Yahweh God took the human beings

and settled them in the garden of Eden

to cultivate/serve and take care of it.”

(Genesis, 2:15)

Reflecting on the need to care for the planet and before the groans of nature, every person in their different realities is certain of the need to get involved and take concrete actions to care for the Creation.  For these reasons, I invite the Anglican Communion around the world to get committed towards United Nations Conference on Environment Rio +20 and the People’s Summit, on June 15^th to 22^nd, 2012 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The UN Conference Rio +20 closes an important cycle, started during the Eco-92 Conference in the same city. The People’s Summit, organized civil society movement will give us an opportunity for reunion with the core of the Christian faith, expressed by the unconditional love of the Creator for the whole Creation, throughout a present and future filled with ethic, transformed and sustainable. Or it just will pass by our lives maintaining the hegemony of those who look for easy profits at the expense of nature, impoverished and excluded people.

It’s important to notice what is at stake in this Conference; we can keep going with this model of unsustainable production and consumption that privileges a small group or we in fact can initiate a turn to other models, as affirmed already during the Eco-92 and many other UN Conferences. Yet unfortunately the governments and transnational corporations that hold the hegemony of world power refuse to fulfill their responsibilities.

We are witnesses that the civilization faces a multidimensional crisis comprehending economical, social environmental, cultural and spiritual aspects. In our perspective, a crisis of values that proclaims the demise of the old civilization as we know it can mean the dawn of a new era for all of us, brothers and sisters who inhabit the same house together. We must take the example of one who which “though there seemed no hope, he hope and believed” (Rom 4:18) and collaborate (work together) to make life more abundant.

The prophetic voice from Genesis 2:15 calls for an unique responsibility. It addresses us human beings to look after and care for our common garden, for our common house, as the work of Creation and continuation of God’s Revelation of Mercy and Justice.

We continue the Missio Dei that must be the Missio Ecclesia: to say one word and create, not destroy; to be present and set us free, not slave or privatize; become incarnated and be in solidarity, not transform into an empire; to give life and care, not abandonment or silence. Therefore, we are challenged “to strive to safeguard the integrity of Creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth”, one of the  Anglican Five Marks of Mission, taken from the Anglican Consultation Council.

Our planet cries and groans waiting for redemption. Our people cry out on account of the oppressors. We need to listen, just like God when he himself said that “I’ve indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I’ve heard them crying for help on account of their taskmasters. Yes, I am well aware of their sufferings. And I have come down to set them free…” (Exo 3:7-8). We’ve been called to listen like Jesus listened to the couple of Emmaus on their way home. He walked with them, gave them courage and energy to resume their way back to Jerusalem to bear a witness that another world is possible.

With hope, audacity and renewed faith, I call up the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil and the Anglican Communion around the world to assume their prophetic duty to “take care of Creation.”  We need to support the initiatives of organized civil society and make a strong appeal to the governments to take their responsibility for the life on our planet.

This moment should denounce the economistic and exclusionary model so that we may take the path to build up and be committed to Social and Environmental Justice, stand up for the rights of the people and nature, strengthen ecological awareness in the religious and spiritual traditions, a beginning to a transition from unsustainable civilization to a new one that is fair, fraternal, peaceful, ethical and sustainable.

I encourage the Provinces to assume their responsibilities by urging the dioceses, clergy and communities to participate actively in the Rio +20 process, especially the initiatives of the People’s Summit and the Space Religious for Rights.

In the certainty that this is going to be the path to live the plenitude of life (cf. John 10:10),

Brasília-DF, Brazil, May 3^rd, 2012

The Most Revd. Mauricio Andrade, Primate

Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil (IEAB)

The People’s Summit for Social and Environmental Justice during Rio+20  is an event organized by global civil society that will take place between the 15th and the 23rd of June at Aterro do Flamengo, in Rio de Janeiro – alongside the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), Rio+20.

To support the presence and visibility of the ecumenical family and interreligious cooperation during the UNCSD and the People’s Summit, many different actors worked together to create the concept of a common space in Rio +20 where we could build a common voice for social and environmental Justice and against the commodification of nature and life and for the sake of common resources, embracing autonomous initiatives, facilitating connections and communication among different initiatives and building and coordinating common consensus processes (from the Invitation Letter to the space Religions for Rights: An ecumenical and interreligious approach to Rio+20 and the People’s Summit).

Articulation of Rio de Janeiro’s Anglican Diocese in Rio +20

In November of 2011, the General Secretary of IEAB, Rev. Arthur Cavalcante, has visited the Anglican Diocese of Rio de Janeiro (DARJ) and that point it was already in the agenda the quality of participation of the Church. “the Rev. Nicholas Wheeler, from the Cristo Rei Parish in the Cidade de Deus (City of God), had shared about the organization of a local group of welcoming to the event”, affirmed the General Secretary of IEAB and added “the DARJ was very excited serving the Church in this important moment to Brazil”.

