Author: georgalas.5

Living Lent

Picture courtesy of livinglent.org

Living lent is a resource from The Joint Public issues Team. Their goal is to help people recognize that changing the climate is a lifestyle, not just an activity. They offer six different commitments to make not just during lent, but all together. They offer facts supporting why each commitment is important and how to stay committed. This is part of their goal to make climate action a lifestyle and to help people “Live Lent”. To read more about Living Lent and the six commitments, click here.

 

Lent and the Sustainable Development Goals

Mercy World Logo

Picture courtesy of mercyworld.org

Mercy International Organization has created a resource for Lent related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) . A few days are assigned to each of the seventeen SDG’s, with readings and a few thoughts to consider in your daily life related to each goal. To download this free resource, click here.

Seven Weeks for Water

Seven Weeks for Water 2019

Picture courtesy of water.oikoumene.org

The World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network has created a campaign “Seven Weeks for Water” to provide weekly reflections and other resources on water for the seven weeks of Lent. Each reflection starts with a scripture and then the author’s reflection. There are also reflection questions for the reader and possible actions to take.

The first reflection, “Challenging gendered water: an important step towards women’s empowerment” is by Renemsongla Ozukum, a theologian and a member of the Baptist Church Council, Nagaland India. The reflection is focused on John 4: 4-26: And Jesus said to her, “I am the Living Water”..…everyone who drinks the water will never be thirsty again. 

The second reflection, “Pilgrimage of water justice in the context of India” is by Dr.Geevarghese Mor Coorilos, Bishop of Niranam diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in India. He also serves the World Council of Churches as Moderator of the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism. His reflection comes from John 4:1-30: Samaritan Woman at the Well.

 The third reflection, “God’s Gift of Water” is by Grace Ji-Sun Kim. She is an ordained minister of PC (USA) and works as an Associate Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion. She is also part of the World Council of Churches working group on climate change. Her reflection comes from Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground…

The fourth reflection, “Stigma and discrimination: an impediment to human right to water, with specific reference to Casteism in India” is by Rev. Dr Raj Bharat Patta. He is an ordained minister of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church in India and served the Student Christian Movement of India as its national General Secretary. He has also worked for the National Council of Churches in India as one of its Executive Secretaries. His reflection narrates the story of Hagar through her voice, when she was left in the desert to fend for herself without an adequate supply of water to survive with and to keep her son Ishmael alive. Patta, draws similarities between the Dalit communities in India and that of Hagar, when it comes to access to water.

The last three reflections are as follows: “Secure water for food security and climate adaptation”, “Leaving no one behind: the crux of water for all in the context of SDG 6”, and “Privatisation of water: an onslaught to human right to water in Asia”. These  will be available at the beginning of each of the coming weeks. To read more about the Seven Weeks of Water, click here.

 

Eating Simply for Lent

Picture courtesy of catholicclimatemovement.global

“Growing in simplicity for Lent is a gift of the spirit. We now know that it’s also a way to sustainably inhabit our place in God’s creation.”

Global Catholic Climate Movement is focusing on protecting creation this Lent. They are advocating for “Eating Simply,” by adding a day of plant-based meals to your diet, or eating only plant based meals during Lent. They offer recipes and easy meals to help the transition. To read more or to make the commitment to eat simply, click here.

Religion and Environment Songs: Nobody’s Fault by Aerosmith

Picture courtesy of aerosmith.com

 

Song Picks by Natalie

The first verse of Nobody’s Fault by Aerosmith says:

Running for the sea

Holy lands are sinking

Birds take to the sky

I think that the first three lines are describing the destruction of the earth and the line “holy lands are sinking” is alluding to rising sea levels taking precious land.

The next lines:

The prophets are all stinking drunk

I know the reason why

Eyes are full of desire

Mind is so ill at ease

Everything is on fire

I think that “The prophets are all stinking drunk” is referring to people no longer listening to the teachings of God.  In the next lines, I believe the lyrics are saying the reason people are no longer listening to the teachings of God and therefore destroying the earth is because of human’s desire for more. This has led to an uncomfortable society where our minds are “ill at ease and everything is on fire.”

The last chorus of the songs states:

Man has known
And now he’s blown it
Upside down and hell’s the only sound
We did an awful job
And now we’re just a little too late

I think that these lines are saying humans have known we shouldn’t be destroying the earth, but we did it anyways, and now, everything is not how it should be. Humans have ignored the warnings and now it’s too late.

To read the lyrics, click here.

To listen to the song, click here.

Meet Sālote: a Young Witness to Climate Change

Picture courtesy of http://operationnoah.org/

Sālote is a video produced by Operation Noah that aims to hep Christians around the world recognize the human cost of climate change, and particularly its impact on women and children. The video was made in partnership with World Day of Prayer and is inspired by real-life accounts of present-day climate change impacts. To watch the short video, click here.

The Biblical Basis for Advocacy to end Hunger

Picture courtesy of bread.org/

This document from Bread for the World provides nine biblical themes that guide their mission to end hunger. They cite scripture for each theme to show why they believe it is their duty to love all people and ensure that no person goes hungry. To read more, click here.

Bread for the World: Have Faith. End Hunger.

Picture courtesy of bread.org/

Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging the nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. By changing policies, programs, and conditions that allow hunger and poverty to exist, they provide help and opportunity at home and abroad to end hunger.

“God’s grace in Jesus Christ moves us to help our neighbors, whether they live in the next house, the next state, or the next continent.”

To read more about Bread for the World or to get engaged with their work towards eradicating hunger, click here.

Religious Statements on Climate Change

Picture courtesy of interfaithpowerandlight.org

 

Interfaith Power & Light has compiled a list of different religious community’s statements on climate change. The list includes statements from different denominations including: Baha’i, Buddhist, Christianity, Hindu, Interfaith, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Unitarian Universalist. To view the entire list and to read more about the individual statements, click here.

Catholic Relief Services Best Photographs 2018

This photo is part of CRS' best photos of 2018, it's the tsunami in Indonesia.

Picture courtesy of crs.org; Photographer Mohammed Hafiz

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has created the “Through the Lens of Our Photographers,” project. This is its third year of the CRS Photos Department’s annual collection of the best photos of the year. CRS Photo Librarian Lauren Carroll and Photo Editor Philip Laubner hope to offer photos that have a “lasting impact and transcend their parts to represent something bigger, something universal, something that talks to a larger human truth.” To view all of the photographs from 2018, click here.