Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity

Direct Archdiocesan District, New York, New York

October 26, 2009

Your Eminences, Excellencies and Graces, Ambassadors and Distinguished Members of the United Nations Community, Beloved sons and daughters in the Lord,

We greet all of you: our brother bishops in the families of our Christian Churches, His Excellency the Nuncio of the Vatican, Their Excellencies the Ambassadors of the many and diverse nations here represented, and all of the faithful in attendance. We extend as well our thanks to Strobe Talbott for his presence and for his insights.

Secretary Talbott’s expertise and mastery of US foreign policy, matters of nuclear proliferation and arms control is widely known to all of you as diplomats. Similarly, his knowledge of US national security priorities related to Europe, Russia, and South Asia is legendary to those of you whose goal as diplomats is the priority of world peace.

However, today, we are impressed by how he brings his knowledge to bear in ways that build a conversation for us as we gather here in this beautiful Orthodox Christian Cathedral in the United States to celebrate, collectively as families of Orthodox Christians.

He has touched on matters that are at the core of our faith, our witness, our service, and our responsibility as stewards, as Orthodox Christians, at this time of great challenges, but also, this time of great possibility, in history.

Allow us to offer a few brief thoughts, inspired by our vespers celebration, our distinguished diplomat’s remarks, and the backdrop of the new year’s opening of the United Nations General Assembly. These thoughts suggest the ways in which all of us here tonight—Orthodox Christians, and diplomats—are servants. We are servants, each in our own ways; and although we offer different kinds of service, in different arenas, the beautiful language of tonight’s Vespers leaves no doubt that Orthodox Christianity has much to offer when it comes to meeting the challenges discussed. We have much to offer and to share with you, diplomats, towards the goals of world peace, to the survival of humanity, to the sustainability of our planet. Three thoughts come to mind.

First, there is our fundamental conviction that it is our responsibility as human beings, as persons, to be stewards of God’s created order. The Greek term “oikonomos” –resonates beyond Orthodox Christianity. As “keepers/masters of our house—oikos”, we are all called to be sensitive to the greatest risk to the survival of our planet—namely, the dramatic changes in our climate, in our environment. Orthodox Christians understand the meaning of being stewards—oikonomoi—and we reach out our hands to you, diplomats and world leaders—to embrace the richness of this language, and to work together with all the Orthodox Christians around the world to set the example of respecting, nurturing, and preserving God’s created order.

We have only now just concluded our Eighth Ecological Symposium, held on the Mississippi River, in which we brought together scientists, theologians, religious and civic leaders, and leaders of mass media and culture. Our purpose, as it has been in past symposia, is to cultivate a new atmosphere of cooperation intent on finding solutions to the environmental problems that we face globally. We need not to see science, religion and policy-making as oppositional forces, but as partners.

Second, Orthodox Christians understand the absolute centrality of religious freedom—what many in the human rights movement call “the first freedom” to the prospects for the cooperation of all peoples in facing the challenges of environmental degradation, social injustice, and weapons of mass destruction. Freedom is, after all, at the center of human personhood—freedom is a gift from God, our Creator—it is part of what it means to be a person. And religious liberty—the freedom of conscience and belief, of practice and expression—is an expression of every person’s God-given gift and inalienable right.

Where there is oppression or limitation of religious freedom, there is almost always violation in other core freedoms that are the hallmark of all healthy democracies—freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, freedom of education. In the absence of religious freedom—and all the other freedoms that allow for the vibrant participation and rule of law that make democracies work—it will be a great struggle for human beings to cooperate, with solidarity of purpose—to solve the human, environmental, and terrorist security risks of our world today.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate fully understands the complexities surrounding the enjoyment of full religious freedom—as indeed do many of our brothers and sisters who have experienced not only conditions of deprivation, but in the case of the totalitarian regimes of the last century, millions upon millions of martyrs were revealed by their faith.

Our dedication to the premise that religious freedom as a human right is absolutely central to democracy and peace, comes from our theology, as well as from our lived experience in countries which deny us that right.

Third, we Orthodox Christians are called to offer service to humanity without expectation of anything in return, and also, to be examples for others to do the same. Christ tells us to do good, to practice virtue, to practice virtuous works, to love our enemies—not just to love our friends. Christ also calls us to be teachers and guides through example, to serve God’s created order—whether we serve as priest or lay person or diplomat.

As Europe opens more and more eastward, it is Orthodox Christianity that is becoming a more and more significant Christian community in Europe. We must be ready to speak with those who oppose and threaten us, as well as those who support us. We must also be ready to stand uncompromisingly as examples of all that we ask of others: the United Nations itself is a living expression of Christ’s call to all of us, all nations, all peoples, to practice virtue and to offer example for states, movements, groups who would otherwise oppose our efforts to work together towards the common good of all God’s created order.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians living in Corinth two thousand years ago, God has “given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18). Indeed, he has given it to all of us –

diplomats and clergy, leaders and followers – making all of us to be His ambassadors of peace and reconciliation (cf. 2 Cor. 5:20).

The theological dialogue between our two Christian families – that is the Orthodox Church and the Ancient Oriental Churches, has formally ended the misunderstandings of the past. It is not theology that divides us. Rather, we are united in our commitment to address the pastoral, liturgical and ecclesiastical issues on which we may ever build our unity in Christ more and more. The dialogue must continue, and we must continue to seek opportunities for mutual exchange. As our knowledge grows, our love will grow as well.

Therefore, in the hope that love brings to all, we express once again our blessing and Patriarchal benediction to all who have gathered here this evening. May the Triune God abundantly shower upon you all His saving grace and His infinite mercy. Amen.