How to Miss the Point of Lent
Offered without comment…
Ecumenical News International
Daily News Service
21 February 2012
Lenten reflections focus on water as God’s gift and a human right
ENI-12-0097
By ENInews Staff
21 February (ENInews)–A series of weekly reflections are available during Lent focusing on the “economy of water,” offering suggestions for how people can work toward water justice in their communities.
The Seven Weeks for Water began 20 February, with additional resources produced for 22 March, which is World Water Day and Maundy Thursday.
The reflections have been produced by the Ecumenical Water Network, an international group of churches coordinated by the World Council of Churches, promoting people’s access to water around the world, based on the understanding that water is a gift of God and a fundamental human right.
“Water is the lifeblood of the planet as well as the economy,” said EWN coordinator Maike Gorsboth in a news release. “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.”
The weekly meditations, found on the EWN website, are accompanied by links and ideas for activities encouraging individuals and congregations to get involved. The reflections offer biblical responses to issues including wasteful consumption and production, agro-ecological production and climate change adaptation.
The campaign is also paying special attention to the emerging and controversial “Green Economy” concept, according to the news release. 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.
More information on the Seven Weeks for Water, including worship plans and a World Water Day tool kit can be found at www.oikoumene.org/7-weeks-for-water. More information on the Ecumenical Water Network can be found at http://water.oikoumene.org.
ENI News Headlines and Featured Articles are now available by RSS feed.
See http://www.eni.ch/rss/
All articles (c) Ecumenical News International
Reproduction permitted only by media subscribers and
provided ENI is acknowledged as the source.
Ecumenical News International
PO Box 2100
CH – 1211 Geneva 2
Switzerland
Tel: (41-22) 791 6088 – 6111
Fax: (41-22) 788 7244
Email: eni@eni.ch
Oy veh. Maybe they will abstain from all forms of hydration during Lent.
Yech.
“Water justice.” Sounds like something one of my young nephew’s hand out from the end of a super soaker.
I love your illustration, however!
Okay, this is a joke, right? I know the illustration isn’t because it gets it right. But, water justice?
One of the ELCA pastors in my town, who grew up LCMS and now entices LCMS members to his church by solemnly declaring that there is not much difference between the LCMS and the ELCA, like to call Ash Wednesday “Water Wednesday.”
This isn’t even missing the point, it has no point. Why must everything be turned into some cause about fighting global warming or water shortage? What do those things even mean??
We’ve seen thsi before. 19th century rationalistic sermons about good agriculture and animal husbandry, anyone?
That being said, water abuse is an application of the law. At this rate, the midwest could become uninhabitable within 50 years, and I wouldn’t want that to happen to our good heartlanders(and I don’t mean trhat sarcastically). But a lenten theme? Maybe a quarter sermon at most.