2018 Iowa Religious Leaders Statement on Climate Change

We can no longer wait… 2018 Iowa Religious Leaders Statement on Climate Change Global climate change is one of the most pressing moral challenges facing our world. Today, we call on Iowans to find and implement solutions to climate change. As religious leaders representing diverse faith traditions in Iowa, we offer the following shared, core beliefs that compel, empower, and guide faithful action. As people of faith: • We must act to solve climate change because it threatens our brothers and sisters in our neighborhoods, throughout our state, across our country, and around the world. We are all neighbors put at risk by a changing climate. • We can find solutions to climate change by embracing a spirit of hope. Earth sustains our lives. Creation provides a world of abundance. This abundance offers us the path out of our dependence on fossil fuels and the environmental destruction associated with greenhouse gas pollution. • We know climate justice requires we bear each other’s burdens equitably. It is not fair that climate change is affecting most those who are vulnerable and least able to adapt: the poor, the young, the elderly, the sick, and those living in developing countries. Solutions to climate change will unleash new economic opportunities the benefits of which must be shared equitably. • We are required to work with nature to find solutions to climate change. We are part of nature, not independent from it. Our call to be stewards of the Earth, to care for creation that nourishes us all, demands we work with nature rather than against it and share our first fruits with those who need them most. • We need to demand and offer leadership at the local, state, national, and international levels. We must pursue policies and strategies to address sustainable energy production and use, to change patterns of consumption, and to model new ways of living in communion with nature. Political leadership to solve climate change must focus on the common good. • We trust the scientific consensus that human activity is causing catastrophic global climate change. While healthy debate exists about how best to address climate change, the debate about whether or not humans are causing climate change has been resolved. Humans are causing it, and we are capable of fixing it. Time is of the essence. We can no longer wait. Iowans must draw on the rich resources in our religious traditions to find and implement solutions to climate change. 505 5th Avenue, Suite 333 ~ Des Moines ~ Iowa ~ 50309 ~ 515-689-1112 ~ www.iowaipl.org We can no longer wait… 2018 Iowa Religious Leaders Statement on Climate Change Bishop Michael Burk The Right Reverend Alan Scarfe Southeastern Iowa Synod Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Episcopal Diocese of Iowa Bishop Laurie Haller Reverend William Spangler-Dunning Resident Bishop Regional Minister and President Iowa Annual Conference of the United Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Methodist Church Upper Midwest The Reverend Robert Houser Reverend Brigit Stevens Executive Presbyter Executive Conference Minister Presbytery of Des Moines Iowa Conference of the United Church of Christ The Most Reverend Richard Pates Bishop of Des Moines The Most Reverend Thomas Zinkula Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines Bishop of Davenport Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport Religious Organizations Rev. Anna Blaedel Pastor Michael Blair Jamie Loggins-Evans, Executive Wesley Center, University of Iowa Luther College Director Iowa City Decorah Center for Social Ministry Des Moines Rev. Le Anne Clausen de Montes Rev. David Glenn-Burns Iowa Faith Leadership Network Threehouse: a Wesley Foundation Patti McKee, Director Mason City University of Northern Iowa Catholic Peace Ministry Cedar Falls Des Moines President Jim Collins Loras College Sister Teresa Hadro, BVM President Mark Putnam Dubuque President, Sisters of Charity of the Central College Blessed Virgin Mary, Mount Carmel Pella Eloise Cranke Dubuque Methodist Federation for Social Matt Russell, Executive Director Action Iowa Chapter Sister Carmen Hernandez, PBVM Iowa Interfaith Power & Light Des Moines Sisters of the Presentation of the Des Moines Blessed Virgin Mary Charles Crawley, President Dubuque Rev. Dr. Dorothy Whiston Inter-Religious Council of Linn Interfaith Chaplain, Inside Out County Nancy Lister-Settle Reentry Community Cedar Rapids Hunger Action Advocate Iowa City Presbytery of Des Moines 505 5th Avenue, Suite 333 ~ Des Moines ~ Iowa ~ 50309 ~ 515-689-1112 ~ www.iowaipl.org Religious Leaders Imam Jaaphar Abdul Hamed Rev. Dr. Ramona Bouzard Rev. Dick Clark Muslim Community Organization Emerita, Wartburg College Walnut Hills United Methodist West Des Moines Waverly Church Urbandale Rev. Charles Adam Rev. Dr. Walter Bouzard St. Thomas More Catholic Church Wartburg