The leaders of the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Anglican churches have issued a Joint Message for the Protection of Creation. They stress the importance of achieving climate change goals, the importance of the upcoming COP26 conference in Glasgow, and the need for us all to be involved. They do not blame anyone or any organization. They make it clear that we all have a role in responding to climate change.
In our common Christian tradition, the Scriptures and the Saints provide illuminating perspectives for comprehending both the realities of the present and the promise of something larger than what we see in the moment. The concept of stewardship — of individual and collective responsibility for our God-given endowment — presents a vital starting point for social, economic and environmental sustainability.
We have maximized our own interest at the expense of future generations. By concentrating on our wealth, we find that long-term assets, including the bounty of nature, are depleted for short-term advantage. Technology has unfolded new possibilities for progress but also for accumulating unrestrained wealth, and many of us behave in ways which demonstrate little concern for other people or the limits of the planet.
They compare the climate change challenge to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are facing this worldwide calamity, no one is safe until everyone is safe, that our actions really do affect one another, and that what we do today affects what happens tomorrow.
The churches that these three men lead have a total membership of at least 1.2 billion — around 15% of the world’s population. So what they say matters. And what they have said is important and encouraging.
