The Episcopal Church – standing up to climate change denial?
In May 2017 President Donald Trump announced that he intended to withdraw the United States of America from the 2015 Paris Climate Accord which was signed by 195 countries. The landmark Paris agreement was a remarkable first step toward averting a critically dangerous two-degree rise in global warming. The President’s decision was a major blow to the international effort to battle rising temperatures. We thought that readers of SEARCH would be interested to know how The Episcopal Church is responding, not only to this watershed moment, but also to the climate crisis generally. We begin with the statement that the Presiding Bishop issued on 1 June 2017 immediately after the president’s announcement. We then learn of an Episcopal diocese that has linked up with the local conference of the United Church of Christ to sponsor the work of a full-time Missioner for Creation Care. We gather from the Executive Director of an interfaith environmental organisation that divestment from fossil fuel industries will continue to be a work in progress as long as there are church leaders who conscientiously oppose it, while still insisting that it is immoral to deny the conclusions of climate science. And finally, we hear from a seminarian whose preparation for ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church of the future includes the study of ecology at Yale University. With the announcement by President Donald Trump of his decision to withdraw the commitment made by the United States to the Paris Climate Accord, I am reminded of the words of the old spiritual which speaks of God and God’s creation in these words, “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” The whole world belongs to God, as Psalm 24 teaches us. God’s eye is ever on even the tiny sparrow, as Jesus taught and the song says (Luke 12:6). And we human beings have been charged with being trustees, caretakers, stewards of God’s creation (Genesis 1:26-31). The United States has been a global leader in caring for God’s creation through efforts over the years on climate change. President Trump’s announcement changes the U.S. leadership role in the international sphere. Despite this announcement, many U.S. businesses, states, cities, regions, non-governmental organisations and faith bodies like The Episcopal Church can continue to take bold action to address the climate crisis. The phrase, “We’re still in,” has become a statement of commitment for many of us who, regardless of this decision by our President, are still committed to the principles of the Paris Agreement.
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Margaret Daly-Denton
A liturgist and biblical scholar, is associated with both Balally and Taney parishes as well as Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.