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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 |
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| 4 | The ethics of civil disobedience |
| Simon Kittle |
| |
| 5 | An appeal to the church from a youth striker |
| Francesca Laven |
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| 6 | The Faith Bridge – the importance of multi-faith actions |
| | |
| 7 | Tell the truth – civil disobedience in the Jewish tradition |
| Rabbi Jeffrey Newman |
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| 8 | Learning from Martin Luther King |
| | |
| 9 | Re-engaging with the powers |
| Vanessa Elston |
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| 10 | Apocalypse now – Revelation for a climate crisis |
| Rev John Swales |
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| 11 | This monstrous shadow – race, climate and justice |
| An Interview with Anthony G. Reddie |
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| 12 | The strategy of a non-violent uprising: disruption and sacrifice |
| Martin Newell andHolly-Anna Petersen |
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| 13 | How indigenous perspectives offer hope to a beseiged planet |
| Randy Woodley |
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| 14 | Is it too late? |
| Stefan Skrimshire |
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| 15 | How dare they! |
| Caroline Beckett |
The Heart
| 16 | Burnout is not the sacrifice we need |
| Holly-Anna Petersen |
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| 17 | The making of an activist |
| Ruth Jar... |
