Public witness

Have you made the Alverna Covenant?

History of the Alverna Covenant

The Alverna Covenant was written by members of the Task Force on Christian Lifestyle and Ecology of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) while meeting at Alverna Retreat Center, a Franciscan retreat in Indianapolis, Ind. The name has added significance. Alverna is named for Mt. Alverna in Italy, the mountain retreat given to Francis of Assisi. Francis is honored for his concern for the care of and relatedness of all creation. The 800th anniversary of Francis' birth was celebrated in 1981, the year the Alverna Covenant was first introduced at the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

The Alverna Covenant

Whereas:

• God has created the world with finite resources;
• God has given to us the stewardship of the earth;
• God has established order through many natural cycles.

And it is evident that:

• We are consuming resources at a rate that cannot be maintained;
• We are interrupting many natural cycles;
• We are irresponsibly modifying the environment through consumption and pollution;
• We are populating the earth at a rate that cannot be maintained;

As a member of the human family and a follower of Jesus Christ, I hereby covenant that:

• I will change my lifestyle to reduce my contribution to pollution;
• I will support recycling efforts;
• I will search for sustainable lifestyles;
• I will work for public policies which lead to a just and sustainable society;
• I will share these concerns with others and urge them to make this Covenant.

If you agree with the principles outlined by the Alverna Covenant and would like to be part of a newly forming Disciples eco-justice/environmental network, click here for more information.