Faith and flora come together

From faith groups carrying signs at climate-change rallies to prominent evangelical Christians speaking out on the topic, people of faith appear to be increasingly involved in environmental issues.

Now, some local Christians, Jews and Muslims have launched what they say is the largest interfaith environmental event in the area.

About 50 congregations are taking part in the Interfaith Creation Festival, a four-day event that began Thursday, featuring speakers, panels and workshops. The event runs through Sunday.

Congregations can be "powerful agents of change," said Rabbi Lawrence Troster, a keynote speaker and rabbinic fellow at the New York-based Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life. Faith groups demonstrated that power during the civil-rights movement, Troster said, and "we believe it can happen in the environmental movement."

Another scheduled keynote speaker, Imam W.D. Mohammed, one of the nation's most prominent black Muslim leaders, canceled his appearance; event organizers said he had missed his flight. Several imams from Seattle and California agreed to take his place for the opening keynote speech Thursday evening.

Each of the faith traditions represented has a "foundation that talks about our responsibility for the environment," said Imam Benjamin Shabazz of Al-Islam Center of Seattle.

Some workshops will address what faith traditions say about the environment; other topics will include how to be more effective political advocates and how parents can raise children who care about nature.

Congregation members plan to brainstorm ideas on Sunday for actions their group might take on the environment in the next year.

Janet I. Tu: 206-464-2272