I am a Sikh, and the Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, says, “The Creator created Himself. … And created all creation in which He is manifest. You Yourself the bumble-bee, flower, fruit and the tree. You Yourself the water, desert, ocean and the pond. You Yourself the big fish, tortoise and the Cause of causes. Your form can not be known.”
As an active and engaged member of Delaware’s various interfaith communities for many years, I have learned that scriptures of all faiths say something similar. The creator and the creation are like “one light” and “many candles.” Inseparable. The creation, or nature, is sacred in all religions. It is worshipped in some beliefs but treasured and loved in all.
So the question is, if nature is so revered by faiths across the world, why is climate change such a destructive force in our lives? Who is responsible for this climate change, if nature is sacred and deemed a part or an extension of the creator?
These are among the questions Delaware Interfaith Power & Light (DeIPL) addresses in its online Climate Conversations program. Available to anyone through Zoom, these regular meetings provide an opportunity for all Delawareans to discuss environmental issues with a particular focus on the First State.
On Feb. 1, the 42nd Climate Conversations program drew more than 100 participants and featured Susan Love, Climate and Sustainability Section administrator for the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), who reminded the group that “climate change is real, it is happening now, and it is caused by us.”
Among the effects in Delaware, she said, are sea level rise, increased temperatures and more frequent, intense storms that bring heavy precipitation and flooding, especially to the state’s lowest-lying areas.
Several of Delaware’s faith leaders joined the conversation and collectively agreed that living an eco-friendly life — exemplified by deeds and actions that enhance the harmony between life and nature — is essential to overcome the climate challenges that face us.
Climate Conversations is sponsored by Energize Delaware, a state-supported nonprofit program that provides initiatives to help reduce carbon footprints for residents, businesses and nonprofit organizations. Many of the houses of worship represented by the DeIPL members have benefited from Energize Delaware’s energy-saving and conservation programs.
Participants in the Feb. 1 Climate Conversation session reflected DeIPL’s interfaith mission. Among the leaders in attendance were Shweta Arya, a Hindu and DeIPL’s executive director; Rabbi Yair Robinson of Congregation Beth Emeth; the Rev. Andy Jacob of Hanover Presbyterian Church; the Rev. Joseph W.A. Archie III, Delaware District superintendent of the Peninsula-Delaware Conference of the United Methodist Church; Irfan Patel, interfaith chair of the Islamic Society of Delaware; and John Sykes, DeIPL president and a practicing Buddhist.
Coming together in a respectful setting to talk about climate change and its social, health and economic impacts helps build awareness and strategies for positive change. Susan Love asked, “What is the most important thing you all can do to combat climate change?” And then, she answered it herself: “Talk about it.”
Besides climate change and environmental justice, such conversations also help us learn to respect other faiths and men and women of different communities. That of its own can yield enormous benefits.
Finally, I say “amen” to my friend Andy Jacob’s opening prayer, “Bless the conversation, bless all that we would learn and then fill us with energy and passion to pursue climate justice.”
If you would like to learn more about Delaware Interfaith Power & Light and the Climate Conversations program, visit the website at delawareipl.org or email info@delawareipl.org.
Charanjeet Singh Minhas is a board member of Delaware Interfaith Power & Light.
