WCC news: Lanterns for Peace” reflections remember victims of atomic bombings

Each year, the Lanterns for Peace global campaign, on 6 and 9 August, remembers the victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The commemoration is not only a moment of mourning, but a genuine call to conscience. One of the 22 lanterns sent from the city of Hiroshima to Geneva. Photo: Marianne Ejdersten/WCC 7 August 2026 In Geneva, an interfaith Lanterns for Peace ceremony was held 6 August at Chapelle Notre-Dame, organized by Pax Christi in Switzerland and the Interreligious Platform in Geneva. The Lanterns for Peace campaign was developed by Pax Christi International and the Hiroshima Coventry Club (Touro Project). Inspired by the lantern ceremonies held each year in Hiroshima, the campaign invites communities around the world to organise local commemorative events using traditional lanterns as symbols of remembrance, peace, hope, and nuclear disarmament. Beacons of hope “The Lanterns for Peace floated each 6 August on the river in Hiroshima are individual beacons of compassion and hope,” said Jonathan Frerichs, Pax Christi International representative for disarmament, UN Geneva. “Eighty-one years into the nuclear age, these lanterns are also a reminder that nuclear weapons are still everyone’s problem. Abolishing them will require sustained and collective actions, small and big.” A message from the mayor of Hiroshima, Kazumi Matsui, was read to those gathered.  He lamented that, in some countries, policymakers are reinforcing the notion that nuclear weapons are essential for national defense. “They threaten to undermine the peace-building frameworks so many have tirelessly worked to construct,” he said. “Instead, we must work even harder to build civil society consensus for the abolition of nuclear weapons.” The city of Hiroshima sent thousands of lanterns across the world, 22 of which arrived in Geneva, the City of Peace, and the headquarters of the United Nations. They were accompanied by messages prepared by young citizens of Hiroshima, and will now be distributed to various parts of Geneva and to the wider world with these messages of peace. Rev. Maurice Gardiol, president of the Interreligious Platform in Geneva. Photo: Marianne Ejdersten/WCC Hibakusha memories Letters from hibakusha were also read aloud during the ceremony.  “The next moment I felt a white flash as I ran for an air raid shelter,” reads one of the letters. “When I reached the shelter, it was already crowded with people.” Another letter was from a hibakusha who was 11 years old when the atomic bomb hit. “I believe that it is my mission to share about the sad, pointless deaths of my parents,” the letter reads.  Brief reflections were offered by Rev. Maurice Gardiol, president of the Interreligious Platform in Geneva; Bhante Dhannike, from Geneva International Buddhist Center; and Marianne Ejdersten, who represented the World Council of Churches (WCC). Gardiol reflected on the kind of light that the peace lanterns carry. “Not a blinding light like that of a bomb, which only precedes darkness and tears, but the fragile light of a candle that lifts our souls and leads us toward the joy of peace,” he said. “Today, in remembrance of the tragedy of August 6, 1945, we are called upon to reject all forms of violence and to refrain from justifying them in our words, including our religious ones.”  “I will never forget my visit to Hiroshima during the 60th anniversary of the bombing,” said Dhannike. “Many people were in tears as they remembered their loved ones and all those who had lost their lives.” Dhannike added the lighting of the lanterns is such a meaningful act. “They symbolize light and hope,” he said. “From a Buddhist perspective, lighting a lantern is a sacred act of remembrance.” Ejdersten, WCC director of communication, honored the memory of those who lost their lives and paid tribute to the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. “Let us never forget! Let us never repeat! Let us protect lives,” she said. “Let us always remember Hiroshima. Nagasaki.”  She urged people to speak out of love for the world and in obedience to the God of all life. “Churches are not alone in upholding the sanctity of life,” she said. “Because we do not want nuclear weapons used against us, our nation cannot use nuclear weapons against others.” Yet instead of progress there is a major crisis, Ejdersten noted.  “On the question of morality, all people of faith, must prevail upon governments until they recognize the incontrovertible immorality of nuclear weapons,” she said. Photo gallery Lanterns for Peace: from Hiroshima to the World Learn more about the WCC work on arms control and disarmament  See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

EarthBeat Weekly: Can employees claim a religious right to a fossil fuel-free retirement plan?

