Voices For Earth Justice an Interfaith Network for the preservation of the earth.

Scroll down for links to other faith-based ecology groups.

Judaism and Ecology

In Genesis (1:28), God commands humans to "fill the world and capture it." The Torah permits us to use the world as we see fit.

However, a few verses later (Genesis 2:15), the Torah tempers this by telling us that God put humans in the Garden (symbolic of the entire world) "to work it and to guard it."

Christianity and Ecology

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” ~ Revelation 22:1,2

Islam and Ecology

“It is He who drives the winds, glad tidings heralding His mercy, and We send down pure water from the sky, that We may give life thereby to a dead land and provide drink to what We have created – cattle and humans in great numbers.” ~ Qur’an 25:48-9

“We made from water every living thing, will they not then believe?” ~ Qur’an 21:30

Unitarian Universalist Association Principles and Purposes

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, West Lower Michigan Synod

A Faithful Response to Global Climate Change

Whereas, The 1993 Social Statement of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, “Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice,” calls us to care for the creation in ways that protect the fruitfulness and viability of the Earth and the sustainability of human communities; and

Whereas, A broad scientific consensus warns that humankind’s historic and increasing
use of fossil fuels is contributing to and accelerating global climate change, and that climate change due to global warming is expected to cause severe and disruptive changes to all of creation, through more frequent extreme weather events, rising sea levels, more frequent deadly heat waves, increasing extinction of species, spread of tropical diseases, disruptions in food supplies, and displacement of human communities, with impacts likely felt disproportionately by those already living in poverty here and around the world; and

Whereas, Taking whatever possible actions we can now to reduce our use of fossil fuels and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide can help mitigate the ultimate severity of the effects of global warming and provide a more hopeful future for all generations that follow; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the congregations of the North / West Lower Michigan Synod seek
to help their members become more informed on the problem of global warming and possible solutions, by taking advantage of available educational resources; and

Resolved, That congregations seek to undertake actions to reduce and improve their use
of energy, through the utilization of more efficient devices, such as Energy Star appliances and compact fluorescent lights, and cleaner, renewable fuel choices, such as wind, solar, and biomass materials; and

Resolved, That congregations seek to encourage their members to participate in the
e-Advocacy program of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and advocate for energy policies at state and national levels that will promote cleaner, renewable energy use for all sectors of our society.

APPROVED by greater than 90% of 385 participants from the 131 congregations of the North / West Lower Michigan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, meeting in annual assembly, on May 22, 2007 in Lansing, Michigan.

Alliance of Religions and Conservation

The ARC website has a variety of statements on Ecology by 11 different world religions. This is an international alliance.

Website: http://www.arcworld.org/faiths.asp?

Website for Muslims: http://www.arcworld.org/faiths.asp?pageID=32
"What do Muslims teach about ecology?"

Forum on Religion and Ecology (FORE): A Harvard based study center.

FORE has a very wide coverage of religious groups. It also covers some scientific groups and other non-religious groups.

Website: http://environment.harvard.edu/religion/publications/statements/

US Conference of Catholic Bishops

Website: www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/

Catholic Coalition on Climate Change

Website: www.catholicsandclimatechange.org

National Council of Churches in Christ (NCCC)

Website: www.ncccusa.org/news/14.02.05theologicalstatement.html

Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL)

Website: www.coejl.org

Evangelical Environmental Network

Website: www.creationcare.org

National Religious Partnership for the Environment (NRPE)

US Conference of Catholic Bishops, NCCC, COEJL, Evangelical Environmental Network.

Website: www.nrpe.org

Canadian Forum on Religion and Ecology (CFORE)
Website: www.cfore.ca

Voices for Earth Justice
21695 Rougewood Dr. • Southfield, Michigan 48033
248-351-9001 • voices4earth@juno.com
501 (c)3 Non-Profit Organization