WCC News: WCC climate commission moderator: “Let us be the ones to show that there is a will”

Moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development Archbishop Rev. Julio Murray Thompson, in a WCC video interview, reflects on the challenges the commission is facing, how it will build partnerships, and ways in which it will involve young people.  5 March 2024, Geneva, Switzerland: Julio Murray of the Anglican Communion in Central America pictured in the Ecumenical Centre chapel in connection with an inaugural Joint Meeting of the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA), the Commission on Health and Healing (CHH), and the Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development (CCJSD) of the World Council of Churches, in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 07 March 2024 “Now our bigger challenge is to talk to the owners of the corporations that are really not doing enough or not doing anything to make change come around,” he says. “We are expecting that governments are the ones that are going to talk to the members of these corporations—and if you ask me, that’s never going to happen because these members of the corporations have handed governments so much money for so many different things.” Thompson believes that churches need to be prepared to talk to the corporate world. "We need to be prepared to step it up a notch,” he says. “And faith-based organizations, we still have the credibility and the confidence and the trust from people.” He describes the commission’s aim of providing information and accompanying the church to create consciousness and concrete actions. “But the commission is also set up with working groups, and within the working groups, we have an opportunity to create intentional partnerships with non-governmental organizations or with other organizations like ours that are doing the same, maybe in civil society.” He envisions crossover and interdisciplinary cooperation with different groups.  “Now, why do I think that's key?” he asks. "Because a lot of people think: why are faith-based organizations involved in all of this?” It’s about making sure that the reality of the kingdom of God is brought to the people today, Thompson describes. “This is God's creation,” he says. “God is interested in making sure that we have life and life abundant.” Thompson believes that the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development has a tremendous opportunity to create bridges where walls have been put up.  “I think that our young people understand what it is to be challenged by climate change, and they understand the meaning of justice,” he says. “I think that young people are already empowered.” But he also believes young people at the local level need more training and mentoring.  “I see the responsibility that we have as faith-based organizations is to walk alongside young people and not empower, but enable them and to walk along with them,” he says. “Let us be the ones to show that there is a will, there is a commitment—and let us help others commit as well.” Climate emergency panel addresses how churches can respond with faith and hope (WCC news release, 6 March 2024) Three WCC commissions meet to confront emerging global challenges (WCC news release, 5 March 2024) Photo gallery: Joint Meeting of Three WCC Commissions – March 2024 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 352 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 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland