Panel: 1700 YEARS OF NICEA CREED AND ECUMENISM: IMPACTS AND PERSPECTIVES ON RELIGION, WORLD MISSION AND ECO-JUSTICE TRANSFORMATION.



164.2 - NEW "FEAST OF CREATION" FOR AN ECUMENICAL RENEWAL OF CHURCH LITURGICAL LIFE AND UNITY AFTER 1700 YEARS OF NICEEN CREED

AUTHORS:
Andrianos L.A. (World Council of Churches ~ Chania ~ Switzerland)
Text:
Given the eschatological sign of times revealing the suffering of God's Creation due to human sins, through climate change, biodiversity loss, pollutions, wars, and irresponsible exploitation of natural resources, Christian church life has to witness the needed transformative ecumenical actions and responsive liturgical renewal for the redemption of the groaning divine Creation (Roman 8:20). This article explores the Nicaea's Impact on Religion, Socio-Cultural and the Ecumenical journey so far in uniting Christians to care for creation and to celebrate together the "Feast of Creation" on September 1st, also known as "Creation Day" or "world Prayer Day for Creation", originally inspired by the leadership of the Eastern Orthodox Churches. The 1700 years Nicea jubilee is an opportunity to examine the theological impact and accountability of churches in honouring the "Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible" (Nicea 325). Referring to the efforts of the recent "Assisi seminar on Feast of Creation and the "Season of Creation" global ecumenical movement, this reflection recommends the inclusion of ecumenical "Feast of Creation" in all church liturgical feast calendar as an aftermath of the current confirmation of Christian faith, made 1700 years ago in Nicea. This paper will answer critical questions such as a) What is the "Feast of Creation" and its history in the ecumenical journey for creation care?, b) What learnings could emerge from the study of existing feast celebrations in correspondence to every paragraph of the Nicea faith declaration? And c) How can it support the needed religious and soci-cultural transformation, to promote ecological justice in the light of the 1700 years of Nicene creed celebration in 2025.