68 69 Social Word of the Ecumenical Council in Austria 2003 The Social Mission of the Churches (6) The social responsibility of the churches stems from the foundation of faith itself. Because God lovingly turns to the world in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, it is part of the essence of Christian faith to turn to the world and to people in their concrete needs. "Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). This instruction from the Apostle Paul lays the foundation for this mission of the churches, which they have realised and continue to realise in many different ways throughout their history and in the present day. Thanks to the commitment of many Christian women and men, the churches are still outstanding supporters of social initiatives and social work today. Solidarity with the poor (14) Based on God's devotion to the world, the churches know that they stand alongside the poor and marginalised in a special way. They view the reality of the world and society from the perspective of the Gospel. They pay particular attention to the poor and people on the margins of society. For Jesus, help for the hungry, strangers and homeless, for the sick and prisoners is an indispensable prerequisite for a successful relationship with God. Concerned about creation and the future (15) Furthermore, the attention of the churches is focussed on the endangered creation, on the demands of sustainable and future-viable development and a just distribution of the goods of this earth. In this perspective, the churches today see a worldwide intensification of social conflicts, an increase in poverty and a growing tendency to degrade people. For the sake of Jesus Christ, the churches must not and cannot remain silent about this. Education – a key issue (18) The future of education is one of the decisive challenges of a modern society. Education that does justice to the human being is rooted in a lively interest in the world that comes from a deep sense of wonder, respect and gratitude. Curiosity, mindfulness, a sense of responsibility, the ability to relate to others and an openness to the world are fundamental goals of personal development, which is established as early as in one’s childhood and must be developed throughout life. The skills that enable participation in social life, business and politics build on this: General education, familiarity with modern technologies, and job-specific qualifications. These educational objectives are interrelated, interdependent and complementary. Sustainability – a question of justice (285) The experience of the richness and beauty of nature, but also of the consequences of its exploitation and destruction, makes us humans realise our responsibility for creation. Creation is entrusted to human beings. Created in God's image and themselves part of creation, humans are not rulers, but stewards and servants of creation. It is our responsibility to respect and preserve creation, also for future generations. (289) Sustainability means a commitment to fair living conditions and the careful use of nature in the future. If sustainability is to be applied as a universal principle, new concepts of economic activity must be developed. Living sustainability in churches and communities ’ The churches want to cultivate a spirituality of creation and anchor it in prayers and liturgies. (298) ’ The topic of responsibility for creation should become an integral part of religious education and the educational work of the churches. (299) ’ The churches provide paid working time for environmental work. By publishing energy balance sheets, they want to demonstrate accountability. (300) ’ Church congregations, communities and organisations pay attention to sustainability in their purchasing policy and energy consumption. (301) ’ The churches cooperate with other organisations in the environmental field and promote future-oriented initiatives. (302) ’ In their missionary work, the Christian churches in Austria want to actively support their partner churches' commitment to justice and sustainability around the world. (303) Social Word of the Ecumenical Council in Austria, 2003 www.sozialwort.at
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