On February 14, 2005, a group of theologians, convened by the National Council of Churches USA, released an open letter calling on Christians to take two important steps to enable socially just and ecologically sustainable communities for future generations: first, to "repent of our sins, in the presence of God and one another," and, second, to pursue, "with God's help, a path different from our present course."

The statement, "God's Earth is Sacred: An Open Letter to Church and Society in the United States," points out that there is both an environmental and a theological crisis that must be addressed.

In addition to refuting false teachings about the environment and calling Christians to repent, the statement also appeals to Christians and "all people of good will" to join together in understanding humans' responsibility to care for creation, to integrate this understanding into what it means to be the church, and to advocate boldly on behalf of those most vulnerable to the negative effects of the global environmental crisis.

The NCC's Eco-Justice Working Group decided to ask leading theologians to gather in the fall of 2004 at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., to work on a theological statement to counter arguments that the environment is not an issue that should concern Christians. In order to produce a theologically grounded statement, the group issued invitations to theologians who were well versed in ecumenism and the doctrine of their own church bodies.

[more on the NCC's Web site]

Lutherans that participated in the drafting of this statement:

• Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Seattle University
• Larry Rasmussen, Reinhold Neibuhr Professor Emeritus of Social Ethics, Union Theological Seminary, New York City
• Rev. Dr. H. Paul Santmire, Author and Teaching Theologian, Evangelical Luthernan Church in America

Lutheran Co-Signers:

• Dr. Barbara R. Rossing, New Testament Professor, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago