THE natural world is being “crucified”, and the Church of England should be doing more to help, a new document published on Monday by Christian Climate Action (CCA) argues.
The document, Stop Crucifying Creation, has been sent to hundreds of people in the Church, including bishops, deans, archdeacons, and individuals in environment co-ordination posts. It acknowledges that the Church of England has “many unseen climate and nature champions” who are “working tirelessly” to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis.
Church leaders are praised for their advocacy, but exhorted to go further. “Our Church must follow the example of Jesus by taking radical nonviolent action in this existential emergency,” the document says.
It calls on the Church to “publicly rebuke and boycott businesses” that are involved in the fossil-fuel industry, including banks that work with oil companies.
CCA was founded in 2012 and grew in prominence through its association with the Extinction Rebellion movement, which started in 2018. It has previously staged vigils that call for cathedrals and dioceses to sever financial ties with the fossil-fuel industry (News, 21 February).
The document, which is published on the CCA website, also calls on the Church to take further action to reduce its impact on the climate, including in its extensive land holdings. In February of last year, the General Synod passed a motion encouraging the introduction of greater biodiversity on church land.
In June, the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher, the lead bishop for the environment, described the Church Commissioners’ Net Zero Carbon Programme as one of the “fundamental aspects of our Christian mission” (News, 13 June).
A spokesperson for CCA on Monday urged “everyone in the Church of England to read this vision document which outlines the transformation needed within our national church to meet the enormous challenges caused by this existential threat. . . We are calling on the church to return to its roots and step up further to the challenge of tackling the most urgent issue creation faces: climate breakdown.”
A “National Day of Climate Prayer for our Church” is being organised for 14 September, with groups meeting at more than a dozen cathedrals. The gatherings are scheduled shortly before services; but they are not planned to cause disruption, a spokesman said. Rather, the vigils are intended as a chance for supporters of CCA to meet, pray, and talk with clergy and visitors to the cathedral, with the option of joining the service afterwards.
A full list of the arranged vigils can be found on the CCA website.
The document can be read at: bit.ly/ourcalltothechurch
