Stewardship of the Environment

Churches can do much to help raise awareness of environmental issues.

An Environmental Policy was adopted by the Diocesan Synod in October 2009 to help churches engage with environmental issues and recognise their Christian responsibility to try and make a difference. The Policy has been produced by the Diocesan Environmental Working Group, which comprises both parish members and Diocesan Officers. It represents a Diocesan response both to calls from the national church via the 'Shrinking the Footprint' campaign and to help parishes 'safeguard the integrity of creation and to sustain and renew the life of the earth' (The Fifth Mark of Mission, Archbishops' Council). Parishes have been consulted in the drawing up of the policy and best practice identified from other Dioceses.

The policy statement will form the core document of the environmental pack produced by the working group. It is supported by recommendations for change and a Diocesan Environmental Award Scheme designed to encourage parishes to embrace these recommendations and work towards becoming a 'greener' church. Additional resources are available to assist parishes and can also be downloaded from this page.

The following documents are provided as pdfs for download. If you have access issues and need a large print version, contact Gordon Randall.

Internal Resources

Diocesan Environmental Policy

Recommendations for Change

Diocesan Environmental Award Scheme

A Theological Basis for Environmental Action & Hope (appendix 1)

The Ecological Crisis as an Issue of Justice (appendix 2)

Facing the Future: Questions for the Church (appendix 3)

Ecology in Worship (appendix 4)

Resources - books, organisations, study programmes and advice, as well as parish energy audit options (appendix 5)

External Resources

• Christian Ecology Link www.christian-ecology.org.uk
• The Conservation Foundation www.conservationfoundation.co.uk  
• Speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Rowan Williams, 'Renewing the face of the earth: human responsibility and the environment', York Minster, 25 March 2009 here
• Parish pump website, www.parishpump.co.uk
• Shrinking the Footprint, www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org

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