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Background

Why People of Faith Should Care

"At stake are: the future of God’s creation on earth; the nature and durability of our economy; our public health and public lands; the environment and quality of life we bequeath our children and grandchildren. We are being called to consider national purpose, not just policy." - Let There Be Light: An Interfaith Call for Energy Conservation and Climate Justice

"The faith community has led every major movement in the U.S., including the abolition of slavery, a woman’s right to vote, and most recently the civil rights movement. We are involved now, working for the health of Creation, and I think we will succeed in creating a sustainable future. No institution is more suited to preach clean air, water, and land than one that professes a love of God and God’s creation." – The Rev. Sally Bingham

• Global warming will hurt creation. People of faith know, as Psalm 24 tells us, "the Earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it." Human beings are called to care for the earth. We do not own it, but are to treasure and nurture it as a sacred trust. If we do not take action to control global warming, we will not be taking good care of God’s creation.
• People of faith have long believed that we are "our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers." Global warming will affect the health and safety of everyone.
• People of faith are called to justice and fairness. The rich of the world – the industrialized nations – are primarily responsible for the increase of greenhouse gases. Seventy-three percent of the human-generated gases come from these nations. It will be the poor in the developing world, and in the U.S. and other industrialized nations, who will be most vulnerable to heat waves, storms, floods, and disease.
• God provides opportunities for gracefulness. Acting on global warming is one of those. Faithfulness has always involved demands and opportunities to do the right thing. The reality of global warming now provides both. Will we be faithful?
  
  (Adapted from Global Climate Change: A Religious Issue by the Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar)

What Can You and Your Congregation Do About Global Warming?

• Educate yourself and others about global warming.
• Save energy and money by improving the energy efficiency of your congregation’s buildings, and encourage members to take energy efficiency steps in their own homes.
• Buy clean energy for your congregation and urge your members to do so.
• Incorporate care of creation issues, especially global warming, into your worship.

• Religious and scientific leaders’ statement (PDF)
• Essays on Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Daoism, Hinduism, Indigenous traditions, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, and Shinto traditions (PDF)

• The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
• The Evangelical Environmental Network and Creation Care Magazine
• The National Council of Churches’ Eco-Justice Working Group
• The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Environmental Justice Program
• Islamic background and resources
• Web of Creation