A charitable heart: orthodox spirituality in an age of global warming
A charitable heart: orthodox spirituality in an age of global warming

Summary/Abstract: The title of the paper recalls a well-known statement by Saint Isaac the Syrianabout charity. It is widely assumed that charity and compassion are properly directedtowards our fellow human beings. This paper explores their extension to all of creation bySt Isaac and other Fathers and saints (both ancient and modern) and outlines a theologicalrationale for this extension.Contemporary Orthodox accounts of our responsibility towards the non-humancreation often focus upon our role as priests of creation. In this paper, I argue that sucha sacramental approach is necessary but not sufficient. Without careful qualification, the priesthood metaphor (like the dominion and stewardship metaphors) is too anthropocentricto offer a viable basis for genuinely compassionate care for creation.For Saint Isaac, compassion for all creatures was expressed primarily throughprayerful concern. I argue that such prayerful concern entails righteous action. Finally, Ibriefly explore the practical meaning of righteous action in relation to an environmentcompromised by anthropogenic climate change.

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