BB: “To me, to speak of “corruption” is to touch on spiritual matters, which seemingly affect only living beings, and possibly only human beings. So I wonder to what extent we can speak of galaxies as having been subject to corruption in former times; I just don’t see that galaxies could be spiritual entities — unless the entire creation is in some fashion a living being, as Plato suggested.”
AG: “Indeed, I do not perceive a culpable persona being associated with inanimate things.”
I will take the risk and opine that Kosta was not speaking of decay in Creation as being the result of some culpability on the part of inanimate objects. Rather, in accord with The Fathers and the OT, what he is saying is that our sins burden all of Creation and distort it. Some have said that the natural disasters we observe in our lives are the result, generally, not of God’s “wrath” (though sometimes it may well be in a pedagogic sense)but rather distortions in the created order of the universe brought about by our sins. Through us, all creation is a slave of death. Were we to fully respond to God, however, the true created order of things would be restored and the lion would indeed lie down with the lamb.
“Creation is a slave; the Spirit sets free. Creation stands in need of life; the Spirit is the Life-Giver. Creation needs instruction; the Spirit is the Teacher. Creation is sanctified; the Spirit is the Sanctifier.” +Basil the Great
Thus I shall take the risk and completely agree with you!
I am persuaded that God intends man to be a co-creator of creation. When man does not live up to his responsibilities along this line (by living in God's law of Life and Love and Light -- what we are called to do), then all of creation suffers, and must suffer.
Thank you for your magnificent insights, Kolokotronis!