The Christian Recorder - Join us at 5:30PM EDT for our TCR Dialogue on Black August, Political Imprisonment, Abolition and Restorative Justice

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Share Tweet Forward The Christian Recorder is the official newspaper of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the oldest continuously produced publication by persons of African descent.   Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr., Chair of the General Board Commission on Publications Rev. Dr. Roderick D. Belin, President/Publisher of the AME Sunday School Union Dr. John Thomas III, Editor of The Christian Recorder Copyright © 2023 The Christian Recorder, All rights reserved.

WCC News: Season of Creation opens with prayers to “let peace and justice flow”

Pray, Praise and Worship: WCC News: Season of Creation opens with prayers to...: The Season of Creation officially began with a global ecumenical prayer on 1 September. The online global ecumenical prayer marked the start...

WCC News: At European Christian Environmental Network Assembly, Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata reflects on climate justice

World Council of Churches (WCC) progamme director for Public Witness and Diakonia Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata spoke at the European Christian Environmental Network Assembly, currently convening in Roskilde, Denmark. From the left: speakers of the ECEN Assembly panel "Churches in Dialogue with Politics":  Fiona Paulus from the Ecumenical Youth Council of Europe, Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, programme director for Public Witness and Diakonia at the World Council of Churches, Marianne Bigum, member of the Danish Parliament, vice-chair of the climate, energy and utility committee, and Kees Nieuwert, from the Christian Council of Churches in the Netherlands. Photo: WCC 1 September 2023 Mtata spoke on why we need to see the climate crisis as an issue of justice. “The most responsible countries are not acting on global agreements, not because they are not able but because they don't prioritize this,” he said. “Where there was political will, we saw huge investments in COVID-19. We have seen even more investment now in the Russian war on Ukraine. I believe if we had similar political will, more could be done to make a difference in this climate crisis.” The assembly is offering a space to discuss key concerns of eco-theology, assess developments related to key EU policy-shaping on the response to climate change, and outline a vision of a sustainable future. Mtata, who spoke on 1 September—the same day as the opening of Season of Creation— identified key issues for a justice-based approach, including global inequality, historical responsibility, and displacement and migration.  “Climate change can lead to displacement and migration due to rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and resource scarcity,” he said. “Vulnerable communities often have to relocate, leading to loss of homes, cultures, and livelihoods.” Other key issues include Indigenous rights, economic disparities, access to resources, and gender equality. “Climate change affects women disproportionately due to traditional gender roles and discrimination, which can limit their ability to access resources and adapt to changing conditions,” said Mtata.  He also highlighted what needs to change. “There are many for whom the climate crisis is not a crisis,” he said. “They are winning political power because the liberal democratic narrative has proved hypocritical.” Mtata urged a conversion to the reality that the earth is deteriorating as a result of human beings’ actions and systems of production, consumption, and waste management. “Repentance means change of direction,” he said. “It is about greed and selfishness.” We also need a change of theological assumptions, as well as a change of cosmology from transaction and competition to cooperation and coexistence, Mtata urged. “Corporations often contribute significantly to emissions,” he noted. “Climate justice involves holding them accountable for their environmental impact and promoting sustainable practices.” Mtata recommended a holistic approach in tackling environmental challenges. “The rich Western populations need to live more responsibly, consume less, manage their own waste, and stand in solidarity with populations most bearing the brant of the climate crisis.” More information about the ECEN Assembly 2023 Learn more about the Season of Creation 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

EarthBeat Weekly: Pope Francis says stop "madness," end "senseless war" on creation

