As we enter Easter Season, the time when Christians celebrate the greatest mystery of our faith, we find ourselves poised to meet the greatest challenge in humanity’s history. Climate change is here, it is real and it is progressing. As a species, we have failed to respond to the prophetic voices of our scientists and can no longer prevent very serious and frightening consequences of our over-consumption of our planet home.
Easter Season for Christians is the time between Easter Sunday and Pentecost during which we find renewal in the promise of resurrection and reconciliation. It is also springtime for northern hemisphere livers — the time of fertility, new live and glorious abundance. What better time to explore the many voices in a wonderful new e-book, “Faith Voices for a Healthy Climate” compiled by Moms Clean Air Force. This rich new resource brings the wisdom from many elders of many faith traditions to the general public. It speaks the language of faith, not science, or economics or even health — and calls us to action in a new way. It is clear that the hard cold facts of deforestation and greenhouse gas pollution cannot help us change — that is the language that environmentalists have been using since the first warnings of climate change were sounded in the 20th Century. We need new voices and new language and new reasoning for change. “Faith Voices” provides that language.
I challenge each of you to download this free resource and read the 27 short statements by faith leaders from Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama to Rev. Richard Cizak and Rabbi Stone. Let these words move you in deep and new ways. Let the magic of this season, whether you are Christian or Jew, Buddhist or Hindu, seep deep into your daily lives and produce radical change. Share it with loved ones, neighbors and colleagues. Discover new, transformational energy that will stimulate change and help us meet the challenges of our new reality as we continue to work to create, protect and preserve an abundant new future for our children and the children of all of God’s creatures.
