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Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
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US Conference of Catholic Bishops
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National Religious Partnership for the Environment
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National Council of Churches of Christ
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Evangelical Environmental Network
Why is the Environment a Religious Concern?

Teachings of Faith Traditions on Care for God’s Creation

In responding to environmental concerns, faith communities draw deeply on the resources of their own traditions. Their approach to particular issues is not driven by political agendas of the left or the right, but by their most fundamental convictions about God, humanity, and the whole creation. 

gl-9The religious traditions represented in the Partnership share certain core religious and moral convictions, such as:

  • The earth ultimately belongs to God alone.
  • Creation is good, and it is valued and cared for by God.
  • Human beings are to care for the earth, using it to meet human needs without degrading it.
  • Caring for people requires caring for creation.
  • The poor and vulnerable, especially children, suffer most from environmental degradation.
  • Religious communities have the responsibility of teaching and practicing the message of creation care and integrating it into the whole of religious life. 

Each tradition, however, has its own distinctive resources and emphases, rooted in longstanding teachings, practices, and histories. Even within a single tradition or family of traditions there can be varying approaches and emphases. Sometimes the accent may be on the presence of the divine grace and glory in our encounters with creation, sometimes on our moral responsibility to a transcendent creator. At some times, human uniqueness may be in focus, at other times, human creatureliness. Now one may speak of the priority of meeting the needs of the most vulnerable people, then one may recall God’s valuing of even “useless” creatures.

While such differences can point to real and deep disagreements, they may also reflect complementary truths. This diversity-in-unity can be a source of tension, but it is also a source of great strength. Persons of faith can listen to and learn from one another without compromising their own religious integrity or identity. They can disagree without rancor or disrespect, and set aside differences in order to work toward common objectives.

Always, always persons of faith speak and act on the basis of their own most deeply and authentically rooted beliefs and values, as faithful members of their own religious communities.

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STEWARDSHIP STORIES

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Converting Green Ideals Into Energy-Saving Practices

Mainline Protestant

Converting Green Ideals Into Energy-Saving Practices

Sylvania United Church of Christ, Sylvania, OH Members of Sylvania United Church of Christ (UCC) in Sylvania, OH are saving more than 84,000 pounds of CO2 emissions each year through conservation efforts. The building itself has a passive solar design that uses a hillside to maintain a constant temperature in certain parts of the building. The church recently added to its energy savings by installing a photovoltaic array (solar panels) on its roof. The...

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The Advent Conspiracy

Evangelical

The Advent Conspiracy

Imago Dei Community, Portland, OR Adapted from an article, “Restoring the Scandal of Christmas” by Rick McKinley, in the Fall 2007 issue of Creation Care magazine. Imago Dei Community began meeting weekly in 2000 for worship, teaching and gathering in community to develop their core group.  As of 2008, an average of 1400 people attend Imago Dei every Sunday. Many of those people are active in serving the city of Portland, OR in one of their...

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Church Recycling for the Whole Community

Mainline Protestant

Church Recycling for the Whole Community

Wesley United Methodist Church, Yakima, WA Five million pounds. That’s the amount of material kept out of Washington State landfills over the last 30 years thanks to the members of Wesley United Methodist Church in Yakima, WA. The church placed a recycling center in its parking lot almost 30 years ago. A core group of volunteers—with an average age of 76—processes 60,000 pounds of recyclables every month. “This is much more complicated than simply having...

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Changing Cups Sparks Greening Movement

Mainline Protestant

Changing Cups Sparks Greening Movement

West Gloucester Trinitarian Congregational Church, Glouchester, MA What began as one person’s worry over Styrofoam cups at coffee hour has turned into a greening commitment by the West Gloucester Trinitarian Congregational Church (UCC) in Glouchester, MA. When a church member realized the impact that Styrofoam has on the environment, she recognized that by using the cups, the church was sending a negative message about its values. She worked with other members to form a group...

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A Different Kind of Car Show

Mainline Protestant

A Different Kind of Car Show

Northaven United Methodist Church, Dallas, TX Most Texas car shows show off the biggest and boldest new cars, trucks, and SUVs out there, according to Rev. Eric Folkerth of Northaven United Methodist Church in Dallas, TX. So when church members proposed a hybrid car show four years ago, the idea was a semi-serious joke. Now that joke has turned into a rallying event for the church’s annual Earth Day Celebration.  Fuel efficiency has become a...

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