CHICAGO (Feb. 4, 2019) – In its commitment to pursuing wholeness for creation, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is pleased to announce collaboration with ecoAmerica and its Blessed Tomorrow program, which helps faith-based organizations elevate their leadership on the moral, religious and justice issues surrounding climate change.
This ELCA’s commitment to caring for creation is expressed through individual and community action, worship, learning, moral deliberation and advocacy. The collaboration with Blessed Tomorrow underscores this church’s commitment to raising awareness of climate change and taking action to mitigate its impact.
In conjunction with this announcement, the ELCA has released “God’s work. Our hands. Caring for Creation Today,” a video that explains the Lutheran grounding for and prioritization of creation care and encourages ongoing dialogue and activity.
“It's our duty to go out in the world and change it for the better,” said the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, director, ELCA Advocacy, in the video.
Additional
resources developed through this collaboration include the online guides “15 Steps to Create Effective Climate Communications” and “Let's Talk Faith & Climate.”
Emphasizing the commitment to caring for God’s creation, the ELCA has taken leadership roles in national and international forums. In September 2018, the ELCA was a primary host of the faith-based Talanoa Dialogue, an affiliate event to the
Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco. “Talanoa,” a traditional word used in Fiji and the Pacific, refers to a process grounded in storytelling, empathy and wise decisions for the common good. In December 2018, the ELCA raised members’ experience and faith-centered reflections to a new level of input and consultation by participating in
COP 24, the annual conference of parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This event marked the first time that the ELCA has participated as a fully accredited entity.
In her
2018 Earth Day statement, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton wrote: ”The present moment is a critical and urgent one, filled with both challenge and opportunity to act as individuals, citizens, leaders and communities of faith in solidarity with God’s good creation and in hope for our shared future.”
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.5 million members in more than 9,400 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God's work. Our hands,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877
[email protected]