The poorest populations are those who suffer the most from the environmental crisis. But how can we take care of creation to protect the most vulnerable? How can we be eco-friendly and supportive?
A joint SEL & A Rocha France campaign
For two years, A Rocha France and SEL, with the support of the National Council of Evangelicals of France (CNEF), have launched a joint campaign to help limit the impacts of environmental crises on the poorest. We have decided to join forces to:
Provide biblical and theological support for the care of creation,
Raise awareness of the scientific reality of the environmental crisis,
Mobilize evangelical Protestants,
Call authorities to honor their commitments.
God has entrusted us with the task of caring for His creation and caring for the most vulnerable. We do this out of love, for God, for our neighbor, and as a witness to the world. Furthermore, as children of God, we are also called to seek justice.
Taking care of creation and one's neighbor
The living conditions of the poorest are worsening every day due to extreme weather events, an increasingly unfavorable climate, soil depletion, and fragile biodiversity. People with the fewest resources are the most affected by disasters, conflicts, and inequality. Furthermore, the costs of adapting to a changing environment are often too high, sometimes forcing these most vulnerable populations to move.
We believe that as Christians, we must act to protect the world around us, human beings, and the rest of creation. Let us not remain insensitive to the suffering of our neighbor and the groaning of God’s creation. Let us pray that God will inspire us and give us the courage to act. Finally, let us inform ourselves and share our mission by matching our words with actions.
Although the Bible does not specifically tell us how to respond to a changing environment, it does give us several useful principles: caring for creation, loving our neighbor, and bearing witness to the world. (Quote taken from the text Aimer les plus démunis, NAE, translated into French as part of the joint A Rocha & SEL campaign.)
What if we committed together to ecology and solidarity?
This fall, A Rocha and the SEL invite you to reflect together on this question linking ecology and solidarity on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the Baptist Church of Lyon (Cours Vitton). The program for this day, entitled God the Creator, God of Compassion, includes practical workshops, testimonies, theological contributions, and an evening of worship with Samuel Olivier!
In the spring, on Saturday, April 11, 2026, a study day will be held at the Free Faculty of Evangelical Theology in Vaux-sur-Seine, co-organized by the FLTE, the SEL, and A Rocha. The theme will be: Thinking Together about Care for Creation and Concern for the Poor – Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives.
More information to come!
