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In a time of deepening socioeconomic inequality, climate upheaval, resource conflicts, and technological disruption, they pondered the question: how are churches responding?
Rev. Philip Vinod Peacock, World Communion of Reformed Churches general secretary, reflected on how the NIFEA initiative is an ecumenical collaboration working toward an “economy of life.”
Back in 2012, Peacock said, the first theological reflections began related to the initiative.
“We talked about how we approach this, and asked: what is a theology of economic justice?” he said. “Now, I think that this is significant because it is really one of the best examples, the best practices today of ecumenism in action.”
Peacock added that it’s very evident that the current economic system is not working for the majority of people or for the planet earth.
"On the further horizon, what we need is systemic change but on the closer horizon, we need to do something now—people are suffering now.”
Athena Peralta, director of the World Council of Churches Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, talked about what the NIFEA initiative means on a practical level.
“What can we do as churches? Practically speaking, we identified some priority areas,” she said. “One of them really is about capacity building. How do we capacitate our churches to be able to really advocate for an economy of life?”
Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, Geneva secretary for the World Methodist Council said: “What does the current economic emphasis do? It exploits the planet to the extent that we have come to points of no return.”
Rev. Canon Dr Peniel Rajkumar, theologian and director of Global Mission for the United Society Partners in the Gospel, agreed that the planet and its people are under threat. “It is about doing theology through our actions guided by the spirit of repentance, repair and restorative justice,” he said.
The session was moderated by Dr Anupama Hial, Lutheran World Federation program executive for Global Public Theology.
