Council of Bishops Statement On Climate Accord

June 6, 2017 16 Comments

Statement on decision by President Trump to Withdraw United States from the Paris Climate Accord.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 2, 2017) – The decision by President Donald Trump to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord is not only disheartening but also puts God’s creation in further crisis. As the Bishops of The United Methodist Church, we issue this statement in defense of creation. It is our responsibility to take care of this planet we live on, this beautiful gift from God, the Creator of all things seen and unseen.

Psalm 115 reminds us that “The highest heaven belongs to the Lord, but God gave the earth to all people.” Dejectedly, as human beings, we have misused God’s splendid gift to the point of destruction. We believe that God has entrusted the care of this planet to all of us, and that is why we cannot remain silent when human neglect, selfishness and pride threatens to further harm this planet.

The decision by President Trump saddens us and we call upon the leadership of the United States to reconsider the decision. We believe that this decision, if not reconsidered, will contribute to worsening the state of this planet already exacerbated by overconsumption and our misuse of resources. The decision further isolates the United States from critical and essential climate and energy use conversations and negotiations.

We urge President Trump to rejoin the efforts of nearly 200 countries that have agreed to voluntarily reduce their carbon emissions.

As United Methodists, we have long supported action to address the present and growing threat of a changing climate. Our Social Principles state: “We therefore support efforts of all governments to require mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.” (United Methodist Social Principles, ¶160.D)

As Christians, we must stand with our neighbors through the world to address both the impacts and root causes of climate change. The Bible informs us: “The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers; the heavens languish together with the earth. The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed laws, violated statutes, broken the ever-lasting covenant.” (Isaiah 24:4-5)

We are especially concerned because many members of our global church live in coastal areas that are particularly vulnerable to climate change. We see God’s creation groaning in pain (Romans 8:22) when we see the adverse impacts of global climate change. This impact disproportionately affects 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.” (Social Principles, ¶160.D)

The United Methodist Church will continue to call for bold leadership and advocate for policies rooted in justice and sustainability.

We join with other global and faith leaders to call for a comprehensive response to climate change. By caring for God’s people and God’s planet we offer ourselves as instruments of God’s renewing Spirit in the world calling for social and environmental holiness. We will do this by challenging those whose policies and practices neglect the poor, exploit the weak and harm the environment.

Job

The Paris climate accord with an L written nonproductive piece of garbage to start with and I was backing out of it is good leadership for Donald Trump. He said his need to see the Methodist Church taking a position against our president’s decision when a better treaty and better effort to be made…
Gail Scott

Glad that the leaders of the UMC are public taking a stand for God’s Creation. I hope and pray that there will be a call to discuss environmental concerns in our pulpits and Sunday School classes. Caring for the earth is a critical part of our responsibility as Christians that is often left unsaid.
- Rev. Jaye
  
  Hi Gail, We are forming a Conference Creation Care Team. Contact me if you are interested in finding out more details! jayewhite@nccumc.org
Scott Anderson

So why does the church believe that America should give $trillions to the United nations while the largest polluters not only do not have to chip in any money but also can continue to pollute for years before they have to start to cut back on their polluting? America is doing pretty good job of cleaning up its own environment compared to other industrial nations. You bishops need to stick to overseeing the flock and get out of feel good politics.
Harold Harbin Jr.

Just a few decades ago we were told we were facing an ice age, then it was global warming, and now it is climate change. The climate always changes and there is little we can do about it. Scientist can’t tell you accurately what the weather will be in three days, what gives them accuracy for a 100 year forecast? It is embarrassing that people who claim high education buy into hype that even most scientist are say is more mythical than fact.
curreb

I guess I will remain a member of the church for the time being. Would you please publish your thoughts about his decision to ban entry into the United States from six nations. As you continue to make statements about the decisions of the president would you prayerfully consider making statements should he do things that you consider to be for the good the world and humankind. We’re there any dissenting votes or was this a unanimous vote. Where can I read the minutes of the meeting where this vote took place?
Branch W. Vincent III

The main objection to the Paris Agreement is that it is a treaty. Under the US Constitution, the President can enter into a Treaty only when 2/3 of the Senate concur. Article II, Section 2, Clause 2. The Framers debated this point and wanted to ensure that our agreements with other countries represented the will of the majority and to ensure that a treaty would be given proper respect as it represented the law of the land. Also, the legislature has the power of the purse. The Paris Agreement commits the US to 3 Billion dollars over 4 years without legislative approval. Then President Obama attempted to get support from the Senate but realized it was not forthcoming so he entered into an unauthorized agreement. Congress passed the Clean Air Act of 1970 designed to reduce emissions. I believe there is also a prior approved treaty on climate control prior to the Paris Agreement. I have listened to a scientist from MIT and Stanford discuss the climate change issue. Their discussions were for the most part out of my league but there appears to be a very real disagreement in the scientific community on this issue and the methods uses to reach certain conclusions. We have experienced climate change long before man polluted the air. Withdrawing from the Paris Agreement is not a message that the US doesn’t care about the environment but perhaps a statement that we don’t have to deposit 3 billion dollars in a German bank (the Green Fund) and allow them to build a solar energy plant in Chile with the funds to show that we care about the environment. It was more about correcting Executive overreach and preserving the US Constitution and our constitutional republic. I am sure the Council of Bishops would not encourage the members of the Methodist Church to avoid the requirements of Church Bylaws and The Discipline of the Methodist Church to reach a desired result. I also believe that the Church should be a source of unity. We have enough division in our country.
Billie Carson

Thanks and praise to the Bishops for this statement in defense of creation. Their leadership on this issue is much appreciated and needed. I pray that United Methodist congregations across the U.S. will carefully examine the facts of climate change and the role we should pursue as faithful followers of God to protect and preserve the world he has given us.
john

Once again the Council of Bishops show why they are useless and leaderless. The accord was bad business for the US. It needs to be redone. I think we should concentrate on how to change the polity to dissolve the centralized power of the UMC and make the church to have more local power/control and take all this power and control from the Bishops. Wish we had a more popular vote process for our Bishops. Note how they are upset over how Trump got the vote from the Electoral Collage yet they get elected the same way…
- Harold Harbin Jr.
  
