Interview
“Now our bigger challenge is to talk to the owners of the corporations that are really not doing enough or not doing anything to make change come around,” he says. “We are expecting that governments are the ones that are going to talk to the members of these corporations—and if you ask me, that’s never going to happen because these members of the corporations have handed governments so much money for so many different things.”
Thompson believes that churches need to be prepared to talk to the corporate world. "We need to be prepared to step it up a notch,” he says. “And faith-based organizations, we still have the credibility and the confidence and the trust from people.”
He describes the commission’s aim of providing information and accompanying the church to create consciousness and concrete actions. “But the commission is also set up with working groups, and within the working groups, we have an opportunity to create intentional partnerships with non-governmental organizations or with other organizations like ours that are doing the same, maybe in civil society.”
He envisions crossover and interdisciplinary cooperation with different groups.
“Now, why do I think that's key?” he asks. "Because a lot of people think: why are faith-based organizations involved in all of this?”
It’s about making sure that the reality of the kingdom of God is brought to the people today, Thompson describes.
“This is God's creation,” he says. “God is interested in making sure that we have life and life abundant.”
Thompson believes that the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development has a tremendous opportunity to create bridges where walls have been put up.
“I think that our young people understand what it is to be challenged by climate change, and they understand the meaning of justice,” he says. “I think that young people are already empowered.”
But he also believes young people at the local level need more training and mentoring. “I see the responsibility that we have as faith-based organizations is to walk alongside young people and not empower, but enable them and to walk along with them,” he says. “Let us be the ones to show that there is a will, there is a commitment—and let us help others commit as well.”
Three WCC commissions meet to confront emerging global challenges (WCC news release, 5 March 2024)
Photo gallery: Joint Meeting of Three WCC Commissions – March 2024
