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Featured Resources
Blessing the Planet--Blessing the Peoples
Image source: Global Peace Index, Institute for Economics and Peace
“To put it simply, the state of the planet is broken…Humanity is waging war on nature. This is suicidal. Nature always strikes back -- and it is already doing so with growing force and fury.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Special Address on The State of The Planet, 2 December 2020
“If Jesus is Lord of all the earth, we cannot separate our relationship to Christ from how we act in relation to the earth. For to proclaim the gospel that says ‘Jesus is Lord’ is to proclaim the gospel that includes the earth, since Christ’s Lordship is over all creation. Creation care is thus a gospel issue within the Lordship of Christ.” The Cape Town Commitment (7-A, We Love God's World, 2010)
“We are called to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ—the fullness of life, the repentance and forgiveness of sin, and the promise of eternal life—in word and deed, in a violent world where many are sacrificed to the idols of death (Jeremiah 32:35) and where many have not yet heard the gospel….We are called to care for God’s creation, and to be in solidarity with nations severely affected by climate change in the face of a ruthless human-centered exploitation of the environment for consumerism and greed.” The Arusha Call to Discipleship (2018)
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Part One
State of the Planet
Our Suicidal War on Nature
Source: UN image
“I have detailed an emergency, but I also see hope. I see a history of advances that show what can be done – from rescuing the ozone layer to reducing extinction rates to expanding protected areas. Many cities are becoming greener. The circular economy is reducing waste. Environmental laws have growing reach. At least 155 United Nations Member States now legally recognize that a healthy environment is a basic human right. And the knowledge base is greater than ever”. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Special Address on The State of The Planet, 2 December 2020
On 2 December at Columbia University, UN Secretary-General António Guterres presented an overview--and dire warning--on the woeful state of the planet. He also highlighted progress in improving aspects of the environment yet clearly emphasized the serious collaborative action that needs to take place at all levels--individual through international--to lessen and/or avert major catastrophes. We strongly encourage you to watch this address and to seriously consider--and critique from your vantage points--the assertions, concerns, and action steps outlined. You can access the video HERE (28 minutes). The text is available in the six official UN languages.
Guterres mentioned several examples of collaborative efforts/events in 2021:
--World Ocean Summit, Lisbon, Portugal, 2-4 March 2021
--Biodiversity Conference, Kunming, China, 17-30 May 2021
--International Conference on Chemicals Management, Bonn, Germany, 5-9 July 2021
--Food Systems Summit, September or October 2021
--Climate Change Conference (COP 26), Glasgow, UK, 1-12 November 2021
--Global Sustainable Transport Conference, Beijing, China, date in 2021 TBA
Also noted:
--UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030)
--New Urban Agenda: Habitat III Quito, Ecuador, October 2016
“We face three imperatives in addressing the climate crisis: First, we need to achieve global carbon neutrality within the next three decades. Second, we have to align global finance behind the Paris Agreement, the world’s blueprint for climate action. Third, we must deliver a breakthrough on adaptation to protect the world – and especially the most vulnerable people and countries -- from climate impacts”. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Special Address on The State of The Planet, 2 December 2020
Part Two: Going Deeper
Examples of Resources to Review
“Woe to you shepherds...who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?... Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?” (Ezekiel 34: 1,18 NIV).
“The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish with the earth. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt” (Isaiah 24: 4-6, NIV).
Trash Vortexes in the Oceans
Original source of the above image unknown. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the North Pacific Ocean, also known as the Pacific trash vortex, is the largest. This area covers about 1.6 million square kilometers--twice the size of Texas and three times the size of France. An estimated 8 million tons of plastic enter the oceans each year. More information: Ocean Cleanup; UN Environment Program, Oceans and Seas; SDG 14: ”Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development” (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Sustainable Development); and Addressing Marine Plastic: A Systemic Approach, UN (December 2019).
William Carey Publishing
--People Trees, and Poverty, Lowell Bliss (2018). “With climate change, global warming, and the environment making headlines on an almost-daily basis, followers of Christ can find themselves asking, “What’s my role in this? What’s my responsibility? And how does it relate to the Great Commission?” People, Trees & Poverty shares a high-level overview, a snapshot, of what it looks like to reach the unreached through advocacy on environmental issues. However, this book does more than raise awareness and pluck your heartstrings. It concludes with a critical feature, listing additional resources, gatherings, and organizations to move the reader from concern to action.” This is a “snapshot” book. See the author’ longer book, Environmental Missions (2013).
--Biblical Wholism and Agriculture: Cultivating Our Roots. David Evans, Ronald Voss, Keith Wright (Editors, revised 2020). “New generations are championing responsibility for both the environment and those peoples who depend upon it in all new ways. Biblical Holism and Agriculture addresses the urgent need for constructing a holistic perspective, grounded in the Bible, to appraise the economic, social, ecological, environmental, and spiritual impact of globalization and the unprecedented impact of powerful agricultural technologies, and marketing systems. The holistic biblical perspectives within reference ancient Hebrew insights about responsible freedom for “keeping” the land by people created in the image of God as representatives commissioned to stewardship and justice.”
