Patriarch: Man's self-sufficiency has turned him against environment

He made the remarks at the 11th meeting of Center for Dialogue between Religions and Cultures and Russian Orthodox Church dubbed as 'Religions and Environment' in Tehran.

The Orthodox religious leader read a message from Head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill at the 11th round of meeting between Islam and Russian Orthodox Christianity.

The patriarch said an environmental crisis emerges following a crisis of viewpoints and this crisis first emerged during Renaissance.

As a matter of fact, when the era of man's self-sufficiency began, it led to a change in man's behavior towards his surrounding environment, thus causing an environmental crisis.

War, social and political crises and renovation of historical structures are factors behind man's pressure on the nature, the patriarch said, adding that efforts by the two religions represented by Iran and Russian Orthodox Church as well as Armenian brothers are directed at persuading human beings to change their viewpoints on environment.

This round of the meeting will last for 3-day during which thinkers of both sides will exchange views on a host of issues including environmental ethics in the eyes of Islam and Christianity and social security for religious minorities.

The delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church has so far visited the holy city of Qom and held talks with some religious personalities and academics.
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