Time to Act

A Resource Book by the Christians in Extinction Rebellion

Jeremy Williams, CHRISTIAN CLIMATE ACTION

• Publisher: SPCK Publishing
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9780281084463
• eBook ISBN: 9780281084470
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

'The climate crisis is the biggest issue facing humanity today. . . It is only together that we can make a difference.'
Amanda Khozi Mukwashi, Christian Aid

Written by members and friends of Christian Climate Action, this stimulating resource book sets out the moral and religious case for joining the struggle against climate change. It reflects on the Christian tradition of non-violent direct action, and offers deeply moving testimonies by those engaged in such protests today, along with powerful sermons, prayers, liturgies and other spiritual resources.

Now is the time to act! Don't let it pass you by!

'This is a landmark book. It is nothing short of an invitation to join the holy uprising of people sweeping the globe who will not be silent in the face of the destruction of God's earth.'
Shane Claiborne, Red Letter Christians

Christian Climate Action is a community of Christians committed to prayerful direct action and public witness in response to climate breakdown. Inspired by Jesus Christ, and social justice movements of the past, CCA carries out acts of non-violent protest to urge those in power to make the changes needed.

For more information, visit the CCA website:

<www.christianclimateaction.org/>

The general editor and spokesperson for this project is Jeremy Williams. Jeremy is an independent writer and campaigner specializing in communicating social and environmental issues to a mainstream audience. As well as his work with Extinction Rebellion, he has worked on projects for Oxfam, RSPB, WWF, Tearfund and many others. He is a co-founder of the Postgrowth Institute and co-author of The Economics of Arrival: Ideas for a grown up economy (Policy Press, 2019). His award winning website, The Earthbound Report, was recognized as Britain’s number one green blog in 2018.

For more information, visit Jeremy’s blog at

<www.earthbound.report/about/>.

‘The climate crisis is the biggest issue facing humanity today and it is unjust that those least responsible for causing it are facing its full effects. The scale of the emergency facing our world demands a just response from every one of us. I am delighted to see this important coming together of people of faith passionate about engaging their heads, hearts and hands in meeting this crisis. It is only together that we can make a difference.’

Amanda Khozi Mukwashi, CEO of Christian Aid

‘Christians are called by God to show to the world what the divine image looks like — the image of a divine creator who brought the world to birth, called it good, and summoned human beings to reflect this divine care and delight through their own work in the world, animated by the gift of Christ’s Spirit. This timely, moving and highly motivating book will help Christians of all ages to respond faithfully to that summons and grow more fully into the joyful responsibility we are made for.’

Rowan Williams, Master of Magdalen College, Oxford

‘You’d think that those who commune daily with the Creator of the universe would be most aghast by the devastation of the creation, but that hasn’t always been the case. Sometimes Christians have invalidated environmental activism because our theology has been exclusively concerned with going to heaven rather than restoring the earth. Here is some really good news. This is a landmark book in the movement of Christians who care deeply about the earth. It is nothing short of an invitation to join the holy uprising of people sweeping the globe who will not be silent in the face of the destruction of God’s earth.’

Shane Claiborne, author, activist, and leader of Red Letter Christians

First published in Great Britain in 2020

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge

36 Causton Street

London SW1P 4ST

www.spck.org.uk

Copyright © Christian Climate Action 2020

Graphics © SPCK 2020

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

SPCK does not necessarily endorse the individual views contained in its publications.

Unless stated otherwise, Bible references are taken from the New International Version, Biblica, 2011.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978–0–281–08446–3

eBook ISBN 978–0–281–08447–0

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

Typeset by The Book Guild Ltd, Leicester

First printed in Great Britain by Jellyfish Print Solutions

eBook by The Book Guild Ltd, Leicester

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Jeremy Williams

The Head

1	We were not prepared for candles and prayers
Ruth Valerio
2	The story of Christian Climate Action
Caroline Harmon
3	The third way – what Jesus said about non-violence
Inspired by Walter Wink
4	The ethics of civil disobedience
Simon Kittle
5	An appeal to the church from a youth striker
Francesca Laven
6	The Faith Bridge – the importance of multi-faith actions
7	Tell the truth – civil disobedience in the Jewish tradition
Rabbi Jeffrey Newman
8	Learning from Martin Luther King
9	Re-engaging with the powers
Vanessa Elston
10	Apocalypse now – Revelation for a climate crisis
Rev John Swales
11	This monstrous shadow – race, climate and justice
An Interview with Anthony G. Reddie
12	The strategy of a non-violent uprising: disruption and sacrifice
Martin Newell andHolly-Anna Petersen
13	How indigenous perspectives offer hope to a beseiged planet
Randy Woodley
14	Is it too late?
Stefan Skrimshire
15	How dare they!
Caroline Beckett

The Heart

16	Burnout is not the sacrifice we need
Holly-Anna Petersen
17	The making of an activist
Ruth Jar...

Table of contents

• Acknowledgements