Churches have a key role to play in promoting environmental sustainability
The launch of Eco Church at St Paul’s Cathedral today is a milestone in the Church’s recovery of caring for God’s creation as a core element in its mission and ministry. As the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams unveils and blesses the new scheme before a full church, it marks the end of one chapter and the start of a new and exciting one. We are at a key point, as the Paris COP21 negotiations showed, where action by governments and business needs to be accompanied by ordinary people transitioning towards a less polluting and consumptive relationship with the earth we depend on.
Churches have a key role to play in this. There is increasing recognition from politicians and scientists that environmental sustainability is a moral and spiritual issue, not just a technical one, and that faith groups are vital in finding the values we need for a liveable future. That is why I’m so excited about Eco Church. Designed and run by environmental charity A Rocha UK, Eco Church is supported by a range of key partners including the Church of England, the Methodist Church, Christian Aid and Tearfund. It is a tangible, achievable way of helping thousands of churches make progress towards becoming communities that practise what we preach in terms of God’s compassion for all that he has made, human and non human alike.
Eco Church is new, not simply a revamp of the old Eco-Congregation award, yet it builds on and learns from years of experience and work that shaped its predecessor. I was Moderator of the parent group of Eco-Congregation when it transitioned to being managed by A Rocha UK, and it had been clear for some time that, good as it was, Eco-Congregation had passed its sell-by date. It appeared to be a big ask for busy churches, and many began it enthusiastically only to run into the sand long before applying for an award. Despite this, and thanks to the hard work of volunteers, many Anglican parishes benefited from Eco-Congregation. I have visited and spoken at churches in rural, suburban and inner-city areas, from across the spectrum of traditions, who have discovered that caring for creation is not an extra burden, but a means of renewing worship, deepening faith, and discovering missional links in the community.
Eco Church is an online scheme for a digital age, accessible and user-friendly. Its key elements include that it is free to use (although donations are welcomed and will be needed), and that it is a points-based system with clear, accessible milestones. Churches begin by registering and completing a simple yet thorough online survey of their current environmental practice. This covers five key areas of church life: Worship and teaching, Management of church buildings, Management of church land, Community and global engagement, and Lifestyle. As progress is made in each area, churches collect points towards first Bronze, then Silver and Gold Eco Church Awards. The first two are self-assessed whilst the Gold Award requires an independent assessment. Churches receive a certificate to mark their Award and can purchase eco-friendly Award plaques made from recycled pews. The survey is supported by excellent resource materials, available as attractively-produced PDF downloads, and there are links to the Church of England’s own Shrinking the Footprint resources.
The central idea is not to add lots of burdensome new activities, but to change how we do the things we do already, whether it’s how we use energy, purchase materials, teach children, or think about worship. So, why not look at http://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk, log in and start the process? I have been waiting many years for a resource as good as this and am excited to commend it to parishes and Dioceses.
- Dave Bookless is an Anglican Priest, licensed to St John’s Southall in London Diocese. He is also Director of Theology for A Rocha International and a member of the Church of England’s Environment Working Group.
To watch the video of the launch with Rowan Williams of Eco Church at St Paul’s Cathedral see http://www.stpaulsinstitute.org.uk/videos/2016/jan/26/eco-church-launch-with-rowan-williams
To read the A Rocha International Planetwise blog by Dave Bookless see http://blog.arocha.org/en/author/davebookless/
