| The National Council of Churches
serves as an umbrella organization for thirty-six
Protestant and Orthodox denominations in the United
States,
which represent 120,000 congregations nationwide.
The Eco-Justice Program office helps denominations
and congregations address environmental issues
on both a national and local level. The Council
aims to engage Christian churches in eco-justice
efforts by providing information and resources
to congregations to assist them with incorporating
eco-justice into the life of their church. Since
the 1980s, with the formation of the Eco-Justice
Working Group (a coalition of various Council communions
and denominations) the Council has been able to
actively engage people of faith on environmental
issues. The resources provided through the Council
include an Anthology of denominational statements
on the environment, materials for Earth Day services,
an information and strategy packet on climate change,
a video called “God’s Creation & Global
Warming,” and a study guide on global warming
from a Christian perspective. These and other materials
are available through the Environmental Justice
Resource Distribution Center (1-800-762-0968) or
on the Council’s website (www.nccecojustice.org).
The Council actively involves congregations through
its programs as well, including training conferences
for clergy and lay leaders and the Environmental
Justice Covenant Program, in which participating
churches sign a covenant expressing their commitment
to incorporate environmental justice into their
congregation on a variety of levels, including
worship, advocacy, education, and lifestyle. The
Energy Stewardship Congregations Program helps
congregations initiate energy conservation strategies.
A network of regional denominational Environmental
Justice Coordinators helps to draw in new congregations
and support those already involved. This network
is supported not only through resources and ongoing
communication, but also through regional training
events held periodically. The Council, through
its Working Group, also organizes biennial ecumenical
conferences, such as “Enough for All: Sustainable
Living in a Global World,” which was held
at Seattle University in June of 2003. In addition,
the Eco-Justice program office initiates new program
offerings to help support its eco-justice mission.
In 2004, the Council launched a Faith & Eco-Justice
Fellowship program for emerging practitioners as
a way to empower and train leaders in the field
of eco-justice. In the fall of 2004, the Council
will host a Theological Gathering on the Environment,
which will help create a set of common principles
on the environment from a Christian perspective. |
| Christianity (Protestant and Orthodox) |
| United States of America |
| 1983–Present |
| The NCC Eco-Justice Working Group was founded
in 1983 to help national bodies of Protestant and
Orthodox Christian denominations to collaborate
on environmental projects. In 1993, the Council
joined in partnership with the Coalition on the
Environment and Jewish Life, the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops and the Evangelical Environmental
Network, to form the National Religious Partnership
for the Environment. |
| The goal of the NCC Eco-Justice Program
is to assist congregations as they engage in eco-justice
activities. |
Participating Denominations
African Methodist
Episcopal Zion
American Baptist
Antiochan Orthodox
Armenian Orthodox
Disciples
of Christ
Church of the Brethren
Community of
Christ
Coptic Orthodox
Episcopal
Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America
Malankara
Orthodox Syrian Church
Mennonite Central Committee
U.S.
Moravian Church in America
Orthodox Church
in America
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends
Presbyterian
Church (USA)
Reformed Church in America
Serbian
Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada
United Church
of Christ
United Methodist Church |
| None Listed |
| None Listed |
| None Listed |
NCC Eco-Justice Program
Cassandra Carmichael, Director
110 Maryland Ave, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202.544.2350, ext. 27
Email: info@nccecojustice.org
Website: http://www.nccecojustice.org/ |
