When World and Worldview Clash: Orthodoxy, Ecology, and the Issue of Phthora

The ancient Greek notion of phthora (perishing, ceasing to be, disintegration, corruption, defilement) is absolutely crucial for Orthodox theology and deeply inscribed in its liturgy. Yet, it no longer represents how we generally think about the cosmos and the material world. This article examines t...

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
1. VerfasserIn: Gschwandtner, Christina M. 1974- (Verfasst von)
Medienart: Elektronisch Aufsatz
Sprache:Englisch
Verfügbarkeit prüfen: HBZ Gateway
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Veröffentlicht: 2025
In: Zygon
Jahr: 2025, Band: 60, Heft: 1, Seiten: 293–311
weitere Schlagwörter:B Corruption
B Creation
B Orthodox
B phthora
B Patristic
B Genesis
B Liturgy
B Ecology
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Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:The ancient Greek notion of phthora (perishing, ceasing to be, disintegration, corruption, defilement) is absolutely crucial for Orthodox theology and deeply inscribed in its liturgy. Yet, it no longer represents how we generally think about the cosmos and the material world. This article examines the role of this notion in the Orthodox patristic worldview and its contemporary relevance. It first explains the philosophical background to the notion before going on to show how it is appropriated by patristic thinkers for major theological doctrines and deeply shapes the worldview communicated by liturgical practice. It concludes by highlighting the complexity of the issue and pointing to the kinds of challenges contemporary Orthodox theologians would have to address if they wanted to employ this notion for making a substantive theological contribution to contemporary debates.
ISSN:1467-9744
Enthält:Enthalten in: Zygon
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.16995/zygon.15292