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| This timeline samples and surveys the past decade and a half of work by the Jewish and Christian religious communities that led up to and followed the formation of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment in 1993. The statements, conferences, initiatives, and celebrations chronicled below are only some of the milestones on the path of faithfulness to our collective calling to care for God’s creation. The journey continues. |
1990 Scientists issue "Open Letter to the American Religious Community" March Senior Religious Leaders respond to "Open Letter" September October |
1991 Church of the Brethren statement, "Creation: Called to Care" January June July November Fall United Church of Christ hosts environmental summit for people of color |
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1992 United Methodist Church statement, "Environmental Justice for a Sustainable Future" March April May December |
1993 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America statement, "Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope and Justice" "Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation" issued October Evangelical Environmental Network launched Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life established United States Conference of Catholic Bishops establishes Environmental Justice Program National Religious Partnership for the Environment begins activities December |
1994 23 national Jewish organizations across the religious spectrum join Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life Consultation on the Development of a Jewish Philosophy of the Natural World, Pawling, NY U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops holds first scholars' consultation, "Ethical Implications of Economic Growth: Job Creation and Environmental Safeguards" April Christianity Today Institute on world population and global stewardship May October |
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1995 Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life awards 30 small grants to develop diverse models of Jewish environmental programs 1,000 people participate in a telephone seminar with Vice President Al Gore and senior Jewish leaders Rabbi David Saperstein testifies to Congress on the protection of endangered species on behalf of NRPE First ever national gathering of Jewish environmental educators and activists meets in Pennsylvania March April - July June July October U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops scholars' consultation on "Ecology and Catholic Theology," Portland, OR Christian Environmental Council meets in Colorado Springs, CO and passes resolution in support of the Endangered Species Act November Appalachian Catholic Bishops issue pastoral letter, "At Home in the Web of Life" Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities conferences on creating and enhancing environmental programs with a stewardship emphasis |
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1996 Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life launches national Tu B'Shvat Campaign to Protect Forests U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Environmental Justice Program distributes third parish resource kit, "Let the Earth Bless the Lord" "Visions of Eden: A Jewish Perspective on the Environment" airs nationally — co-produced by ABC television, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, and The Jewish Theological Seminary Evangelical Environmental Network assembles consultation on training Evangelical seminarians in creation-care "'And God Saw That It Was Good': Catholic Theology and the Environment" published First Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life regional affilates form: Northwest Jewish Environmental Project in Seattle, WA, and the Jewish Environmental League in Ventura, CA U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops scholars' consultation on "Ecology, the Common Good, and Catholic Theology," Collegeville, MN United Methodist Church, statement on "U.S. Agriculture and Rural Communities in Crisis" "Caring for Creation" video on the Endangered Species Act co-produced by National Council of Churches U.S.A. Eco-Justice Working Group February June October U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Environmental Justice Program Consultation on Environmental Justice |
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1997 U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Environmental Justice Program scholars' conference, "Creation As God's Song: Catholic Imagination and the Environment" First annual Mark and Sharon Bloome Jewish Environmental Leadership Institute takes place in conjunction with JCPA Plenum and Hillel's Spitzer Forum in Washington, D.C. National Council of Churches U.S.A. develops Environmental Justice Covenant Congregation Program and Environmental Justice Resource Distribution Center Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life mobilizes Jewish support for a strong U.S. position to address global warming at the Kyoto negotiations Web of Creation website launched "It's God's World: Christians, the Environment, and Climate Change" study resource prepared by National Council of Churches U.S.A. Eco-Justice Working Group February May July Fall October November "Pedagogy for Eco-Justice" conference co-sponsored by National Council of Churches U.S.A.'s Eco-Justice Working Group and Theological Education to Meet the Environmental Challenge December |
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1998 National Federation for Catholic Youth initiates two-year project, "Protecting God's Creation: National Catholic Youth Initiative" "Your Health and the Environment" published by Eco-Justice Working Group of the National Council of Churches U.S.A. February Feb. and Sept. March April Earth Day Sunday theme (Eco-Justice Working Group, National Council of Churches, U.S.A.) on environmental health May June Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life holds Judaism and Nature Retreat for Rabbis, Pawling, NY Summer October |
