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'Prophetic Call for Climate Justice and Ceremony of Repentance' - Stone - 11-14-2022
The new religion?
In Sinai, a Prophetic Call for Climate Justice and Ceremony of Repentance
Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development [undated]
Between November 6th and 18th, 2022, the UN climate conference COP 27 will take place on the Sinai Peninsula, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Religious communities and religious leaders have a key role to play in addressing climate change and climate justice, which requires deep transformation within society. The knowledge of what changes are critically needed to diminish long-term harm to the planet is readily available. However, bringing about change in action demands deeper changes in attitude, a change of heart. This has been the domain of religions for millennia. Religions are sources of inspiration for the transformation of heart and the ensuing changes of attitude.
To support, challenge and inspire discussions during COP 27 at Sharm El Sheikh, interfaith climate events will take place in Sharm El Sheik, London, Jerusalem, and elsewhere that will be heart-stirring, transformative and a moment of inspiration for religious communities and for humanity. Religious leaders will call for a reexamination of deep-seated attitudes and for identifying ways to transform these attitudes for the wellbeing of Earth, our common home.
Mount Sinai is a mountain whose memory and meaning loom large as a place of revelation in the collective consciousness of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and others. As an ancient sacred space, it was the site of prophetic experience, and receiving God’s message, for the prophets Moses and Elijah in all three Abrahamic traditions, and the prophet Muhammed in the Muslim tradition. COP 27 taking place in Sinai can remind humanity of our sacred responsibility to care for God’s creation.
We come to Sinai in a movement of repentance and quest. We seek a new vision for humanity and its endangered existence, and we seek to receive and amplify a message of life-sustaining living and habits that humanity needs to hear today. In this spirit, the project partners will bring together premier religious leaders from the world’s major religions to put forth a prophetic interreligious call to action: “Ten Universal Principles for Climate Justice.”
Interfaith Climate Events at COP 27
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD), together with partners, is organizing four multifaith climate events at COP 27, from Monday, Nov. 14 through Wednesday, Nov. 16 . The events will incorporate concrete examples of how religious communities are actively meeting the climate challenge, and feature concrete initiatives that translate the broader spiritual practices into action.
On Monday, Nov. 14 at 9 am, ICSD is organizing an interfaith climate event with religious leaders speaking, in the Israeli exhibition within the Blue Zone. Speakers include H.E. Metropolitan Serafim Kykotis, Sr. Maureen Goodman, James Sternlicht, and Rabbi Yonatan Neril.
In addition, ICSD is organizing three press conference events in the press conference space for NGOs in the blue zone at COP 27, in the Luxor Taba Area B. If you have a badge to enter the blue zone, we invite you to attend any or all of them.
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD) is organizing four multifaith climate events at COP 27, from Monday, Nov. 14 through Wednesday, Nov. 16.
On Monday, Nov. 14 at 9 am, ICSD is organizing an interfaith climate event with religious leaders speaking. It will take place in the Israeli exhibition within the Blue Zone.
In addition, ICSD is organizing three press conference events in the press conference space for NGOs in the blue zone at COP 27, in the Luxor Taba Area. If you have a badge to enter the blue zone, we invite you to attend any or all of them.
Due to restrictions placed upon us by the Egyptian government, we have had to move the ceremony of repentance and the central release of the 10 spiritual climate principles to another location. The event is currently planned to take place on Nov. 13th in London. Please come back to this page in order to view a link for live broadcast.
Mon, Nov. 14th 10:30 – 11:00 am Faith Leaders Share Ten Universal Principles for Climate Justice
Tue, Nov. 15th 10:00 – 10:30 am Religious Figures Share Concrete Steps for Climate Action Within Faith Communities. Speakers include Bishop Andreas Holmberg of Stockholm, Rev. Susan Hendershot, president of Interfaith Power and Light, Dr. Fachruddin Mangunjaya, and Rabbi Yonatan Neril.
Wed, Nov. 16th 11:00 – 11:30 am Bringing Religion to Bear on the Climate Emergency. Speakers include H.E. Metropolitan Serafim Kykotis, Paul Beckwith, Regina Valdez.
Learn more about the Sinai Climate Partnership for Houses of Worship
As world leaders and climate activists meet in November for the U.N.’s COP27, preachers and congregations can add their voices to the calls for climate justice.
In an effort to encourage clergy to teach and preach on climate change during COP 27, we have made available the following free resources:
Abraham and Torah teachings on Climate Change
COP27 – Solidarity And Endurance For Climate Justice: Malachi 4 And Luke 21
For materials on Islam and climate change, click here.
For materials on Hinduism and climate change, click here.
Who: The London climate repentance ceremony will involve world religious leaders, primarily from the Elijah Board of World Religious Leaders.
