Eco Congregation Ireland chairperson, Catherine Brennan SSL, attended the 8th Assembly of the European Christian Environmental Network, which took place in Prague in June. This is her reflection following the conference:
The International Baptist Theological Seminary (IBTS) was the setting for the 8th Assembly of the European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN) when it gathered in Prague from 9th – 13th June 2010. It attracted 85 participants from 23 European countries, from as far apart as Greece and Finland and from Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Roman Catholic traditions. The theme was ‘Our Daily Bread – Living in a Time of Climate Change’ and the event was opened by His Beatitude Krystof Metropolitan of Czech Lands and Slovakia and Orthodox Archbishop of Prague.
As is usual with these biennial events the Assembly opened and concluded with creative prayer and ritual. The final service was held in a local Czech Brethren Church at their kind invitation. During the week we experienced an Orthodox ‘Akathist’, United Methodist prayers, a Baptist Communion Service, Celtic singing and a ‘Cosmic Walk’.
Scottish Quaker and theologian Alastair MacIntosh opened the event with an inspiring call to radically review our attitudes to consumerism, which he named as a ‘wounded beast running amok’. He also spoke of the role of faith in developing resilience, which he sees as a spiritual task for our time. Alastair’s reflections gave a whole new colour and tone to this year’s assembly
Metropolitan Krystof, the head of the Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands and Slovakia, in his contribution, pointed out the need for links between theology and care for Creation. Libor Ambrozek,former minister for the environment in the Czech government, underlined the role churches play as a part of civil society in the dialogue with public authorities.
The plea of keynote speakers to link depth psychology and spirituality with Creation theology was taken up by ECEN’s working group on theology. This group continues to promote the inclusion of creation theology in the education of clergy, seminarians, teachers and pastoral workers and calls on the leaders of all our churches to encourage this initiative.
Other working groups on food, eco-management, biodiversity and lifestyle transition explored the practicalities of helping mitigate climate change. New bilateral partnerships were formed between church organisations with different levels of experience throughout Europe. In the Czech Republic church environmental work has developed rapidly over the past few years, as presentations demonstrated.
A number of scientists from the Czech Republic outlined the links between food and climate. For instance, intensive meat production is a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Species and habitats are already becoming extinct or lost with human demands for cheaper unseasonal food. Soils are frequently so overstressed with agro-chemical inputs that they can contribute carbon to the atmosphere rather than absorb it.
Faced with such challenges, there was an urgent call to take action to reverse these trends as part of our ministry to protect God’s creation.
Those attending the Assembly met with local church members and paid visits to local green projects. These included a trip to an eco-technical museum at a former sewage treatment plant, an historical wooden church building that uses no electricity; and a 1950s Hussite church and community centre which produces all its hot water through solar thermal panels mounted on its roof.
There were also stories from the Sunflower Centre for Ecological Education, a biodiversity scheme in Slovakia and the work of the Centre for Appreciation of Renewable Energy Resources at the Orthodox Academy in Vilemov.
To reduce our own carbon footprint we were encouraged to travel by greener transport to Prague and the meals provided were all good quality vegetarian food. We even made some of our own bread from local ingredients and appreciated the native biodiversity by taking walks in the area. We literally walked the talk.
Some of the outcomes of the five days together were a letter to the churches and a short reflection on The Lord’s Prayer, as well as recommendations for action on concerns such as GMOs, excessive food miles and food insecurity.
In an appendix with the letter, suggestions and recommendations are listed including the recommendation to strengthen common lobby and advocacy on environmental issues on a European level on behalf of the European churches. ECEN intends to strengthen working relations with the World Council of Churches, the Council of European Roman Catholic Bishops’ Conferences and the World Student Christian Federation. Representatives of these organisations participated in the Assembly.
It is always very encouraging and energising to meet with people from other places who have common goals of Christian engagement with green issues. Sharing positive experiences and creative ideas is a vital way to broaden and deepen our own work in sustaining God’s living creation. The saying ‘think globally, act locally’ really comes alive in such gatherings.
