Posted Thursday 17 December 2009
”As a world community, we must protect the fragile earth without inhibiting the movement of poorer nations towards the economic development which will bring new hope and possibility to them.” says the Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
“Human-induced climate change is the greatest issue of our times. That’s because it affects the life of every person and living thing on the planet. It has the potential to shape disputes within and among nations over water and food. It increases the imbalance between the developed and developing world. It is an issue not just for our times, but for our children’s children.
”As a faith community, we believe that we hold the earth in trust from God. It is sacred. We hear the words of the biblical covenant that ‘As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.’ We disturb that at our peril.
”We pray that the leaders of the world meeting in Copenhagen will reach agreement. We understand how difficult this is. Our commitment to the developing world leads us to feel acutely the particular challenge which the climate change issue brings. As a world community, we must protect the fragile earth without inhibiting the movement of poorer nations towards the economic development which will bring new hope and possibility to them.
”We believe that progress towards agreement is a spiritual challenge. It will require an unprecedented level of mutual understanding and co-responsibility in the world community. That will not happen without the development of shared values. It will not happen without a willingness to engage in real dialogue about sustainable economic development and the nature of human community. It will therefore not happen without a new quality of dialogue within and among the nations and people of the world.
”We pray that the people of the world and their leaders will rise to that spiritual challenge.“
