What role can the Church play in Climate Justice? This was just one of the questions debated at the Kingston, Croydon and Woolwich Episcopal area youth forums this Summer.
“We learn a lot about climate change in schools. However, I think it should be discussed more in church, so we further understand how to take action against climate change.” – group feedback from the KEA youth forum.
This was a common theme in all 3 youth forums, together with the lament that whilst adults and organisations said they cared about the environment, there was little action, affecting the least responsible and most vulnerable communities in other parts of God’s amazing world.
The young people also had some good suggestions about how we can make a difference as individuals and as the church, seeing care for creation as part of our worship.
Watch the youth forum highlights:
The question is, are we listening? How will we embrace their prophetic challenge and talk about the societal, economic and political changes that are needed in both our individual and corporate lives?
If you are keen to have this conversation with the young people at your church, then catch up with the Southwark/London Webinar: The Divide – Young People, the church and the future of the Earth where we explored how to connect and empower young people on the climate crisis.
You might like to gather a group of young people and join the Youth Christian Climate Network (YCCN) relay walk from the G7 in Cornwall, to COP26 in Glasgow in November. The relay invites all Christians (of any age!) to walk a leg of the relay, to join at an event when it passes near you, and to pray: that decisions are made which prioritise people over profit, and that no country will go into debt tackling climate change. It’s a decade-defining opportunity to make a stand.
The relay passes through Southwark Diocese on 5-6 August. Further info can be found here
