News Items

The Forum regularly posts news articles of interest here from a variety of sources and news outlets. You can check back here or view the most recent ones from the homepage. We also archive these articles here, for those doing research, with news going back to 2006. Use the menu on the right to explore the archived articles.

News

Church Leaders, Climate Experts to Urge World Leaders to Focus on Poor

September 7, 2009
By Aaron J. Leichman
Christian Post

Two networks of faith-based humanitarian and development groups will be sending a delegation to this month’s high-level U.N. event on climate change to ask world leaders to give the highest political priority to a new climate deal.

A Golden Rule for God's Green Earth

September 3, 2009
By Clark Strand
The Washington Post

The Golden Rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”) is the foundation of Christian moral teaching. But lately I’ve begun to wonder if that gold standard of ethical behavior really equips us for an age of global environmental concerns. Jesus teaches us to include other people in our prayers–even our enemies...

Churches should support cutting greenhouse gas emissions

September 2, 2009
Earthtimes.org

Geneva - The World Council of Churches on Wednesday called on its members to push their governments to agree to a deal at the December climate conference in Copenhagen that “drastically” reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The organization which represents churches with 550 million Christians as members “identifies the current...

The Emerging Alliance of World Religions and Ecology

September 2, 2009
By Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim
Carnegie Ethics Online

Greek Orthodox Day of Prayer on the Environment

September 1, 2009
Environment News Service

NEW YORK, New York – The General Secretary of the National Council of Churches has commemorated September 1, 2009 as the 20th anniversary of the Day of Prayer on the protection of the environment, and he urged all persons of faith to take up the prayer today.

The first environmental prayer day was instituted by the...

Your greenest Ramadan

September 1, 2009
By Shawna Ayoub
Grist Online

After my grandfather had a stroke, the doctor said he might not walk again. He also said that getting him to challenge himself—to give walking a true try—was critical to his physical and emotional recovery. My grandfather took his first steps only a week after the near total paralysis of his left side.

Catholic groups call for focus on poor in climate change debate

September 1, 2009
DPA

New York - Caritas Internationalis and an alliance of Catholic development agencies called on world governments on Tuesday to give top priority to the debate on climate change, with a focus on the poor. The two groups will send a high-ranking delegation to be headed by Britain’s Cardinal Keith O’Brien to the climate change summit at UN headquarters in New York...

India's idol rituals take toll on environment

August 31, 2009
By Liz Neisloss
CNN

PALLAVAKAM, India – South India’s sun beats down on a long line of trucks wending to the Bay of Bengal. In the back of these trucks, giant, brightly painted statues of the Hindu god Ganesha are waiting to be dropped in the nearby ocean.

All over India, Hindus recently celebrated the birthday of the elephant god and now the idols made...

Pope says global leaders must take care of environment, remember poor

August 26, 2009
By Bryon Cones
Catholic News Service

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) – Pope Benedict XVI urged world leaders to address global environmental issues “with generous courage” and reminded them that the world’s resources are to be shared by all, including poorer countries.

The pope, speaking Aug. 26 at the summer papal residence outside Rome, addressed his...

Biofuel production 'exacerbating' climate change, says Christian Aid

August 17, 2009
By Jennifer Gold
Christian Today

Western governments are pouring billions of dollars into the production of biofuels with dubious benefits for the climate, warns Christian Aid.

In a new report out today, the aid agency said that the massive subsidies and quotas set by governments to finance biofuels had proved “disastrous”.

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