Active nonviolence - an integral approach to Cry of the Earth

In the week when Pax Christi International launched its #WaterforLife campaign, calling for support for communities adversely affected by extractive industries such as mining and deforestation, Pax Christi England and Wales held an on-line discussion on the relationship between nonviolence and care for the earth. Aware of the violence done to the earth through war, the global demand that militarism makes on fossil fuels and other energy sources and the conflicts that arise over access to resources, the gathering explored relationship between these acts of violence and the power and approach of nonviolence as a response.

Christina Leano, Associate Director of the Global Catholic Climate Movement spoke of the environmental crisis we face as a moral and spiritual crisis. Active nonviolence, she suggested, offers an integral approach to addressing this crisis. She outlined three nonviolent dimensions: the spiritual, lifestyle and social. The first calls us to recognise that we are within creation, not 'outside' of it, there is no separation. Hearing the cry of the earth means hearing our own suffering within creation. The choices we make in our life, our patterns of consumption, use our energy, how we choose to witness to violence and injustice, are part of the lifestyle dimension, what Pope Francis calls 'the nobility to care for creation through little daily actions'. The social dimension relates to raising our voice in the public space, advocacy, public witness and protest against the destruction of the earth.

Aisling Griffin, Pax Christi's Schools and Youth Education Officer shared approaches she is taking in creating educational approaches and resources on nonviolence and care of the earth. The extractive industries have become a focus for this work which is being undertaken with the London Mining Network and with Pax Christi International Coal mining, mineral exploitation, creation of dams, deforestation are examples of these industries that pollute, destroy bio-diversity, cause damage to human health and displacement and in many cases bring violence and a culture of militarism to communities as companies seek to 'protect' their interests over those of local people and the earth. The educational approach she takes is to use the See, Judge, Act methodology, using story, role play, encounter to open up the issue then asking questions about choices that we make and their impact on the earth and communities leading to the exploration of actions that might be taken from solidarity links to becoming advocates for change.

Looking ahead, Pax Christi England and Wales encouraged participants to work towards the Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action, 21 September and 2 October and the Season of Creation, 1 September and 4 October as a way of preparing individuals, groups and parishes to contribute to and engage at national and international levels with the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) due to be held in Scotland in November. The gathering finished with prayer and reflection, drawing on words from Scripture and Laudato Si' illustrated with complimentary images of our beautiful earth.

Videos from the evening and other support resources can be found here: https://paxchristi.org.uk/news-reports-may-june-2021/