For the first time the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is to take action on climate change and the environment at a national level.
The Church has urged its 419 parishes nationwide to take practical action, to audit their environmental footprints, and to study the issues of climate change and the environment. The Church also endorsed a declaration on climate change, developed by the Church’s ecological task group.
The recommendations and declaration were accepted today by Presbyterians at the Church’s biennial General Assembly.
The Church’s new Moderator, the Right Rev Dr Graham Redding said, “Our Church is deeply committed to caring for Creation at a local and national level. As Christians we can offer valuable theological perspectives that will enable people to respond with hope to pressing environmental concerns.
“Our Church’s national commitment to climate change has been part of an ongoing process of finding the best ways for us to be stewards for the Earth. Our General Assembly 2004 saw caring for Creation adopted as part of the Church’s mission statement. General Assembly 2006 urged congregations to be conscientious in ordering congregational life on sound principles of sustainability, and to be pro-active in their local communities in challenging and educating people about sustainable living.“
The Presbyterian Church biennial General Assembly is being held at St Patrick’s College, Silverstream, Upper Hutt, Wellington, from 2 to 6 October 2008.
/ENDS
Notes to reporter:
The Church’s Declaration on Climate Change and the Environment reads:
“Climate change, with its life threatening consequences, raises theological, economic, political, and ethical issues. It reflects the distortion of relationships between God, human kind, and creation.
The Bible teaches the wholeness of creation: Life is created sustained and made whole by the power of Christ and God’s Holy Spirit (Genesis 1, Romans 8, John 1). God creates human beings out of the dust of the earth (Genesis 2). Sin breaks relationships among human kind and with the created Order (Genesis 3 and 4, Jeremiah 14, Hosea 4:1-3). Bearing the marks of human sin, “creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God” (Romans 8:19). God provided all creatures with the conditions to live life as it is meant to be, in a specific relation towards one another. Part of the Christian call to discipleship is for the Shalom and restoration of creation through Jesus Christ.
In accordance with this commitment:
We commit ourselves in Christ to care for God’s creation.
We recognise that we have lost a right relationship with creation through sinful actions and economic systems that encourage unsustainable use of resources.
We commit ourselves to help reduce the threat of climate change through actions in our own lives speaking prophetically to Governments and industries and standing in solidarity with those most affected by climate change.”
The Presbyterian Church is the third largest denomination in Aotearoa New Zealand, with more than 400,000 people identifying as Presbyterian in the 2001 Census, and 30,000 regular church attenders.
If you would like to arrange an interview contact:
Angela Singer
senior communications advisor
Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
027 455 0098
angela(at)presbyterian.org.nz