The “Pilgrimage for the planet” concluded with a peaceful demonstration in front of the Canadian Parliament. Photo: ELCIC
Canadian Lutherans advocate for creation care
(LWI) – On 10-11 May, an ecumenical group of twenty-two cyclists journeyed two hundred kilometers from Montreal to Ottawa in a “Pilgrimage for the Planet.” The event, organized by the Climate Justice Committee of the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) in collaboration with various faith partners, aimed to raise awareness about the climate crisis and advocate for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. The pilgrimage concluded with a peaceful demonstration in front of the Canadian Parliament.
Cyclists joining the “Pilgrimage for the planet” aimed to raise awareness about the climate crisis and advocate for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. Photo: ELCIC
Étienne Eason, a Concordia University student and member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Montreal, coordinated the event. He shared that the idea emerged from conversations following the Season of Creation. “We wanted to do something that reflects our identity as a church,” Eason said. “A pilgrimage felt right – it is spiritually meaningful and aligns with our message. Traveling to Ottawa, the nation’s capital, by bike was a way to embody the change we are calling for.”
Climate justice intersects with many issues
The group included participants from various Christian traditions – Lutherans, Anglicans, Catholics, Quakers, Wesleyans – as well as non-denominational and non-religious individuals. This diversity enriched the experience and fostered interfaith dialogue.
Eason emphasized the urgency of climate action: “The climate crisis intersects with so many issues – poverty, food insecurity, housing. We often think of creation as something separate from us, but we are part of it. When creation suffers, we suffer.”
When creation suffers, we suffer.
Étienne Eason, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
The pilgrimage was not only a symbolic act but also a hopeful one. “Everyone I spoke to found it energizing,” Eason said. “Even though climate change is a heavy topic, this experience helped us channel that urgency into something hopeful and embodied. We hope this spirit continues as we return to our communities and keep the conversation going.”
LWF calls for environmental stewardship
The Thirteenth Assembly of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) passed a Resolution on the climate emergency, calling on member churches “to reduce their emissions” and “to emphasize the importance of eco-theology as a framework for integrating spiritual and ethical values into environmental stewardship, articulating our theological basis for the care of creation, sharing technical knowledge, and advocating for climate justice.”
Source: A pilgrimage for the planet - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
