Working Together to Heal Relationships and the Earth: The Partnership of Dialogue and Climate Action

In this session, we speak with early-career leaders in both religious and NGO communities of the John Paul II Center for Interreligious Dialogue. We begin with interfaith perspectives on the care of the Earth: the Jewish concept of shmita—giving rest to the land—and its role in Jewish ethics, and the ecumenical Christian concept of kairos, reconciliation with nature. In considering these concepts and traditions, we consider how our relationships with the earth can encourage us to reconsider our ethics of relationships in interfaith spaces. To develop these ideas further, we discuss the concrete interfaith initiatives two organizations—“Faith and the Common Good” in Canada and “Missions Work Africa Relief Organization” in Zimbabwe—are pursuing to advance climate justice, especially among and in dialogue with indigenous communities. This session explores proposals and case studies for the importance of dialogue in addressing climate change today.