The Climate Crisis: A Clergy Call to Action
In addition to signing this letter, some clergy members wanted to briefly share their personal thoughts on the climate crisis. You can read their moving statements below.
The alphabetical links below will take you to the names of endorsers whose last names start with the letter of the link you choose.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Return to the Climate Crisis Letter View the Signatures Number of Signatures by Location
The Rev. Andy Bartel, The United Methodist Church, St John UMC, Anchorage, AK:
In Alaska, we are seeing the effects of climate change first hand. Rapidly receding glaciers, reductions in arctic sea ice, village relocations due to erosion. Our climate crisis is a matter of conscience and a matter of faith.
The Rev. Brian Brandt, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Spirit of Grace, Beaverton, OR:
The Creation is a cosmic liturgy God has created to generate thanks
and praise to God. Humans are called to protect and preserve every
species, every voice in this universal choir, for the good of all
beings and to give glory to God.
The Rev. Carlos J. Caguiat, Retired, Episcopal Church, Redmond, WA:
The fires where I live are making thousands of people homeless, klling some, killing futures and adding to the misery of the pandemic. This looks as if it is going to be the new normal. We must take climate change seriously or we will burn ourselves and our planet to death. Our action is our generation's legacy to our children and a despoiling of God's creation. We must act now!!
The Rev. William R. Coats, Retired, Episcopal Church, Ho Ho Kus, NJ:
I am a retired priest in a diocese generally liberal but
with little oomph. I came of age in the 60s and still am a Lefty. The
climate change issue more than many of your endeavors rightfully noted
the interconnection between the large even scientific matters of
climate change and the deleterious effect on the poor.
The Rev. David Coleman, Environmental Chaplain with EcoCongregation Scotland, United Reformed Church, Edinburgh, Scotland:
There is nowhere left to go, in a world facing this ultimatum, other than to places of holy solidarity with each other and the Earth. There is no victory - only reconciliation and the sharing of the truth in love.
Most of our spiritual traditions arose in times of turmoil, injustice and existential threat; thus now, with goodwill, hope, and spiritual discernment at its best, and without complacency, they humbly come into their own.
Above all, we reclaim the imperative to see "who" rather than "what" as we discover an overdue relationship of respect with the planet on whose health we depend.
We give thanks for the honest work of science, interpreting the prophetic voice of the "groaning Creation", and find our place and purpose, giving permission for people to bring their fears as well as find their hopes, with us, in the trying times ahead.
Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb, Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation, Bethesda, MD:
Climate change is today and tomorrow's defining issue, an issue that at root is moral and spiritual since we already know how to turn the crisis around; we simply need to marshal the will. Heeding climate science is an urgent religious mandate, for three main reasons:. First, care for "the least among these" environmental justice, addressing the disproportionate climate impacts on the poor and oppressed and marginal, who are its first and worst-hit victims. Second, care for Creation itself, and defending the integrity of the "very good" (Gen. 1:31) interconnected whole, including the splendid threatened biodiversity around us. And third, care for our own progeny, for the long-term future all that we love for just as the carbon we emit wreaks climate havoc for a century, so (biblically, Ex. 34:7) does karma ensure that our misdeeds plague even "the third and fourth generation" beyond us. For justice; for Creation care; for our children we can, and must, reverse climate change!
The Rev. Judi Edwards, Semi-Retired Minister, United Church of Christ, Seattle, WA:
As a senior citizen, I have responsibility for this crisis. For the sake of our children, our country, our world, I would accept whatever inconveniences and costs necessary for serious action on our climate emergency, and encourage others to consider our call to care for creation.
The Rev. Dr. Arley Fadness, Sioux Falls, SD:
I am a retired ELCA clergy who remembers founding an abandoned storefront in Parkston, South Dakota as a recycling collection site in the 1970s. It was a youth sponsored place called "Earth Lovers." Later my inherited farm went organic by my loyal renters. Now three wind turbines are generating electricity on that farm in Day county, South Dakota. Stewardship of soil, water and air are part of my Christian witness. We support Earth Justice, Green Peace, The Sierra Club, and other such organizations. Excelsior.
Rabbi Tara Feldman, Temple Beth-El of Great Neck, Great Neck, NY:
From the beginning of the story of creation, we are taught to care for the created world: "G-d took the human and placed him in the garden to work the land and to protect it." (Genesis 2:15) And our rabbinic midrash broaden and expand this message: "When God created the first human, God led him around the garden and said, "See how beautiful are My works?... Be careful not to despoil and destroy My world. For if you do, there will be nobody to repair it after you." (Midrash Kohelet Raba 7:28) Now, as humanity faces the reality of climate change, these teachings remind us of our pressing moral and spiritual duty to care for the planet, humanity and all living beings.
