Creation Care Across the Divide: A Bipartisan Conversation on Climate Change
ecoAmerica’s recent study shows that Americans across parties strongly align on clean air, water, energy, and a safe climate for themselves and their children. Findings reveal a resounding cross-party consensus, framing climate action as a moral responsibility and fundamental right. Majorities likewise agree that climate solutions should be fair for all, with no one left behind.
However, the news headlines fixate on political polarization in the country, and conversations about climate change these days can be polarizing. In response, Blessed Tomorrow Climate Ambassador Kip Coerper, as part of The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island Creation Care Ministry, hosted an event to challenge this assumption. Creation Care Across the Divide: A Bipartisan Conversation on Climate Change featured a panel discussion with Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat) and former South Carolina Congressman Bob Inglis (Republican), who currently serves as executive director of RepublicEN, an environmental action and policy organization for political conservatives. We spoke with Kip Coerper and Jere Wells about their event.
This event grew out of the Creation Care Ministry team’s desire to expand their reach beyond the climate choir. They are committed to providing the whole diocese with liturgical resources, creation care information, and even environmental pilgrimages.
Some might worry that such an event could easily become contentious, but that was not the case. While there was no consensus by the 65 people gathered, there was common ground. There was an understanding of the complexities of climate change. The speakers agreed on some ideas, modeling how to come to a common understanding. They both agreed on the need for a “carbon tax” (where the government sets a price that emitters must pay for the emissions they emit) and approaches to helping the free market with “internalizing the cost of externalities” (adjusting incentives so private decisions reflect social costs or benefits, using tools like taxes, subsidies, regulations, or market-based mechanisms, such as carbon pricing or emissions trading to align private incentives with social welfare and reduce negative spillovers).
Organizers acknowledged that work across parties takes more than just a single event, and they are working on ‘speaking the language others can hear’ (quoting Jonathan Haidt’s book “The Righteous Mind”). And attendees left feeling hopeful about the possibilities of working across party lines toward environmental goals.
On behalf of the event organizers, Kip Coerper and Jere Wells shared that humility is an important part of the process of learning how to converse across political differences. Assuming the moral high ground is a good way to stop the conversations. We must recognize the importance of learning more about the complex realities we face. It is easy to oversimplify both the challenges and the solutions.
We are grateful for Kip Coerper and Blessed Tomorrow Climate Ambassadors across the US who are taking action on climate change in their homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, communities, and beyond. You are invited to deepen your knowledge on how to effectively communicate on climate change from a faith perspective by becoming a Blessed Tomorrow Climate Ambassador.
Photos by: Kip Coerper and Jere Wells
Additional Resources:
Apply Now: American Climate Leadership Awards 2026
Join the Campaign: One Home One Future
Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth Report 2023
Blessed Tomorrow – Ambassador Training
About the Authors:
Rev. Carol Devine, Director, Blessed Tomorrow
Kate Summers, Blessed Tomorrow Faith + Climate Associate
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