YEREVAN, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Sevan's Vazgenian theological school and Yerevan State University, a book "Nature and Theology" was published where environmental protection principals are presented as well as the viewpoint of the Christian Church on the fact that the ecological crisis arose as a result of human activities. The school supervisor Archamadrite Mkrtich Proshian mentioned at the June 4 presentation of the book in Ashot Yerkat hall of Armenia Marriott hotel that there are ecological problems set not only for the Armenain nature and people but also for the mankind of the Planet. "Man does not take enough care of the nature created by God in the case when first of all man is responsible for environmental conservation," said Mkrtich Proshian. In the words of bishop Pargev Martirosian, head of Armenian Apostolic Church Artsakh diocese, mankind should have respect for all those things God created and preserve nature. "Man can't live only in his own interest and in prejudice of others," mentioned His Holiness. The co-author of the book, assistant supervisor of the Vazgen theological school, clergyman Minas Martirosian informed that it is already six years the course Green Theology has been taught in the school. It includes ecology, environmental protection and ecotheology. In his words, mankind is under the threat of two kinds of interrelated crises: spiritual and ecological, and in order to overcome them first of all one needs to clean oneself spiritually as "the man who undergoes spiritual degration causes nature degration". Archimandrite Vazgen Nanian, Supervisor of Gevorgian theological Seminary, Archimandrite Mkrtich Proshian, Supervisor of Vazgenian theological school, Aram Simonian, Rector of YSU, Konrad Reiser, ex-Secretary General of World Church Council (WCC), WCC Armenian Round Table Fund and YSU officials, representatives of other organizations and environmental organizations were present at the ceremony.

---