Thank you very much for this opportunity to address the faith community's shared concern about our environment and global climate change.

As the President of the Center for Judaism and Sustainability of the Alliance for Sustainability located in the Hillel Center of the University of Minnesota, we work with a wide range of faith traditions to protect our environment and bring about sustainability on the personal, organizational and planetary levels.

In this light, we fully support the Minnesota Interfaith Climate Change Campaign and the statement we are releasing today.

In each of our rich spiritual traditions, there are significant teachings and practices regarding caring for the Earth and all of Creation. This is a common bond we all share.

The Iroquois have always tried to make decisions based on the concept of the Seventh Generation -- how will our actions today affect people, animals and the Earth seven generations from now?

In the Quran, we read that to the Almighty "belongs everything that is in the heavens and on the earth."

In the Bible, we are taught: "God took and placed the human in the Garden of Eden, to serve it and protect it." (Genesis 2:15)

This concept is expanded in the Talmud (Midrash Ecclesiastes Rabba), where we are taught: "When God led Adam through the Garden of Eden, God told him, "I made My beautiful and glorious world for your sake. Take care not to hurt or destroy My world. For if you do, there is no one to fix it after you."

God commanded Adam and all human beings thereafter to take care of the world and make sure we don't hurt it. Regardless of our spiritual beliefs, there is a shared sense of responsibility for caring about our environment and future generations.

In the last ten years there has been a growing inter-faith response to the environmental challenges we face. This was evidenced by the 1992 UN Earth Summit in Rio that was not only attended by more than 170 heads of state, but leaders of every spiritual denomination. It was very powerful to join together and share our common concerns and goals, which are reflected in the Agenda 21 Action Plan and the UN's Environmental Sabbath program.

These efforts were furthered in this country with the creation of the National Religious Partnership on the Environment, composed of leading Roman Catholic, Jewish, evangelical Christian and mainline Protestant organizations. Each faith tradition networks with the others and has developed its own umbrella organization. For example, I serve on the National Board of the Jewish one, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life.

Clearly, there is a new message emerging from the pulpit, that ecology must be joined with theology and day-to-day life in our religious institutions and community. Priests, pastors, rabbis and other spiritual leaders around the country are working with their congregants to be responsible stewards of Creation and address global climate change.

Together, we can fulfill our commitment to Our Creator. Thank you.