Over the centuries, what began as a single church has continually divided. Today, we have a vast tapestry of theological expressions, worship practices and faith traditions. Differences continue to separate us, making unity a daunting challenge.
Despite those divisions, one pressing issue may bring us together again: climate change. Rising sea levels, intense storms, record-breaking heat and ecological collapse demand urgent attention. Christians are being called to unite in response.
Climate change is not just affecting North America. It affects everyone around the globe—rich and poor, men and women, from Africa and Asia. All creation is living in despair, and we must come together to fight it.
We can be united not just in concern, but in worship, action, and hope. What can the global church do differently to raise awareness of this scientific crisis, which is also a theological concern? Can our many denominations find unity around the most pressing social justice issue of our time?
Due to the urgency, multiple faith traditions are already coming together. Churches are being asked to set aside a day or even a month each year to celebrate God’s creation and stand in awe of its beauty. This sacred time begins on September 1 and lasts through October 4.
This period is known as the Season of Creation, a time to honor God as Creator and renew our commitment to care for the Earth.
The Season of Creation began in 1989, when Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I proclaimed Sept. 1 a World Day of Prayer for Creation. The World Council of Churches and a Lutheran congregation in Australia expanded it into a month-long season. The Vatican endorsed it in 2015, and it has since evolved into a global, ecumenical movement dedicated to caring for creation.
This movement should now be formalized across denominations, with each committing to prayer, advocacy and action for the Earth. The season is rooted in the Orthodox tradition, with September 1 as the day God is said to have begun creation and concluding on October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology. Some now advocate for elevating September 1 into a formal liturgical “Feast of Creation.”
The Feast of Creation would mark the beginning of the Season of Creation, rooted in Orthodox liturgy dating back to the 5th century. It would lift up the mystery of creation and the responsibility to care for it.
Christian feast days commemorate God’s actions and reflect God’s ongoing work in the world. A Feast of Creation would remind us that God is the Creator, and we are called to live sustainably for the flourishing of all creation.
Last March, church leaders, scholars and liturgists met in Assisi, Italy, for a historic ecumenical gathering called “A Liturgical Opportunity.” Sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the Anglican Communion, the World Methodist Council and the Laudato Si’ Research Institute, the meeting explored how to elevate creation in worship and church life.
A follow-up meeting took place in May of this year, also in Assisi, in preparation for the Nicaea 2025 centenary. Delegates renewed ancient commitments and faced today’s challenges with boldness, unity and a focus on climate change. They strongly supported the establishment of the Feast of Creation.
This is a significant achievement. At a time when denominations often feel divided, a liturgical feast could help us bond together in the fight against climate change. It reminds us that we are more alike than different and that we share deep concern for the crisis at hand.
The Season of Creation calls us back to our common identity. Before we were Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox, we were—and still are—God’s children, called to be stewards of creation.
Creation is not a secondary doctrine. It is foundational to Christian faith, reminding us that God is Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer of all life. By developing theologically rich and ecologically conscious liturgies, the church can shape hearts and minds toward reverence, responsibility and renewed relationship with the Earth.
Genesis begins with the story of creation. The psalms sing of God’s handiwork in mountains, rivers and birds. Jesus spoke of lilies, seeds and sparrows, not just as illustrations but as signs of the sacredness of the world around us.
Our liturgies matter. They shape what we believe and how we live out God’s word. If we want the ecumenical church to take climate justice seriously, then we must pray it, preach it, sing it and celebrate it.
The Feast of Creation is an invitation to the worldwide church—not just to recognize the climate crisis, but to rejoice in the gift of creation and recommit to its care. It is a call to celebrate the Earth not as a commodity for profit, but as a sacred trust from God.
So let us join this movement and push forward for a liturgical Feast of Creation. Let us gather in worship to celebrate the Creator, confess our failures, and commit to a new way of living that leads to flourishing and sustainability.
The Feast of Creation proclaims together that God’s world is good, sacred, and worth protecting. In a time of climate crisis, this movement is not symbolic—it is essential.
This is more than a date on the church calendar. It is a holy rhythm that shapes how we live, love, and care for our common home.
It is an opportunity for the church to rise to the ecological and moral challenges of our time with courage, hope, and unity. Creation care is a calling for all Christians, and failure to act affects us all, especially the most vulnerable.
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