Can employees claim a religious right to a fossil fuel-free retirement plan?   EarthBeat Weekly Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change August 7, 2026   Demonstrators march across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City Sept. 20, 2024, to call for an end to the era of fossil fuels. (OSV News/Reuters/Shannon Stapleton) How to save for retirement is a quandary that poses a multitude of pathways.  For many Americans, it starts with an employer-provided 401(k) plan. [As a nonprofit news publication, here at National Catholic Reporter it's a 4013(b).] Which funds and which strategies to utilize are all relevant questions, ones that faith communities for decades have sought to infuse with moral and ethical considerations. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, for instance, has long eschewed investments in companies tied to weapons, pornography, abortion and cloning. The Vatican has offered its own investment guidelines, too. Specific funds have been developed to reflect these priorities, for both institutions and individuals. Meanwhile, coalitions of faith-based investors have sought to engage companies directly, seeking through dialogue changes in business practices in line with their values around human rights, the common good and the health of ecosystems. That includes on climate change, where these coalitions have conversed with fossil fuel giants like ExxonMobil while in some cases elected to withdraw, or divest, their financial holdings from the coal, oil and gas sector altogether.  This week, I reported at EarthBeat on a new lawsuit, relying on the grounds of religious liberty, that aims to move the push for fossil fuel divestment to a new front: the individual employers' retirement plan options. The suit, filed Tuesday, alleges that the life sciences company Thermo Fisher Scientific violated Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which bars employers from discriminating against individuals because of their religion, when it denied an employee's request to provide a retirement plan option that omits investments in fossil fuels in line with his Christian beliefs.  The plaintiff, Andrew Hartley, is a statistical science director at Thermo Fisher Scientific and a member of the United Methodist Church. His complaint cites Christian teachings to steward and care for the earth — obligations, Hartley said, that extend to refraining from investing in or profiting from fossil fuels, the main driver of climate change. "Dr. Hartley believes that investing his retirement money in ecologically and socially destructive fossil fuel companies violates his religious beliefs, including his belief that it is deeply immoral to personally profit from and hold an ownership stake in the fossil fuel companies that are contributing to the climate crisis," the lawsuit states. The case presents a test of a new standard for religious accommodations set by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023, when it unanimously sided with an evangelical Christian mail carrier who opposed delivery shifts on Sundays.  If Hartley's case is successful, his attorneys say it could create a pathway for millions of Americans to access employer retirement options in alignment with their religious or moral beliefs, including on climate change.  "We're hoping to make it so that that becomes a thing that more people see, and then they have an option to make a choice that is better aligned with their values," said Ben Segal, an attorney with ClientEarth, a California-based environmental legal organization representing Hartley in the lawsuit. Read more: Catholic groups urge EPA to halt actions that devalue human life, God's creation What else is new on EarthBeat:   Spokane bishop calls for prayers, outreach as wildfires ravage area by Gina Christian, OSV News A Washington state bishop is calling for prayer as wildfires have torched entire neighborhoods, leading to thousands of evacuations and hundreds of destroyed buildings. Read more here »   Catholics sees outpouring of grace after EF-3 tornado; Wisconsin storm miraculously took no lives by Patricia Kasten, OSV News The tornado, with winds of 146 mph, traveled on the ground for 20 minutes, cutting a swath of 12.5 miles, over three cities and one village. Menasha, population 18,000, was hardest hit. Read more here »   In Kenya, nuns lead in providing water, sanitation and hygiene for vulnerable children by Lourine Oluoch The Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood work with children from around Nairobi, rescuing them from the streets, rehabilitating them, and reintegrating them back to school and into the community.  