  John, the reason is that the Bishops have left the role they had in the past, as pastors of pastors, and become international representatives. Not long ago, a Bishop would visit their pastors, in their location, each year and when that changed the care of the local pastor fell to the District Superintendent. (If I am called to see my Bishop today, I am in trouble). The DS was then doing what the Bishops had been doing and would come to hear the pastor preach at least annually and meet with the pastors, as a group, monthly. Now, it is rare that anyone in the leadership comes to hear the pastors preach and meetings are about 3 or 4 a year, even though the DS administrative duties have now fallen to the Assistant DS position. The quarterly meeting changed to the annual charge conference, so connection to the local church has broken down and now is less personal because it is a cluster of churches that meet. Your church is just now one in a crowd. The District offices and parsonages have been closed so the connection to the community has dissolved. Most pastors no longer have a monthly sub-district gathering for fellowship. At annual conference, the common eating areas have been disbanded and the conference dates are getting shorter and shorter. In my opinion the connection is breaking down because the leadership has lost fellowship with pastor, congregation, and community and the pastors have lost fellowship with each other. As you can tell, I am not a fan of the new way of structuring ministry but still am a strong supporter of the UMC because it is the local church where the rubber meets the road, not the conference headquarters. What bothers me the most is the leadership of the church think they have to weigh in on every liberal position politically and etc and I spend too much time trying to keep the members in my congregation who are more conservative. It also bothers me that the educated leadership take the words of scripture out of context to support their views. God didn’t condemn the people because they were littering the ground, it was because of their continual sinning. Seems we have an omnipotent God who can’t restore his own creation, if it need be. How arrogant are we to think the future of this planet depends entirely upon us? Nature always reclaims itself, but not necessarily so with the human race.
  - john
    
    thank you for the reply…I am assuming you are a pastor. Ours is great but we had zero input on her appointment. Perhaps some of the problem is us laity are simply lazy and want a hired hand to run the church. Not good. I am retired military and now second retired federal law enforcement. I must say that I am not enjoying the civilian world…no sense of responsibility! I took over the bulletins and the weekly marquee message from the pastor (pastors, in my humble opinion have better things to do) and very frustrated that the pastor still does a lot that should be done by laity. Having said that, I agree with your assessment above. When I was a regional commander (Pacific), I spent a LOT of time traveling to subordinate units to ensure we were on the same sheet of music. Part of that time was spent with the troops to include fellowship time to hear their complaints/ideas. I have NEVER seen our bishop and only seen our DS once. I joined the local church (my family has been in this church since 1900) in 1979 and do not look forward to leaving. But if the resolutions before the conference pass in 2 weeks (our pastor will be at conference on father’s day), I am afraid I will be left with little choice. Thanks for the discourse…God Bless.
  - Harold Harbin Jr.
    
    Than you for your service, John. I am a retired pastor and a combat veteran of the Vietnam era. Some of the most difficult things for a pastor to do is to delegate authority; it takes a lot of training to be able to do that, after all, we are the saviors of the church. lol At one time, the church and pastor decided each year the appointment recommendation,now that is only done at the pastor’s or laity’s request. Just stick in there because jumping ship at this point in time is not going to help. God bless you as well.
sgk1212

I never stop being amazed at how the Methodist hierarchy feels so compelled to get behind almost every liberal ideology that comes into vogue. It’s as if we’ve fed all the hungry, clothed all the naked, sheltered all the homeless and saved all souls for Christ. Now it’s time to involve ourselves in every political discussion in the headlines and — naturally — we must fall into line with the political left. In spite of what some keep telling us, the climate situation is NOT settled science. This is a political debate that has very little to do with scientific fact. What a shame we must waste time and resources on this issue when God’s children are suffering and need our help.
Mary Stewart

I don’t appreciate our church leadership taking political stands and trying to influence its membership in doing so. Instead of being critical, how about asking our membership to pray for our President for guidance, wisdom and compassion in his decisions. Isn’t that what you would wish for yourselves as the leadership of the church? Let’s give our President some support and encouragement to seek better ways and better agreements for addressing climate change as well as the many other serious issues confronting our nation and our world. Yes, God put us in charge of taking good care of His creations but He also gave us a brain to figure out the best way to do so and eyes to not blindly enter into empty agreements.

God also gave us a heart to love those who are unloveable in the eyes of others. If you are not praying for President Trump each day and asking God to Bless him and guide him, then you are hypocrites. Let’s pray for ALL our leaders both national and local and in all avenues of life to include the UMC.
- pdavis
  
  Well said, thank you!
pdavis

Once again, the United Methodist Church leaders political bias statements is one reason, the membership is declining and divided.