Prague – Doing without meat helps protect global climate. That was pointed out at the European Christian Environmental Network’s (ECEN) eighth congress, which recently convened for five days at Prague’s International Baptist Theological Seminary (IBTS). The congress’ theme was entitled: ‘Our Daily Bread – Living in a Time of Climate Change’. The 85 delegates from 23 countries stressed they meant business by eating mainly vegetarian during the course of the conference. The assembly also approved a letter which is to be sent out to all European churches. The letter states: ‘Modern lifestyles and patterns of food consumption pose great risks for our future. For instance, current intensive meat production is the number one contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions and the drive to provide cheap food comes at an environmental cost.’ Now is the time for the churches to ‘turn words into actions inspired by the presence of the Holy Spirit’. Forms of sustainable living are called for. The letter includes a prayer noting that all of creation is suffering from climate change, that relationships have been broken and that food is ‘not equally shared’: ‘While some over-eat, others go hungry.’ The Baptist delegates participating in the congress were IBTS-Rector Dr. Keith Jones and IBTS-staff member Lina Andronoviene.

Numerous speakers at the event, including the Scottish Quaker and theologian Alastair McIntosh, expressed the view that only a new spirituality could secure lasting change in our protection of the environment. According to Metropolitan Krystof, spiritual head of the Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands and Slovakia, care for the creation and theology are strongly interconnected.

The Christian Environmental Network is an arm of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) uniting 120 churches and 40 organisations. ECEN’s Secretary is the theologian Dr. Peter Pavlovic (Brussels).