Ecumenism is Greek for “universal”, it is a term usually refers to the combined efforts of christian sects rallying together on a certain focus. Given the pressing nature of environmental conservation, the majority of the various Christian traditions are cooperating to address environmental issues.
In Lausanne, Switzerland, 1974, John Stott convened a meeting of evangelicals (a group of sects forming a large majority) from all around the world. One of the main achievements of the meeting was the Lausanne Covenant, which was the precursor for the Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation. Evangelicalism is a collection of denominations, constituting a large majority of Protestant sects in America. The document (Lausanne Covenant) and the subsequent annual meetings it entailed, legitimized environmental conservation as a serious concern in Protestant dialogue. It set into motion other social action and social justice efforts with regards to the environment, and elevated the topic of environment into public discourse.
These efforts attempted to synthesize the previous religious theologies from 1. interpretation of scripture, 4. Creedal statements, 5. St. Francis of Assisi to 9. Thomas Berry, and then distilled all the literature into 3 general principles (Bergstrom, 2014), and 7 key themes (Paul VI,1972):
3 general principles:
(1) Principle of Creation Value: God created and therefore values all of his works of creation.
(2) Principle of Sustained Order and Purpose: God created and sustains all elements and systems in his creation within particular orders to meet certain ongoing purposes
(3) Principle of Universal Corruption and Redemption: Everything in the created world and universe is subject to corruption by sin and ultimate redemption through Jesus Christ
7 Key Themes:
1. Reexamination of scripture and tradition to refocuses Christian affirmations and ethics in ecologically-alert terms.
2. Explore the complex relation between cosmology, spirituality and morality. Understanding the dynamic relational system of the planets as term “a communion of subjects” (Swimme & Berry, 1994).
3. Critique the assumptions underlying modern philosophy, religion, technology, and politics, while accepting that Christian beliefs played a key role in their development. Seek to respond to critiques with reformation utilizing contemporary rational and scientific paradigms while connecting the contemporary with Judeo-Christian Religion to achieve a sustainable human-earth relationship
4. Recognize the utility in the tradition and history to address ecological issues. E.g. wisdom traditions, eschatology, liberation theology, Iconography to foster communion with the natural world by imagining beauty as a value.
5. Critically reexamine traditional categories and concepts. Inadequate concepts such as God, the world, eschatology require reform with ecological seriousness in mind.
6. Christian ecological virtue ethics have to lead to the practice of frugality, humility in life while simultaneously holding in high esteem, beneficence, and justice toward all.
7. Bio-responsibility for nature as stewards of life’s continuity. Human obligations to respect and care for Earth as God’s creation and life’s home, while seeking justice for biodiverse “other-kind” as well as humankind. Respecting the evolutionary wisdom embodied in the natural world; be accountable to the common good and to future generations; foster a communal and less resource-consumptive vision of “the good life.”
A summary of events leading to Modern Discourse (today)
References:
About the Movement. (n.d.). Retrieved April 06, 2017, from https://www.lausanne.org/about-the-movement
Conservation and the Catholic Imagination. (n.d.). Retrieved April 05, 2017, from http://www.humansandnature.org/conservation-and-the-catholic-imagination#End_4
Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2003).
John C. Bergstrom, What the Bible Says About the Environment, APOLOGETICS RESOURCE CTR. (Nov. 14, 2014), http://arcapologetics.org/culture/subdue-earth-bible-saysenvironment/.
Paul VI. (2014). Seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching. Retrieved April 06, 2017, from http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/seven-themes-of-catholic-social-teaching.cfm
The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale. (n.d.). Retrieved April 05, 2017, from http://fore.yale.edu/religion/christianity/
Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions (Washington, DC: USCCB, 1998)
Swimme, B., & Berry, T. (1994). The universe story. Arkana. Chicago