The Lambeth Call on Environment and Sustainable Development inspired me to understand that we are all vulnerable to the impact of climate change, including increased temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and more frequent extreme weather events.

To face these challenges, my diocese has experimented with the implementation of a vast program and a range of adaptation measures to reduce vulnerability and strengthen resilience to climate change. We do this through afforestation and deforestation, climate resilience and agriculture.

It is encouraging to see these activities are taking place in some of the provinces of the Anglican Church in Africa, for example Kenya with the Green movement; in Congo with the Green Anglican; Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia with the planting of trees; Zimbabwe, Ghana etc.

We are called to fulfil our mission, entrusted to us by God as recounted in the story of Genesis, that is taking care of his creation. This will be the opportunity for us to discover part of God’s plan and to understand the meaning to be a Christian or a disciple of Jesus, because God has given us a special place, he has placed us at the summit of creation, with all the responsibilities that this implies.

In Genesis 1:26-28 and Genesis 2:15 we learn that by giving us the responsibility of managing and cultivating the Garden, God has entrusted us with a heavy responsibility to be steward. We encourage the Anglican provinces to follow this logic of God to save humanity, as well as show our love towards God’s creatures. Let us commit ourselves to show justice, prophetically showing leaders to protect nature. Let us proclaim the living word of God by showing the love of Christ to others (John 3: 16).

I am worried by how the world is becoming more and more degraded and the silence of Christian leaders. Poverty is increasing, the conflict, the lack of rain, and every day I am challenged by the heart and I am saying to myself I can do something. It is this force which leads me to integrating the Lambeth Call into the environmental activities that we are doing. Anglicans Leaders you can do something for this world.

Prayer

I therefore urge the faithful Anglicans and Anglican Leaders to pray this month of September during the “Season of Creation”. This time of prayer and increased effort in favour of our common home began on the 1st day of September, “World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation”. It is an opportunity to get closer to our communities, our brothers and sisters who are around us and close to us, or to our different Christian denominations in this environmental and climate change crisis that affects everyone. We must also feel close to all other men and women of good will, called to promote the management of the network of life of which we are part. Our commitment could save a life.

Amen.

Supporting Information

The Right Revd Bertin Subi is the Bishop of Katanga in the Anglican Church of Zambia.

Read the Lambeth Call on Environment and Sustainable Development in full here.

Find out how you can take the Lambeth Call forward in your setting here.