An international consultation entitled “Green Reformation: Ecology, Religion, Education and the Future of the Ecumenical Movement” was held 12-15 May at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute.
The consultation was planned and implemented in partnership with the Association of Protestant Churches and Missions in Germany, and with the support of the WCC departments on Ecumenical Continuing Formation, Care for Creation, Economy of Life and Climate Justice, and Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation.
The consultation drew theological educators, researchers, members of ecumenical networks in the field of advocacy and care for creation, and representatives of grassroots movements from 23 countries.
The group explored ecology and the re-reading of sacred texts as well as the necessity to formulate a new paradigm with hermeneutical principles that address and recognise justice, dignity, rights, interconnectedness and integrity of creations.
The consultation also realized the importance of cultivating awareness for an inclusive language that incorporates all that belongs to God’s creation.
The group also discovered that curriculum development in the area of eco-theology/eco-relational theology and care for creation requires a multi-disciplinary effort and collaboration between all disciplines.
They also reflected on the mandate of churches and religious communities to promote best practices for caring for creation, the well-being of all creation, and advocacy for the implementation of eco-preservation measures in the public sphere.
This consultation was planned and implemented in partnership with the Association of Protestant Churches and Missions in Germany (EMW), and with the support of the departments on Ecumenical Continuing Formation, Care for Creation, Economy of Life and Climate Justice, and Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation. It is embedded in the wider context of debate and the commitment of the World Council of Churches to foster theological, advocacy-oriented and lifestyle-changing reflection and action at the level of churches, international organizations, networks and individuals. Care for creation has become one of the core fields of ecumenical commitment, which responds to the urgency of the current ecological crisis and at the same time constitutes a transversal field relevant to all: religious communities, including churches of different traditions, and all people of good will. Significant work has been accomplished in partnership with ecumenical partners and civil society actors, for instance by providing resources for congregational work, by engaging people of other faiths and young people, and by raising the voices of the churches in the international discourse on sustainability and ecological justice.
The Green Reformation consultation aimed at offering contributions to this continuous , particularly from the perspective of theological education (which forms, models and methods should be used in learning for ecological awareness?), and through the lenses of indigenous traditions and contexts (how can indigenous traditions inform the reflection on and care for creation?).
Read the Message of “Green Reformation: Ecology, Religion, Education and the Future of the Ecumenical Movement” (a living document) – Bossey, May 2019
