The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Environment

THE GREEN PATRIARCH
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Becket Films
2014

As we humans drive our fragile planet toward ecocide, what force can stop us, change our behavior? Can religion, espousing an environmental ethic, change how we act?  The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the first major Christian leader to make the environment a moral imperative, is a man on a spiritual mission to save our earth, save God’s creation.  This intimate portrait of the 270th successor to the Apostle Andrew follows him from the Patriarchate in Istanbul to the burning rainforests of the Amazon to the melting glaciers of the Arctic where he gathered representatives of the world’s religions in a silent prayer for the planet. Bartholomew has been dubbed “The Green Patriarch” for his defense of the environment and the stewardship of all God's Creation.

THE MISSISSIPPI: AT THE TURNING POINT
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Becket Films
2011

In this film scientists, religious leaders, environmental activists, politicians, and the media focus on ecological questions facing the world's third largest water system. Should coastal areas be abandoned or defended? Is global capitalism compatible with a habitable planet? What lessons were learned from Hurricane Katrina? And is there a way that religion can help save the planet? Though the Mississippi River plays a key role in the American economy, the forces of human progress and the forces of Nature have always been in conflict. Humankind's goal is for economic growth and prosperity, and for this we have shackled the river with dams to produce electricity and irrigation, built levees to protect from flooding as well as straighten channels to facilitate navigation. With each new imposition on the river for our benefit, however, Nature has fought back and we've paid the price later: Now we are dealing with wetland loss, hurricane damage, ecosystem collapse, flooding, pollution, dead zones in the Gulf, toxic spills, and human ill-health. How can we sustain the Mississippi and those who depend upon it? This film offers invaluable clues.

Part 11 - Third Plenary of the 2009 RSE Symposium
Mary Evelyn Tucker
Religion, Science, and Environment Symposium
2009

Professor Mary Evelyn Tucker, Senior Lecturer and Senior Scholar, Yale University, offers closing remarks for the Third Plenary Part 11 of the Third Plenary of the 8th Religion Science and the Environment Symposium under the auspices of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew held in New Orleans, LA on October 23, 2009.

Part 1 - First Plenary Session of the 2009 RSE Symposium
H.E. Archbishop Gregory Aymond, Mrs Jacqueline Clarkson, John M. Barry, Hylton Murray-Philipson, Mary Evelyn Tucker
Religion, Science, and Environment Symposium
2009

Part 1 of the First Plenary of the 8th Religion Science and the Environment Symposium under the auspices of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Chair: H.E. Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans; Mrs Jacqueline Clarkson, New Orleans City Council; Mr John M. Barry, Author What Happened to New Orleans Threatens every Coastal Area in the World; Mr Hylton Murray-Philipson, Director, Wingate Ventures Ltd. UK Turning Points and Tipping Points; Professor Mary Evelyn Tucker, Senior Lecturer and Senior Scholar, Yale University: The Universe Story and An Ecological Future.

Part 11 - Fourth Plenary of the 2009 RSE Symposium
Mary Evelyn Tucker
Religion, Science, and the Environment Symposium
2009

Professor Mary Evelyn Tucker on 350.org, an international campaign dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis - the solutions that science and justice demand. Part 11 of the Fourth Plenary of the 8th Religion Science and the Environment Symposium under the auspices of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew held in New Orleans, LA on October 24, 2009.

THE ARCTIC: THE CONSEQUENCES OF HUMAN FOLLY
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Becket Films
2007

While the inhabitants of the Arctic have done nothing to contribute to the global ecological crisis, they are first in line to suffer the consequences. Greenland is the canary in the coal mine of immense environmental change in the world. The most obvious crisis is the rapid melting of the ice cap which portends the demise of numerous Arctic species and has made life dangerous for the local Inuit. In addition, global winds and sea currents have brought massive amounts of toxic pollution from other countries, causing disease and birth anomalies in both humans and animals who inhabit the area.

This film follows the coming together amidst the icebergs of top experts on the Arctic, politicians, environmental scientists and religious leaders from Christian, Muslim, Hebrew, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and Sikh traditions—along with Saami and Inuit leaders—as they draw attention to the environmental changes in Greenland that are already affecting the rest of the planet. At the same time, they talk about what can be done to turn things around. The Nuclear Power Issue: The symposium featured a debate on nuclear power with both experts and survivors of Hiroshima and Chernobyl. With Hans Blix and Mary Evelyn Tucker.

THE AMAZON: THE END OF INFINITY
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Becket Films
2006

The Amazon forest—The Green Ocean—is not only the source of the highest biodiversity of life on Earth, but it also acts as a massive hydrological pump that is essential to maintaining climate stability for the whole planet. In effect, the health of the river and the rainforest is fundamental to our survival. But in the last thirty years vast tracts of the Amazon forest have been decimated. To date an area larger than France has been destroyed, and though industry has been good for the Brazilian economy, the cost has been unprecedented drought in Amazonia, increased–and more intense–hurricane activity in North America, and the imminent demise of the Bolivian glaciers.