Fr. Terry Fitzpatrick and Fr. Peter Kennedy, St Marys In Exile, South Brisbane, QLD, Austalia:
The human species has created this problem of global warming; it's time for all of us to act decisively to stop CO2 emissions.
The Rev. Beth Galbreath, United Methodist Church, Woodridge, IL:
Many years ago, pregnant with my first child as a young clergy spouse, I became aware of the danger of nuclear power and discovered that the only way to sleep at night was to become a safe-energy activist, doing something for the environmental cause every day. After 43 parsonage years, at last we own a home and a car powered by the sun - and have done the same for our church - and I am an ambassador for the Illinois Solar Education Association. My dream is for every church and parsonage roof to sprout solar panels! Today one aspect of the future we saw five decades ago has come to pass: Solar and Wind are the least expensive and fastest growing sources of electricity, having left nuclear in the dust. There is still much work to do and huge need for a Green New Deal, both to recover from the pandemic and fight climate change. But we don't need to wait - just do what you can do now. And, elders, we can do more than we think!
The Rev. Henry Green, Henry Green Consulting, Annapolis, MD:
There is so much fear of retaliation today within many members of the clergy about taking stands with political consequences attached to policies of consequence for climate change and educational issues around science. This is especially true within the community I was affiliated with for so long. Some pastors are holding on for dear life and don't know how they will earn a living if they lose their congregation. This is a Bonhoeffer moment for us today in America and the fight against the cult of personality around this current president, as well as the push for a cult of civil religion, has us all on edge. Australia is on fire and we are being run by fascists and fundamentalists here in the USA, along with several other countries of significance in our world. How do we respond? First, by understanding. Second, by educating our communities. Third, by taking action by registering voters and getting them out to vote for real change.
Roshi Joan Halifax, Abbot, Upaya Zen Center, Santa Fe, NM:
We have to take a stand now......... or there will not be a viable future for our children, grandchildren, and all species. This is not a matter of religion; it is a matter of life and death.
The Rev. Mary Anne Harris, Unity Church of Christianity, Tulsa, OK:
Having traveled to many countries I have seen first hand the effects of warming in Kenya, Denmark, China and the Mediterranean world. The command of God was not to destroy His most beautiful gift, called earth, but to care for it. Can we truly say we are caring for it, if we are not being aware, active and care-ful?
The Rev. Dr. Jason John, Uniting Earth Advocate, Uniting Church in Australia, Gleniffer, NSW, Australia:
Having worked for half my life to help the church and others live as better members of the Earth family, I'm thrilled to see the Clergy Letter Project release this statement. It is a direct application of the collaboration between science and religion, as we learn that we are children of Earth as much as children of God, and many of us have become the prodigal child. The way back home will bring us into conflict with those politicians and powerbrokers who have a vested interest in the fossil fuel industry. This is a chance to be in solidarity as we approach that conflict.
The Rev. Edward A. Koonz, Interim Pastor, United Church of Christ, Congregational Church of Harvard, Harvard, MA:
While a reading of Genesis might suggest we are created by God to have dominion and take care of the earth, a paradoxical reality and humbling truth seems to me to be this: while humans need the earth, the earth does not need humans.
The Rev. Tara Leininger, Metaline Falls Congregational United Church of Christ, Metaline Falls, WA:
What humans have done to God's creation is tragic and unnecessary. Greed, power, and no thought to the future or future generations has brought us to the edge of a precipice. Perhaps it is too late, but we must take responsibility for our actions and do what we must for the sake if our children, the Earth, and all its inhabitants.
Rabbi Monique Mayer, Bristol & West Progressive Jewish Congregation, Bristol, England:
As human beings, we are uniquely placed to tend to this precious planet called Earth. Our species has been responsible for widespread abuse of Earth; now we have a moral imperative to reverse her destruction and fight to protect her, if not for us then for our children and grandchildren.
The Rev. Wendy McNiven, Retired, Unitarian Minister, Comox Valley Unitarian Fellowship, Comox, BC, Canada:
I am fearful for the future of my grandchildren on this beautiful earth-home. It is time for ALL of us human beings to find common ground in actions, that we might still have a Common Ground.
The Rev. Dr. Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore, The Divinity School and Graduate Department of Religion, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN:
The time is long past for those within the Christian tradition (and perhaps other traditions as well) to admit the devastating consequence of our anthropocentricism--our obsession with our own human salvation--and recognize that the real concern in addressing climate change is not to save ourselves but to seek earth justice and the vitality, agency, and rights of the nonhuman, recognizing our small place in a much bigger creation and salvation story.
