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Religious Environmentalism Timeline
Here are some of the key moments, events, and organizations that have played a role over the past 25 years in the rise of religious environmentalism in this country and in the Chesapeake region.
1990
An Open Letter to the Religious Community • January
Carl Sagan, the famous astronomer, recruited 33 other renowned scientists to sign an open letter calling on the world's religious communities to commit to preserving the environment. Sagan carried the letter to Moscow to present the appeal in person to a global forum of religious leaders.
1991
The Summit on the Environment • June
In response to Sagan, several hundred religious leaders from all major faiths and five continents met in New York City to explore how the religious community could respond to the environmental crisis. The summit produced a "Joint Appeal in Religion and Science," and the national headquarters for each religion pledged to begin educating faith believers about the need to act.
1992
Planning for a National Religious Response
Prominent religious leaders gathered in the nation's capital for discussions organized by Paul Gorman and attended by Carl Sagan and Senator Al Gore. Their planning laid the foundations for creating the National Religious Partnership for the Environment (NRPE) and the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL).
1993
The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL)
This coalition was created to catalyze a distinctively Jewish programmatic and policy response to the environmental crisis. COEJL became part of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment.
The Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN)
An evangelical environmental ministry, this network approaches ecological issues from a biblical perspective and works with a wide array of Christian organizations to realize care for creation.
The National Religious Partnership for the Environment (NRPE)
This partnership began its activities as an alliance of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Council of Churches, the Coalition
on the Environment and Jewish Life, and the Evangelical Environmental Network. The NRPE would provide an institutional framework enabling different faith groups to work together on environmental projects.
1995
Presbyterians for Restoring Creation
This national, grassroots organization supports people of faith working towards "environmental wholeness" and social justice. It works to equip and educate Presbyterians about earth care ministry.
1996-1998
Religions of the World and Ecology Conference Series
Organized by Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, this conference series examined the environmental messages and resources of the world's religions, including the Abrahamic traditions of the West; the Asian traditions of India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia; and the indigenous traditions. The series brought together more than 800 hundred scholars, religious leaders, and environmentalists.
2000
Interfaith Power and Light (IPL)
Created in San Francisco as Episcopal Power and Light, this organization became a national network joining together 40 state-wide inter-religious organizations focused on helping congregations save energy, go green, and respond to climate change.
2004
Holy Waters Conference • July
The National Council of Churches brought together clergy and lay people at Mount Calvary Methodist Church in Annapolis to review problems facing the Chesapeake Bay and to examine the role of religious groups in addressing those problems.
Chesapeake Covenant Churches (CCC)
A small group of faith-based activists began recruiting local churches to sign an "Earth Charter," pledging to promote a Creation-care ethic. The group would later rename itself as Chesapeake Covenant Community and eventually reorganize itself as the Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC).
2006
Baltimore Jewish Environmental Network
This umbrella organization linked 14 environmentally minded congregations committed to pursuing specific steps toward sustainability.
Catholic Climate Covenant
Organized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, this outreach effort links 14 national partners committed to implementing Catholic social teaching on ecology within the U.S. church.
2007
Green Muslims
Located in Washington, D.C., this group was created to be a source in the Muslim community for spiritually inspired environmental education, reflection, and action.
2010
Covenanting for Creation event
On June 22, nine local leaders recruited by the Chesapeake Covenant Community gather to sign a pledge document, promising to work toward engaging other congregations and other people of faith in the stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Chesapeake Interfaith Environmental Group (CIEG)
This group was formed to serve as an assembly of faith institutions within the Annapolis/Chesapeake region. Allied closely with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
2013
Interfaith Partners for the Environment (IPL)
As the Chesapeake Covenant Community expanded its outreach and operations, the group renamed itself as the Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake. Working with key partners like the Alliance for Chesapeake Bay, IPL has set up workshops, tree plantings and stormwater control projects with more than 80 churches.
2014
The People's Climate March (PCM) • September 21
This large-scale activist happening featured events in 162 countries with large marches in New York, London, Rio de Janiero, Melbourne, and other large cities. The New York march featured more than 300,000 people advocating for global action on climate change.
2015
Papal Encyclical Laudato Si • May
Pope Francis called for a “broad cultural revolution” to confront the environmental crisis, stressing the need to address climate change and criticizing the drive for “extreme consumerism” and unrestrained economic growth that can despoil the earth and leave billions of people impoverished. His message was addressed not just to the one billion Catholics but to all the seven billion people who share the planet.
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