Salim(살림:Enlivening): Full of Life and Bringing Life to Others

A. Introduction

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The Christian Environmental Education Center, <Salim>, was established in 2018. The name <Salim> is a Korean word that means “to breathe life” or “to fill all life.” In the Gospel of John, Jesus said to his disciples, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10, NIV). <Salim> seeks to embody this message through its activities. Located in Seoul, <Salim> is a Christian non-governmental organization (NGO) and non-profit organization (NPO).

<Salim>’s flagship educational program is the ‘Environmental Missionary Training Course,’ which has been recognized as an excellent environmental education program by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea (2021).

<Salim> also leads the Green Church Support Project, which helps churches initiate creation care activities. <Salim> provides guidance and resources to assist as many churches as possible in becoming green churches. Over time, more churches have shown interest in environmental missions, creation care activities, and Christian ecology. <Salim> wants to help as many churches as possible by providing consulting and materials that churches need. Additionally, <Salim> operates various educational programs covering all areas of the environment, such as food, famine, pollution, zero waste, plastic-free initiatives, water, and climate justice.

In this paper, I will highlight two main programs: the ‘Environmental Missionary Training Course’ and the ‘Creation Care Activity Support Project.’ Lastly, I will briefly summarize the history of the Korean church’s environmental movement, focusing on the Green Church movement.

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B. Environmental Missionary Training Course

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<Salim>’s Environmemtal Missionary Training Course, which began in 2019, is held 10 to 15 times a year. The program aims to train ‘environmental missionaries(환경선교사)’ as leaders who understand and integrate climate issues with their faith.

This training naturally includes next-generation education. <Salim> does not limit itself to traditional Christian Sunday school education but also participates in the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s ecological transformation initiatives. Additionally, <Salim> has signed an educational agreement with the Christian Alternative School Council to implement programs such as forest preservation, environmental art fusion workshops (Endless Pest 19), and carbon footprint reduction education. Moreover, <Salim> offers online environmental classes each semester at Korean schools in Mongolia and Cambodia, with all instructors volunteering their talents.

<Salim> also promotes ecological sensitivity and spiritual mindset through educational programs like the ‘Earth Care Circle’ and the ‘Church Garden Forest.’ Since 2023, <Salim> has focused on developing a Christian carbon-neutral education model that connects faith with environmental stewardship. This includes educational programs like ‘Earth and Word,’ ‘Earth and Heart,’ ‘Earth and Children,’ ‘Earth and Mission,’ and ‘Earth and Village.’

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C. Creation Care Activity Support Project

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Let’s now explore <Salim>’s ‘Creation Care Activity Support Project,’ divided into four key areas:

1. 40-Day Carbon Fast: A Lenten spiritual practice tool designed to reflect on and reduce carbon footprints. It consists of an online card set to be used for 40 days/7 weeks.
2. Green Church, Climate Church Campaign: This initiative helps churches review their energy usage, take responsibility for their carbon emissions, and set voluntary reduction goals and strategies. For this, a self-diagnosis tool is provided, and climate seminars are held.
3. Educational Content for Various Age Groups: <Salim> develops educational materials and content for various age groups, such as the children’s webtoon 'Gabology' and youth-oriented content focused on reducing carbon footprints.
4. Prayer for the Decade of Earth Restoration (2021-2030): <Salim> distributes prayers addressing both the ecological crisis and the crisis of faith. This initiative began in 2021.

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D. Brief History of the Environmental Movement in the Korean Church

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The Green Church movement in Korea began in 1998. Those who planned and promoted this movement played a key role in establishing <Salim> in 2018. The movement originated from the ‘Green Church 21’ project led by the small Korean Christian NGO, Christian Environmental Movement Solidarity (CEMS). Initially, it appeared to be a modest and simple initiative, but it gradually expanded each year.

In the early 2000s, around 40 churches participated as pilot churches in the ‘Green Church’ movement. They replaced church walls with wooden fences, created small gardens in church yards and rooftops, and opened these spaces to the local community. Additionally, they implemented ecological sensitivity education through initiatives like the Empty Bowl Movement and weekend ecology classes etc.

In 2005, CEMS launched a campaign to install solar panels on church rooftops, initially focusing on the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters of the Korea Energy Agency. Approximately 60 churches participated, reducing electricity usage in church buildings and members’ homes, with the savings used to support neighbors in need. These activities eventually led to the formation of the Green Church Council of the Presbyterian Church of Korea in 2012. Since then, numerous interdenominational environmental networks have emerged, transcending denominational boundaries. Examples include Christian Emergency Action for Climate Crisis and various solidarity efforts with civil society environmental and religious groups.

The ‘Green Church’ award system, initiated in 2006, is part of the sustainable Green Church movement. Each year, several green churches are selected and awarded to encourage and celebrate their efforts and to inspire faith and hope in other churches. Meanwhile, <Salim> is conducting a campaign that goes beyond the Green Church Award system. Basically, <Salim> is creating and fostering climate churches by having many churches declare themselves as ‘green churches,’ analyze their carbon emissions, establish reduction goals and strategies, and put them into practice.

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E. Conclusion

<Salim> may not yet be a large organization, but all its members are committed to creating and sharing diverse activities and educational courses. We plan to continue our research and strengthen our position in the field of Christian environmental education. Moreover, we aim to show solidarity with the environmental activities of churches worldwide, not just in Korea. This is why <Salim> has come to the Post-Lausanne Congress today.

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