Mission Connexion Northwest (15-16 January 2021)
--This a free online conference endorsed and sponsored by many organizations. Four of the 100+ workshops are on on creation care (e.g., creation care as a mission of God; environmental degradation as an opportunity for sharing the good news); four are on member care (e.g., promoting rest/preventing burnout; member care and global mental health); and four are on trauma care including in the context of COVID-19.
Lausanne Movement
--Creation Care Network. “Stewardship of God’s creation (creation care) is a clear biblical command and an integral part of what it means to follow Jesus as Lord….But that’s not all: God’s creation is in the midst of a crisis that is ‘pressing, urgent, and that must be resolved in our generation’ (Jamaica Call to Action). This crisis, of which climate change and massive biodiversity loss are just a part, represents an existential threat to the future of human society. The Lausanne/WEA Creation Care Network (LWCCN) is a collaborative effort of both Lausanne and the World Evangelical Alliance to mobilize the global church to respond to this crisis. LWCCN now reaches 130 countries and encourages Christians in every country to work together to heal God’s creation.
--Lausanne Global Insights articles: Devastating Fires and the Church’s Mission: Understanding and Reclaiming Our Call to Care for Creation, Tim Carriker (March 2020); Climate Change after Paris: What it Means for the Evangelical Church, Ed Brown (May 2016)
World Evangelical Alliance (WEA)
--Lausanne/WEA Creation Care Network
--WEA Sustainability Center
Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities
--Climate and Faith resources
Brigada Today
--Creation care resources
World Council of Churches (WCC)
--Roadmap for Congregations, Churches, and Communities for an Economy of Life and Ecological Justice (2019). See also: Churches on the Road to an Economy of Life and Environmental Justice (four archived webinars, 2020).
--Cooler Earth Higher Benefits: Actions by Those Who Care About Children, Climate, and Finance Frederique Seidel, Emmanuel de Martel (report, 2020); See also: Climate Justice with and for Children and Youth in Churches: Get Informed, Get Inspired, Take Action, Frederique Seidel and Virág Kinga Mezei (toolkit for churches, church-run schools, camps, 2020)
--Examples from the WCC Weekly newsletter (10 December 2020): WCC Eco-School 2020 for Pacific region on Water, Food and Climate Justice (18 - 24 January 2021); WCC interim general secretary welcomes “powerful moment of truth-telling” about climate change (in response the UN Secretary-General's Special Address on 2 December 2020)
Roman Catholic Church
--Laudate SÃ: On Care for Our Common Home, Pope Francis (encyclical, 2015)
“13. The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change. The Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us. Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home….43. Human beings too are creatures of this world, enjoying a right to life and happiness, and endowed with unique dignity. So we cannot fail to consider the effects on people’s lives of environmental deterioration, current models of development and the throwaway culture....188. There are certain environmental issues where it is not easy to achieve a broad consensus. Here I would state once more that the Church does not presume to settle scientific questions or to replace politics. But I am concerned to encourage an honest and open debate so that particular interests or ideologies will not prejudice the common good.”
United Nations Resources
--Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action--A Greener, Cleaner, Brighter Future. “As the world looks to recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is growing global recognition that the catalyst for transformational change is investment in a green and sustainable global economy that produces jobs, reduces emissions, and builds resilience to climate impacts. In December, we highlight Sustainable Development Goal 13--Climate Action--as we mark the fifth anniversary of the landmark Paris Agreement on Climate Change [along with other efffrots for] Climate Action and an end to an unprecedented year with an ambition to recover better, stronger and healthier.” (quote from website)
--UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform offers many resources tracing progress and problems related to the SDGs, including the foundational Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UN (2015).
--UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs features many items on its website including Sustainable Development topics such as the environment, climate, oceans, etc.
--Greening the Blue Report 2020: The UN Systems Environmental Footprint and Efforts to Reduce It. UN Environment Agency (UNEP). “UNEP, in collaboration with hundreds of UN personnel from across the UN System, annually collects and analyses information provided by entities on their environmental impacts and publishes this data and case studies [in this report]…The 2020 edition…focuses on the impacts of over 310,000 personnel in Headquarters, field offices and operations on the ground.”
