Religions and Conservation – resources for teachers and students

	Religious leaders from around the world return to Assisi in 2011 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Assisi Declarations.

“If you believe in God … then you should feel a responsibility to care for his creation” - HRH Prince Philip, founder of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation

The relationship between religions and a responsibility to care for nature has become increasingly clear. It is fundamental to the work that ARC has been supporting for over 25 years.

To help teachers and students learn more about the ways different religious traditions understand this responsibility and turn it into direct action, ARC has prepared a number of study resources. Drawing on both theological statements and examples of project work worldwide, these resources illustrate how religions have become an increasingly powerful force for positive environmental change.

For teachers delivering AQA GCSE Religious Studies (Specification B) Unit 3: Religion and Life/Topic 2: Religion & Planet Earth, the teachers’ resources below provide lesson plans and pupils’ notes that specifically address the syllabus.

	Tree planting in Tanzania - millions of trees have been planted by religious groups worldwide.

The 1986 Assisi Declarations

All religions have an understanding of humankind’s sacred duty to take good care of the natural world. In 1986 HRH Prince Philip (then International President of the World Wildlife Fund) invited five leaders of the world’s religions to a meeting in Assisi, Italy.

In the course of a week each leader drew together the different teachings and traditions of their faith into a statement that would make the sacred duty clear to believers. These ‘Assisi Declarations’ were to be the first step in one of the most powerful worldwide environmental movements of the 20th century and beyond.

Downloads