Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew: Strong warning about the dangers of nationalism in religion and call for dialogue

“As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are called to seek the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of men, no matter how tempting it may seem,” the Ecumenical Patriarch emphasized, addressing an audience of ambassadors, diplomats, clergy, and American officials.

With this position, he highlighted the Ecumenical Patriarchate as a supranational, spiritual institution, above political borders and national conflicts.

In his speech, he acknowledged that many Orthodox Churches are structured around national identities, shaped by history and culture. But he was categorical that the role of the Church is not to reinforce nationalism. “Religion has been used to rally peoples around specific governments, giving cohesion to empires, kingdoms and nation-states,” he said. “But has the human family not now reached a point where such rigid forms of conformity no longer serve the interests of people?”

On the occasion of his presence at the State Department, he said that diplomacy requires the ability to “put yourself in the shoes of the other, to be compassionate and not just compassionate from a distance.”

Patriarch Bartholomew emphasized that the task of religious leaders today is to open up space for mutual respect, interfaith dialogue and reconciliation. “The essential contribution of the great religious traditions must be to create areas of mutual respect and understanding,” he said. “All the religions of the world teach the value of every human person.”

In closing, he addressed Deputy Foreign Minister Rigas, who hosted the event, recalling his Greek Orthodox background and his father’s graduation from Holy Cross Theological Seminary in Boston. “You share our awareness that the human family is connected by a deeper bond than we may have imagined,” he said. “And in that spirit, we hold the key to a happy and fulfilling life for every person.”