Faith & Justice

A double rainbow over Mount St. John. Photo by Don Geiger, SM.

In 1990, more than 30 scientists took the unprecedented step of urging the religious community to address worsening ecological conditions.  In An Open Letter to the Religious Community, the scientists argued that because the problems we face are transnational, transgenerational and transideological, they “must be recognized from the outset as having a religious as well as a scientific dimension.”

Since that time the major faith communities in the US have searched their traditions for the teachings and vision on which to base a religious response to environmental problems.  This section describes those efforts.

NEW!

The National Council of Churches' Eco-Justice Network's 2006 Earth Day Sunday resource is now available for download. Through the Eyes of a Hurricane: Rebuilding Just Communities describes the devastation of the Gulf Coast Region, particularly focusing on issues of environmental justice and racism, toxic contamination, and consumer lifestyles. The resource provides the background information, sermon notes, bulletin insert, and study questions to plan an Earth Day (or any day) worship service dedicated to a call for justice on the Gulf Coast and in our own communities.