Teachings of Faith Traditions on
Care for God’s Creation

In responding to environmental concerns, faith communities draw deeply on the resources of their own traditions. Their approach to particular issues is not driven by political agendas of the left or the right, but by their most fundamental convictions about God, humanity, and the whole creation.

The religious traditions represented in the Partnership share certain core religious and moral convictions, such as:

• The earth ultimately belongs to God alone.
• Creation is good, and it is valued and cared for by God.
• Human beings are to care for the earth, using it to meet human needs without degrading it.
• Caring for people requires caring for creation.
• The poor and vulnerable, especially children, suffer most from environmental degradation.
• Religious communities have the responsibility of teaching and practicing the message of creation care and integrating it into the whole of religious life.

Each tradition, however, has its own distinctive resources and emphases, rooted in longstanding teachings, practices, and histories. Even within a single tradition or family of traditions there can be varying approaches and emphases. Sometimes the accent may be on the presence of the divine grace and glory in our encounters with creation, sometimes on our moral responsibility to a transcendent creator. At some times, human uniqueness may be in focus, at other times, human creatureliness. Now one may speak of the priority of meeting the needs of the most vulnerable people, then one may recall God’s valuing of even “useless” creatures.

While such differences can point to real and deep disagreements, they may also reflect complementary truths. This diversity-in-unity can be a source of tension, but it is also a source of great strength. Persons of faith can listen to and learn from one another without compromising their own religious integrity or identity. They can disagree without rancor or disrespect, and set aside differences in order to work toward common objectives.

Always, always persons of faith speak and act on the basis of their own most deeply and authentically rooted beliefs and values, as faithful members of their own religious communities.