The Rev. John Mix, Retired, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Madison, WI:
Life on our planet has gone extinct at least 5 times before. None of them was caused by one species. Virtually all development so far has been human centered—what’s good for us. It is time for decisions to be made where the earth’s life sustaining systems are at the center and apex of all values. It is time for the exegesis of our ecology. Now that humanity has become a geological force degrading the soil, air and water, if our faith means anything, we must turn within the next decade (2020s) toward wisdom and justice to live within ecological limits.
The Rev. Erick R. Olsen, Pastor, Church of Christ, Congregational (United Church of Christ),
Norfolk, CT:
As a UCC pastor, I strive to live in accord with our tradition's three great loves of God: love for neighbor, love for Creation, love for children. These loves are of course inextricably intertwined, and together they call focused attention to the need for universal and global action in response to our climate crisis. Working together with the Green Team of the church that I serve here in CT, we commit to collaborating with everyone of like mind to co-create a sustainable future. The call to live as love persists!
The Rev. Randy P. Orso, Founder and Moderator, The Interfaith LGBTI Clergy Association, Greentown, PA:
Here in the scenic Pocono Mountains, by beautiful Lake Wallenpaupack, we see the role clean hydroelectric energy has to play in the environment and the reasonable tourism industry it supports for so many from the Tri-State region of NY, NJ, and PA. Renewables like wind energy that we get from Windmills in nearby Waymart, PA are a key to replacing coal in this historic region as an energy source. I stand with my fellow clergy members and advocate for responsible stewardship of the land, and as former PA Gov. Gifford Pinchot, the founder of our Forrestry Service said, "Unless we practice conservation, those who come after us will have to pay the price of misery, degradation, and failure for the progress and prosperity of our day." We owe it to those who come after us, to take care of our Earth and take steps now to deter further Climate Change.
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer M. Phillips, St. John's Episcopal Church, Westwood, MA:
There are a ton of issues and priorities I care about, but it is becoming clear that if climate change doesn't move to the head of the line, none of the rest will matter. As Greta Thunberg lucidly puts it: "Our house is on fire. Some panic is needed."
The Rev. Dr. Derek J. Quinn, Priest-in-Charge, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Elk Rapids, MI and Associate Rector for Outreach, Grace Episcpoal Church, Traverse City, MI:
As a healthcare provider, I know all too well how one's local environment affects the health of a person. Poor water, dirty air, and contaminated soil all lead to unhealthy bodies and the stress of these environmental factors leads to mental health degradation. We are intrinsically linked to our environment and our environment to us. As Christian clergy, I believe firmly that God has made all that live, including us, to be living Temples where God's essence can be found imprinted into the deepest character of each being. We are called to care for these Temples we call bodies and that involves taking care of our planet. The way we care for the Earth is by following what the science tells us are the best practices to reduce and reverse climate change and return to a sustainable model of balanced living in harmony with the full ecosystem of the planet. No one of us is called to do this alone; we are all called to do our part. I claim my part in bringing forth a better, more sustainable, world; and, I invite you to do the same.
Archfather d. Rutherford I, Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church, Olympia, WA:
Given the massive explosion in world population since the Second World War, business as usual is not likely sustainable in the long run. This is further complicated by the fact that nations must often collaborate on policy development that impacted each country, and such negotiations are influenced by a variety of complex factors. In short, what should be simple in practice can become quite complicated. Also, as the nations of the world work to improve long-term environmental sustainability, the social sustainability aspect must not be ignored. That means asking the question "How does this new approach impact the lives, Health, and livelihoods of people?" Unfortunately social aspects of sustainability are often largely ignored or not even considered in the first place. Yet, they constitute part of the triple bottom line financial, environmental, and social. The triple bottom line should be a standard in government and industry. Indeed, to consider how one's own actions impact others derives directly from the commandments of our Lord.
The Rev. Regis J. Smolko, St. Brendan's Episcopal Church, Sewickley, PA:
We have abused our dear Earth and should not do that. We dont own Earth; we live within it and from it, and in return simply steward it. One thing the virus is doing, as much as I hate the virus; but it is healing certain parts of the earth. Smog has lifted in heavily travelled cities and the canals of Venice are attracting fish again. When we return to more interaction with our dear Earth, pray that we live it more and respect it more and rejoice in helping it deepen is vitality.
Dr. Jason R. Wiles, Associate Professor of Biology, Syracuse University and Humanist Celebrant & Chaplain, Syracuse, NY:
The reality of climate change and that humans have had a profound impact on the global environment are not matters of faith. Rather, they are based on evidence gathered worldwide by scientists across cultures. That clergy from many traditions have united in this call to action on the climate crisis is encouraging. We need every community working together to make the changes necessary to meet the challenges of climate change.
Please note that institutions are named for identification purposes only
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