Under the imposing dome of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, members and supporters of Confluence Philanthropy gathered for a screening of “The Letter: A Message for Our Earth”. Ethic was happy to support this event, and highlight the work of organizations like GreenFaith, the Laudato Si’ movement, and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.
Whether faith-based or secular, philanthropists and investors who care about people and the planet can learn a number of lessons from the film specifically and from religious traditions more generally.
In the film, Pope Francis and other members of the Catholic church convene a conversation among a group of people with widely differing experiences and perspectives who are united in their advocacy for climate and environmental action. Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ letter, which catalyzes the events shown in the film, is a narrative — a story about humanity and its relationship with nature and society.
Many global religions place great emphasis on storytelling — and not just in the texts, the canonical stories establishing or illustrating a religion’s tenets, but also in the stories that religions help individual adherents piece together for and about themselves and their place in the world. Examples include the Christian metaphor of the ‘Body of Christ’ that situates individuals within a moral community, as well as the Qur'anic narrative of humans as khalīfa (stewards) with obligations to creation and society.
There is no single ‘right’ path to religious experience. Different people arrive at and experience their faith in different ways. And religions provide frameworks for people to develop their own stories.
Pope Francis urgently appealed for universal solidarity in the treatment and protection of our common home. In writing on the issue of environmental degradation, he posited, “Obstructionist attitudes, even on the part of believers, can range from denial of the problem to indifference, nonchalant resignation or blind confidence in technical solutions”.
These are some of the same challenges that we face as values-aligned investors and philanthropists. Although everyone has values, it’s not always obvious how to articulate those values in a way that lends itself to investing or giving, and the task itself can be very daunting.
What issues matter most to me? How do I want to give? Can I even make a difference? Is it too late? Do I want to divest from holdings that aren’t aligned with my values, or do I want to hold them so I can actively push for change? How much risk do I want to take on?
In capital allocation as in religion, ‘one-size fits all’ approaches don’t work. Each individual or organization seeking to deploy capital needs to be able to find their own place, their own niche in the ecosystem of investing and giving. They must, in effect, author their own unique impact story.
Applying a thoughtful values alignment process — including values discovery, mapping onto capital allocation opportunities, and ongoing reporting to ensure continued alignment over time — can help clarify the answers to these questions and help provide a story to motivate action.
And in a broader sense, encouraging individuals and organizations to develop their own stories through values alignment also has the benefit of helping build a diverse community of stakeholders who are united around a shared vision of the world. This is the kind of strong coalition necessary to make meaningful change on the great environmental and social challenges facing the world.