It’s also important underline the presence of Rev. Daniel Rangel (Secretary of DARJ) in the preparation meetings of the People’s Summit Rio +20. Rev. Daniel Rangel is there on behalf CONIC-Rio (National Council of Christian Churches in Brazil-Rio) and Rev. Luiz Caetano (Parish São Paulo, Apostol in Santa Teresa). The Anglican Church officially doesn’t have a place in the committee, but it’s represented by these two reverends.

The Diocese of Rio is mobilized for:

1. Coordinate the presence of the DARJ representatives in the People’s Summit Rio +20;
2. Welcome visitors from the Anglican Family;
3. Stimulate the debates in the parishes as well as the participation in the activities in the Summit;
4. Support the Regional Facilitator of the Anglican Alliance in this process.

Rev. Daniel Rangel is participating since the beginning of the Inter-Faith Articulation Group. It took place in Rio several meetings and in the near future the General Secretary will release a summary of the Anglican participation.

To the Religious for Right’s space, DARJ had submitted two Anglican activities:

(1)  Round table on urban violence and environmental disasters;

(2)  Celebration on June 19^th (Thursday) in the Big Tent;

It had been proposed from the General Secretary Office (3) Round table on Ethic and Spirituality in the development and environmental debates, enabling youth and women to raise their voices in a theological perspective and in a challenge to churches get involved, particularly the Anglicans and (4) Round table with people from ACEN and AA, together with the Primate of  Brazil, D. Mauricio Andrade. Those activities were submitted to the steering committee of the space. Soon we will know more details.

The DARJ, the General Secretary and Regional Facilitator of Anglican Alliance are working closely in order to provide a good and visible presence of Anglican Family during the Summit.

Photos: People Summit/Diocese of London/São Paulo Apóstolo

Information:

Reverend Daniel Rangel (Secretary of DARJ) – dcabraljr@gmail.com

Rev. Nicholas Wheeler (DARJ) – priestmissioner@gmail.com

Responsible to receive and organize who is coming to the event. Please contact him about your presence in the event and copy your email to the Regional Facilitator of Anglican Alliance, Mr. Paulo Ueti. Visit the website of DARJ to further information.

Mr. Paulo Ueti (Anglican Alliance and IEAB-Brazilian Episcopal Anglican Church)- pauloueti@gmail.com

Visit the website of IEAB to further information.

Information on People’s Summit: CEBI KOINONIA

By Paulo Ueti,

Regional Facilitator of Anglican Alliance

Latin America and Caribbean

Contact person of IEAB regarding Rio + 20

I was able to host him in Brazil in two different moments. Firstly when I was the Provincial Secretary and we hosted the Primate’s Meeting, in Gramado, in 2003. Secondly, after I became a Bishop of the Diocese of Brasilia, during the World Church Council Assembly in Porto Alegre in 2006.

Since 2007, I have been working closely with him in every Primate’s Meeting since Dar es Salaan, Tanzania.

These past 10 years were challenging and tense and I have seen Archbishop Rowan facing all adversities with faith in the Communion’s unity and strength.

In the midst of these challenges, Archbishop Rowan leaves us all a legacy that needs to be reaffirmed and we must thank him for all the concrete actions he has been carrying out such as Lambeth Conference’s methodology in 2008, the humbleness with which he has conducted the Primates Meetings and the creation of the Anglican Alliance.

Dear Archbishop Rowan, I thank God for yor life, mission and for your family.

-

The Most Revd Mauricio Andrade

Primate of IEAB

Anglican Diocese of Recife

Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil

Bishop: The Rt. Revd. Sebastião Armando Gameleira

Office: Rua Alfredo de Medeiros, 60.

Espinheiro – Recife – PE. Brazil

P.C. 52021-030

Email: dar@ieab.org.br

NOTE FROM THE ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF RECIFE

EPISCOPAL ANGLICAN CHURCH OF BRAZIL

The Anglican Diocese of Recife, the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, represented by his Diocesan Bishop, Sebastião Armando Gameleira Soares, expressed surprise and regret the death of Edward Robinson de Barros Cavalcanti, who was Bishop of this Diocese in the period 1997 to 2005, and his wife Miriam, in tragic circumstances.

In the mystery, order their lives to God’s grace and begs resignation and give comfort to his family and friends.

Recife, February 27, 2012.

Sebastião Armando, Recife.

National Human Rights Committee

Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil (EACB)

General Secretary’s Office,

São Paulo, Brazil.

16 February 2012

An Open Letter to the people of God.

By Prof. Dr. Dermi Azevedo

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!

