Yes, the Ecupatriarch (ugh). The rebranding continues. Follow his tweets here. Live feed to the conference here. Here are a couple paragraphs from the patriarch's opening address yesterday. This is the sort of thing you get from a mediocre political speech: lots of significant-sounding phraseology, appeals to our higher nature, even our spiritual longings, but in the end you're left asking: Where is he going with this? We're all responsible for the "future of the planet"? What? By criticizing the wealthy West, again, and denigrating technology, we know there is an agenda here but, outside of the previous endorsement of the UN's climate change plan, it is only hinted at. Whoever is writing this stuff for the patriarch should be caned. Preferably with one of those bishop's canes with the heavy silver knob on the end of it. Having struggled for centuries to escape from the tyranny of hunger, disease, and want, the technological advances of the last half century have … [Read more...]
The Green Patriarch has landed
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrives at New Orleans' Louis Armstrong Airport on October 20, 2009. He's here for the RSE Symposium on the Mississippi. (HT on the video to Byzantine, TX) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ6D80H-HTU[/youtube] … [Read more...]
Table for one?
Over at Ad Orientem, John wonders about the Green Patriarch's pending trip (HT: George M.) By my count H.A.H.'s itinerary includes... 6 liturgical functions + 1 prayer service at the UN 8 functions at which he will be honored or given some form of award 3 excursions that appear to be mainly sight seeing 2 functions where he will be speaking but do not appear to be aimed at honoring the EP and... 24 dinners, or private receptions in his honor with VIPs (excluding private meetings with Orthodox clergy). Many of these dinners and receptions will be taking place in 5 star establishments such as the Waldorf Astoria where H.A.H will be staying for much of his visit. I am very glad to see that His All Holiness will be fed decently during his visit. Still I wonder... … [Read more...]
Green Patriarch’s U.S. schedule released
The Ecumenical Patriarchate has launched a new Web site for the visit of Bartholomew I to the United States from Oct. 20 to Nov. 6. The detailed schedule of the patriarch's visit is heavy on meetings with U.S., Greek and United Nations officials. The trip begins on Oct. 20, with the arrival of His All Holiness in New Orleans for the start of the environmental symposium, which runs through Oct. 25. A patriarchal "audience" and meeting with SCOBA hierarchs is scheduled for Oct. 27 at the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in New York. On Oct. 29-30, the patriarch visits the headquarters of the Coca-Cola Co., where he will meet Muhtar Kent, president and chief executive officer. On Nov. 3-4, Patriarch Bartholomew will offer lectures in Washington at John Podesta's liberal-leaning Center for American Progress and the Brookings Institution. Podesta is also arranging a meeting between President Barack Obama and the patriarch, but no exact time has been announced. … [Read more...]
‘Fuels from Hell’
Bruce Nolan, a reporter for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans, offers a preview of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's symposium at various locales on the Mississippi River next month. For the article, Nolan interviews Rev. Canon Sally Bingham of the Episcopal Church. She is also president of The Regeneration Project and the Interfaith Power and Light campaign. Nolan said that Rev. Bingham was helping with the planning for the symposium. Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders often see environmental concern as a duty to honor God by protecting his creation, Bingham said. Buddhists have described it as a duty to maintain balance in the universe, she said. "Religious leaders are used to saying our responsibility is saving souls. But many have come to realize that if we don’t protect our air, water and resources, there won’t be any souls to save." Bingham said Bartholomew "is one of the first leaders of a huge denomination to make this connection." Rev. Bingham serves … [Read more...]