Follow Up and Outreach:
Following the Sinai event, we intend to launch a series of educational initiatives that will flow from it. The materials produced by religious leaders participating in the event will be converted into study materials, that will serve the religious communities and the community of climate activists, in special seminars and ongoing teaching situations.
Learn more about the Sinai Climate Partnership for Houses of Worship
* * *
10 Spiritual Principles for Climate Repentance
The Elijah Board of World Religious Leaders
The Elijah Board of World Religious Leaders
climate repentence.com
Introduction
The leaders of the world are presently gathered in Egypt, during this time of great international tension and conflict, for the Cop-27 meeting. We support them with our deepest prayers and meditations. Theirs is the urgent work of addressing the practical challenges of climate change and for negotiating between nations, in an attempt to help humanity resolve the climate crisis. As religious leaders we offer our voice as a contribution to the gathered leaders and to humanity. Ours is a voice of hope and unity, grounded in a spiritual vision. From this vision, offered as common ground between diverse religions, an positive attitude to life is derived that can inform practical decisions and negotiations. It can also give hope and meaning to individuals struggling under the burden of climate anxiety, who seek to find their place and identify their responsibility at this time of crisis. We must also confront honestly the destructive habits which continue to limit the possibilities and the hopes of human beings, in a call for wake up and self-examination. With the following ten principles we seek to initiate a process of climate repentance, broader understanding, and effective action. Many practical consequences can be derived from the vision set forth here, as well as from the individual principles we offer. Our call is a call to action; and a call to return to a correct vision of the creation, the creator, and the harmonious relationship of humanity with creation.
God and the world – the Nature of Being
1. Creation is not our possession. The human person must recognize this and find his/her rightful place in relation to this fundamental fact. For some of us, this leads to a sense of gratitude for God’s gifts and for the gift of life itself, wherein humanity takes its rightful place as partner and co-creator, in advancing the life of all creation. For others,, creation itself is sacred.
Therefore: We recognize human responsibility to love and protect nature.
2. Creation is not simply external to God. It is, in significant ways, permeated by God’s presence and being, manifesting the divine agency and reality. Such understandings are found in all traditions, whether as the universal view or as one voice among others. Alternatively, nature is permeated by the spiritual, manifesting ultimate reality in every particle.
Therefore: We must treat all of life with reverence.
3.Within creation, and between humans and other parts of creation, as well as among religious communities, there is interdependence. All are part of a greater whole wherein each element both receives and gives influence, impact, love, and growth.
Therefore: We must care for each other and the planet.
Humanity and Its Responsibilities
4. The distinctive task of humanity is to nurture and serve this interdependent life-giving, and so to resist the temptation to exploitation, waste, and harm. Acting in the interest of human well-being cannot be something pursued in separation from working for the well-being of the whole created order. This finds two prominent expressions:
a. Commitment to not harm creation, and the responsibility to protect it.
b. Commitment to serve, advance, and aid in the growth and evolution of all parts of creation.
Therefore: We recognize that we are responsible for the wellbeing of all life today, as well as for future generations.
5. The human person has capacities that are conducive to the realization of this vision, as well as forces that are destructive. Ego, self-centeredness, greed, arrogance, and more are negative traits stemming from a limited sense of the human person. These have the potential to destroy humanity and creation. The soul, or the higher aspects of the human person, have the capacity to realize the fuller vision of humanity’s role in the broader scheme of the meaning of life and creation.
Therefore: A disciplined spiritual life is helpful in overcoming the challenges of climate change.
6. There is an inherent relationship between the human person (within) and nature and objective reality (without). Thoughts, speech and action have the capacity to bring harm or to heal.
Therefore: Use thought, speech and action only for the good.
7. Based on this understanding of the human person and his/her role in creation, the processes of growth, transformation, return and repentance are fundamental to human existence.
Therefore: The human person is benefitted by the ongoing effort to purify, raise, and transform himself, in view of a higher vision.
Living in Spirituality and Responsibility
8. There are reactions when we harm the earth and others. Actions have consequences and no action can be ignored. The weight of our actions and their short and long term consequences lead us to find ways of mitigating harmful actions and to work for the good.
Therefore: Act knowing that every action counts.
9. Empowered by mind, reason and spiritual understanding, we adopt a mindful and attentive view of the natural world.
Therefore: take seriously the lessons and observations that humanity has reached by application of its mind in scientific study and through common reason.
10.The life of attentive, intelligent love is embodied in compassion: in openness to the pain and vulnerability of the world. Care for the other is expressed in love and compassion as fundamental spiritual principles. These are to be applied to other humans, human communities, and other parts of creation. Compassion means suffering with others—to feel the pain of the earth, of the poor, and of those who suffer the consequences of climate change. Opening our hearts to their pain will lead us to change.
Therefore: Be sensitive to the intolerable insecurities and injustices in which so many of our fellow-humans live.