Read more here »   Pope Leo XIV's visit to South America in November to include cities in Peru by Courtney Mares, OSV News Chiclayo is expected to be one of the most closely watched stops since Leo served as bishop of the diocese from 2015 to 2023. Read more here »   Is Pope Leo a Democratic Socialist? by Thomas Reese, Religion News Service Modern popes tend to stay out of partisan politics, but when Leo speaks, he certainly sounds like a Democratic Socialist. Read more here » What's happening in other climate news: Puerto Rican cities hit with water rationing measures as record dry conditions persist —Dánica Coto for the Associated Press Wildfire smoke is now a bigger prenatal threat than human sources of air pollution —Liza Gross for Inside Climate News Data center foes win big in Tuesday’s primaries —Timothy Cama, Liz Crampton for E&E News Divided federal appeals court says Trump administration was wrong to terminate climate funds —Michael Phillis for the Associated Press Crews building Trump border wall in drought-hit New Mexico ordered to stop drilling wells —Coral Murphy Marcos for the Guardian Five Amazon countries arrest hundreds in major crackdown on environmental crime —Steven Grattan for the Associated Press Is the recycling symbol free speech? A judge just ruled it could be. —Joseph Winters for Grist How rescued orangutans are rebuilding a new wild population in Sumatra —Nanang Sujana and Sandy Watt for Mongabay Final Beat: Every day at NCR we are on the search for what's pulsating in the world of Catholic news.  We talk with sources, review press releases and follow other media coverage. But we know we can't find each and every potential story.  That's where you come in.  Have an idea for a faith-and-environment story you think warrants coverage? For instance, is there a Catholic parish or group in your community involved in debates around a proposed data center? Drop me a line at broewe@ncronline.org with your news tips and story ideas.  Who knows, you may just read about it in a future EarthBeat Weekly newsletter. As always, thanks for reading EarthBeat.   Brian Roewe Environment Correspondent National Catholic Reporter broewe@ncronline.org     Featured Advertisers   Looking to Hire? Offering Retreats? Selling Books? 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Truth and Action Roundup 8.7.2026

View this email in your browser Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, your reliable weekly source for information, inspiration, and opportunities for action during the second Trump administration.  Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it. U.S. Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, is refusing to drop out of his House race despite reports of domestic abuse against his wife, Emily Moreno (daughter of Senator Bernie Moreno), and their small child. Sen. Bernie Moreno weighed in with concern for both his daughter and the people of Ohio and was met with mockery from his former son-in-law. This defiant response to such heinous allegations has not drawn broad public rebuke from Republican Party leaders. This development comes as U.S. Rep Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., ended his reelection bid after a House Ethics Committee found he sexually harassed female aides, and U.S. Rep Cory Mills, R-Fla., is also under investigation by the committee. In addition to this, Brandon Herrera a Republican candidate for U.S. House in a San Antonio-based district, recently recorded videos disparaging mothers in vulgar terms. This spate of misogynistic and predatory behavior towards women from Republicans comes after the campaigns of Democrats Graham Platner and Eric Swalwell, former congressman, ended after credible reports of sexual assault. The behavior we're seeing from candidates like Max Miller and the pervasiveness that has led to it have been sanctioned by white Christian nationalism, but the patriarchy that undergirds this logic is not new. Throughout the country, we've seen denominations fail to address the unequal treatment of women, which leads directly to violent abuse. We have also seen churches choose to protect the powerful men who target women time and time again. We must see the church itself address the patriarchy that plagues our pews, while demanding moral leadership from the people leading our country. –Rev. Moya Harris and Chad Stanton, Sojourners P.S. We are continuing to build an intentional community of people looking to live out their faith in our Sojourners Faith and Practice Forum on Mighty Networks. Please consider joining us. In the News 1. Elections in Michigan, Missouri and Kansas took place amid continued efforts to undermine confidence in the electoral process. • In New Jersey, The Trump administration’s efforts to access the voting rolls were turned away by the US district courts, while Democrats in Maryland are turning to redistrict in response to Republican gerrymandering. • On Tuesday in Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed won a highly contested Democratic U.S. Senate primary, Missouri voters blocked a Republican-led effort to raise the threshold for passing constitutional amendments, and Kansas voters rejected a proposal to directly elect state Supreme Court justices.  