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1999 Statewide interfaith climate campaigns begin in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life co-publishes Jewish environmental education curriculum with the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE) and distributes it to 4,000 Jewish educators U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Environmental Justice Program awards regional grants February March April May Ecumenical Conference on Environmental Justice, "Christ is in Our Midst," Chicago, IL, sponsored by National Council of Churches U.S.A. Eco-Justice Working Group August October |
2000 Energy Stewardship Guide for Congregations produced by Eco-Justice Working Group of National Council of Churches U.S.A. February Indiana Catholic Conference issues message on "Care for the Earth" March April June October |
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2001 Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign expands to 21 States More than 100 young leaders attend Leadership Institute of the Greater Boston Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) passes resolution on "Mass Extinction and Biodiversity" February U.S. and Canadian Catholic Bishops issue "The Columbia River Watershed: Caring for Creation and the Common Good" April Earth Day Sunday theme, "Witnessing to the Resurrection: God's Caring for Creation" (Eco-Justice Working Group, National Council of Churches U.S.A.) May June U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops statement on Climate Change Summer December 2001-2003 |
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2002 Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life opens Washington, D.C., office Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign issues Power Plant Pollution Statement of Principles Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life of Southern California helps pass groundbreaking state legislation requiring reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gives 2002 Energy Star Award to the Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign for its education and outreach efforts. Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life launches the Jewish Global Environmental Network in cooperation with the Jewish Agency's People to People Center and the Heschel Center for Environmental Learning and Leadership (Tel Aviv) February March April Earth Day Sunday theme, "Caring for God's Creation: Making the World Safe for Children" (Eco-Justice Working Group, National Council of Churches U.S.A.) June Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Bartholomew I issue joint declaration on the environment Fall September November |
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2003 "Enough for All: Sustainable Living in a Global World" Environmental Justice Coordinators Conference, Eco-Justice Working Group, National Council of Churches U.S.A. February Florida Catholic Conference issues position paper on "Environmental Justice" Spring April Creation Sunday theme, "What Would Jesus Drive?" Evangelical Environmental Network Earth Day Sunday theme, "Waters of Life: Enough for All" (Eco-Justice Working Group, National Council of Churches U.S.A.) May-June November-December December |
2004 Spring April Creation Sunday theme, "God's Oceans," Evangelical Environmental Network Earth Day Sunday theme, "Life-Giving Breath of God: Protecting Precious Air Resources," Eco-Justice Working Group, National Council of Churches U.S.A. Letter on Clean Air to President Bush, National Council of Churches U.S.A. Eco-Justice Working Group May June Evangelical Environmental Network co-sponsors Sandy Cove Conference, North East, Maryland Summer October November 2004-2005 |
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2005 Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign completed a four-year education, empowerment and mobilization effort in ten key states (IA, ME, MI, NM, OH, OR, PA TX, WV, WA). The phase of the Campaign culminated when the US Senate the adopted a non-binding resolution on climate change in June 2005. For the first time, senior religious leaders of NCCC communions and leading scientists issued a joint letter to Congress calling for action to address climate change. USCCB’s Environmental Justice Program, working through close to 200 local dioceses and state Catholic Conferences, initiated a two-year education and mobilization effort around climate change focused on supporting local projects in Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Arkansas, South Carolina, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. COEJL launched a special program of education and advocacy within the broader Jewish community leading for the first time to resolutions on climate change by the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Rabbinical Assembly, the American Jewish Congress, American Jewish Committee, and Hadassah. September February March April Creation Sunday theme, "Protecting God's Endangered Creatures," Evangelical Environmental Network Earth Day Sunday (National Council of Churches U.S.A.) theme, "Sacred Oceans and Seas: SOS" May |
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2006 EEN started a carbon offsets program, in cooperation with the Carbon Fund, to help concerned Evangelicals “offset” their carbon consumption. USCCB created a new organization, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change (CCCC) designed to carry out an intensive effort to educate and mobilize Catholic dioceses, state Catholic Conferences and major Catholic organizations. CCCC created a mini grant program awarding eleven grants to parishes, dioceses, and national Catholic organizations to conduct their own local climate change projects to foster leadership development and greater grass-roots involvement. COEJL’s “A Light Among The Nations” campaign, designed to peak with the holiday season of Hanukah, encouraged Jews to switch to CFL light bulbs. Over 500 congregations participated. February March June November |
