Leading lay Catholic in Switzerland wants us to venerate the Divine Mother Earth

Simone Curau-Aepli: "We should recognise Mother Earth as a divine source".

The Swiss Catholic Women's Federation (SKF) is committed to the climate protection law that will be voted on 18 June. President Simone Curau-Aepli says: "Because the Christian faith has so far only recognised the divine in heaven, people have exploited "Mother Earth". This must change.

Why does the climate protection law urgently need to be adopted?

Simone Curau-Aepli: There is an urgent need for legal foundations for a more mindful approach to the natural foundations of life, in Switzerland and worldwide. The Climate Protection Act follows the CO2 Act, which was unfortunately rejected in 2021. And it responds to the glacier initiative. It has actually been clear to politicians for a long time that - after the ratification of the Paris Agreement in 2017 - legal framework conditions for the implementation of the climate goals are also needed in Switzerland.

"The integrity of creation is one of our principles of action."

Why are you involved as a Catholic women's organisation?

Curau-Aepli: This is part of our self-image as the Swiss Catholic Women's Federation. In our mission statement - expressed in Christian terms - the preservation of creation is one of our principles of action. We are concerned about future generations.

"The next generation should not have to pay for our quagmire."

What are you doing for the next generations?

Curau-Aepli: We want to leave them a world worth living in. They, too, should be able to enjoy a good lifestyle - and not just have to drain our swamp.

What do you mean by preserving creation?

Curau-Aepli: Not all people understand this expression. Those who are not so close to religious traditions understand creation to mean the mythically narrated process of creation when the world came into being. We, on the other hand, mean by creation everything that is created and is created again and again: nature, the environment... It is what happens in reality with every plant, every animal, every human being again and again.

"But Mother Earth, we have forgotten in our tradition."

What does the climate issue have to do with faith?

Curau-Aepli: I would like to give my personal opinion on this. I find it central that we Christian people find a different understanding of creation. One of the reasons why our world and our climate are in this problematic state is that we only name the divine in heaven - Jesus, who became man, and the Holy Spirit, who cannot be located - and we worship that. But we have forgotten Mother Earth in our tradition.

Is that so?

Curau-Aepli: Yes, unfortunately, or do you know of any prayers or rituals that honour this God Mother Earth? However, there have always been Christian prophets - like Hildegard von Bingen, Francis of Assisi or Dorothee Sölle - who encountered God directly in nature and also invoked nature as divine. But these have not made it into the official canon.

"Until now, we thought we could simply exploit the earth."

What specifically is the problem?

Simone Curau-Aepli: I am convinced that because we Christian people understand the earth as something created, but not divine in itself, we used to think that we could simply exploit and exploit the earth - according to our needs or our greed. I believe that the earth would be in a much better condition if we would recognise Mother Earth as the divine source from which we were created. And to which we go back again. We would behave more respectfully towards the earth.

Cathcon:  This is the erroneous belief of pantheism- seeing God in all things.   It is but a short step atheism, seeing God in nothing.

Are climate issues also discussed at the grassroots level of your organisation?

Curau-Aepli: When we developed and then adopted the new mission statement five years ago, we discussed this issue widely at the grassroots level. Currently, we have made a short video in which we clearly commit ourselves to the Climate Protection Act. This sends a message to the outside world and also internally to our members.

The churches were very involved in the corporate responsibility initiative - and were strongly criticised for it. Why are you getting involved again?

Curau-Aepli: In the case of the corporate responsibility initiative, it was mainly cantonal churches that were criticised, with the argument that church tax money was being used by people who did not have the same attitude. That is not the case with us. We are an independent association and are mainly financed by membership fees. In this respect, we have the freedom to express ourselves publicly.

We are a Church association and take a stand on current issues on behalf of our members. In doing so, we also represent positions that differ from those of the official church - for example, on bioethical issues. On the climate issue, however, we are - I am convinced - in agreement with many people in the church leadership.

What if the Church remains silent now?

Curau-Aepli: In fact, the Bishops - in contrast to the leadership of the Swiss Protestant Churches EKS - have currently only made vague statements on this climate protection law. I regret that. I would very much like the church leadership to stand up for a good life for all on the basis of its ethical-religious stance. That is the legitimacy of the Church. It must not give in to any external pressure and remain silent. I will stand up for this.

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