Commissioners of the 222nd General Assembly will have to sort through several different recommendations coming before it on the issue of fossil fuels.
While the Mission Responsibility through Investment (MRTI) committee of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is not recommending divestment from the PCUSA’s holdings in gas and oil companies, one overture is asking the assembly to go that route, and other overtures are addressing the issue in various ways.
The MRTI recommendation to the General Assembly – business item 09-09 – calls for engagement with fossil fuels companies, asking “all corporations to increase their efforts to address climate change through vigorous action.” It commends the corporations that are addressing climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in their operations and use of their product, while calling on the corporation to increase those efforts.
However, business item 09-01 from San Francisco Presbytery, with concurrences from 25 other PCUSA presbyteries, asks the GA to call upon the Presbyterian Foundation and Board of Pensions to “immediately stop any new direct investment in fossil fuel companies” and to work to ensure that within three years “none of the Board’s or the Foundation’s directly held or commingled assets includes holdings of either equities or corporate bonds in the fossil fuel companies identified in the Carbon Underground 200.”
Engagement
MRTI’s recommendation to the assembly asks that the committee be allowed to continue to “pursue its focused engagement process on climate change with all corporations, particularly with those in the oil, gas and coal sectors.”
PCUSA congregations and members are encouraged to continue to work to decrease their carbon footprints.
“Clearly, while the issue of global climate change and fossil fuel divestment finds church members and others holding differing views, well-meaning and faithful Christians share a calling to be good stewards of God’s Creation, one of our core of beliefs,” read the MRTI report. “The fossil fuel debate is being had because we all take the call to stewardship seriously.”
The report also acknowledges that all church members use fossil fuels. “They power our cars, provide electricity, heat and air condition our homes, are used to make medicine, cosmetics, plastic water bottles, televisions, tires, and even the toothpaste you use to clean our teeth. Yet, most acknowledge that action is required, even as we disagree on what the most appropriate action is.”
The report acknowledges that “We all agree that we must do something. The disagreement comes around this question: What is the most effective way to witness and accomplish change to the threat posed by climate change and our dependence on fossil fuels?”
The MRTI recommendation is in response to a referral from the 2014 General Assembly, which instead of voting for divestment, voted 469-109 to send the business to the committee for their input.
Divestment
Item 09-01 asks the GA to “express it profound concern about the destructive effects of climate change on all God’s creation, including a disproportionate impact on those living in poverty and in the least developed countries; the elderly and children; and those least responsible for the emissions of greenhouse gases,” the overture asks the GA to “recognizes the moral mandate for humanity to shift to a sustainable energy regime in a way that is both just and compassionate. This mandate compels us to action as a denomination to divest from the fossil fuel industry even as we reduce our use of fossil fuels and shrink our carbon footprint.
“Our church invests hundreds of millions in fossil fuel companies,” according to the rationale. “We, as Christians, have the privilege, responsibility and obligation to speak with moral authority on issues of great importance. However, the power and clarity of prophetic voice is easily stained by hypocrisy and inconsistency. Many claim that it is inconsistent to divest from fossil fuels while we are members of a society that is addicted to them. This is true. But it is equally inconsistent to attempt to rehabilitate that society while invested in its addiction. Even as we continue working to mitigate the climate crises, we must shed the burden of our investments in climate destruction. This act will speak more loudly and more clearly than any prophetic declaration we have voiced to date. It’s time to put our money where our mouth is. It’s time to divest from fossil fuels.”
Other overtures on the fossil fuels and climate change issue include:
Item 09-02: Advocates an alternative to divestment from fossil fuel companies. It calls for the PCUSA, including all of its congregations, entities and institutions, to “to initiate, continue, and build upon steps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and to continue approval of lower-carbon and zero-carbon technologies and lifestyles. We acknowledge that the changes in behaviors are difficult, but affirm that we are prepared to align our behaviors with our calling and our advocacy in any event.” It also asks the PCUSA to “advocate for the reduction of greenhouse gases through the use of alternative, cleaner energy sources: natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, and industrial-scale power storage.”
Item 09-03: Supplement the call to repentance with investment in sustainable alternative energy sources. This item calls for the PCUSA to “repent from our inadequate stewardship of God’s creation; recognize the Gospel’s call and the moral mandate for humanity to shift to a long-term sustainable energy regime in ways that are both just and compassionate; and acknowledge that this mandate compels us to action as a denomination to implement strategies and actions that directly engage climate change and that offer a realistic prospect of changing the behaviors that are at the root of the issue.” It also states that it is “imperative to all humanity to change our behaviors,” and calls on PCUSA congregations to join the Earthcare Congregation Network of the PCUSA.
