Page 55 - AECA.org.uk ¦ Koinonia 63

and dialogues, also in co-sponsorship with His Royal Highness Prince
Philip, to mobilise spiritual and moral forces to achieve harmony be-
tween humanity and nature. This third millennium has made us realise
that environmental issues require our day to day attention. We are wit-
nesses to global calamities. The Christian Orthodox theological under-
standing points us all to our natural environment as part of Creation
and characterised by sacredness. This is a responsibility for all of us and
your contributions will enable us to speak out more intentionally on
environmental issues at an individual, national and international level.
Abuse and destruction of the environment denies the grace of God.
Economic crises tempt governments and people to look to the short
term and forget the needs of the generation to come.

Finally, it is clear to me that our theological dialogues today do
face new challenges and I do recognise that there are also some issues
that raise di?culties, but I take courage from your words to one of my
predecessors:

In spite of such obstacles, we cannot allow ourselves to congeal
the love between us which is also manifested in dialogue so “let us run
with perseverance the race that is set before us” with the good hope
that the Lord of powers and mercy “will not let us be tested beyond our
strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that
we may be able to endure it” (1Cor. 10:13).

Your All Holiness, this is a vital visit for me and it would be my
privilege to be able to welcome you in 2015 to London. I look forward
to the remaining time with you and the Patriarchate. There is much
that unites us and as we continue to strengthen the bonds of friendship
our understanding of each other’s traditions will grow. It is therefore in
this spirit that I greet you and ask for your prayers for our ministry.

53