In Amazon: The End of Infinity, representatives of the indigenous people of Amazonia, Western religious leaders, scientists, environmentalists and policy makers come together to examine the ecological reality in the Amazon basin, the global impact of deforestation and, importantly, to propose sustainable solutions to preserving the forest for the future. The film examines the historical split between religion and science in regards to the environment; the ecological lessons to be learned from the indigenous people of Amazonia; the interdependence of ecosystems and sustainable livelihoods for all those who live in the region; and how compensation for ecological services must be factored into economic equations regarding the ecosystems on which we all depend.

THE BALTIC: A SEA IN PERIL
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Becket Films
2003

Because it is almost entirely enclosed, the Baltic Sea is the world's most fragile and most polluted of the planet’s bodies of water. It receives pollution from nine countries that have widely disparate natural resources, economies, social structures and mores. Some states are active in protecting the environment, but others are not.

With these geographical circumstances, the Baltic suffers from pollution, utrification, invasive species, oil spills, and dumped World War II chemical weapons. As a result, it has more than 800 toxic hot spots. In this film theologians, scientists, policy makers, environmentalists and journalists generate practical initiatives to protect the Baltic. It illustrates the ecological damage in the Baltic as well as the considerable efforts underway to heal it. In addition, it explores the participants' continuing quest for a wisdom-based environmental ethos for the world.

LIVING WATERS: SAVING OUR SEAS AND RIVERS
His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Becket Films
2003

The Religion Science and Environment symposia, lead by the Ecumenical Patriarch, brings together scientists and religious leaders in order to seek solutions to the ecological crisis threatening the world's rivers and seas.

Apart from studying the ecological issues, the symposia also look at theosophical concepts—such as pollution as a sin—alongside practical solutions, for example how to halt pollution, over fishing etc. The film reviews five symposia, each of which build one upon the other for a broad view of the issues at stake. In the end, as the Patriarch notes, “the crisis is not in the environment, but in the human heart,” so how do we address that?

THE ADRIATIC: A SEA AT RISK
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Becket Films
2002

The need for a universal ecological consciousness is now essential to the planet’s survival. With this in mind the Religion, Science and the Environment symposium that sailed the Adriatic Sea focused on how humanity can be inspired towards an ecological ethos. The six countries of the Adriatic range from one of the wealthiest to some of the poorest in Europe, their problems ranging from those of an advanced industrial economy to those in transition and recovery from recent wars. The voyage included visits to toxic hotspots and successful projects protecting the environment.  Most memorable was the first Orthodox service held in the Byzantine Basilica of Sant Apollinare in Classe, (Ravenna) and our ships entry into Venice at dawn. The symposium concluded in Venice where the Patriarch and Pope John Paul II came together to sign the Venice Declaration, in which they laid the foundation for developing a joint environmental ethos. “Sailing along the Adriatic coast, it is precisely in an area like this that the question is inevitably raised in our minds - why and how has humankind reached such a deplorable situation? How is it possible that the same human being can create such an admirable culture and destroy their natural environment at the same time?”  Metropolitan John of Pergamon

THE DANUBE: RIVER OF LIFE
His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Becket Films
2000

Religious, scientific, environmental and political leaders travel the Danube from Passau, Germany, to its delta on the Black Sea and explore the common ground between pragmatic environmental issues and the spiritual dimensions of nature.

In the aftermath of the conflict in the former Republic of Yugoslavia, the challenge of protecting and improving the condition of the Danube has become even more urgent. This film focuses attention on the impacts of war, urban development, industrialization, shipping and agriculture and what can be done to restore the Danube River.The symposium on which the film is based generated strong media attention and inspired significant new initiatives in the region.

“We stood before the bridges of Novi Sad and implored God–in the presence of religious leaders of the city–to restore the environment of that region in the face of the destruction of war. Before us was the costly price for our inhumane behavior.” - His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

“The ecological crisis facing humanity in our time cannot be overcome unless all human beings join forces in an attempt to find a solution to it. Neither science can respond to the challenge of the environmental crisis without religion nor can religion do that without science.” – Metropolitan John of Pergamon

THE AEGEAN: APOCALYPSE, REVELATION AND ENVIRONMENT
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Becket Films
1995

We are assembled on a kind of latter day Ark which in itself is a symbol which would have delighted St. John. We shall be voyaging to Patmos on the sea of possibility from which life emerged.” – His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

This film follows the first ever ship borne symposium that traveled the Aegean Sea, culminating on the island of Patmos where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation 1900 years ago. It was on this island that St. John urged Humankind to “not hurt the Earth, neither the Seas.” With his words in mind, the voyage brings more than 200 scientists, religious leaders from many faiths, environmentalists, policy makers and artists together to identify the degeneration of the world's waters as a new apocalypse confronting the planet. The event is an important step to finding common ground among religious and scientific leaders who share similar concerns about the environment–but whose historical antagonism has often blocked collaboration.

The work which lies ahead for all those who love life is to translate this world community, which exists as an object under threat more and more, into a subject of promise and hope.” – His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.