An article written by Kathleen Edie
[email protected]
An ecumenical matter
From the efforts of faith communities supporting each other in our own city, through Eco Congregations Scotland, to the coordinated lobbying of Caritas organisations at the annual Conference of the Parties UN climate talks, faith communities have a valuable role to play in humanities response to anthropogenic climate change.
Faith groups have influence in all walks of life, something I was reminded of at a recent event organised by an action group of concerned and engaged business leaders in Scotland. The 2020 Climate Group lecture, entitled “Climate Change: Myths, Morals and Money”, was delivered by Right Reverend James Jones, former Church of England Bishop of Liverpool. In his address he spoke of the, sometimes unpopular, view that one of the many factors preventing humankind from taking action on climate change is that many fundamentalist groups of both Christian and Islamic traditions embracing the ‘end times’ messages in scripture and ignore the many teachings on man’s role as steward and protector of God’s creation on earth. However, Rev. Jones also spoke of the enormous potential of faith to give us courage to face the many challenges in addressing climate change and looked forward to the potential positive impact and ‘rallying power’ of the Holy Father’s much anticipated encyclical on the environment.
In an article in the Guardian this week Christina Figueres, Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, called for Faith Leaders of all denominations to show leadership on this issue. Figueres also highlighted how initiatives, such as the Our Voices ‘prayer platform’, run from here in Edinburgh, can bring together different traditions and increase influence on the political process and the way we all live our lives.
In our own parish we can join this chorus by becoming involved in the Sacred Heart Green Group, becoming engaged with SCIAF’s climate justice campaign and speak to our political leaders at the City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Government and Westminster about our concerns about how climate change is affecting the poorest of our brothers and sisters of all faiths.
Useful links;
Eco Congregations Scotland
http://www.ecocongregationscotland.org
Caritas
http://www.caritas.org/what-we-do/food/caritas-climate-change/
2020 Climate Group
http://www.2020climategroup.org.uk
Christina Figueres Guardian article
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/07/faith-leaders-voice-climate-change
Our Voices
http://ourvoices.net
SCIAF Climate Justice Campaign
http://www.sciaf.org.uk/campaign-with-sciaf/climate-justice
[email protected]
An ecumenical matter
From the efforts of faith communities supporting each other in our own city, through Eco Congregations Scotland, to the coordinated lobbying of Caritas organisations at the annual Conference of the Parties UN climate talks, faith communities have a valuable role to play in humanities response to anthropogenic climate change.
Faith groups have influence in all walks of life, something I was reminded of at a recent event organised by an action group of concerned and engaged business leaders in Scotland. The 2020 Climate Group lecture, entitled “Climate Change: Myths, Morals and Money”, was delivered by Right Reverend James Jones, former Church of England Bishop of Liverpool. In his address he spoke of the, sometimes unpopular, view that one of the many factors preventing humankind from taking action on climate change is that many fundamentalist groups of both Christian and Islamic traditions embracing the ‘end times’ messages in scripture and ignore the many teachings on man’s role as steward and protector of God’s creation on earth. However, Rev. Jones also spoke of the enormous potential of faith to give us courage to face the many challenges in addressing climate change and looked forward to the potential positive impact and ‘rallying power’ of the Holy Father’s much anticipated encyclical on the environment.
In an article in the Guardian this week Christina Figueres, Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, called for Faith Leaders of all denominations to show leadership on this issue. Figueres also highlighted how initiatives, such as the Our Voices ‘prayer platform’, run from here in Edinburgh, can bring together different traditions and increase influence on the political process and the way we all live our lives.
In our own parish we can join this chorus by becoming involved in the Sacred Heart Green Group, becoming engaged with SCIAF’s climate justice campaign and speak to our political leaders at the City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Government and Westminster about our concerns about how climate change is affecting the poorest of our brothers and sisters of all faiths.
Useful links;
Eco Congregations Scotland
http://www.ecocongregationscotland.org
Caritas
http://www.caritas.org/what-we-do/food/caritas-climate-change/
2020 Climate Group
http://www.2020climategroup.org.uk
Christina Figueres Guardian article
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/07/faith-leaders-voice-climate-change
Our Voices
http://ourvoices.net
SCIAF Climate Justice Campaign
http://www.sciaf.org.uk/campaign-with-sciaf/climate-justice