--Paris Climate Agreement 2015. “The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. To achieve this long-term temperature goal, countries aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible to achieve a climate neutral world by mid-century. The Paris Agreement is a landmark in the multilateral climate change process because, for the first time, a binding agreement brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects.” (quote from website)
UN and Civil Society-Related
--The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) was set up in 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. SDSN mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. SDSN works closely with United Nations agencies, multilateral financing institutions, the private sector, and civil society." (quote from website)
--UN Global Compact. “Corporate sustainability starts with a company’s value system and a principles-based approach to doing business. This means operating in ways that, at a minimum, meet fundamental responsibilities in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Responsible businesses enact the same values and principles wherever they have a presence, and know that good practices in one area do not offset harm in another. By incorporating the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact into strategies, policies and procedures, and establishing a culture of integrity, companies are not only upholding their basic responsibilities to people and planet, but also setting the stage for long-term success." Principle 7: Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges; Principle 8: undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; and Principle 9: encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.” (quote from web site)
Mental Health as Mission (mental health and climate as mission)
--Mental Health and Climate Change, Five on Friday, Kathleen Pike (27 September 2019)
--Addressing Mental Health in a Changing Climate: Incorporating Mental Health Indicators into Climate Change and Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Katie Hayes and Blake Poland (2018, 15, 1806; doi:10.3390/ijerph15091806)
--Psychology, History, and Human Rights. “Past and future generations need guardians to defend their latent interests in the face of capricious short-term policy decisions.” Global Network of Psychologists for Human Rights, Antoon De Baets (25 October 2020)
Concluding Remarks by UN Secretary-General António Guterres
“This is a moment of truth for people and planet alike. COVID and climate have brought us to a threshold. We cannot go back to the old normal of inequality, injustice and heedless dominion over the Earth. Instead we must step towards a safer, more sustainable and equitable path. We have a blueprint: the 2030 Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change. The door is open; the solutions are there. Now is the time to transform humankind’s relationship with the natural world – and with each other. And we must do so together. Solidarity is humanity. Solidarity is survival. That is the lesson of 2020.With the world in disunity and disarray trying to contain the pandemic, let’s learn the lesson and change course for the pivotal period ahead. Thank you.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Special Address on The State of The Planet, 2 December 2020
Part Three--Covid Care
Perspectives and Resources
Don't fear. Trust God. Do good.
Image courtesy and (c) ENOD 2017
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38,39 NIV
Come Lord Jesus, Maranatha
Harpa Dei, sung in 10 languages
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1. Perspectives
Pandemics, like many crises, bring out the best and the worst in us--our selfless and our selfish qualities. The reality of the uncertainties and anxieties of life, and indeed survival--existential risk--is heavy upon the world. Positively, the current COVID-19 pandemic certainly provides plenty of opportunities for us all individually through internationally--to reflect on the types of people we want to be, the types of societies we need to build, and the types of changes we have to make.
We join together in solidarity with the world community's efforts, locally through globally, on behalf of covid-care and in hopes to stir up the heroic in all of us. We also note that the many overlapping, problems in our world continue unabated--shadow pandemics--even as this covid pandemic dominates the center stage globally: multi-dimensional poverty, protracted violence, human rights violations, gross inequalities, racism, mental ill health, environmental degradation, etc. This is the ongoing, cascading context--full of challenges and opportunities--in which member care resources need to be provided and developed for workers and their sending groups around the world. And from our faith-based perspective, as co-workers with God engaged in the many areas of “humanity care,” we live and work for God’s glory.
Our recent Updates below are compiled for helping ourselves and others with covid care. Examples of issues/resources: anxiety, trauma, depression, confinement, loneliness, loss, grief, relationship strains, coping for children, work insecurities, spiritual struggles, uncertainty/concerns about what is going on, etc. Have a look!
2. Resources for Covid Care
--Grieving Well--Healing Well: Resources for Growing through Loss
Global Integration Update (November 2020)
--Tough Times: Tougher People: Best selves--Better world
Global Integration Update (October 2020)
--Uniting for Covid-Care: Real-Life Ordinary Heroes
Member Care Update (September 2020)
--Doing Good: Positive Stories in the Pandemic
Member Care Update (August 2020)
--Staying the Course in Global Member Care: Pandemics, Problems, and Beyond
Member Care Update (July 2020)
--Managing Stress and COVID-Distress: Faith-Based Resources
Member Care Update (June 2020)
--Staying Sane during COVID-19: Mental Health Resources
Member Care Update (May 2020)
--Confronting COVID-19: “Don’t Be Afraid”
Member Care Update (April 2020)
See also these resources:
--2020 Year in Review: The Impact of COVID-19 in 12 Charts, World Bank (5 languages)
--Curated COVID-19 Resources, SentWell
--Covid-19 Impact Survey (on missions, 141 organizations, USA based)
Missio Nexus (Nov. 2020)
--Covid Resources, Humanitarian Disaster Institute, Wheaton College
--Global Health COVID-19 Response Framework, World Council of Churches (Nov 2020)
--WHO COVID-19 Resources and Guidance, World Health Organization
Image courtesy Nancy Ford Duncan
Member care: Renewing the strengths of our souls
No more let sins and sorrows grow
nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
far as the curse is found.
Isaac Watts, 1719, Joy to the World
Member Care Associates
MCAresources@gmail.com
