Belief Statement: As stated in the “Confession of Faith in Mennonite Perspective, Draft October 1993”
We believe that God has created "the heavens and the earth" and all that is in them, and that God preserves and renews what has been created in accord with the divine will. We believe that God has begun the new creation in Jesus Christ and sustains it through the power of the Holy Spirit. We look forward to the redemption of creation and the coming of a new heaven and a new earth, where God's purposes for all of creation will be fully realized.
We believe that human beings have been created good and have been called to glorify God, to live in peace with each other, and to watch over the rest of creation. We gratefully acknowledge that God has created human beings in the divine image and has given the entire human family a special dignity among all the works of creation.
Repentance: MCC acknowledges patterns of working which have contributed to some of the destruction mentioned above. We repent of the ways we have caused pollution or destruction of our Creator's work. We want to be more fully aware of the impact our lifestyle has on the global environment and on our sisters and brothers worldwide who share God's good earth with us.
Poverty & the Environment: Poverty and environmental destruction often fuel each other. For too many, today's survival decisions destroy land, water, and stratosphere over the long term.
Conversely, some impoverished communities have learned to balance their demands and use of the environment in sustainable ways. Whichever the case, MCC is committed to work in partnership with the poor to protect and to heal our God-entrusted
environment.
Wealth & the Environment: Modern “prosperity” and environmental destruction often fuel each other. People having access to billions of dollars in credit and modern machinery can destroy large areas of land or pollute the atmosphere. Individuals living in a consumptive culture also make choices that damage the environment and consume more than their fair share of the world's
resources.
Commitments of MCC: Safeguarding God's creation is not an “add on” to MCC's commitments. Preserving the creation must be integral to who we are and what we believe. Since 1920, MCC has been concerned with good soil and its capacity to produce food. Our intent has been to preserve God's creation “In the name of Christ.” We have engaged in reforestation, water catchment, soil conservation, erosion control, etc. The printing of materials, e.g., More with Less Cookbook and Living More With Less, illustrates MCC's environmentally friendly efforts. And, MCC has persisted in peace work which reduces destruction of God's good creation.
In its attempts to be environmentally responsible and faithful, MCC will give primary concern to the following areas of activity:
|
