wfn.org | Episcopalians: Griswold joins 1,200 religious leaders calling for energy conservation

[dmack@episcopalchurch.org]

February 25, 2002

2002-047

Episcopalians: Griswold joins 1,200 religious leaders calling 
for energy conservation

by Jan Nunley

(ENS) In response to the Bush Administration's recently 
announced climate change plan, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold 
joined over 1,200 leaders of major US religious denominations in 
a letter sent to every U.S. Senator, with specific proposals for 
energy conservation, fuel efficiency, and alternate energy 
development "to protect God's creation and God's children."

A similar resolution was passed by the Episcopal Church's 
Executive Council at its February 22-25 meeting in San Antonio.

The statement stressed "the intimate link between the safety 
of our people and the reliability of our energy system." "We're 
telling the Congress that energy conservation is necessary for 
homeland security as well as environmental protection and 
justice.  Lives are at stake here," said the Rev. Robert Edgar, 
general secretary of the National Council of Churches.  "The 
President's energy plan would have us drill in the Arctic, 
increase nuclear power, and subsidize big polluting energy 
companies.  There are safer, more sustainable strategies," added 
Edgar.

The 1,200 leaders and a 21-state "Interfaith Climate and 
Energy" campaign called upon the Senate to pass legislation 
which would:

   * Substantially increase vehicle fuel efficiency; 
encourage the auto industry to produce vehicles using 
hybrid-electric, fuel cell, and other clean technologies and 
provide incentives for their purchase.

 Prevent drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife 
Reserve.

 Invest in renewable energy sources such as wind, 
geothermal, solar, and biomass technologies.

 Include carbon dioxide as a regulated pollutant from 
power plants.

 Increase funds for low-income energy assistance and 
inner-city rail and mass transit.

"We're telling our congregations that energy conservation is a 
way to honor our covenant with our God," said Archbishop Khahag 
S. Barsamian of the Armenian Church of America. 

"From our pulpits and in our pews, we will preach and pray 
the message of creation care and energy conservation.  And we 
hope, this week, that our Senators will be God's stewards,"  
added Bishop Thomas J. Hoyt Jr. of the Christian Methodist 
Episcopal Church. 

Other signers of the letter include leaders of such major 
faith communities as:  United Methodist, Presbyterian, United 
Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Greek Orthodox, Episcopal, 
American Baptist, Lutheran, and Catholic bishops of major 
metropolitan areas.

 

------

An Interfaith Call for Energy Conservation and Climate Justice

February 26, 2002

Dear Senator:

As leaders of major faith communities, we write to you, our 
senators, at a moment of great moral urgency for our nation and 
the planet - God's children and God's creation.  We caution 
Congress not to adopt an energy policy based on short-term 
regard for long term solutions.  On May 18, 2001, 41 heads of 
major denominations and senior religious leaders joined in 
issuing "Let There Be Light: An Interfaith Call for Energy 
Conservation and Climate Justice."  In this document, they 
lifted up these moral stakes of a sustainable energy policy: 

"At stake are: the future of God's creation on earth; the 
nature and durability of our economy; our public health and 
public lands; the environment and quality of life we bequeath 
our children and grandchildren. We are being called to consider 
national purpose not just policy." 

Drawing upon scripture, the statement affirmed the importance 
of considering long-standing principles of faith and values 
concerning all of creation - stewardship, covenant, justice, 
prudence, solidarity, and intergenerational equity.  Today, more 
than ever, these precepts should guide our action.  Recent 
events remind us of the intimate link between the safety of 
people and the reliability of our energy system.  Efforts to 
preserve the environment are ever more clearly necessary in 
order to protect human life.  Security and sustainability are 
inextricably linked.

We agree with President Bush's statement on October 11 that 
said, "The less dependent we are on foreign sources of crude 
oil, the more secure we are at home."  Yet, it is clear that we 
do not have sufficient domestic reserves to replace foreign oil 
supplies.  Conservation and reducing our dependence on oil and 
other fossil fuels is critical to achieving energy independence 
and can be accomplished in economically responsible and 
economically beneficial ways.

Concerning energy use, we believe that conservation and the 
development of the cleanest technologies possible are the 
wisest, most just, and most prudent means to fulfill our moral 
obligations to ensure the health and well-being of the American 
people and people around the world, now and for generations to 
come.  We have established Interfaith Climate and Energy 
campaigns in 21 states that are educating congregations on the 
link between energy conservation and renewable energy sources 
that benefit climate change reduction.

Rooted in moral values and concern for God's creation and 
God's children, we support the following energy policy 
initiatives: 

Raise substantially vehicle fuel economy across the board in 
the shortest feasible timeframe, and require SUVs, minivans, and 
passenger cars to meet the same standard.

Develop strategies to encourage the auto industry to further 
design and produce vehicles using hybrid-electric, fuel cell, 
and other promising clean technologies, and provide incentives 
for their purchase.

Support substantially increased funding for inter-city rail 
and metropolitan mass transit to provide attractive and 
functional alternatives to single occupancy autos.

Fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and increase it with the 
least possible environmental damage.

We strongly oppose policies that would allow drilling or 
mining in our nation's dwindling wild lands and places important 
to the traditional cultures of indigenous peoples.  We 
specifically oppose drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife 
Refuge.  Conservation is a morally superior alternative to 
drilling in such places.  Furthermore, conservation is also more 
effective, providing much greater benefits that are more 
permanent, rather than a modest and short-lived increase in oil 
supply.

