Creation is not for sale

Seminar to celebrate the Quincentenary of the Reformation

11 March 2017

Meeting room of the Methodist Church,  Via Firenze 38, Roma

‘Liberated by God’s Grace’ is the theme of the celebration of the 500-year anniversary of the Reformation. If salvation is not for sale, then neither are humans, living creatures and the Earth itself.

This year offers the opportunity to deepen the consideration of how humans engage with the Earth and to focus on the need for liberation from the accommodations which have become commonplace.

As a contribute to this debate, in this anniversary year the Commission on  Globalisation and Environment (GLAM) organized a seminar that connects the urgency of the crisis to theological reflection, hearing the groaning of the whole creation, waiting for the redemption. In this hope we are saved.

In the first part there were two lectures from the “society”.
Franco Pasquali is President of Forum Symbola Fundation that since 2005 promotes the soft, green and circular economy by writing reports and lobbying to the political and economic istitutions. The objective is to improve the quality and the sustainability of the Made in Italy in the world. Italy still remains the second manufacturing country in Europe, after Germany, and the second for agricultural production, after France. The concrete sensibility to sustainability is increasing in individuals and in the cities.

Dario Milano, financial market expert, responsible for the cultural relation of Ethic Bank and a theologian, expressed his concern for the situation in Italy of the bank and insurance systems. In such crucial sectors the Ethic Bank since 1999 tries to make a difference.

The second part was dedicated to a theological panel.

Professor Eric Noffke from the Waldensian Faculty (Rome) offered a general overview on the different Christian perspectives on creation. Professor Hanz Gutierrez from the Adventist Faculty (Florence) focused his presentation on Psalm 98 in order to criticize the anthropocentric theology. Pastor Herbert Anders, also member of GLAM, underlined the inadequacy of an ethical approach to provoke a change. What is needed is to go deeply into the psychological motivations in order to liberate the human being from a greedy and consumeristic approach to life.

Antonella Visintin moderated the seminar. She described and partially read the Final Statement addressed to the churches and Christian institutions in order to celebrate this anniversary and to underline the need for its prophetic energy at this time.

The Commission on Globalisation and Environment