WCC NEWS: Praying, reflecting and acting for a just economy of water

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World Council of Churches - News

PRAYING, REFLECTING AND ACTING FOR A JUST ECONOMY OF WATER

For immediate release: 16 February 2012

During the seven weeks of Lent the Ecumenical Water Network (EWN)
focuses on the theme “economy of water” in its Seven Weeks for Water
campaign, inspiring churches to pray, reflect and act together for local
and global water justice.

The Seven Weeks for Water (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=0a67335a59636447d77c ) will begin on 20 
February and will be
approaching World Water Day and Maundy Thursday (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=18bc25fa5c4da478ac6d
) with special resources produced for this event.

In a time of economic and environmental crisis, the theme of the campaign
stresses the urgency for Christians to engage in reflection and action on
the “economy of water”.

EWN coordinator Maike Gorsboth says, “Water is the lifeblood of the
planet as well as the economy. It is crucial for sustainable development
in regard to health, food security, energy and poverty – issues that
affect and engage churches around the world in different ways.”

For the seven weeks, beginning in mid-February this year, the EWN publishes
weekly meditations on its website to raise awareness of water and justice.
The reflections are accompanied by campaigning links and ideas for
activities encouraging individuals and congregations to work towards water
justice in their communities.

Reflections every week offer biblical responses to several issues including
the economy of water, wasteful consumption and production, agro-ecological
production and climate change adaptation.

Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser, former WCC general secretary, offers a biblical
reflection on the concept of thirst for life and thirst for water,
integral to human survival, as well as the greed driving manipulation of
this precious resource in our world today.

“To be thirsty for water is part of the human condition. It is the bodily
expression of the longing for the fullness of life, but it can also turn
into a greedy effort to maximize satisfaction,” says Raiser.

The campaign is also paying special attention to the emerging and
controversial “Green Economy” concept. The Green Economy aims at
reconciling economic development with environmental and social well-being.
It is one of the key topics for debate in the run-up to the United
Nations' "Rio+20" Conference on Sustainable Development.

EWN is an international network coordinated by the World Council of
Churches, which strives to promote the preservation, responsible
management and equitable distribution of water for all, based on the
understanding that water is a gift of God and a fundamental human right.


More information on the Seven Weeks for Water:
www.oikoumene.org/7-weeks-for-water (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=fef3d0c7c36ee1ecf200 )

More information on the Ecumenical Water Network:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=aec5d5cc2fa6a68ef806 (Link: 
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=7944a15613ba33f7b5b5 )

World Water Day tool kit (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=59818e9f44469b6a3975
)


The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness 
and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of 
churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, 
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, 
from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.



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