The Alliance of Religions and Conservation has announced the launch of the Green Pilgrimage Network.
See press release: Green Pilgrimage Network launches with joy, hope, faith and practical plans.
Founder members of the Green Pilgrimage Network include:
Amritsar, India (for Sikhs);
Assisi, Italy (Roman Catholic);
Etchmiadzin, Armenia (Armenian Orthodox);
Haifa, Israel (Bahà’ì);
Jerusalem (for Jews, Christians and Muslims);
Jinja Honcho, the Association of Shinto shrines in Japan;
Kano, Nigeria (Islam’s Qadiriyyah Sufi tradition);
Louguan in the People’s Republic of China (Daoists);
St Albans, England (Church of England);
Luss, Loch Lomond, Scotland (Church of Scotland);
St Pishoy Monastery, Wadi El Natroun, Egypt (the Coptic Orthodox Church);
Trondheim, Norway (Lutheran Church of Norway).
The involvement of St Albans was announced here: St Albans Cathedral and City become founder members of international Green Pilgrimage Network and also here: Green Pilgrimage Network launched in Assisi, Italy.
There are some interesting figures on the scale of religious pilgrimages here.
God bless!
It’s good that the Church of England is getting involved in dialogue about Green issues, but how much damage is done to the environment by Shell Oil (in which we have an £82million investment), and mining companies (in which we have £72million invested)?
Susannah. Just one question: Do you drive a motor car or use any gadget powered by fossil fuels?
Fr Ron: Not an entirely relevant point, and a bad line of argument. If one could wish oneself out of a hegemonic global system, it wouldn’t be a hegemonic global system to start with.
And for the record, I don’t drive or own a car, but that’s mostly due to general ineptitude rather than principle.
Father, No I do not own or drive a car. I’ve no doubt I receive benefits of fossil fuel somewhere, I’m not sure where, but presumably if I switch on a light, a proportion of the electricity has been generated by a coal-fired power station. It is both the ethical and the environmental record of Shell that I am uncomfortable with, which makes me question a green Church seeking a share of its profits and dividends. No-one can detach entirely from companies and goods that cause environmental impact, but a hopefully ethical Church should maybe be challenged to question its… Read more »
Thank you, Susannah. I appreciate your remarks. I do think, though, that the Green Party conglomerate does have some responsibility to offer a viable alternative to ways of coping with the modern world that take into account the massive impact of the structures that have supported both fossil fuels and the employment opportunities they have afforded so many of the world’s population. We need to find a way of replacing the massive input of technology while still providing livelihood for those who will be displaced by sustainable alternatives.