Item 09-04: Effect climate change through political efforts at national and international levels. Stating that “divestment is a divisive strategy that pits faithful Presbyterians who work in or have retired from the fossil fuel industry against those for whom divestment has no personal cost,” item 09-04 calls for working with “citizens, voters, legislators, other decision-makers, and other organizations that have parallel goals to bring into effect national and international policies that create a consistent, rational, and escalating price for emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, which will reduce consumption and support investment in sustainable alternative energy sources.”
Item 09-08: Unleash the Washington and UN offices of the PCUSA to speak for the church and against the injustices of all modes of fossil fuel extraction. The overture calls on those two offices to “witness against environmental degradation and to affirm public policy that supports good stewardship of natural resources. With firm biblical foundation and the policies of twenty General Assemblies to build upon, they may give voice to threats to air and water quality; threats from fracking; threats from crude oil transport and storage and, indeed, all modes of fossil fuel extraction; and threats from methane that results from industrial processes. This empowers both offices to speak for the church to uphold the integrity of creation and speak against injustices.”
All of business items will be heard and debated by General Assembly Committee 9: Immigration and Environmental Issues. More information can be found at www.pc-biz.org. The 222nd General Assembly will be held June 18-25 in Portland, Ore.
11 Comments. Leave new
With all the problems we have in the pcusa, THIS is what they want to focus on, you talk about some really screwed up priorities, the last GA it was throwing Israel under the bus and now it’s saving the planet. Forget the fact that we have millions of people who are going to hell in a handbasket, the louisivlle sluggers are now worried that shamu,flipper and bugs bunny are in danger because of the “evil” oil industry.
I bet they did not mind one bit whenever the oil money was pouring into the pcusa coffers across the country to build churches and colleges for all these years
You can’t make this stuff up!!
AGAIN, this is none of their business! They take issue with all-things Israel and pay no attention to places like Saudi Arabia, where women are treated like possessions and – worse yet – it is illegal to own a Bible, last time I heard. Hello? Any Christians left at the GA?
When the same type of overture was brought up in 2014, the talk at one dinner table was that this would make sense only if every Presbyterian was also ready to give up using their cars, give up traveling by bus, train or air, and the GA was held where commissioners could get their by horse & buggy.
Even then, the news that the PC(USA) divested its oil stocks would rate maybe 2 minutes on the nightly news, and promptly forgotten by most of the country, and cheered by those mutual fund managers who are looking for some solid stocks for investing in.
er, there ..
I find it ironic that the nation and people the PCUSA loves to have the most, Israel is the global leader in biomass reclamation as well as geothermal energy production. Not to mention the singular developer of desalinization technology, which has saved millions of lives.
But such is the PCUSA. Insular, self absorbed, self centered. Only perceiving and seeing what it chooses too to fit its preconceived agenda and polemics. Shrill and partisan is content and tone. Vulgar in execution and intent.
Amen to that. And worst of all, the reality is that inexpensive energy throughout the world would save millions, especially children. Energy is the basis to clean water, modern medicine and access to both.
For the sake of ourselves and our children, we need to move away from fossil fuels and more towards renewable energy.
Then by all means, Robert Wright, go ahead and do it. Nobody is stopping you from being true to your values. If you believe that “we” need to move away from fossil fuel for the sake of ourselves and our children, then why don’t you follow your own advice and lead the way by refusing to use fossil fuel yourself.
Quit driving cars. Quit using public transportation. Quit flying in airplanes, or riding in boats (except sailboats and rowboats, of course). Quit using products derived from oil, like plastics or asphalt. And by all means, absolutely refuse to use electricity that has been generated by anything other than windmills or solar panels.
Some of us might take seriously those of you who love to talk about the need for people to stop using fossil fuel if you would actually practice what you preach. When we hear comments about the evils of fossil fuel from those who are using fossil fuel just like the rest of us, only one word comes to immediately to mind – hypocrisy.
Robert,
Even if that is the way you and a lot of other people want to take the nation, you have every right to fight for that – but it’s not the business of the PCUSA to use our money and say that they speak for us – that’s the point – they are turning us into a PAC and they don’t have the authority to do so
Is the PCUSA willing to take the ransom money they have received from churches that have departed the fellowship and give it to the destitute people in Appalachia who have lost their livelihood by the reduction in coal as a primary fuel source?
Anyone voting for this hilarious foolishness should have to get home from GA without using fossil fuels. Walk or ride a horse.