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2007 NRPE Launched a major campaign on poverty and climate change (God’s Climate Embraces Us All) to create a shared religious voice to advocate on behalf of the poor and those most vulnerable to the ravages of climate change, thereby making their needs a condition for affirming any public policy or actions taken by the Administration or the Congress. NRPE Released an unprecedented letter calling for urgent action on climate change with a priority on meeting the needs of the poor and signed by the Presidents of major religious communities, which included Bishop William Skylstad, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; Dr. Leith Anderson, President, National Association of Evangelicals; Reverend Michael Livingston, President, National Council of Churches; and Rabbi Eric Yoffe, President, Union of Reform Judaism. Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reported that “…in the United States, there is fairly strong consensus across faith traditions on environmental policy.” A poll conducted within the Evangelical community confirmed that there is a clear sign of growth of vision and commitment reporting that 84% of Evangelicals support legislation to limit global warming pollution. NCCC conducted ten major briefings for senior religious leaders including the NCCC’s Governing Board, communications officers, and special briefings for the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Zion Church and the Progressive National Baptist Church. Over 100 Evangelical mega church pastors, Christian college presidents, and executives of evangelical relief and development agencies issued a statement calling for bold, mandatory action to cut green house gas emissions. CCCC established 15 state and local climate projects through the Archdiocese of Detroit; Catholic Charities of West Virginia; Catholic Rural Life Conference; Catholic Conference of Appalachia; and state Catholic Conferences in Alaska, Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina. CCCC developed specific education materials, Just Faith Program, addressing global climate change in hard copy, CD format and on their website for the widest possible distribution among 70 million Catholics, 200 dioceses, 40 state Catholic Conferences and 19,000 parishes. CCCC sponsored public climate change hearings in Florida, Ohio and Alaska bringing together a variety of stakeholders (government officials, scientists, environmental groups, and labor among others) that discussed the complexities of climate change policies and focused attention on the Church’s concern for the poor. Over 300 synagogues participated in COEJL’s How Many Jews does it Take to Change a Light Bulb? Campaign in which synagogues and congregants pledged to take action in 2007, including a Take Your Senator to Synagogue program to hear what actions will be taken on climate change and energy conservation. June October
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2008 More than 700 clergy endorsed the NCCC’s Faith Principles on Global Warming, which is used in state-based outreach to elected officials. NCCC held nearly 100 combined meetings and trainings on climate change for local congregations. EEN/ECI expanded the number of senior evangelical signatories to 230 in 2008. CCCC began the initial stages of creating the largest single effort by the Catholic community in the United States and one of the largest within the entire Partnership to educate and mobilize the faith community-- the Catholic Climate Covenant Campaign and the St. Francis Covenant Pledge to Protect Creation and the Poor. CCCC began a systematic outreach to dozens of national Catholic organizations encouraging them to support and promote the Covenant initiative and offered workshops and keynote addresses to many of their conferences. Over two-dozen organizations endorsed the Covenant initiative prior to its April 2009 launch. COEJL issued a statement on Climate and Energy Policy Priorities endorsed by the American Jewish Committee; B’nai B’rith International; Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc; The Jewish Council for Public Affairs; the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation; National Council of Jewish Women; the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism; and the Rabbinical Assembly. COEJL launched a blog, “To Till And To Tend” to further engage the Jewish community on climate and energy issues. March
The Southern Baptists Environment & Climate Initiative released a powerful statement on climate change with signatories representing major educational institutions, organization and individual supporters. June July August
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2009 NRPE and its Partners publicly released in January 2009 an updated version of its “Climate Fairness Agenda: A Religious Call to Address Global Climate Change and Poverty,” which serves as a message and policy platform of NRPE and distributed it to all members of Congress. Partners met with the Environmental Protection Agency, Council on Environmental Quality, the State Department, the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, the Treasury Department, and senior White House officials on several occasions to offer the perspectives of the faith community on climate change and to advocate protections and programs for low income people and developing nations. NCCC helped coordinate over 38 state-based and local faith-based organizations to host candlelight vigils for 850 congregations to lift up the faith community’s voice on climate justice. More than 6,000 individuals signed the NCCC’s Faith Principles on Global Warming; these endorsements were then added to a growing list of endorsers. EEN brought the total of prominent Evangelical leader signatories of the Evangelical Climate to 260. The Wall Street Journal credited EEN’s advocacy campaign efforts in securing an affirmative vote on Climate Change legislation in Congress. CCCC created the ad “Who’s Under Your Carbon Footprint?”, placed online and in print, including the op-ed page of the New York Times on April 21, 2009, as well as in major Catholic publications.