The Brazilian society is still in shock after the scenes registered in the old centre of São Paulo in a region known as “Cracolandia” (Crack City), where dozens of youth and adults, men and women, live in a permanent situation of death; this cruel scene contrasts deeply with the nature of the human being from a Christian view, which is in likeness to God. In the face of this situation the EACB is called to speak out, though the Human Rights Committee, with an aim to wake up the consciences of those that have been sedated by advertising and an incontrollable use of media messages which transform everything into saleable goods, including the human soul.

This letter is especially for the People of God who congregate in the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil (EACB) and all the sister churches in the ecumenical movement.

The social fact of drug addiction.

The phenomenon of drug-trafficking and consuming is a striking figure in the world economy. In wealthy countries as well as countries on the outskirts of the international economic system, this mortal trade is prospering more and more. The repressive and preventative apparatus of the State are not capable of reaching the root of the problem, since, for the most part, they are trapped in a model that consecrates having as the only paradigm for human existence.

While the U.S is theoretically against drug-trafficking, it is also among the largest consumers of drugs on the planet. It uses its foreign policy to spread its political, cultural, and religious “values”, as it disseminates systematically the opposite values of self-centeredness and private property with no social ends, of prejudice, of racism, of sexism, in an unlimited commitment to an economic model of privatization which does not cover the basic needs a person is entitled to to live decently.

The repressive organs carry out their role as ideological organs of the State, but only manage to clear the ice on a problem with multiple and complex reasons, which come from the nature of the capitalist economic system. The trafficking and consuming of drugs comes from the same source, which is the character of an exclusive system that concentrates wealth and is based on radical selfishness.

The monster of drug addiction spreads its attractive tentacles throughout various aspects of life. It affects families, schools, churches, friendships and almost all other community environments.

The issue of drugs today is also linked to the powerful dominance of the cultural industry, characterized as the main vehicle in generating the alienation. In this context, the media produces and reproduces the image of a broken person (cf. Albert Camus), unidimentional (cf. Marcuse e Habermas), integrated (cf. Umberto Eco), a wolf to his fellow man (cf. Hobbes).

The Failure of Repression

The repressive policies against drug trafficking and against drug consumption have proven to be failures. The State spends millions of reals in random repressive actions which are generally badly planned and deformed by the corruption involved, including in some sectors of the Police at all levels.

Police action is often transformed into a kind of show portrayed on popular television programs. The sociological fact of the crime also becomes a highly valued product on the market of the media consumer’s emotions. They are also used as a platform for the propaganda of some candidates in election time

Once the campaigns and the blitz have passed, everything goes back to “normal”, that is, the crack cities go back to their daily routine, the Police arrest a few drug-traffickers, the press makes public the names of new and more lethal drugs and the voices of common sense applaud these novelties because they kill the addicts faster. In the carnivals the drug dealers are worshipped and applauded like popular cultural figures..

The Involvement of Civil Society

In the face of this scenario organizations of the Civil Society carried out preventative and temporary actions. The results are tangible, in many cases, but are not enough to break down the fundamental structures of this system of death. They need more human and material resources. Many of the coordinators of these organizations regard the State as being responsible for the resolution of these problems, and they end up omitting themselves.

The Involvement of the Churches

The Christian churches, for their part, mostly carry out a role of creating some kind of meaning for this tragic phenomenon. The opinions of their leaders vary between idealism and realism. On the one hand, they row against the current, defending the possibility of a world without drugs. On the other hand, they are realistic when they confirm, in a courageous and persistent manner, that it will only be possible to beat the roots of addiction with policies that revert the system of anti-values present in our society.

What can be done

The cry of the victims of narcotrafficking, (the addicted and their families, and the various figures that interact in this process) rises to the heavens. As a response, the voice of God who created us in his image and similarity can be heard. And he asks us: “what have you done to your brother?” More than ever, it is up to the churches to put into practice its prophetic mission, demanding urgent and effective action from society and from the authorities regarding this chaotic situation.

In order to do this it is necessary and urgent to organize debates and prepare studies on the theme of drugs with an aim to correctly diagnose the problem and define more adequate strategies to face it.

The most specific contribution of the churches within this tragic panorama is that of presenting Jesus Christ as our only Savior and Liberator. With his death and with his resurrection Jesus wanted to demonstrate his love for humanity and presented the concrete possibility of a world of justice and peace, free of sin and of all violence.

To be a Christian in the beginning of the 21^st Century means, among other challenges, to denounce any structure that reduces the human being to a simple object. One of these death generating structures is the gigantic multifaceted narcotics machine. Facing this real Leviathan, there can be no omission or passiveness.

