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Many Species, One Plant and One Future

World Environmental Day (WED)
June 05th 2010


World Environment Day (WED) which is observed on 5th of June every year, is a day that stimulates awareness of the environment, societal attention and public commitment. To the faith-oriented it also presents an opportunity to search for faith responses. The theme for this year is, Many Species: One Planet, One Future.

It is estimated that 5 million to 100 million species inhabit this wonderful planet. Scientists have managed to identify only about 2 million species so far. In God’s creation human race is one in several million species that live in this planet. We do not have adequate information about the other species with which we share this earth, many of whom disappear even before they are discovered. A total of 17,291 species are known to be threatened with extinction – from little-known plants and insects to charismatic birds and mammals.

Such extinctions are on account of our present approach to development, we have caused the clearing of much of the original forest, drained half of the world’s wetlands, depleted three quarters of all fish stocks, and emitted enough heat-trapping gases to keep our planet warming for centuries to come. We have put our foot on the accelerator, making species extinctions occur at up to 1000 times the natural rate.

The result of all this is we risk the loss of the very foundation of our own survival. The variety of life on our planet – known as ‘biodiversity’ – gives us our food, clothes, fuel, medicine and much, much more. The beetle in your backyard or grass growing by the roadside has a fundamental connection to us even though we are not always aware of it. When even one species is taken out of the intricate web of life, the results can be catastrophic.

For this reason, the United Nations has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. It is an opportunity to stress the importance of biodiversity for human well-being, reflect on our achievements to safeguard it and encourage a redoubling of our efforts to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss.

Commemoration, Celebration, Challenge:

Commemoration of WED has two aspects one is ‘celebration’ and other is a ‘challenge’. We as a Christian faith based communities have to ‘thank God’ for the multi species and bio-diversified environment as gift to the cosmic communities.

But the same time due to the personal and individualistic greedy actions of the powerful, parts of important landscape and species are disappearing everyday from this cosmic community. This is challenge to the faith based communities who affirm God as the creator and sustainer of this cosmos. While thanking God we have to take up the Challenge too.

Missiological Agenda:

Our commitment to the care of the Cosmic should be our mission agenda, because the ‘Earth is Gods, and who dwell in it’. (Psl 24:1). It is therefore our missiological responsibility to care and save God’s earth. Our commitment and decision may be small, but as UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon says, “Although individual decisions may seem small in the face of global threats and trends, when billions of people join forces in common purpose, we can make a tremendous difference.”

We will create an impact and a positive action for change if through the WED celebrations, hundreds of thousands of people from every local congregation and Churches from all over India will be mobilized for environmental-care actions and activities locally and nationally.

Getting Started:

WED activities could involve all sectors of Church life such as Sunday School, Men and Women’s Fellowship, Youth Fellowship, Schools, Social Concern Wings, Media, Prayer Fellowships and the Congregation as whole.

The National Council of Churches in India invites Churches, Ecumenical Councils, Organizations, and Agencies in India and all their constituents including Theological Colleges to celebrate and respond to the Environmental Concerns.

Some Proposed activities: Special Prayers, Sermons from the Pulpit by observing ‘Green Sunday’, Tree Planting on the Church / Institution Campus, Seminars, Dialogues and Discussions Joining with the secular groups who are involving in your locality, Elocution, Essay and Art Competition as inter-Sunday Schools / Schools / College levels.

Christopher Rajkumar
Secretary, Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation
christopher@nccindia.in / ncciecojustice@gmail.com

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