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International gathering of Anglicans commits to eco-justice
April 16, 2012:
Following a meeting of the Anglican Communion's Environment Network (ACEN) held in August, 2011, in Lima, Peru a report has been published committing Anglicans everywhere to take action in support of environmental justice.
Entitled 'Crisis and Commitment' the 76 page report includes many stories brought by ACEN members from Africa, Australasia, and South America demonstrating the impact of environmental degradation, water shortage and pollution in the world today.
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Rev Ken Gray, ACEN Secretary |
Noting that: "The potential for civil strife arising from stress associated with the spoiling of and competition for resources is real and present in many places " the writers list a number of actions for the Anglican Communion worldwide to adopt, including:
- develop awareness-raising resources on deforestation and sustainable mining practices
- produce new resources on water access, quality, depletion and commodification
- address ecologically aware consumer choices, investment and corporate practices
- develop support mechanisms for those involved in environmental advocacy
The report also endorses the message from African faith leaders drawn up in June 2011 for presentation to the United Nations 17th Conference of the Parties in Durban and it includes the full text of their submission which is described as '"inspirational and challenging".
In an afterword to 'Crisis and Commitment' the Rev Ken Gray, Canadian parish priest and ACEN secretary, underlines the importance of urgent attention to environmental issues, saying: "I believe this environmental work to be amongst the most important work in which our global church can and must engage.
"I feel called to its challenge as do those ACEN representatives who attended Lima and those unable to attend. We can only hope to draw more people into this particular forum of Godly action as we take up the challenges of the Lima statement for ourselves, for our people and for God."
The Anglican Communion's Environment Network was launched in 2005 as a result of the Global Anglican Congress on the Stewardship of Creation in Johannesburg, 2002.
You can read more from the Rev Ken Gray (and download the full text of 'Crisis and Commitment') by clicking here.
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Anglicans on Climate Change
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