wfn.org | WCC FEATURE: Patriarch Bartholomew I on Assembly theme

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For immediate release - 26/01/2006

TRANSFORMATION CALLS FOR METANOIA

By Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch (*)

     Reflections on the theme of the WCC 9th Assembly:
     God, in your grace, transform the world
     More articles and free photos at
     www.wcc-assembly.info

What steps must we take to achieve transformation? In this article on the
theme of the WCC's 9th Assembly "God, in your grace, transform the world",
His All Holiness Bartholomew I addresses this question and reflects on
self-discovery, the healing of the community and of the earth.

> Transformation as healing of the heart

The Philokalia, a classical anthology of early Christian texts on prayer,
underlines the astonishing paradox that transformation is achieved through
silence: "When you discover silence in your heart, then you will discern
God in the world entire!" In other words, transformation begins with the
awareness that God is at the centre of all life. "Be still, and know God."
(Psalm 44.1) Through silence, we realize that the grace of God is much
closer to us, indeed does more to define who we are, than our own selves!
The transformation of the heart is the profound awareness that "the
kingdom of God is within" (Luke 17:21).

Inner transformation, however, requires radical change. In religious
terminology, it requires metanoia - a change in attitudes and assumptions.
We cannot be transformed unless we have first been cleansed of whatever
stands in opposition to transformation, until we have understood what
disfigures the human heart.

Such a process of self-discovery only results from God's grace, and leads
ultimately to a genuine respect of human nature, with all its flaws and
failures - both within ourselves and in others. It paves the way for
respect towards every human being, irrespective of differences - within
society and the global community. Through inner transformation, these
differences are welcomed, honoured and embraced as unique pieces of a
sacred puzzle; they constitute part of the deeper mystery of God's
wonderful creation.

> Transformation as healing of community

The transformation of the heart arises in the healing of community.
Transformation is a vision of connection and compassion. How unfortunate
it is that we Christians often disassociate spirituality from community.

When our hearts are transformed by divine grace, we see the world
differently and are impelled to act graciously. Through the transforming
grace of God, we are empowered to seek solutions to conflict through open
exchange, without resorting to oppression or domination.

Through divine grace, then, we have it in our power either to increase the
hurt inflicted in our world, or else to contribute toward its healing. So
when will we realize the detrimental effects of violence on our spiritual,
social, cultural, and ecological environment? When will we recognize the
obvious irrationality of military aggression, national conflict and racial
intolerance, all of which betray a lack of imagination and willpower?

Transformation involves awakening from indifference and extending
compassion to victims of poverty and all forms of injustice. As faith
communities and religious leaders, we must imagine and initiate alternative ways, which reject violence and recognize peace. Our age will be
remembered for those who dedicated themselves to the healing and transformation of community; our world will be moulded by those who believe in and
"pursue what makes for peace" (Romans 14:19).

This kind of transformation is our only hope of breaking the vicious cycle
of violence and injustice - vicious precisely because it is the fruit of
vice. War and peace are systems; they stand for contradictory ways of
resolving conflict. Ultimately, however, they are choices.

Making peace is a matter of individual and institutional choice, as well
as of individual and institutional change. It, too, requires metanoia - a
change in policies and practices. Peacemaking requires commitment and
courage; it demands of us a willingness to become communities of transformation and to pursue justice as the prerequisite for global transformation.

> Transformation as healing of the Earth

Over the last two decades, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has made the
preservation of the natural environment a priority of its spiritual and
pastoral ministry. The transformation of the heart and of the community is
integrally linked with the healing of the earth. The relationship between
the soul and its Creator, as well as among human beings, inevitably
involves a balanced relationship with the natural world.

The way we treat each other is reflected in the way we treat our planet,
just as the way we respond to other people is mirrored in the way we
respect the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we consume. In
turn, moreover, our protection of the natural environment reveals the
measure of authenticity in our prayer and worship.

For whenever we narrow religious life to our own concerns, we overlook the
prophetic calling of the church to implore God and to invoke the divine
Spirit for the renewal of the whole polluted cosmos. Indeed, the entire
cosmos is the space within which transformation is enacted.

When we are transformed by divine grace, we can properly discern the
injustice in which we are active participants and not merely passive
observers. When touched by the grace of God, we weep for the "dis-grace"
that we have caused by failing to share the resources of our planet.

Therefore, like the transformation of the heart and of the community,
ecological awareness also derives from the grace of God and requires a
corresponding metanoia - a change in habits and lifestyles.

Paradoxically, we become more conscious of the impact of our actions on
other people and on creation when we are prepared to surrender something.
For in emptying our heart of our selfish desires, we allow space for the
grace of God. Orthodox theology speaks of a kenosis of the Spirit.

This is why the ascetic ethos is a critical aspect of Orthodox Christian
spirituality: in learning to give up, we gradually learn to give; in
learning to sacrifice, we essentially learn to share. So often our efforts
for reconciliation and transformation are hindered by an unwillingness to
forego established ways as individuals or as institutions, by our refusal
to relinquish either wasteful consumerism or prideful nationalism.

A transformed worldview allows us to perceive the lasting impact of our
ways on other people, especially the poor, as the sacred image of Christ,
as well as on the environment, as the silent imprint of God.

[1,017 words]

(*) His All Holiness, Bartholomew I, archbishop of Constantinople, New
Rome and ecumenical patriarch, is "first among equals" among the heads of
Eastern Orthodox churches, which count an estimated 250 million faithful
world-wide. His efforts to connect ecology and spirituality have earned
him the title of "Green Patriarch", and he is known for his vigorous
promotion of dialogue and reconciliation between the Christian, Islamic
and Jewish worlds.

[Sidebar text]

9th WCC Assembly: Praying for a transformed world

The 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) will be held in
Porto Alegre, Brazil, from 14-23 February 2006. Its theme is a prayer:
"God, in your grace, transform the world".

The first WCC assembly of the 21st century, it will gather up to 3,000
church leaders and ecumenical representatives from nearly every Christian
tradition around the world. As such, it will be one of the broadest global
gatherings of its kind.

WCC assemblies are often turning points in the life of the World Council,
and this one is expected to leave its mark on ecumenical history.
Deliberations will focus on issues such as the future of the ecumenical
movement, the churches' commitment to economic justice as well as their
witness to overcoming violence, and the challenges faced in the midst of
religious plurality.

In Porto Alegre, members of the ecumenical family will be able to gather
around the assembly at a Mutirão, a Portuguese word that means coming
together for a common purpose. Made up of workshops, exhibitions and
cultural celebrations, this part of the assembly programme will offer
opportunities for members of the wider ecumenical movement to gather,
reflect and celebrate together.

This is the first WCC Assembly to be held in Latin America, and it is
being hosted by the National Council of Christian Churches in Brazil
(CONIC) on behalf of churches throughout the region. Pre-assembly events
for youth and for women will be held from 11-13 February.

Assembly website: www.wcc-assembly.info

[246 words]

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