Religion must move beyond the tendency to isolate itself from science and politics if humans are to ever fully appreciate and preserve the Earth and all of creation, according to a local religious leader.

The Right Rev. Carolyn Tanner Irish told scores of participants during Salt Lake's 18th annual interfaith Thanksgiving service Sunday night at St. Mark's Cathedral that focusing on human needs at the expense of the Earth and all its creatures reflects a lack of thanksgiving for the creator and all of creation.

"Many of us have been taught erroneously to put animals and plants below ourselves, and below all other things," like soil, chemicals, minerals, air, water and sunlight, she said.

Most faiths have some kind of story that explains how the world began, and they're infused with serious moral implications, yet "they fail to note the constancy of natural processes, including the exchange among (Earth's) creatures over time," said Bishop Irish, who leads the Episcopal Diocese of Utah.

The notion that all creatures and creation exists simply to serve human beings is a lie, she said during the evening's keynote address. "When we exploit so-called 'lower creatures,'" there are moral and physical consequences that humans reap, including a "harvest of climate change and global warming.

"I believe we ignore this at our own peril. We must claim our shared responsibility for the care of the Earth," she said. "Mercifully, we are among all creatures blessed with reason, skill, knowledge, memory and wisdom. At this point in time these may be the greatest of all gifts of heaven and Earth."

People of faith must work together with science and government "to create a safe and just home for all creatures," she said.

Several other clergy offered short readings or stories as part of the service, invoking the need for gratitude in the abundance of life and relationships.

Imam Muhamad Mehta of the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake, read from the Quran, giving thanks for all of the prophets shared by the world's three major faith traditions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

When humans are "expelled from heaven and come to Earth, things change. They realize the differences here, that life is not maybe so wonderful as they thought it would be," he said. So people seek out various faith traditions, trying to create tranquility and a "heaven on Earth so we can live peacefully and then move on to the next phase of life."

Muslims believe the goal in life is to believe in God and the prophets, to live rightly and abstain from wrongdoing, "to live a life of morality and ethics."

Elder L. Whitney Clayton of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said he was impressed with the abundance Americans enjoy when a group of Russian students came to visit at his home in California. Their first request upon arriving was to be taken to a supermarket, he said.

They spent an hour walking the aisles, viewing the selection and variety all contained in one location.

"We live in this nation of luxury and abundance and plenty of every kind, more than we need," he said. "I wonder sometimes why we're born where we're born, where we have and enjoy what we enjoy.

"I'm confident that God has these facts under control. My faith teaches me that in the end, all things end up in balance."

Rabbi Tracee Rosen of Congregation Kol Ami and Sr. Jacinta Millan of the Holy Cross Sisters both quoted Psalm 92, saying that to give thanks to God is "to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night."

Sensei Diane Hamilton of the Kanzeon Zen Center recounted the story of a Samurai warrior who was looking for teachings about heaven and hell. After a long journey, he found a monk and asked him to share his wisdom on the subjects, but the monk told him he wasn't prepared or worthy to receive such teaching.

As a warrior, the Samurai then felt obligated to kill the monk for his refusal, and as he raised he sword to strike him down, the monk said, "that's hell." When the warrior falls on his knees in gratitude, the monk tells him, "that's heaven."

Buddhist teaching says heaven "is right here and right now," Hamilton said. "May we view the beauty of what is here for us right now, and may your thanks go out to benefit all beings."

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