Pope Francis says stop "madness," end "senseless war" on creation Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change September 1, 2023   The Colorado River cuts through Black Canyon June 6, 2023, near White Hills, Arizona. (AP photo/Matt York) On May 25, the Vatican released Pope Francis' message for the 2023 Season of Creation (Sept. 1 - Oct. 4) in which he called for a stop to the "madness" of the "fossil fuel era." "Let us heed our call to stand with the victims of environmental and climate injustice, and to put an end to the senseless war against creation," wrote the pope. He again used war language on Wednesday when he revealed during his general audience in St. Peter's Square that his follow-up document to his 2015 encyclical "Laudato Si', On Care for Our Common Home" would come in the form of an apostolic exhortation to be released Oct. 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. Pope Francis said the new document is an effort to help "put an end to the senseless war against our common home … It is a terrible world war," reported NCR Vatican correspondent Christopher White. Read more: Pope Francis' new environmental exhortation to be released on Oct. 4 Releasing a new environmental exhortation on that particular day makes it both a grand finale to the annual ecumenical Season of Creation observance, and also an interesting backdrop to the first day of the long awaited "Synod on Synodality." The first of two scheduled meetings will take place from Oct. 4-29 in Rome this year, with a second meeting scheduled for October 2024. The pope has said before that he hopes his environmental messages might influence deliberations about global responses to climate change, like the next United Nations conference on climate change, COP28, set to take place in Dubai in November and December. It's difficult not to wonder with this most recent news if he might hope his forthcoming environment message will influence the synod proceedings as well. Some have been critical of the U.S. Catholic Church's lack of enthusiasm in taking up the message of Laudato Si'. Ecological concern certainly doesn't rank among the so-called "culture wars" that garner much attention from certain influential bishops. But in a message for the Season of Creation, Archbishop Borys Gudziak and Bishop David Malloy, chairs of the domestic and international justice and peace committees for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged U.S. Catholics to take up the cause of environmental action in the name of justice.  "The ecological conversion of hearts and changes in lifestyles are important for us as individuals and our holiness, but it is the public policy decisions about collective impacts that will significantly change the course of our environmental future," the bishops said. In a report for EarthBeat, NCR environment correspondent Brian Roewe noted that the bishops' message was released on the same day that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army issued a rule that significantly reduced which watersheds are protected under the 1972 Clean Water Act, to comply with a recent Supreme Court decision.  Read more: US waterways polluted with injustice, bishops say in Season of Creation message   What else is new on EarthBeat: Q&A: Dorothy Fortenberry on climate change, changed relationships in 'Extrapolations' by Stephanie Clary Dorothy Fortenberry was a writer and executive producer on Apple TV's drama "Extrapolations," which she says is "an attempt to try to capture in a TV show: What are the changes that come from staying the same?" Laudato Si' Animators Program forms Catholic advocates for ecological conversion by Maria Wiering, OSV News Launched in 2016, the Laudato Si' Animators Program is an initiative of the Laudato Si' Movement that certifies individuals committed to ecological conversion, sustainability and prophetic advocacy to create "a global network of motivated Catholics who are empowered to bring Laudato Si' to life in their communities," its website states.   Dancing with Sister Water and all our sisters and brothers by Martha A. Kirk Global Water Dance events are calling attention to the water issues that Pope Francis articulates in Laudato Si'. Will you join the dance? Will you passionately dance with brothers and sisters around the globe? A glorious garden view, and food to share by A Nun's Life Ministry From A Nun's Life podcasts - The gardens of the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose are a double victory: They offer a glorious view, and they produce food enough to share with the community. The Francis Effect podcast: Trump indictments; climate crisis; Season of Creation by NCR Staff Listen: Season 13 of "The Francis Effect" kicks off as Heidi, Fr. Daniel, and David catch up on summer 2023; they discuss indictments against former President Donald Trump; and they look ahead to the Season of Creation. What's happening in other climate news: 'I'm not the guilty one': the water protector facing jail time for trying to stop a pipeline —Nina Lakhani for The Guardian The spirituality of sharing space with spiders —Rebeca Bratten Weiss for U.S. Catholic magazine Washington to adopt rules protecting farmworkers from wildfire smoke —Natalia Mesa for High Country News Race, place and living with the Tar River Part I and Part II —Justin Cook for Gambit Appalachia Mobilizes Against Manchin's Dirty Deal —Yessenia Funes for Atmos  Final Beat: For the Season of Creation this year, EarthBeat will be recirculating nine "Creature Features" through a twice-weekly newsletter to the EarthBeat Reflections email list. Each Tuesday and Thursday from Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 subscribers will receive an email with an original illustration of the day's creature by Catholic graphic designer and illustrator Ryan McQuade (he's also written for NCR's culture section) along with a preview of and link to an essay or report on EarthBeat that highlights a specific animal. There will also be a corresponding series of posts on EarthBeat's Instagram account, so make sure you're following @earthbeatncr. You can sign up for the EarthBeat Reflections email list here. Thanks for reading EarthBeat! Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org Instagram: @stephanieclaryncr   Featured Advertisers   Join this five-part webinar series connecting spirituality and human sexuality. Learn how the Church understands sex, sexuality, gender, and human love in light of contemporary questions.   Advertisement

Presbyterians for Earth Care - Transportation Webinar Recording Available, Important Conference Registration Info

RECORDING NOW AVAIABLE Travel Choices and Our Future A Transportation Webinar Presenters: Scott Gregory Minos, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, Washington D.C. AND Rev. Rebecca Barnes, Coordinator, Presbyterian Hunger Program, PC(USA) Please read the wonderful Presbyterian News Service (Sept. 1, 2023) article by Mike Ferguson about the webinar: Presbyterians for Earth Care offers up a webinar on sustainable transportation

CLICK HERE FOR RECORDING & RESOURCES

“The Climate Crisis & Empowering Hope” is our theme for our 2023 national conference. The conference will deal with the greatest moral issue of the day and practical ways that our faith can guide us to act for creation care. We will gather in person in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley and at three satellite locations (California, Arkansas and Minnesota) and we will also stream all presentations online. We will learn from top church leaders, gifted biblical and theological teachers, activists, pastors, and one another. This important conference will make a difference for God’s creation and the Church.  Whichever method of participation you choose, please register for the conference TODAY!  Registration for some of our in-person locations closes on September 3. Already registered for the conference? Check your email next week for some very important details! A Note from PEC Regional Representative Bill Somplatsky-Jarman: Conferences matter! Shortly after the 1990 General Assembly adopted the Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice policy, the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program devoted its annual conference to “Making Peace with Creation.” More participants came than in any previous conference. Through the following years, numerous conferences gathered people who cherish God’s creation. Some conferences were sponsored by PCUSA denominational programs and PEC. Some were ecumenical gatherings. All were marked by compelling speakers, deeply moving worship, and practical workshops. I had the good fortune to attend dozens, and each one was rewarding in various ways. But more importantly, each one led to enduring friendships, spiritual renewal, deeper resolve, and, yes, some progress in efforts and strategies to mobilize the faith community. While we have much more to do, the journey is better when we walk together.   - Bill Somplatsky-Jarman How else can you help support the 2023 National Earth Care Conference?  Your prayers and donations are both invaluable means of supporting this important event in a a time of ecological crisis.  You can make a financial donation directly to the PEC Conference through our online registration page HERE.

CLICK HERE FOR CONFERENCE INFO & REGISTRATION

Help us grow! Please let us know if there is anyone we should add to our list!  Just reply to this email. Please help us to continue to assist individuals and churches in creation care work by donating to PEC through our website by CLICKING HERE.  How can we help you care for God’s creation?  Drop us an email and let us know at presbyearthcare@gmail.com. Thank you!

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