Today, in front of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Federal Triangle building in Washington, DC, religious leaders have taken a knee as a symbol of devotion to caring for God’s creation and in protest against the inactivity of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding matters of climate.
These religious luminaries have called the EPA to attention by requesting a meeting during which EPA constituents will be urged to speak about protecting American citizens from harmful chemicals, air pollution, and clean water. All of the leaders involved agree that these are not mere luxuries, but basic American rights. One participant, Rabbi Warren Stone issued a public statement.
We call upon the EPA not to deregulate years of clean air and water actions that have protected children and families. We cannot allow coal powered and pollution emitting plants to return to decades of dirty air!
Perhaps even more of a motivation for faith leaders to hold the EPA accountable for unsafe climate policies or a lack thereof is the idea of moral obligation. They ask; what are the moral implications of ignoring the science around climate change or ignoring the apparent impacts of climate change which have caused damage to the Earth and harm to God’s people.
Rev. Richard Cizik of Interfaith Power and Light who has joined the group at the EPA headquarters made a proclamation about the group’s commitment to stewardship, a traditional practice among people of faith.
Our common belief is about the future of God’s creation and the human family. It is about our human stewardship of God’s creation and our responsibility to those that come after us.
The party of kneelers includes believers from Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical and Jewish backgrounds who are actively praying for America and bringing attention to environmental deregulation and public health.
Taking Up the Mantle
Some of the leaders who met at EPA headquarters will be present at ecoAmerica’s 2017 American Climate Leadership Summit. This year’s summit will bring together 350 climate leaders who are already working toward climate solutions. Now responding to the limited climate response, leaders in state and local government, faith, and health have committed to Taking Up the Mantle.
