United Nations Services Use Texts from All of the Major Religious and Secu- Wright, Conrad

A sample entry from the Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature (London & New York: Continuum, 2005) Edited by Bron Taylor © 2005 All Rights Reserved 1680 United Nations services use texts from all of the major religious and secu- Wright, Conrad. The Prophets of Religious Liberalism: lar traditions. Channing, Emerson, Parker. Boston: Unitarian Univer- Native American and pagan traditions are often used to salist Association, 1986 (2nd edn). transform religious consciousness by returning to the pre- See also: Corrington, Robert S.; Emerson, Ralph Waldo; monotheistic world, a world held to be friendlier to nature Nature Religion in the United States; Pantheism; Spinoza, than that of the supernatural monotheisms. Among the Baruch; Transcendentalism. more important yearly events is the Flower Communion in which each member of the congregation is asked to bring a flower that is placed in a common vase at the front of the United Nations – See Bahá’í Faith and the United meeting room or sanctuary. At the end of the service, each Nations; Earth Charter; Religious Studies and Environ- member takes a different flower home. The Czech Unitar- mental Concern; United Nations’ “Earth Summits.” ian minister Norbert Capek created this service before the Second World War. Capek also created the symbol of the United Nations’ “Earth Summits” flaming chalice, which combines the naturalistic symbols of enlightening fire and the wisdom-holding cup, which is The first international United Nations’ “Earth Summit,” now the central liturgical object in the Unitarian Univer- formally known as the United Nations Conference on salist movement. Capek was executed in a Nazi concentra- Environment and Development, was held in Rio de tion camp in 1942 for his resistance work in which the Janeiro, Brazil from the 3rd to the 14th June, 1992. It symbol of the flaming chalice was used as a code to help included 172 national representatives (of which 108 were escaping Jews. heads of state) and over 2400 representatives of non- Along with a strong social gospel tradition, Unitarian governmental organizations (NGOs), and addressed the Universalists today fully participate in the worldwide threat of global environmental degradation as nations movement of the greening of the Church. There is a direct seek economic development. The gathered national lead- involvement in local issues of justice and the use of ers signed the Convention on Climate Change and the resources in a way that distributes them equitably and Convention on Biological Diversity and the conference does minimal harm to the environment. Each member of itself adopted The Rio Declaration on Environment and the congregation is asked to use ecologically friendly prac- Development, The Forest Principles, and Agenda 21, a tices in all dimensions of personal and social life. In the plan for coordinating environmental and national devel- national realm, the Association works to create laws that opment by the next century. The Commission on Sustain- will bring these practices into being. On the international able Development was formed to monitor and report on level, the Association has long fought for forms of just the implementation of these declarations and principles. trade and reduced First World consumption. One particu- The 1992 Earth Summit emerged from an earlier United lar focus of this concern is with critiquing the growing Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held at power of international corporations as they control the Stockholm in 1972, which for the first time placed yearly sale and distribution of hybrid seeds for which they environmental issues before the international community, have the patents. Given that Unitarian Universalism and led to the formation of the United Nations Environ- denies the reality of a potentially salvific deity who could ment Program. By 1983 the relationship between create an apocalypse that would rescue a few of us from environmental degradation and economic and social our abuse of nature, congregation members feel compelled development had led to the formation of the United by conscience to work toward the reversal of the natural Nations World Commission on Environment and Devel- degradation partially caused by the monotheisms. opment, known as the Brundtland Commission. This issued the 1989 report entitled Our Common Future, which Robert S. Corrington defined sustainable development as “that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of Further Reading future generations to meet their needs” and called for Bumbaugh, David E. Unitarian Universalism: A Narrative international strategies combining both environmental History. Chicago: Meadville Lombard Press, 2000. protection and development. Significantly, the envisioned Dorrian, Gary. The Making of American Liberal Theology: programs include action not only at the international, but Imagining Progressive Religion 1805–1900. Louis- also at regional, national and local levels, and involving ville: Westminster John Knox, 2001. state and non-state actors. The United Nations General Parke, David B. The Epic of Unitarianism: Original Assembly voted in 1989 to hold the first United Nations Writings from the History of Liberal Religion. Boston: Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Skinner House Books, 1985. 1992. Robinson, David. The Unitarians and the Universalists. UNCED was a watershed, but not only for the obvious Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1985. environmental reasons. The United Nations moved toward United Nations’ “Earth Summits” 1681 the Rio meeting by hosting several preparation committee out these presentations. Oftentimes there was an open meetings in New York. Those who attended these meetings speaker forum, such that the conversation was participa- included not only government officials but also represen- tory, democratic and lively. Music from indigenous tatives of non-governmental organizations who could drummers, the Earth musician Paul Winter, and the North apply for official NGO status with the UN and provide American popular singer John Denver, brought home the input into the process. Each country could solicit contribu- need to connected together spirituality, music and politics. tions from numerous organizations and individuals, Thousands of journalists reported on Rio 1992. This including that of both organized religious bodies and event showed clearly the signs of a global citizens move- other groups motivated by nature-related spirituality ment, which continued on to Rio+10 and is manifested in whose main identity was not religious. These official con- the World Social Forum. versations involved intense debates and disagreements A strong religious voice promoting environmental sus- about what was to be included and excluded from the tainability and social justice emerged at Rio and continued agenda. Many compromises were made prior to and at to develop through subsequent United Nations environ- UNCED. mental events. The World Council of Churches, the Vati- Running parallel to the UNCED was an “Earth Summit” can, and representatives of other world religions, notably – a people’s conference – an exclusively NGO event that Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Bahá’i for example were repre- coexisted with UNCED also in Rio. Although sponsored by sented at the 1992 Earth Summit. The Dalai Lama played a the UN, this event drew environmental and political activ- significant role as a spokesperson for religious sensitivi- ists from all over the world. Seventeen thousand or more ties. He spoke at UNCED and especially the Earth Summit, people (or their organizations) paid their own way (or their offering a sunrise ceremony for participants at the latter organizations did) to discuss the social and environmental venue. Given his respect for diversity and reputation for situation around the world. Here a radical environmental moral and spiritual integrity the Dalai Lama was able to and social agenda emerged and alternative treaties were call to awareness the many religious traditions that teach written. The Earth Summit represented the critical social the sacredness of the Earth. Reverence for the Earth was a politics that had been emerging over decades, such as dimension added to intense environmental and social international feminism, indigenous peoples’ rights, post- analysis, which strengthened both. His presence also Marxist and post-colonial analyses, peace, human rights, brought a certain spiritual authority to the NGO com- and environmental agendas. The crucial presence of these munity at the Earth Summit, as it pressured the UNCED groups pressured the UNCED’s official governmental rep- delegates to take action. In addition, hundred of indigen- resentatives to strengthen their environmental commit- ous peoples gathered nearby at Altimura and brought both ments, with particular attention to marginalized peoples. indigenous teachings and a powerful political presence to One result of UNCED and the Earth Summit was that it was the events. They focused attention on the importance of now evident that citizens groups had developed their own protecting “Mother Earth” and helped contribute to the analyses and viewpoints, were no longer going to accept growing appreciation among some United Nations their government’s positions, and would be very active in officials and delegates of the value of their cultures and planning and presenting alternatives. One of the most “traditional ecological knowledge.” dynamic conversations took place at the Women’s Tent – Although many religious traditions

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