Mercy to All Beings: Learning from Christian, Jewish and Islamic Traditions About Thankfulness, Love and Care

Abstract

This chapter explores the contribution of Christian, Jewish and Islamic spiritual and faith-based traditions to climate emergency responses and strategies. While noting criticisms of some theological traditions for their foundational assumptions about the mastery of human beings over nature, these observations are informed by diverse Christian, Jewish and Islamic teachings about thankfulness, love and care. The Papal Encyclical, Care for Our Common Home foregrounds Saint Francis’s teachings about our responsibility to honour and care for all the creatures and wonders of God’s creation in advocating an ethic of Earth stewardship and climate justice. Jewish theologians reach a similar conclusion about climate justice priorities and responsibilities from their understanding of God’s advice to Adam about celebrating and protecting the beauty of the Earth. The hymn of praise which introduces the 2015 Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change also opens with an affirmation of our duty to protect and heal ‘the bounties of the Lord.’