Church and Climate Justice

by CWM Communications Team

The seventh book in the “Re-imagining Church as Event: Perspectives from the Margins” series is “Church and Climate Justice” by Vinod Wesley.

Climate change is the most important threat to the future of life that the community of creation confronts today. Church and Climate Justice contests the mainstream theorisations of the climate crisis and offers alternative perspectives and insights for our understanding and engagement for the movement of life to flourish. Drawing from biblical texts, eco-theologies, climate science and grassroots social movements, the book challenges the dominant myth that reduces climate change to nature’s fury and God’s wrath. Through intersectional analysis, the book explains how economic, social and gender injustice exacerbate the vulnerability of the indigenous and subaltern communities who are forced to bear the consequences of climate change disproportionately.

The book discusses in detail the why and the how of our call to transform faith communities into eco-justice communities in the context of climate injustice. The discernment that climate change is the consequence of the prevailing socio-economic and ecological relations challenges us to be in solidarity with the climate refugees and climate victims and to be informed by their knowledge, ethics, politics and spirituality. The insights, resources and visions from the subaltern communities and the grassroots social movements have the potential to inspire and equip us to engage in relevant forms of eco-justice ministries to redeem the earth and her children.

Here is what reviewers have to say:
The highlight of the book is the prophetic tone and content of the book. Standing in the true prophetic tradition, the book offers both a critique of the unjust systems in our church and society, and genuine signs of hope in the form of alternative visions of church and social movements that stand and fight for justice, peace and integrity of creation. Prophetic voices are revolutionary songs and slogans. Church and Climate Justice by Vinod Wesley is certainly one such prophetic voice that we must lend our ears to.
Geevarghese Coorilos Nalunnakkal
Metropolitan, Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church

In South Asia, the climate crisis has created a situation which not only makes life uncomfortable and inconvenient for all but has become a survival issue of the poor and vulnerable groups and communities across the region. In such a situation. the book Church and Climate Justice provides an important resource for congregations to discern the factors responsible for the present crisis as well as to understand the interlinkages between faith and climate change. In this time of uncertainties and fears, this book ignites within us the passion for life to engage in our local communities with renewed theological and biblical understanding of our mission to nurture, protect and celebrate life.

Lalrindiki Ralte
Professor, Aizwal Theological College, Aizwal, Mizoram

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