Global Ethic Symposium: A Shared Commitment to a Culture of Sustainability and Care for the Earth

A quarter of a century after the Parliament of the World’s Religions’ signature document, “Towards a Global Ethic (An Initial Declaration),” or Global Ethic, was drafted in 1993, leaders of the Parliament took note of widespread agreement among religious and non-religious people about sustainability and care for the Earth. During a months-long collaborative process, over 100 religious leaders and scholars were consulted about their traditions’ teachings on these issues. They identified several principles and values that they hold in common. These were elaborated in a Fifth Directive which was added to the Global Ethic in 2018: a “commitment to a culture of sustainability and care for the Earth.” This session offers a brief introduction to the Fifth Directive, a panel discussion by religious scholars and leaders about its principles and values, an invitation to ask questions and engage in dialogue, and an opportunity to imagine a world in which the Directive is fully embraced and lived out.