Mountain lake and pine tree forest near Vancouver, BC

Global Climate Action Day: A Call to Faith Leaders to Listen and Respond

September 25, 2020

“Climate justice … is a spiritual issue, and the power to change comes from spiritual sources.”

Appeal to the leaders and representatives of Indigenous Peoples and faith communities from Storforsen, Sweden in October 2015

We see that the global climate crisis is reaching a more critical stage and requires an urgent moral and spiritual response.

We are inspired by the youth-led movement to address climate change. Today we call on faith leaders across Canada to listen and respond to their voices and calls for action.

We must remember that where climate change is now an inconvenience, a future threat, or the likely cause of extreme weather events, in the Canadian Arctic and the Canadian North climate change has already changed the landscape, disrupted migratory patterns, ended traditional livelihoods, and undermined the culture of Inuit and Indigenous communities. People in the Canadian South have a special responsibility for addressing the causes of climate change in our fossil-fuel driven economies.

Our call is inspired by challenges from faith leaders and the work of faith-based organizations

In 2019 Canadian faith leaders collectively made a video call to action for the love of creation, for the love of the Creator.

For the Love of Creation is a faith-based Initiative and collaboration of Canadian churches and organizations coming together on a journey of reflection, dialogue, discernment, advocacy, and action on the issue of climate change.

This campaign builds on longstanding, clear, and consistent calls for action including a 2015 statement from faith communities united in prayer that climate justice, the eradication of poverty, and a new foundation for the wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples become beacons of our commitment to becoming good neighbours working together and with our elected governments.

Throughout Scripture we read of repentance, community, compassion, and renewal: from the Genesis call ‘to work and take care of [the Earth]’ through to the Psalmist’s celebration of ‘God’s handiwork’ and the rejoicing too of the trees; recalling the prophets’ devastation at the destruction of the land, but also the Epistle message of renewal and life eternal. Ever-present in the Gospels, and central to our faith are Jesus’s resurrection and promise of new life.

May the Creator guide us as we continue in the work of healing, justice, and right relations and lead this country on a new and different path.

Stephen Kendall

The Rev. Stephen Kendall,

President                                            

 

Peter Noteboom

Pastor Peter Noteboom,

General Secretary

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