杏MAP导航

By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

Bartholomew I began by expressing his gratitude to the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation for having invited him to speak. The Patriarch used the theme of the conference, 鈥淣ew Policies and Life-Styles in the Digital Age鈥�, as a framework for his presentation.

Crisis of solidarity

The Patriarch first acknowledged that 鈥渨e are facing a serious crisis and its social outcomes on a global scale鈥�. He defined that crisis as one of a 鈥渃risis of solidarity鈥�, or of 鈥渄esolidarization鈥�. That crisis has been fed by the fields of economy and ecology, science and technology, and society and politics.

By creating ever more insatiable needs, it seems that humanity鈥檚 spiritual heritage is being eradicated, he said. Technology has proven itself incapable of resolving such problems as 鈥渟ocial injustice, divorces, violence, crimes, loneliness, fanaticism and the clash of civilizations鈥�, Bartholomew continued. Since these problems are not 鈥渙f a technological nature鈥�, they 鈥渃an鈥檛 be solved through the accumulation of more information鈥�. Quoting an encyclical of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church assembled in Crete in June 2016, he said that 鈥渟cientific knowledge does not motivate man鈥檚 moral will鈥�. Finally, he drew attention to the tension regarding human rights which has led to extreme individualism in the West and their rejection in 鈥渘on-western civilizations鈥� as a reaction against the West.

Opportunity for solidarity

It is our faith which 鈥渟trengthens our commitment of human action, and it widens our witness for freedom, justice and peace鈥�, the Patriarch went on. The vision of the Orthodox Tradition portrays the human being as 鈥渁 living being to be deified, which provides human beings with the utmost dignity鈥�. This vision becomes the inspiration for viewing this 鈥渕ultifaceted crisis鈥� as an 鈥渙pportunity for practicing solidarity鈥�, he said. 鈥淥ur Churches are called to function as a positive challenge to individuals and peoples, offering an alternative model of life within the contemporary culture that bestowed humanity with precious gifts, but at the same time seems to push people to live for themselves, ignoring the others with whom they are sharing the same world".