Australia: Sacred People, Sacred Earth

Sacred People - Sacred EarthPeople of all faiths are speaking with one voice in Australia and joining in the International Day of Climate Justice with Greenfaith International. At 11:00 am in every state, people of faith will join in ringing of bells for the climate, prayer, meditation and peaceful messaging. This activity involves Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Quakers and many other people of faith.


Over one hundred local faith communities across Australia from diverse traditions will hold events today as part of a major global multi faith Day of Action to ‘sound the alarm’ for the climate. Churches in more than fifteen countries will ring their bells, Rabbis will sound the shofar, Imams will call the Azan and some groups will hold silent Vigils to draw attention to a series of demands for climate justice.

There will also be multi-faith peaceful Vigils outside the offices of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef Warren Entsch.

The Day of Action is in support of a Statement called Sacred People, Sacred Earth signed by very prominent religious leaders including the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and the Vatican Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Cardinal Turkson.

There are also high-profile Australian, signatories including Bishop Philip Huggins, President of the National Council of Churches, Ajahn Sujato Bhikkhu of SuttaCentral and Bishop Vincent Long of the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta. The Statement has been signed by thousands of people from a very wide range of faiths.

The signatories demand net zero emissions for wealthy countries by 2030, which is much more ambitious than most nations to date which aim for net zero by 2050, and well ahead of the current Government. The Statement also calls for economic recovery money to be spent on low carbon industries including renewables rather than fossil fuels, and that governments “must not perpetuate an outdated economic system that relies on fossil fuels and the destruction of the very forests, waters, oceans and soils that make life possible.”

People of all faiths are speaking with one voice: Even though your own tradition teaches something particular – this is a moral challenge we all share. We are speaking together because we must act together.

What are some of the actions taking place?
Places of worship – Cathedrals ringing bells
St John’s Anglican in Brisbane
Christ Church Cathedral Grafton
Catholic Cathedral of Parramatta
Other cathedrals in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne
Buddhist-led actions on the Central Coast, Newtown (NSW) and in Sydney’s Hyde Park
Muslim – singing the Azan in Geelong, Melbourne City Mosque and other parts of Victoria
Quakers in Tasmania meeting in Silence for the Climate


Religions for Peace Australia is a co-sponsor of Sacred People, Sacred Earth along with Australian Religious Response to Climate Change.

On 11 March, people of faith and conscience all around the world are rising together for the biggest-ever faith-climate day of action, all at the grassroots. Join us! SacredPeopleSacredEarth.org #SacredPeopleSacredEarth #Faiths4Climate

As people of faith, we know we cannot afford to wait for governments and financial institutions to act first to take on the climate crisis. Sign up to join or host a #SacredPeopleSacredEarth event on March 11: SacredPeopleSacredEarth.org #Faiths4Climate

 

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The global climate emergency requires a global, multi-faith response. On March 11, people of diverse religions are coming together in a bold new way to work for climate justice. Sign up to join or host a #SacredPeopleSacredEarth event: SacredPeopleSacredEarth.org #Faiths4Climate

 

Sacred People, Sacred Earth