The crisis facing God's earth is clear. We, as stewards, have failed to live into our responsibility to care for creation and have instead abused it in ways that now threaten life around the planet.
The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed laws, violated the statutes, broken the ever-lasting covenant.
Isaiah 24, NRSV
The scientific consensus is clear that human activities are leading to a warming of the surface temperatures of the planet and the effects of this warming are being felt now and will be felt more intensely in years to come.
As a matter of stewardship and justice, Christians must take action now to reduce global warming pollution and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world whose land, livelihood and lives are threatened by the global climate crisis.
Biblical and Theological Context
"The scale of human activity has grown so large that it now threatens the planet itself. Global environmental problems have become so vast they are hard to comprehend. ... The vast majority of scientific evidence suggests that carbon dioxide from fossil fuels has already caused a measurable warming of the globe. Confronted with the massive crisis of the deterioration of God&'s creation and faced with the question of the ultimate survival of life, we ask God's forgiveness for our participation in this destruction." (2004 Book of Resolutions, "Environmental Justice for a Sustainable Future," ¶7)
"A transition to energy efficiency and renewable energy sources will combat global warming, protect human health, create new jobs, and ensure a secure, affordable energy future." (2004 Book of Resolutions, "Energy Policy Statement," ¶5)
"The U.S. must move beyond its dependence on high carbon fossil fuels that produce emissions leading to climate change and ratify the Kyoto Protocol under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change." (2004 Book of Resolutions, "U.S. Energy Policy and United Methodist Responsibility," ¶6)
Scripture references: Isaiah 24:4-5 and 2 Chronicles 7:14
What GBCS is Doing
GBCS advocates for the United States to adopt mandatory global warming emissions reductions and re-engage in the global dialogue and international framework for combating this clear and present danger. In collaboration with ecumenical and interfaith allies, GBCS supports a climate and energy campaign that focuses on both state and federal action. In addition, GBCS provides educational and worship resources to bring this issue into the life of the church.
Seminar will provide biblical and theological support and ways for faith communities to become caretakers of this planet.
Downloadable Resources
Cry of Creation - A Call for Climate Justice
This interfaith study guide includes a sermon by Bill McKibben, an overview of the science behind climate change, and a multi-session curriculum with a facilitator’s guide to discuss global warming in your church.
Faith and Facts Sheet: Global Warming
Part of a series examining issues through the lens of Scripture, tradition (excerpts of United Methodist policy), reason (facts and figures), and individual experience (with action opportunities).
Faith Principles on Global Warming
These interfaith principles - signed by GBCS - outline the faith community’s shared call to protect God’s creation and the primary components required of any global warming legislative initiative: justice, sustainability, stewardship and sufficiency.
Clear the Air
Clear the Air is a national public education campaign to address air pollution and combat global warming. This site provides community-specific information on the dangers of power-plant pollution and allows users to access emission information about power plants in their states.
Earth Ministry
Founded in 1992, Earth Ministry's mission is to inspire and mobilize the Christian community to play a leadership role in building a just and sustainable future.
Interfaith Power and Light
The IPL campaign, a part of the Regeneration Project, is mobilizing a national religious response to global warming while promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, the IPCC assesses the current scientific, technical and socio-economic information available and reports on the risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation. The most recent IPCC report was issued in early 2007.
National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Working Group
The NCC coordinates a Climate and Energy Campaign aimed at educating and empowering Christians across the United States to take action on a variety of environmental concerns, include clean water.
The Pew Center on Global Climate Change
This Web site has basic overviews of the issue as well as in-depth analysis of the latest news and pending initiatives.
The Rural Coalition / Coalición Rural An alliance of regionally and culturally diverse organizations working to build a more just and sustainable food system which: brings fair returns to minority and other small farmers and rural communities; ensures just and fair working conditions for farmworkers; protects the environment; and, delivers safe and healthy food to consumers. Its programs include advocating for national policies which support these goals, as well as economic development efforts such as bridging the digital divide, and helping our diverse members market the products of their farmers.
All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect. Economic, political, social, and technological developments have increased our human numbers, and lengthened and enriched our lives. However, these developments have led to regional defoliation, dramatic extinction of species, massive human suffering, overpopulation, and misuse and overconsumption of natural and nonrenewable resources, particularly by industrialized societies. This continued course of action jeopardizes the natural heritage that God has entrusted to all generations. Therefore, let us recognize the responsibility of the church and its members to place a high priority on changes in economic, political, social, and technological lifestyles to support a more ecologically equitable and sustainable world leading to a higher quality of life for all of God’s creation.
Affirming the inherent value of nonhuman creation, we support and encourage social policies that are directed toward rational and restrained transformation of parts of the nonhuman world into energy for human usage and that deemphasize or eliminate energy-producing technologies that endanger the health, the safety, and even the existence of the present and future human and nonhuman creation. Further, we urge wholehearted support of the conservation of energy and responsible development of all energy resources, with special concern for the development of renewable energy sources, that the goodness of the earth may be affirmed.
D. Global Climate Stewardship
We acknowledge the global impact of humanity’s disregard for God’s creation. Rampant industrialization and the corresponding increase in the use of fossil fuels have led to a buildup of pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere. These “greenhouse gas” emissions threaten to alter dramatically the earth’s climate for generations to come with severe environmental, economic, and social implications. The adverse impacts of global climate change disproportionately affect individuals and nations least responsible for the emissions. We therefore support efforts of all governments to require mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and call on individuals, congregations, businesses, industries, and communities to reduce their emissions.
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