“As Christians across denominational traditions, we come together once again during this year’s Season of Creation filled with gratitude for God’s gift of life,” the Season of Creation Declaration 2018 reads. “We recognize that the present crisis we are in is because we have not heeded God’s call to love creation and each other and have sought self-interest instead. We seek to return to a God of life and hear the groaning of all creation which seeks redemption (Romans 8: 19-21).”

The prayer service marks the beginning of the pilgrimage towards COP24 which will be held in Katowice, Poland, in December.

Global solidarity with affected communities

The declaration, which is affirmed by ecumenical organizations and world communions from the Anglican, Catholic, Evangelical, Lutheran and Reformed traditions, calls for climate justice, for a “new global solidarity with those affected” and for international action and commitment to cooperating “in solving this planetary crisis”, among others by honoring the Paris agreement and it’s goals to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The declaration we issue today calls for something more profound than an technological or economic adaptation to mitigate the loss and damage of climate change. What is needed is a metanoia; a faithful return to our deepest human identity in order to restore the right relationships for which we were created.
—
LWF General Secretary Rev Dr Martin Junge

“The declaration we issue today calls for something more profound than a technological or economic adaptation to mitigate the loss and damage of climate change,” LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Martin Junge said at the Ecumenical Prayer in Assisi on 1 September. “What is needed is a metanoia; a faithful return to our deepest human identity in order to restore the right relationships for which we were created.”

The Season of Creation begins on 1 September, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and ends on 4 October, the feast day of St. Francis, the patron saint of ecology in many traditions. During this time Christians around the world unite to pray and care for creation, fulfilling their role as stewards of God’s creation.