Voices of Faith Unite in Victoria for Environmental Responsibility

On Sunday, March 2, 2025, the Victoria British Columbia Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosted a forum titled “Spiritual Teachings on Environmental Sustainability” sponsored by the Multi-Faith Summit Council of British Columbia (MFSCBC). People from various faith traditions gathered to share perspectives on environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Dr. Ashok Agarwal, from the Outreach Committee of the MFSCBC and Sherry Marceil, Co-Chair of the Environment Committee of the MFSCBC and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped organize this event in celebration of the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week. Reverend Bill McCarter of the Canadian International Metaphysical Ministry was invited to act as moderator.

Karen Harper, Saanich district councillor, was one of many speakers at the event. She acknowledged, “When a community comes together to care for the earth, there is power. Faith communities can lead by example.”

Other presenters included Gita Badiyan (Bahai’i), Onkar Hans (Hindu), Maulana Shakoor Ahmad (Muslim), Anneli Driessen (Metaphysics), Michael Bloomfield (Jewish) and Gurdeep Singh (Sikh). The MFSCBC provides a multi-faith option for leaders of faith communities to address important spiritual issues with a strong, united voice.

“As beneficiaries of the divine Creation, what shall we do?” asked President Russell M. Nelson. “We should care for the earth, be wise stewards over it and preserve it for future generations” (“The Creation,” April 2000 general conference).

Various Perspectives

Forum participants shared their perspectives to discover ways to act with a unified voice to protect and honour the earth. President Ted Murray, first counsellor in the Victoria British Columbia Stake presidency, shared the Christian belief that “the purpose of the earth and the universe is to bless mankind.”

Badiyan echoed this thought by noting that “all prophets and spiritual teachers have taught that the earth is for everyone.”

Many participants expressed themes of spiritual duty and stewardship as a sacred responsibility. Hans described a Hindu perspective that “nature is not separate from us. Protection and preservation are not just an ecological duty, but a moral and spiritual duty.”

Driessen added, “Environmental sustainability and responsibility go beyond awareness. We are meant to carefully care for the planet. Stewardship is our sacred responsibility.”

Shakoor Ahmad shared teachings from the Koran, including the idea that “the earth is not just our home but a sacred space for us to live. Safeguarding the environment is crucial to future generations.”

Love and unity in caring for the planet was another important theme. Bloomfield emphasized the need to “work together for positive change. All faiths have to love each other and work with one another to protect the world. We can bring peace to the world by working towards unity.”

Singh emphasized that “we need to live more conscious of our impact on the earth. We need to be united, not divided. We need to be one.”

Caring for the Earth

The Church of Jesus Christ recently updated its website on environmental stewardship: “Caring for the Earth.” It states: “All humankind are stewards over the earth and should gratefully use what God has given, avoid wasting life and resources, and use the bounty of the earth to care for those in need.”

The Church also released a series of reports on its global environmental stewardship, including water conservation, waste management and solar energy.

Bishop Gérald Caussé of the Presiding Bishopric said the Church hopes to “inspire members of the Church and all community members to use the resources of the earth with great care and prudence” (“Earthly Stewardship: A Look into the April 2025 World Report”).

Working Together

Marceil, in her closing remarks said, “It is my hope and prayer that people of faith can come together in the spirit of collaboration to create higher visibility of interfaith cooperation and harmony as we care for the world and all who live in it and build a legacy of proactivity in the next generation on the issue of sustainability.”

Dr. Agarwal added, “A collaboration of religious leaders, political leaders and the community to create an action plan and work together to achieve a common goal of preserving and sustaining the environment is a reasonable goal since care of the world around us is a tenet of all spiritual traditions as evidenced by the diversity of the speakers today.”

The forum in British Columbia and other similar events should encourage people of faith from various religious traditions to work together to support shared beliefs.

Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke at the 2023 Global Faith Leaders Summit and said, “A unified effort — where governments, faith and community leaders, media, industry, scholars and families work together — is the way to achieve the noble goal of revitalizing the earth and the greater human family. May we accept this as a sacred charge” (“Latter-day Saints and Environment”).

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