• What is Hope for Creation?
Hope for Creation is a Day of Prayer on Sunday 6th November 2011, offering a Christian response to the issue of Climate Change.
As stewards of God’s creation, we invite all Christians to join us in praying for our earth, our children’s futures and our poorest neighbours who are hit first and hardest by climate change.
• Why is Hope for Creation about prayer?
As Christians, we believe that prayer is vital in bringing about change in our world and ourselves. In times of uncertainty, prayer is a powerful response. We are thankful to serve a God who hears our prayers and cares deeply for the world that he has created.
Hope for Creation is an opportunity to bring a uniquely Christian perspective to the public conversation on climate change, which stems from and is characterised by our faith and hope in the Creator. While some Christians may feel guilty and believe there is nothing they can do, all Christians can do something through prayer. We can pray that God would help us to live justly, change our ways, love our neighbours and truly be the good stewards that God intended us to be. We can also pray for our leaders in government and business to choose wise decisions and good stewardship over our shared earth and its resources.
“By prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
• Who is behind Hope for Creation in Australia?
Hope for Creation is a unifying Christian movement supported by many major Australian Christian organisations and church denominations.
Hope for Creation has no central budget or staff, and is wholly generated by the voluntary goodwill of the supporting organisations who have offered their time, skills, passion and prayer to this initiative.
In Australia, there are over 16 Christian denominations and organisations involved in Hope For Creation, with the key organisers being TEAR Australia, Uniting Church in Australia (VIC/TAS), ETHOS and World Vision Australia.
For a complete list of organisations, visit the “Who Are We” page on our website.
• Does Hope for Creation have an opinion on the Carbon Tax in Australia?
Hope for Creation recognises that both the Australian Government and the Opposition have a commitment to reducing the level of greenhouse gas emissions in 2000 by 5% before 2020. Hope for Creation recognises that the Government and the Opposition have proposed different ways of achieving this target, and does not have a formal position in favour of one of these proposals over the other.
• What if I don’t believe climate change is happening?
OR, What if I don’t believe that climate change is caused by human action?
Hope for Creation accepts that a vast body of peer-reviewed scientific work conducted over several decades provides conclusive evidence of the effects of human action on climate change. Hope for Creation accepts the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions that come about from human activity and the need to help societies adapt to the unavoidable effects of climate change.
However, we are excited to include people of a variety of opinions in Hope for Creation and believe coming to God in prayer is an immensely important step when dealing with potentially divisive issues.
• How can my organisation support Hope for Creation?
This isn’t a prescriptive day. We don’t need to share the same ideas and beliefs about climate change, nor do we need to respond in the same way, for us to pray together.
We suggest three possible levels of involvement:
- Pray on or around Sunday 6th November (remember to register your details!)
- Pray and devote some or all of a church service/liturgy to the Day of Prayer
- Pray and act – using a suggestion from the website or another activity
For further information, click here.
• Why should Christians be talking about climate change?
As Christians, we are called to love God and be wise stewards of his creation, in which he delights and which he will renew. We are also called to love our neighbour. Climate change, if unchecked, will have a destructive effect on creation and humanity. As Christians, therefore, we have a calling to manage our actions to reduce both the threat and impact of climate change, and in so doing to help secure the conditions in which creation and humanity may flourish. We are each, individually and collectively, contributing to climate change – and we each have an opportunity to reduce our impact on God’s great earth.
Basically, we should care about climate change because God owns this earth and loves it.
• Does Hope for Creation offer action beyond prayer?
The focus of Hope for Creation in 2011 is to provide an opportunity for prayer regarding this difficult global issue and to promote unity in the midst of heated debate. However, if you would like to take further action, some suggestions can be explored below. Hope for Creation does not necessarily endorse the content of external websites.
Live differently: TEAR Australia’s Carbon Fast enables Christians to engage in 40 days of living more simply, justly and sustainably, whilst also studying the Bible and the issues. Visit tear.org.au/carbonfast
Green your church: The Uniting Church offer Green Church resources to help your church tread more gently on God’s earth. Check out their ‘Eco-Awards’ for churches at victas.uca.org.au/green-church
Speak out: Caritas Australia has a campaign called A Just Climate, to speak out for the world’s poor. Visit caritas.org.au/ajustclimate/
• Does Hope for Creation support any political parties?
Hope for Creation is not affiliated to any political party and does not have any position on the views and policies of any political party.
• Where can I find more information about climate change?
Extensive resources about all aspects of climate change can be accessed through the internet. A selection of useful sites can be found below. Hope for Creation does not necessarily endorse the content of external websites.
http://www.worldvision.com.au/Issues/Climate_Change.aspx?lpos=top_drop_1_ClimateChange
http://www.climateinstitute.org.au/myth-busters
