Dialogue, discernment and action on climate change
A series of ecumenical Climate Conversations were held In 2019 and 2020. The conversations brought together a wide range of Christians interested in environmental sustainability and climate activism from various denominations including Anglicans, Uniting Church, Catholics, Baptists, Salvation Army, Presbyterian and Lutheran. The agreed aim for the group was “To gather a broad range of Christians to discern a common voice for common action serving the healing and flourishing of God’s climate-challenged creation.”
Background
St John's Cathedral, Anglican Church Southern Queensland (ACSQ), received a grant from the NCCA's Glenburnie Program in 2019/20 to ‘develop and curate resources for Churches to enable them to better enter into dialogue, discernment and action on climate change.’ (With the interruption of COVID-19 the timeline for the project was stretched out considerably)
- Jason MacLeod was contracted to host the series of Ecumenical Climate Conversations which began as face-to-face meetings in 2019 and ended up as Zoom meetings in 2020.
- 2 Climate Roundtables were organised with the NCCA to bring together Christians from across all traditions and around Australia during this time. By the close of the second dialogue, actions plans were beginning to emerge around
- The formation of some kind of group or taskforce who could continue to “hold the space” for these conversations, and to facilitate more shared action and Christian voice.
- The internal work of transforming our own people, structures and operations, aware of our interconnectedness with all of God’s creation. Sharing ideas and resources.
- Continuing to look at how we better communicate around climate and environment.
- Better listening and walking in solidarity with our First Nations and Pacific peoples.
- Subsequent Conversations and Projects
- A listening event in November 2020 featured First Nations Christian leaders from around Queensland on the topic of Creation, Country and Climate. The gathering brought together respected Aboriginal and Torres Straits Island leaders from the church and climate activism spaces.
- Hosted an open-space style ecumenical climate conversation January 2021 where people could self-organise around similar themes, working groups, and projects.
- Ongoing work - A document outlining the ‘Pillars of support’ for Fossil Fuel in Australia, and how Christians could be involved in dismantling them.
About the 'Reframing Climate messaging' document
This document outlines how to reframe climate and creation care messaging and conversations among Christians so that our communications can be more effective. It provides the basis for the ‘climate messaging’ online workshops.
Developed by cross-commission staff and clergy across the ACSQ as part of the Resource Churches project, in consultation with a Christian climate scientist and other consulting Christians. The document has been specifically developed to assist ACSQ clergy, lay leaders and other staff involved in climate and creation care related communications, so that hope; agency; humanising and respectful language; solutions and shared values; and, Christian mission and identity are emphasised and encouraged.
View
St John's Cathedral has made this document available as a live published resource on the St John's Cathedral, ASCQ website. This document is a collaboration with ACSQ’s Parishes and Mission Commission who welcome other denominations, Christian organisations and faith groups to use and adapt the contents of the document for non-commercial purposes in order to tailor the messaging principles, pillars and tips for their respective audiences.
It is published as live online resource on St John’s Cathedral
Visit: Climate and creation care communications – engaging Queensland Anglicans | St John's Cathedral