2. The policy of mass deportation by the Trump Administration is continuing to be seen throughout US communities. • Video footage of conditions inside the Adelanto ICE Processing Center appear to show worms in detainees’ drinking water. The Guardian also exclusively reported that ICE has force-fed detainees in facilities nationwide amid hunger strikes. • Children across the country lost independent legal representation after the Office of Refugee and Resettlement (ORR) withheld fees from legal service providers, who say the funding was cut to pressure them into turning over confidential information. Those services are now set to be replaced by a firm founded by a former Trump appointee. • The end of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians has set off a scramble for options in communities across the country as communities are being targeted for enforcement. 3. Internationally, we continue to see the fallout from conflicts across the globe. • In Cuba, the United States has reportedly sent additional intelligence assets to the island amid rolling blackouts, while residents vow to resist U.S. intervention. • Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has called into question the legalities of ongoing U.S. boat strikes in the Pacific and Caribbean, citing strikes that fall outside the military’s own targeting guidelines.  • On Iran, U.S. Central Command has solicited creative and unconventional ideas on the war, while concerns about depleted munitions shadow continued negotiations over a Strait of Hormuz deal. Take Action • We continue to demand that Congress intervene to end the blockade of Cuba as blackouts continue to affect the island. • The Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns is asking Congress to promote peace in Sudan. You can contact your members of Congress here. • Freedom Summer is holding revivals across the country in response to the ruling in Louisiana v. Callais. What We’re Reading “ICE is Moving More Quietly. Clergy Resistance Is Not.” | “In different states, the dynamics are different,” he said. “But clergy are desperate to act.” (By Bekah Stolhandske McNeel) “Preach The Gospel, But Not On A Plane.” | “There is no space for reciprocity, mutuality, rebuttal, or respect because it’s not a discussion. It is a proclamation to a captive audience.” (By Amar D. Peterman) Deep Breaths Black August: Freedom Must Be Practiced As we enter the first week of Black August and hold the urgency of voting rights before us, we are reminded that the struggle for the ballot is bound up with the dignity of God’s people. The vote is both a mechanism of government and moral testimony about who is seen, who is heard, and who is allowed to belong.   I am both angered and aggrieved by the long history of anti-Blackness that has shaped this nation and still shows up in the endless efforts to restrict access to the ballot. It also angers me to see the cruel ways these attacks reach into the lives of immigrants and refugees, women and queer folk, children and elders, disabled and neurodivergent people. The burden of exclusion is not carried evenly, and the work of justice must be attentive to those who bear the heaviest weight. Maria Stewart understood this truth with remarkable clarity. An American activist, writer and lecturer in the 19th century, she lived in a nation that spoke the language of liberty while denying its promises to Black people, and she refused to be silent. In one of her most enduring challenges to racial hierarchy, she proclaimed: “Many think, because your skins are tinged with a sable hue, that you are an inferior race of beings; but God does not consider you as such. ... he hath made all men free and equal. Then why should one worm say to another, ‘Keep you down there, while I sit up yonder; for I am better than thou?’” Her witness still speaks to us now: freedom cannot be merely proclaimed; it must be practiced. As we move through this first week of Black August and into the days ahead, may we remain prayerful and steadfast. May we protect the vote with courage and holy resolve, and may we not grow weary in the face of those who would silence the people and mock justice. Let us remember that to defend democracy is to defend the dignity of our neighbors. And may God still stir us to speak the truth and labor for justice, mercy, and peace. ––Rev. Moya Harris, Senior Director of Programs, Sojourners The Truth and Action Roundup is compiled by Sojourners staff: President: Rev. Adam Russell Taylor Senior Research Associate: J.K. Granberg-Michaelson Digital Content and Community Specialist: Kassandra Tapia Chief Program and Impact Officer: Bryan Epps Political Director: Chad V. Stanton Senior Program Director: Rev. Moya Harris Program Manager, Education and Engagement: Cortnie Brooks Donate Subscribe Copyright © 2026 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842