TeachingRE Issue 4.pdf - the Second Level Support Service

RELIGION AND THEe n v i r o n m e n tBy Helen and Alan SheilCare and respect for theenvironment, andprotecting creation for all,is seen by manycommunities of faith asan intrinsic part of theirfaith and religioustradition.Thanks to Helenand Alan Shiel for sharingwith us some insights intothis important issue fromthe perspective of theMethodist community.They offer here anoverview of some of thework of Eco-CongregationIreland and the supportprogramme it offers forvarious Christiancommunities in Irelandand the UK.SYLLABUS LINKLEAVING CERTIFICATESECTION FTOPIC 3.2Religious traditions and theenvironmentJUNIOR CERTIFICATESECTION FPART 4Religious Morality in action(key concept: stewardship)As the UN Climate Change Summit approaches later in 2009 (In Copenhagen), churches and faithcommunities are becoming increasingly involved in the move to preserve and cherish Creation andto show leadership in promoting sustainable lifestyles. ‘ChurchesTogether in Britain and Ireland’ areco-ordinating the work of Christian churches in promoting greater visible unity.Visit their website athttp://www.ctbi.org.uk/ where you can access information and downloadable programme resourcesfor ‘Creation Time 2009’.The four nations (England, Scotland,Wales and Ireland) are represented inCTBI, with a member of the Eco-Congregations Committee representing Ireland.ECO-CONGREGATION IRELANDEco-Congregation is an environmental programme for churches, available to all Christian denominations throughoutBritain and Ireland. It developed through a partnership between the ChurchesTogether in Britain and Ireland (CTBI)and the environmental awareness charity “Going for Green” (now ENCAMS).Eco-Congregation aims to encourage churches to celebrate the gift of God’s creation, to recognise theinterdependence of all creation, and to care for it in their life and mission and through the members’ personallifestyles.Eco-Congregation Ireland has been developed in co-operation with four churches – the Church of Ireland, theMethodist Church in Ireland, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church – whose ecologicalrepresentatives are in touch with the many groups operating in Britain and Europe.The programme is available toall parishes with a keen interest in environmental issues and offers resources and support to help them to takepractical action in the context of their Christian faith.See http://www.ecocongregationireland.org“We have falsely separated the economy from the environment in which it is rooted and sustained.We need to rebuild thelink...we face a stark choice between a political economy, based on greed, acquisition and consumption and one based onsustainable and just relationships with our neighbour and reverence for life.” (Michael Bartlet, Parliamentary Liaison Secretaryfor the Quakers at the CTBI conference “The Economic Crisis”, Jan 09)As the depth of the global and national economic crises and associated banking scandals reach new lows (with, nodoubt, more to be revealed), we focus here on the personal, community and global responses an environmentallyaware church can make.In addition to our responsibilities as citizens of the planet we are also encouraged to celebrate the wonder ofCreation; its interconnectedness and interdependence and the discovery that all of creation is important to theCreator – not just human beings.Celebration at the moment may seem unattainable, but may we encourage you to engage with it and notice theuplifting (and healing) effect in your attitude to your neighbour and your environment?Ensuing insights and discoveries should hopefully nudge us in the direction of positive lifestyle changes – to care forand respect the environment. One buzz phrase that is sometimes used is to ‘live more simply that others may simplylive’.SOME OFTHE MODULES ON OFFER FROM ECO - CONGREGATION IRELAND INCLUDE:Green Choices (module 10): helps individuals to think about their personal lifestyle and to make choices that reflecta care for the earth and respect for their neighbours around the world. Some of these choices will save money tooe.g., practising the three “R’s” of reduce, reuse, recycle; while some may require a look at our priorities and result insome difficult decisions e.g., choosing to walk, cycle or use public transport to work rather than driving; buying slightlymore expensive fairly traded and environmentally friendly products; investing ethically with less likelihood of gettinga quick return – a lesson for us all, surely!Community Matters (module 11): Churches have a long and honourable tradition of working for, with and in thelocal community.Through the centuries, churches have played a leading role in:• the provision of education and other children’s work• the establishment, provision and continuing support of healthcareTEACHING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ISSUE FOUR SEPTEMBER 200927