Alongside energy concerns that relate directly to oil, we 
have longstanding distress about other health and environmental 
effects of energy policy, including global climate change.  
Therefore, we support policies that would:

Invest significantly more resources in renewable energy 
research and development with a focus on wind, geothermal, solar 
and biomass technologies.

Include carbon dioxide as a regulated pollutant from power 
plants.

Apply the strictest feasible energy efficiency standards to 
consumer products, including air conditioners.

Increase funds for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program 
and other programs to alleviate economic hardship on low-income 
people caused by high energy prices.

Now is the time to embrace energy conservation and efficiency 
and alternative energy development as the central strategies of 
our nation's energy policy.  The energy policies we adopt in the 
coming debate must reflect our resolve as a nation to be 
faithful to our values and to fulfill our obligations at a time 
of national crisis.

God calls humans to strive toward peace, justice, and harmony 
for all of creation.  We have called on our congregants and 
communities to practice energy conservation as part of our 
values.  Now we urgently call on the United States Congress and 
the Administration. As this critical issue comes forward for 
legislative action, we call upon our senators to reflect and act 
as God's stewards.  The same energy policies that will help 
achieve peace for humankind by reducing our dependence on oil 
will create greater harmony within creation by protecting the 
environment.

Together, we can achieve energy solutions that embody and 
promote justice, stewardship, and intergenerational 
responsibility.  We urge you to consider and consult these 
values as you evaluate the energy policy options before the 
nation and work to pass responsible and effective legislation.

Yours faithfully,

1,200 signatures including:

ACADEMY FOR JEWISH RELIGION

Rabbi David Greenstein, President

AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Bishop McKinley Young

ALEPH: ALLIANCE FOR JEWISH RENEWAL

Rabbi Daniel Siegel, Rabbinic Director

ALLIANCE OF BAPTISTS

Rev. Dr. Stan Hastey, Executive Director

AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES

Rev. A. Roy Medley, General Secretary

ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN ARCHDIOCESE OF NORTH AMERICA

The Most. Rev. Metropolitan Philip Saliba

CENTRAL CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN RABBIS 

Rabbi Paul J. Menitoff, Executive Vice President 

CHRISTIAN CHURCH  (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)

Rev. Dr. Richard L. Hamm, General Minister and President

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

Rev. Judy Mills Reimer, General Secretary

COMMUNITY OF CHRIST

Grant McMurray, President

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

IN AMERICA

Rev. Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The Most Reverend Frank T. Griswold, Presiding Bishop

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA

His Eminence Archbishop Demitrios

INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF COMMUNITY CHURCHES

Rev. Michael E. Livingston, Executive Director

KOREAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA

Rev. Dr. Seung K. Choi, General Secretary

MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, U.S.

Jose Ortiz, Executive Director

MENNONITE CHURCH

Susan Mark Landis, Minister of peace and justice

MORAVIAN CHURCH - NORTHERN PROVINCE

Rev. R. Burke Johnson, President

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN

Sandra Lief Garrett, Executive Director

Jan Schneiderman, National President

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN THE USA

Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar, General Secretary

THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA

His Beatitude Metropolitan Theodosius

PATRIARCHAL PARISHES - RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

The Most Reverend Mercurius, Bishop of Zaraisk

PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING 

THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS

Friend Thomas Jeavons

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USA

Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk

RABBINICAL ASSEMBLY

Rabbi Joel H. Meyers, Executive Director

Rabbi Vernon H. Kurtz, President 

Rabbi Lee S. Paskind, Chair, Social Action Committee

RECONTRUCTIONIST RABBINICAL ASSOCIATION

Rabbi Richard Hirsch, Executive Director

RECONTRUCTIONIST RABBINICAL COLLEGE

Rabbi David A. Teutsch, President

Donald Shapiro, Chairman of the Board

REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA

Rev. Wesley S. Granberg-Michaelson, General Secretary

RELIGIOUS ACTION CENTER OF REFORM JUDAISM

Rabbi David Saperstein, Director 

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Br. David Andrews, CSC

Executive Director, National Catholic Rural Life Conference

The Most Rev. Kevin T. Boland

Bishop, Diocese of Savannah

The Most Rev. John T. Donoghue 

Archbishop, Atlanta Archdiocese

The Most Rev. Kenneth E Untener

Bishop, Diocese of Saginaw

SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN THE USA AND CANADA

Metropolitan Christopher

President, Episcopal Council

SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ANTIOCH

His Eminence Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, Patriarchal 
vicar for the eastern U.S.

TONY CAMPOLO MINISTRIES 

Rev. Tony Campolo 

UNION OF AMERICAN HEBREW

CONGREGATIONS

Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, President 

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION OF CONGREGATIONS

Rev. William G. Sinkford, President

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Rev. John H. Thomas, General Minister and President

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Bishop Melvin G. Talbert, Ecumenical Officer, Council of Bishops

UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM

Rabbi Jerome Epstein, Executive Vice President

UNIVERSITY OF JUDAISM - ZEIGLER SCHOOL OF RABBINIC STUDIES 

Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, Dean

--The Rev. Jan Nunley is deputy director of Episcopal News 
Service.