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'''Environmental ethics''' is the part of environmental philosophy which considers the ethical relationship between human beings and the natural environment, according to the Wikipedia definition (28 February 2007). This article will attempt to describe environmental ethics from the perspective of Orthodox theology, by exploring patristic and contemporary thought together with [[Scripture|scriptural]] and liturgical evidence regarding a theology of creation. We begin by examining the place of material creation within the whole of created order, continue with theological consideration regarding the relationship between man and material creation, and conclude with some practical aspects of this relationship.
==The Place of Material Creation in the Created Order==
Scriptural, patristic, and liturgical evidence also provide a much richer picture of the role of material creation. This role includes praise of the Creator and joy at His work: "Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and all that move in them" (Ps. 69:34), "The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones" (Ps. 89:5), "Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad" (Resurrectional [[apolytikion]], tone Pl. 1), "let all creation bless and extol the Lord and let it exalt Him supremely to the ages" (Eirmos of the eighth ode of the [[Canon_%28hymn%29|katavasiae]] for [[Christmas]]). [[Archimandrite]] Vasileios in "Ecology and [[Monasticism]]" states that the [[Pascha|Paschal]] hymns represent reality for the Orthodox: "all the trees of the forest are rejoicing today; their nature has been sanctified because the Body of Christ was stretched upon a tree."
Material creation also helps provide the means by which God interacts with, sanctifies and heals the world. [[Old Testament]] examples include the snake made by [[Moses]] (Numbers 21:8-9) and Balaam's donkey (Numbers 22:21-30) while some relevant [[New Testament]] passages are the stirring of the waters at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-5), [[Jesus]]' [[baptism ]] (Matthew 3:13-17), and St. [[Apostle_James_the_Just|James]]' exhortation that the elders anoint those who are ill with oil to aid in their healing (James 5:14). The hymnography of the Church also portrays creation as a co-worker with God: "the earth offers a cave to Him Whom no man can approach" (Christmas kontakion).
Thus, we see that the Orthodox tradition affirms that creation has value in itself, by virtue of its being created by God, praising God, and working together with God. In this context the Orthodox tradition regarding the relationship between man and nature falls mainly along two related and somewhat overlapping lines of thought. The first bases this relationship on the idea of man as a microcosm, while the second identifies man as the 'priest of creation.'