THE CONCEPT OF THE ROLE OF MONASTICISM IN THE MODERN WORLD BY ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW І

Abstract

The article examines the role of monasticism in the modern world according to the teachings of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew І. Particular attention is paid to current social problems of today, their relationship with the monastic tradition. The article states that the mission of monasticism becomes not only spiritual, but also social, moral and ecological. Some aspects of the Orthodox Church's social doctrine concerning gender issues and the possibilities of the female priesthood are also considered. For the Ecumenical Patriarch, the coverage of apophatic anthropology and theology is necessary to show the integrity of the ideological unity of the Orthodox tradition in matters of human dignity, which is established in Christianity and must be realized in modern times through monasticism. Attention is drawn to the fact that the sacred dimension of the world is closely and deeply connected with the ascetic dimension, where asceticism is the realization and recognition that humanity depends not only on God but also on the world, like any other being. Accordingly, the Orthodox monastic life is not an escape from society, but a special way of self-sufficient social life and behavior based on reasonable consumption, rather than the abuse of material and natural goods.