Dear Friends in Christ,
The hopes and fears of many people around the world, in the North and South, will be linked to what happens in Copenhagen December 7-18, 2009 at the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference.
“Climate Change: A challenge to the churches in South Africa” is a new publication, endorsed and published by the South African Council of Churches. The statement follows in the tradition of the famous Kairos Document which challenged the churches in 1985 during the apartheid era in South Africa. (Kairos is a Greek word referring to a moment or time of truth, of both danger and opportunity.) Then and now to be a faithful and relevant Christian and Church means to carefully see, judge and act regarding the signs of the times with the newspaper (or Internet) in one hand and the Bible with the good news of Jesus Christ in the other (so to speak).
The writers of the new Kairos Document declare that we face not only a global ecological and economic crisis but a cultural and spiritual crisis as well. As with the apartheid heresy the gospel is being compromised and Christian faith distorted – in this case by a consumerist, prosperity and market-oriented paradigm. The document seeks to discern the structural causes of climate change and calls for a bold prophetic critique of wealth idolatry.
The writers call for a new vision, a new way of seeing and doing, of producing, distributing and redefining wealth. The document presents an alternative vision of hope for people and creation based on justice, peace and a sustainable way of life. The document ends with a call to confession and conversion, a prayer for healing the earth and human relationships and a doxology declaring “The Earth Belongs to God.”
The ELCA Advocacy Network has sent out an Environmental Action Alert calling for urgent action to support strong climate legislation this year saying: “The U.S. Senate was supposed to take up climate and energy legislation this fall, but now are saying they will not address the issue this year. This delay is unacceptable – climate change is a matter of great urgency for the future of God’s creation and for people living in poverty around the globe who are already facing the impacts of a warming planet. Give your Senators a call and tell them to pass effective climate legislation this year. As people of faith, we are called to use our voices to speak out for justice for God’s people and God’s Creation.” The number given to call is 1-888-784-0527.
Thank you for your continued support of the ELCA missionary sponsorship program and for your participation in God’s mission of transformation, reconciliation and empowerment so that all people and creation may have life in its fullness.
Yours faithfully,
Philip Knutson
ELCA Global Mission
Regional Program Assistant – Southern Africa
Cape Town
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