The heads of Christian Churches of Ukraine: «The ecological crisis is rooted in the crisis of human spirituality»

The Heads Of The Churches reminded that this day the Christians of various faiths throughout the world are grateful to God for the gifts of creation, they apologize for  conscious or unconscious harm for nature, and pray for the protection and salvation of the world.

«The current environmental crisis is primarily rooted in the crisis of human ecology , that is his/ her faith, spirituality and morality. Possessed by the spirit of selfishness and consumerism a human  changes from a wise and responsible master, who was created by the God of the world,  into a mindless user and exploiter who threatens all the creation , and also destroys the conditions of his/her own existence , "- it was said in the appeal .

According to the religious leaders, we can overcome the environmental crisis through a deep and complete conversion to God, and the evidence of which must be environmentally responsible.

"The Jubilee of the 1025th anniversary of the Christening of Rus- Ukraine offers the believers a great opportunity to realize that true life in Christ involves a responsible attitude to the world " - the document says.

"Faith without deeds is dead " - the authors of the appeal remark and  they encourage  all the believers to efficient Christian love , which is reflected in the careful and responsible attitude to the world created by God .

"We also urge those who are entrusted with authority and responsibility for our country, to do everything necessary to protect and preserve its unique natural world and ensure the environmental safety of society", - it was emphasized in the application that was spread by the Institute of Religious Freedom.

The Christians of different faiths around the world celebrate the Day of God the Creator on September 14. This day falls on the first day of the new church year.

UGCC  Department of  Information

Appendix:

The appeal of the Ukrainian Christian Churches on the occasion of the Day of God the Creator "For creation awaits impatiently the detection of the sons of God " ( Rom. 8 , 19)

Dear brothers and sisters!

On the first day of the New Church Year , 1 /14 September,the Christians of various faiths throughout the world celebrate the day of prayer for the preservation of the environment and the whole world created by God .

On this day let's commemorate our great mission "to cultivate and take care of " (Gen. 2 , 15) the  Earth, unite in prayer and praise the only God in the Holy Trinity - the Creator and Savior , express the gratitude for the gifts of creation, apologize for the conscious or unconscious harm for the  nature and ask for protection and salvation of the world.

The current environmental crisis is primarily  rooted in the crisis of human ecology, that is his/her faith, spirituality and morality.Possessed by the spirit of selfishness and consumerism a human   changes from a wise and responsible master, who was created by the God of the world,  into a mindless user and exploiter who threatens all the creation , and also destroys the conditions of his/her own existence .  Thereafter, the key factor in overcoming the ecological crisis is a deep and complete conversion to God ,and the evidence of which must be a qualitatively new and responsible attitude towards our environment.

The Jubilee of the 1025th anniversary of the Christening of Rus- Ukraine offers us a wonderful opportunity to think about a deep and holistic nature of the Christian faith in God the Father , the Son and the Holy Spirit, the only in the Holy Trinity — the Creator and Savior , and also to realize that a true and complete life in Christ forsees a responsible attitude to the world , created in him (see Col. 1 , 15-17 ).

"Faith without the deeds is dead" (Jak. 2 , 26) and only the faith efficient through love , leads to salvation (see Gal. 5 , 6).With this appeal we urge all believers to effective Christian love that is expressed in careful and responsible attitude  towards the world created  by God and we  also urge  those who are entrusted with authority and responsibility for our country, to do everything necessary to protect and preserve its unique natural world and ensure the environmental safety of society.

Finally , we ask the Lord , our Creator and Savior ,in his omnipotence and mercy  to protect us from environmental sins and help to be good and responsible ruler of the created world .

The appeal was signed by :

Sviatoslav ( Shevchuk),the Father and the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church;

Mytrofan, Archbishop of Luhansk and Alchevsk ,the Head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church;

Vyacheslav Nesteruk,the Head of the All-Ukrainian Union  of Evangelical Christians -Baptists ;

Mykhaylo Panochko , Senior Bishop of the Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith of Ukraine;

Leonid Padun, Senior Bishop of the Ukrainian Christian Evangelical Church;

Grygoriy Buniatyan , Archbishop of Ukrainian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church;

Uland Shpalinher , German Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ukraine .

Kyiv , September 14, 2013