CONCLUSIVE REFERENCES

Cracolandia is a microscopic reference to an intrinsically bad system which turns the human being into a mere instrument of buying and selling. Its deeper causes should be searched for constantly and persistently and they should be attacked with courage and urgency.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;

where is my help to come from?

My help comes from the Lord (Yahweh)

who made heaven and earth.                      Ps. 121, 1-2

To our brothers and sisters of the Diocese of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

Beloved brethren in Christ:

The Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil, the IEAB, on behalf of its Primate Bishop, wishes to express its feeling of consternation and deep condolences for the passing in most tragic circumstances of Edward Robinson de Barros Cavalcanti, who had served as Bishop of the IEAB in the Anglican Diocese of Recife from 1977 to 2005, and of his wife, Miriam Cotias Cavalcanti.

May the Lord receive them in His mercy and console their beloved friends and relatives.

+ Dom Mauricio Andrade

Diocesan Bishop of the Anglican Diocese in Brasilia, and Primate of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil

On the 31st, he will be running the Saint Sylvester Road Race, in São Paulo, as a means of raising funds for works at the Parish of Christ the King. Long distance running, for him, is also a discipline of prayer. His project will be crowned with the painting of a mural behind the church altar. The piece will function as a reredos that will cover an area of 1.8 x 20 meters behind the altar. It will portray the local community of Cidade de Deus (Portuguese for “City of God”) transformed as the City of God (of Revelation and of St. Augustine’s book). It will have, in its center, the Risen Christ, surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses composed by many saints of the triumphant church.

He is seeking partners to help his project by promoting it on a website which gets constant updates with news stories about both his preparation for the race and the creation of the art piece. You can follow this adventure and become a sponsor by visiting the weblog at http://www.luizcoelho.com, the fanpage at http://www.facebook.com/luizcoelhoart and by following @passoseoracao on twitter. Click on the image below in order to enlarge the campaign poster and share it with friends and relatives.

Luiz Coelho has worked as a volunteer at IEAB’s Provincial Offices for the last five years. In a very professional way, he has helped us move forward towards a new way of doing communication on the Internet. In my first visit to the Parish of Christ the King, I was able to learn more about Luiz’ pastoral and theological ministry, and especially his sacred art. His project aims to raise funds which will bring culture to the people of Cidade de Deus. It represents his creative and committed way of doing mission. “Each step a prayer” is one more step towards solidifying IEAB’s presence in a community so lacking of citizenship, rights and spirituality.

-

The Rev. Arthur Cavalcante

Provincial Secretary of IEAB

A Creed for a World without AIDS

We believe and proclaim the Good News of the Gospel: that God sent Jesus Christ to love and welcome into his kingdom all people who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. The Son of God, when he was man, experienced his own suffering, and took onto his own shoulders the suffering of the world, he understood what it was like to be discriminated against and, for that reason, he can welcome, unconditionally, his brothers and sisters.

We baptise, teach and nurture our faithful, irrespective of their status, whether they are positive or negative, because living with HIV/AIDS is not a punishment from God and is also no reason to turn people away from communion in the Church. We include all people in our services, guaranteeing them, unreservedly, full access to the Holy Sacraments.

We serve the needy with love, seeking to hear their stories, bring them comfort in their pains, sufferings and daily struggles, showing always that hope exists, even when facing HIV/AIDS.  The life of a person living with HIV is not focused on the virus or the illness, but on the person, filled with the Holy Spirit. That person must be treated with dignity, respect and justice, with their rights assured.

We fight for the transformation of unfair social structures, responsible for the world’s HIV pandemic. We reject the idea that AIDS is a moral or religious problem; it is a health problem and must be treated as such by society and by the government. Preconceived and discriminatory religious pronouncements in relation to people living with HIV risk increasing the spread of the illness by creating fragile environments where the virus can be transmitted more easily.

We strive to safeguard the integrity of life in all its forms, irrespective of creed, gender, sexual orientation, race or ethnic group and social class, because we support the use of a condom in all sexual relationships and free access to medicines to treat the illness, and we support the search for an affective and accessible vaccine against this virus. We believe that pronouncements and religious practices which reject the prevention of AIDS, and those which suggest that AIDS can be cured by abandoning medical treatment, are sins against God.

Thus we affirm our hope and belief, inspired by the Holy Trinity, that it is possible for us to build a world without AIDS.

AMEN

‘A Creed for a World without AIDS’, inspired by the Five Marks of Mission of Anglican Consultative Council.

Authors:

Revd Arthur Cavalcante, Anglican Parish of the Holy Trinity, Sao Paulo

Sra. Ilcélia A Soares-leiga, Anglican Diocese of Recife + HIV activist.

The document can be read by clicking on this link.

-

The Rev. Arthur Cavalcante

IEAB Provincial Secretary