Matthew 25 and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

LOUISVILLE — Drawing comparisons between Jesus’ words to the sheep as recorded in Matthew 25 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals identified by the United Nations, leaders of Wednesday’s online Chapel service shared some of their experiences during the recent High-Level Political Forum held at the United Nations.

PMUN Fellows Chloe Snyder and Sam Putt shared some of what they took away from the forum, while a third fellow, Tucker Samuelian, helped lead worship, which is offered online to PC(USA) staff each Wednesday.

The goals that received in-depth review during the just-concluded forum were Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), Goal 9 (Industry Innovation and Infrastructure), Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), which is highlighted each year at the HLPF.

Leaders based Wednesday’s worship on Amos 5:24 and Matthew 25:31-36.

“When I was reflecting [on the texts] in relation to the HLPF conference, I realized I thought of the Sustainable Development Goals as being essentially secular, imperfect reflects of Matthew 25 and what it’s calling us to do,” Snyder said. “When I think of inheriting the kingdom, I think of bettering the world and bettering the lives of everyone — especially when that requires putting aside individual desires.”

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“That’s what I see in the Sustainable Development Goals as well,” Snyder said. Achieving even a few of the goals will require “some degree of sacrifice from member states,” including money, logistical coordination and diplomatic efforts “that might be costly for them but lead to a better world.”

“Sustainable Development Goals and [the Matthew 25 invitation] come from a similar ethos, although the SDGs are imperfect and logistically difficult,” Snyder noted.

Unfortunately, the United States “was not present at this UN conference. The United States has in some ways disavowed the SDGs, saying we will not play a role in implementing those,” Snyder said. “I found it troubling that the American delegation didn’t play a role in that.”

Putt called the Matthew 25 invitation “incredibly important to me and very close to my heart.”

Putt attended panel discussions during the final day of the forum “that shifted my perspective” on the oft-repeated narrative that the UN represents “all talk and no action.”

“I want you to have fun with this,” one questioner told panelists. “With $100 million, what would you do to improve implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals?”

Dr. Adedoyin Adeleke, the founder and executive director of Green Growth Africa, which works with the UN to implement SDGs in Africa, said, “first and foremost, ask,” Putt reported. Adeleke then identified some questions he might have, including on energy needs around the world and “what will water make possible?”

Avery Wallace, communications and operations manager for NYC H2O, which works to protect New York’s water ecology, told those in attendance, “We have solutions. We just need to give them the attention they deserve.”

With Matthew 25 as a guide, “I’d like to highlight that the PC(USA) is working toward these goals,” Putt said. “I encourage everybody if they’re not sure, just ask. Everybody has something to share, and we can learn from everybody.” For Putt, “that was the main takeaway this past week at the HLPF.”

Part of Wednesday’s liturgy was an Affirmation of Unity adapted from the Belhar Confession, which included these words: “Together we come to know the height and the breadth and the depth of the love of Christ; are built up to the stature of Christ, to the new humanity; know and bear one another’s burdens, thereby fulfilling the law of Christ that we need one another and up build one another, admonishing and comforting one another; that we suffer with one another for the sake of righteousness. Together we pray; together we serve God in this world.”