Redefining Sustainability and Ecological Sin with Ecotheology as an Academic Curriculum to confront Structural Greed

Abstract

Contemporary economic development is largely driven by structural greed, promoting unlimited growth, overconsumption, and competitive individualism. This article argues that ecotheology must critically revise the concepts of sustainability and ecological sin to address the ecological crisis and advance eco-justice for all creation. Particular attention is given to
structural greed (Απληστία), understood in biblical and patristic traditions as a destructive sin now operating at systemic and global levels. The dominant definition of sustainability paradoxically contributes to ecological degradation by legitimizing continuous growth and resource extraction. In response, the article proposes a theological and scientific reconceptualization of sustainability grounded in the “economy of life” and develops ecological sin as a distinct theological category rooted in an ecumenical and relational anthropology. Finally, the article introduces the Greed Line Index Measurement System (GLIMS), or ECOLIFE index, as a framework for identifying and measuring structural greed and ecological sin, offering an alternative to indicators such as GDP and recommendations for ecotheological education.