College Rev. Mary Cole-Duvall Coralville Waverly St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church West Des Moines Deacon Francis Agnoli, OFS Rev. Lindsey Braun Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth Congregational United Rev. Elizabeth Colton Davenport Church of Christ St. Paul Congregational United Davenport Des Moines Church of Christ Oskaloosa Rev. Mike Andrew Rev. Jennifer Brooks Holy Trinity Lutheran First Unitarian Church Jim Cottingham, Clerk Iowa City Des Moines West Branch Monthly Meeting of Friends Sister Lou Anglin Rev. Candice Brown West Branch Sisters of Charity, BVM Capitol Hill Christian Church Dubuque Des Moines Rev. (Ret.) and Mrs. Jim and Barbara Dale Rev. Mara Bailey Rev. Leigh Brown First United Methodist Church Chaplain Coralville United Methodist Church Decorah Simpson College Coralville Indianola Rev. Meghan Davis Rev. Wallace Bubar First Presbyterian Church Rev. Darline Balm-Demmel Central Presbyterian Church Newton St. Timothy’s United Methodist Des Moines Church Rev. Katie Dawson Cedar Falls Dr. Brian Campbell, Board President Immanuel United Methodist Church Iowa Interfaith Power and Light Des Moines Rev. Dr. Brian Beckstrom Des Moines Wartburg College Rev. Barb Dinnen Waverly Rev. Dr. Kathryn Campbell Trinity Las Americas St. John’s Episcopal Church United Methodist Church Rev. Dr. Beverlee Bell Mason City Des Moines Walnut Hills United Methodist Church Rev. Brian Carter Rev. Maureen Doherty Urbandale Iowa Conference of the United St. Andrew’s Episcopal Methodist Church Waverly Rev. William Bernau Des Moines St. James Lutheran Church Dennis R. Dowell, OFS Des Moines Sister Janice Cebula St. Elizabeth of Hungary Fraternity Sisters of St. Francis Fort Madison Rev. Rose Blank Clinton Lovely Lane United Methodist Teresa Dunbar Church Rev. John Chaplin Catholic Relief Services, Relationship Cedar Rapids Urbandale United Church of Christ Manager Urbandale Cumming Rev. Timothy Bonney Indianola First United Methodist Rev. Teressa Clark Deacon Dianne Wasson Eberhart Church Urbandale United Church of Christ Walnut Hills United Methodist Indianola Urbandale Church Urbandale 505 5th Avenue, Suite 333 ~ Des Moines ~ Iowa ~ 50309 ~ 515-689-1112 ~ www.iowaipl.org Rev. Anne Edison-Albright Rev. Stacey Gerhart Sister C. Jean Hayen, BVM Luther College All Saints Episcopal Church Sisters of Charity, BVM Decorah Storm Lake Dubuque The Right Rev. Christopher Epting Rev. Steve Godfrey Rev. Jonathan Heifner New Song Episcopal Church St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church St. Paul’s United Methodist Church Coralville Des Moines Cedar Rapids Rev. Lori Erikson Rev. Dr. Patricia Goldberg Rev. Nikira Hernandez-Evans New Song Episcopal Church Urbandale United Church of Christ Plymouth United Church of Christ Coralville Des Moines Des Moines Dr. Ron Eslinger Dale Goodman Rev. Deb Hill-Davis Iowa Conference United Church of Retired Executive Director Unity Church of Ames Christ, Retired Staff Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Ames Des Moines Decorah Rev. Eishin Houghton Rev. Dr. Janet Everhart Rev. John Greve Des Moines Zen Center Simpson College Grace Episcopal Des Moines Indianola Cedar Rapids Rev. Chad Huebner Rev. Joan Farstad Rev. Debbie Griffin First Lutheran Church St. Andrew Episcopal Church Downtown Disciples Decorah Waverly Des Moines Rev. Christine Humrichouse Mary Ferring Rev. Ken Gross St. Mark’s United Methodist Church Retired Chaplain, Mercy Hospice Roman Catholic, Retired Iowa City Van Meter West Des Moines Sister Ann Jackson Kent Ferris, OFS Rev. Chet Guinn Sisters of the Presentation of the Director of Social Action Methodist Federation for Social Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic Diocese of Action Hiawatha Davenport Des Moines Rev. Jonna Jensen Rev. Robert Fread Rev. Marcus Haack United Church of Christ Tri- Ripley United Church of Christ Trinity Episcopal Church Conference Ministries Hudson Iowa City Baldwin Rev. Joan Fumetti Sister Marilyn J. Hagedorn, CHM Rev. Anita Johnson Interfaith Green Coalition Congregation of the Humility of Mary First United Methodist Church Des Moines Des Moines Iowa City Linda Garcia Rev. Suzanne Hall Stout Rev. Eric Johnson Boundless Compassion First Christian Church West Des Moines Christian Church Urbandale Des Moines Urbandale Deacon Robert R. and Donna L. Rev. George Hanusa Rev. Mark Johnson Gengenbacher Windsor Heights Lutheran Church Broadway United Methodist Church Holy Family Parish Des Moines Council Bluffs Fort Madison Rev. Muffy Harmon Rev. Scott Alan Johnson Rev. William Gentry The Cathedral Church of St. Paul St. Petri Lutheran Church First Congregational United Church Episcopal Story City of Christ Des Moines McGregor Rev. Randy Kasch Rev. Melissa Harris Southeast Synod Evangelical Rev. Laura Gentry Unity Center of Des Moines Lutheran

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