Bonner Querschnitte 05/2013 Ausgabe 241 (eng)

(Bonn, 04.02.2013) The Chairman of the Theological Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), Thomas Schirrmacher, along with the leader of the “Creation Care” study group of the WEA, Chris Elisara, and the leader of the “Peace and Reconciliation Initiative,” Steve Tollestrup, participated together in the five day “Global Consultation on Creation Care and the Gospel” in Jamaica. Sixty environmental experts, church leaders, and representatives of NGOs from 23 countries all six continents participated in the consultation which was jointly hosted by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization and the World Evangelical Alliance.

The goal of the consultation was to clarify the question of how, at the level of the local congregation, God’s command to care for the creation fits together with the mission and proclamation of the church. Thomas Schirrmacher encouraged Christians from the global south to take leadership in opinion formation, even if consultations on the topic are supported financially by organizations in the west. “The global south is not only increasingly the focal point of world Christianity, but it also has an enormous treasure of experience, knowledge, and readiness to take action which must not be hidden under a bushel.”

Schirrmacher, whose books on ethics have long included chapters on Christian environmental philosophy, claimed that, according to the biblical, Christian worldview, the duty to care for the creation was given to all of humanity. Referring to the creation account, he claimed that to care for creation is the first command of God to humanity. And according to Romans 8, the entire creation is groaning as a result of human sin while longing for the shalom of the coming, final redemption.

Dr. Elisara summarized his experience in Jamaica in the following manner. “Wonderful things always occur when God’s people come together in prayer, humbly and ready to learn, especially how to seek first the kingdom of God. This is what happened in this global consultation, for the common concerns and goals will not only have a strong influence on missions work and the global evangelical movement, but will also benefit the entire creation.

Along with local church representatives, Schirrmacher also visited the regions on the north coast of Jamaica which were especially hard hit by hurricane Sandy.

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·         Photo 1: The consultation in discussion

·         Photo 2: The consultation in discussion

·         Photo 3: Thomas Schirrmacher during his speech

·         Photo 4: Sandy: Flooded forest and destroyed yacht on James Bond beach in North Jamaica