint Joseph University of Beirut, which is hosting tomorrow’s episodes of our conference, and all the universities participating in this conference, with praise for all who helped to make this special event a success,
Thanks are also due to the organizations that supported this conference, such as A-ROCHA, ACT Alliance, Danmission, and the United Church of Canada,
We also thank and welcome the deans of theological colleges and institutes in the Middle East (ATIME), who concluded the general assembly of their association today, and who are our partners in this event. We also welcome the theology students who are here among us or who are remotely connected,
We must also welcome and thank all the participants and contributors, most of whom are colleagues in universities or student researchers, indicating that science cannot exist without returning to the Creator of this creation, as did the first faithful researchers who were searching to glorify the Creator through exploring the depth and understanding his creation,
In this context, we cannot forget that there are people concerned with the topic who may not have been able to attend, and they are following the broadcast of the conference proceedings directly through social media,
Last but not least, we thank the Steering Committee for its effort in programming, keeping up with the preparations, and organizing the practical details that ensure the conference runs smoothly and effectively,
As for the recommendations, we are certain that churches, church and non-church organizations, as well as specialists and those concerned with the environment and the future of humanity, are waiting for them in order to deal with them, in addition to the recommendations of the environmental conference held by the ATIME in Egypt in late July, and which is a main partner in this conference.
After the issuance of the recommendations, and the conference’s lectures and discussions, we, in the Middle East Council of Churches, will build on environmental programs and projects, and I am also certain that the colleges and institutes of theology will do so via the ATIME.
May God grant us success in raising awareness of the creature to preserve creation.
Again, on the Path of Spiritual Renewal facing Challenges
Speech by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches, Dr. Michel Abs
Delivered at the Opening of the General Assembly of the Association of Theological Seminaries in the Middle East
St. John of Damascus Theological Seminary, Balamand - October 3, 2023
Your Eminences, Honorable Fathers, Sisters and Pastors,
It is the ATIME, rising once again from its ashes, is imbued with the renewed energy of revitalized leaders who possess a clear and ambitious vision for the future of theological education in the Middle East.
The ATIME, which had long ceased its activities, is reasserting itself as an educational and intellectual habitat in the field of theological education. That is, the preparation of leaders who will manage ecclesiastical institutions, from parish to patriarchate, through religious orders and monasteries, in the times to come.
Your mere gathering, esteemed leaders of the Church, is a triumph over frustration and ignorance. The mere fact that you have transformed this bond into a community of knowledge and faith is a promise for a prosperous future for the one Church of Christ.
Undoubtedly, there are basic dimensions in the teaching of theology that cannot be bypassed or dispensed with. These dimensions hoard the production of generations of knowledge and experience in contemplating the greatness of the Creator and giving thanks to Him. However, there are new dimensions that must be added to the origins of theological education related to the developments that have occurred in modern society, which the pastors of the Church must address.
Modernity, innovations, and societal transformations at the level of family and social relations, as well as at the level of economy, in addition to transformations at the level of values and some vision on life, all pose themselves to the church leader, local or central. They must deal with them in order to provide new answers to new questions that a new generation will ask these leaders.
Add to this the fateful suffering we are experiencing in a Middle East ravaged by international desires and disasters from all sides. People are anxious in the Middle East, and they turn to church asking for some answers to some questions, even non-Christians.
Over the past year, the Department of Theology and Ecumenical Relations has held a series of meetings with young women and men from all over the Middle East as part of the Youth Expectations Program. A number of them have been delegated to attend the meeting of the Executive Committee of the MECC held in November 2022, in order to express their concerns and aspirations to the delegates and leaders of the Church.
This was the longest session of the Executive Committee meeting, during which ideas were put forward that an encyclopedia may not be able to elaborate. During the session, the youth expressed their concerns and made suggestions that they believe secure a better future for them. The ideas and concerns of young people by country and church were presented as follows:
The most significant challenges mentioned in the interventions of young people revolved around the economic situation and immigration, lack of trust in the political class, lack of acceptance of the other, spiritual coldness of parishioners, ignorance of the nature of ecumenical work, the distance of young people from the church, the lack of special care for Christians in schools and hospitals affiliated with the church, and the problem of environmental pollution and climate change.
The proposed solutions included working to reduce immigration and consolidate resilience through Christian awareness and activities, investing church resources and not relying on volunteering. The church should conduct awareness sessions and programs on civic education, and give opportunities for laymen to participate in decision-making.
The youth also proposed a policy by the church to provide material support for Christians in schools and hospitals. In addition, the youth considered that it is necessary to stimulate priestly vocations through programs to enhance the theological knowledge of priests, stimulate openness among church leaders and standardize feasts.
The youth also called for the need for the Church to stand in the face of injustice and not take a position of neutrality, and that the call to prayer without taking permission from the occupation in Palestine.
· Following the discussion of the expectations of young people by the members of the Executive Committee, the participants considered that each church should take upon itself the concerns of young people and try to find solutions to the problems they suffer from. They should bridge the gap between young people and the church by representing them in dioceses and parishes and establishing their own committees.
· On the other hand, the members of the Executive Committee wished for the youth to get closer to their Churches, and indeed to reconcile with them. In approaching their problems, they recommended that they focus not only on immediate personal matters but also on general crucial issues. In talking about solutions, they should also focus on their role and their families’ role. Finally, they suggested that they write down what they had presented to the Executive Committee and send it in writing to the heads of churches in their countries.
Your Eminences, Reverent Fathers, Sisters and Pastors,
This is just the tip of the iceberg of what was said during that session. Young people expressed their concerns before a committee in which all the churches of the region were represented. I wanted to share it with officials from theological colleges and institutes as an early warning bell for the questions and concerns of young women and men of the church. These concerns must guide us in making additions to educational programs, research topics, or seminars for theological students. It is worth mentioning that these students are on the rise today among secularists who hold disciplines such as business administration, engineering, sociology, communication sciences, and others.
At the end of my speech, I would like focus on something although I repeat myself in mentioning it, but I want to ensure that the message has been delivered, that the methodology has become admitted, and that this paradigm has become one of the constants of joint Christian action.
The ATIME is a unique institution in ecclesiastical work as it is structurally a transversal activity. That is, it combines the same church activity between various ecclesiastical institutions. Therefore, it is considered to be a Pilot work that must be emulated by other church activities such as environment, women, youth, development, and others. It is similar to ecumenism when it originated. Accordingly, the success of this work is a catalyst for similar activities in various fields of ecclesiastical activity, leading to common states of knowledge that bring together the Church of Christ in its various disciplines of work in service to people and society.
Therefore, esteemed leaders, you face two challenges: The first is to adapt teaching methods and methodologies to some aspects of changing times – without compromising the constants of curricula. The second is the success of this exemplary work which serves as an example for all other church activities.
We must express our appreciation to the former President of the ATIME who carried the torch of the Association during a difficult period. We also express our appreciation to the actual President and Executive Secretary of the ATIME for giving new impetus to the Association. We see in them a radiant future for the Association, with faith, blessing, knowledge, and wisdom, as we foresee in the MECC.
The coming days will prove this with the care and love of the Almighty.