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COEJL initiated preparations to launch a major new initiative - the Jewish Energy Covenant Campaign – for the spring of 2010. A new Director was hired in December 2009. COEJL publicized the “Jewish Community Priorities for Climate and Energy Policy,” a series of policy recommendation endorsed by 11 national Jewish organizations. Both the Jewish Council on Public Affairs and theCommission on Social Action of Reform Judaism, passed new resolutions on climate change and energy, calling for comprehensive policy solutions to fight climate change and protect poor and vulnerable communities from climate change and climate policy impacts. February The Catholic Climate Covenant and St. Francis Pledge was unveiled at the USCCB annual Social Ministry meeting to 700 Catholic leaders, as well as other major Catholic gatherings, including the Los Angeles Religious Education Conference, which drew 40,000 Catholic educators and administrators. March |
April Jewish leaders gathered to hold a special Blessing of the Sun, Birkat HaHammah, a once-every-28-years Jewish ritual. May October EEN staff led a breakout session on creation-care and climate change at the NAE’s Leader’s Forum October 9th, which was attended by 50 senior leaders. CCCC urged Catholic parishes and schools to use the St. Francis Pledge as a primary focus for the Feast of St. Francis (October 4). December |
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2010 NCCC distributed more than 40,000 invitations to congregations around the country to engage in the Council’s carbon reduction campaign. EEN initiated formal collaboration around creation care and climate policy and education with the Christian Coalition of America (CCA), the National Hispanic Christian Leaders Conference (NHCLC), and the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). COEJL conducted a webinar on energy and climate policy for 30 key Jewish leaders and briefed 40 Community Relations Council directors three times. COEJL along with eighteen major Jewish organizations sponsored a full-page ad in the New York Times linking energy security, national security and climate change. January February
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March April May EEN sponsored the first annual National Day of Prayer for Creation Care with the NAE on May 25, 2010, bringing together hundreds of senior and young Evangelicals to help energize their community around creation care and climate change. Over 700 hundred young people attended a concert that concluded this National Day of Prayer. June COEJL hired a new Program Director to facilitate programming, communications, and outreach to expand COEJL’s contact with the broader community.
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EEN sponsored a 100+ mile Creation Care Walk for the gulf. EEN met with local churches and congregations along the Gulf Coast in prayer and support. July In collaboration with the National Association of Evangelicals and the Christian Coalition of Alabama, EEN sponsored a National Day of Prayer for the Gulf. Hundreds of churches across the country joined together for a day of prayer and reflection on the Gulf Oil Spill. August September |
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2011 February Over 400 Catholic social ministry leaders from around the country gathered in Washington, DC, Feb. 12-16, to learn about the variety of international and domestic justice and peace issues that are of concern to the U.S. Catholic bishops and national Catholic partners. The Coalition assisted in a well-attended workshop on climate change to share new tools and programs with many of these leaders. Its exhibit booth was buzzing with visitors who were enthusiastic about furthering the good news of the Catholic Climate Covenant and St. Francis Pledge. Participants also received the latest public policy briefing paper from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). To learn more about the Social Ministry Gathering, click here. April The Catholic Climate Covenant campaign announced 24 trained “Catholic Climate Ambassadors” to help educate lay Catholics about the Church’s teachings through presentations at churches, schools, and other venues. May Vatican Releases Major Climate Change Report. A working group of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, one of the oldest scientific institutes in the world, issued a sobering report on the impacts for humankind as a result of the global retreat of mountain glaciers as a result of human activity leading to climate change. In their declaration, the working group calls, “on all people and nations to recognize the serious and potentially irreversible impacts of global warming caused by the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and by changes in forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other land uses.” http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Pontifical-Academy-of-Sciences_Glacier_Report_050511_final.pdf EEN has their 2nd annual creation care day of prayer. The Evangelical Environmental Network, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the National Association of Evangelicals, Eden Vigil, Care of Creation Inc., Blessed Earth, and many others sponsor the Day of Prayer for Creation Care. November December
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2012 February April EEN's Global Day of Prayer for Creation Care & The Poor. May Congressional Hearing: Poison Harvest: Deadly U.S. Mine Pollution in Peru. USCCB assisted Archbishop Barreto of Huancayo, Peru with his testimony. October Young Evangelicals for Climate Action prayed at two of the three Presidential Debates. November A Catholic Consultation on Environmental Justice and Catholic Change: Assessing Pope Benedict's XVI's Ecological Vision for the Catholic Church in the United States
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