Page 94 - Orthodoxy Zizioulas

O r t h o d o x y
Freedom: Ontological and Moral
But what does it mean to be free? For the Greek Fathers,
human freedom is not a superficial or merely moral capac-
ity. It is rooted in the very structure of human existence. Its
essence may be described through several interrelated ele-
ments.
First of all, freedom is freedom from nature. St. John of
Damascus expresses this with great clarity: non-rational be-
ings (ἄλογα) are not free because they are led by nature,
whereas the human being, being rational (λογικός), leads na-
ture rather than being led by it (De fide orthodoxa 27; PG 94,
960–61). Here we reach a decisive point in the understanding
of human identity.
Biologically speaking, the human being belongs to the an-
imal world. Scientific research has shown that the genetic dif-
ference between a human being (homo sapiens) and a chim-
panzee is extremely small—estimated at approximately 1.2 to
1.8 percent. Indeed, the molecular difference between chim-
panzees and humans is smaller than that between chimpan-
zees and other primates. No serious theological reflection can
ignore such findings: in biological terms, the human being is
an animal.
And yet, there are manifestations of human existence that
cannot be reduced to biology. These differences do not lie
simply in degree, but in the mode of relation to nature itself.
Modern attempts to define what distinguishes human be-
ings from animals have often focused on particular capacities.
Psychology, for example, has emphasized language, especially
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