Christian Climate Action
Christian Climate Action is a community of Christians supporting each other in following Jesus Christ
in the face of imminent and catastrophic anthropogenic climate change, in acts of non-violent direct action.
We are based in the UK.
Father Martin Newell said:
‘
Pope Francis has called on Christians to go further in opposing climate change and we have tried to answer that call in faithfulness to Jesus who was also tried and found guilty by a court.
As a Catholic I believe in the power of symbols and symbolic actions and our actions symbolically highlighted that this department is whitewashing the truth of what’s happening.
This is urgent – climate change is already happening and people are already dying.’
Ruth Jarman, said:
‘For 20 years I have been campaigning on climate change and it is clear to me that lawful political action is not being heeded.
When we look back to times when governments and their laws were wrong we revere those who broke the law to stand up for what is right. In many cases peaceful civil disobedience enabled the change to a better society. The law is here to keep order and peace but
climate change is set to bring unimaginable chaos and breakdown of global civil society. Campaigning to the limit of the law and then standing by and watching the destruction of what God has made can’t be right. When there is a mismatch between obeying the laws of our country and those of God, I have to go with the latter.
It is Christian obedience, rather than civil disobedience. For me, being a Christian requires me to listen to my conscience and act accordingly.’
Phil Kingston, 80, and the oldest member of the group, said:
‘I was speaking
on behalf of my grandchildren and the uncertain future they face. Preventing unnecessary deaths is an integral part of our humanity. When we do what we believe is right, good will come. I have regularly questioned what to do when democratic processes yielded no progress and warnings were ignored and have concluded that, as with other
successful protest movements, non-violent direct action is the answer.’
Helen Whitall, said:
‘What we did was reasonable under the circumstance. As a Christian I feel that whilst it is essential to always act out of love for God and others, I have a responsibility to
speak out against injustice to protect all that God loves, human and non-human, which may at times involve non-violent direct action in the tradition of Christ and the prophets where I feel justice and truth are being silenced.’
Westley Ingram, 39, said:
‘
The climate talks in Paris were akin to leaders gathered in a burning house agreeing to only buy flame retardant furniture in the future'
‘Catastrophe is our constant companion now and it is a difficult burden to carry faithfully. It is too easy to resort to hollow hopeful notions or to make too much use of despair. Pray for some guidance on finding a narrow path through destruction on all sides; not fleeing from loss or clinging to things passing away but also not letting go of difficult things that remain of value or embracing self-indulgence or self-destruction.’