News
The Association Internationale pour l’ Education Sociale Chretienne (AIESC), or International Association for Social Christian Teaching, held its 30th anniversary meeting at the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece from 2-3 September.
The meeting, with the theme “Integral Ecology,” was co-organized by the Centre for Ecumenical, Missiological and Environmental Studies (CEMES), Social Research Centre for Religion and Culture at Aristotle University, and the Solidarity Innovative of the German Catholic with Central and Eastern Europe.
The aim of the AIESC conference is to engage multidisciplinary and ecumenical dialogues on key social, economic and ecological concerns from Christian perspectives. Prof Paul Dembinski, president of the AIESC, noted that the conference has a deep ecumenical character, receiving blessings from Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Prof Petros Vassiliadis, president of the CEMES, and Prof. Christos Tsironis, member of AIESC organizing committee and professor at the faculty of Theology at Aristotle University, expressed their gratitude for the unity of all Christians for the care for creation.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) was represented by Dr Louk Andrianos, consultant on the care for creation, sustainability and climate justice; and Prof. Edward Dommen, expert in economic ethics.
Prof. Edward Dommen, one of the contributors to the WCC 2016 publication “Greed Line: Tool for a Just Economy,” presented concept of the publication as a resource for Christian social teaching on greed and its measurement. Using the “greedy cup” of Pythagoras, Andrianos demonstrated the catastrophic consequences of human greed on the sustainability of the whole creation. “It was appreciated as a useful didactic tool for Christian teaching on upholding justice at all levels,” said Dembinski.
Andrianos reiterated the message of WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit that “creation is not for sale,” while inviting Christians to join the ecumenical celebration of the “Season of Creation” from 1 September to 4 October. “Season of Creation” is being convened by the WCC in collaboration with the Act Alliance, Global Catholic Climate Movement, Green Faith, Anglican Communion Environmental Network and the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.
