WCC news: “Creation itself is a teacher,” urge faith leaders at COP29 prayer service

As COP29 opened today in Baku, Azerbaijan, the World Council of Churches (WCC) held an online ecumenical service where Rev. Charissa Suli, president of the Uniting Church in Australia, delivered a sermon urging decisive action for climate justice. Drawing from scripture and the wisdom of Indigenous communities, Suli called on global leaders to move beyond incremental changes toward profound transformation in their approach to climate stewardship. Photo: Johanan Celine Valeriano, all rights reserved 11 November 2024 “We live in a world on fire,” Suli quoted author Brian McLaren. “As the flames of unjust societies, humanitarian disasters, and ecological crises flicker around us, it is easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed. How can we respond to this destructive era with wisdom, love, and peace?” She emphasized that this path of transformation, inspired by the biblical call to stewardship, requires collective action grounded in faith and respect for creation. Suli reflected on Job 12:7-10, which teaches that “the animals… the birds… the plants of the earth… and the fish of the sea” all reveal God’s sustaining power and wisdom. “The Indigenous peoples of Australia, Aotearoa, and the Pacific have long lived by wisdom that echoes Job’s words—that creation itself is a teacher and that it is our sacred duty to listen,” Suli added, underscoring how Indigenous traditions call humanity into a relationship of kinship and care with the earth. The service opened COP29’s discussions with a reminder that climate justice demands a shift from exploitation to respect, a transformation aligned with Isaiah 58:6, where God calls us “to loose the chains of injustice.” Faith leaders emphasized that those least responsible for climate change—including Indigenous and Pacific communities—bear its heaviest burdens, making climate justice a theological imperative as well as a moral one. Suli challenged her audience: “Let us make this COP29 not just another gathering of global leaders but a catalyst for genuine transformation.” She urged participants to advocate for the most affected communities actively, commit to lifestyles of creation care, and support policies reflecting the urgency of the climate crisis. “God empowers and journeys with us in this transformation,” she concluded, “equipping us with strength, courage, and hope to make a meaningful difference in our world.” Through its Living Planet Program, WCC mobilizes churches and faith-based organizations worldwide for climate justice. At COP29, the WCC brings an in-person and online delegation of church leaders, Indigenous peoples, and youth, creating a platform for amplifying these voices and ensuring that climate justice is achieved through shared commitment, respect, and compassion. WCC advocates for justice-driven climate action at COP29 (News Release, 11 November 2024) Interfaith Dialogue on Climate urges action, compassion, and resilience ahead of COP29 (News Release, 07 November 2024) Biodiversity COP16: ethical imperatives, Indigenous perspectives—and the work ahead (News Release, 04 November 2024) WCC, ACT Alliance, and Lutheran World Federation issue joint call to action for biodiversity (News Release, 30 October 2024) WCC advocates for creation care and justice at start of triple COP journey (News Release, 24 October 2024) See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland