Cardinal O’Brien: repent over indifference to climate change
March 01, 2012
Free eBook:
|
| Free eBook: Liturgical Year 2023-2024, Vol. 4 |
Cardinal Keith O’Brien of St. Andrews and Edinburgh has joined other Christian leaders, including Anglican Archbishops Rowan Williams and Desmond Tutu, in calling for repentance over indifference to climate change.
“The likelihood of runaway global warming, which will diminish food security, accelerate the extinction of huge numbers of species and make human life itself impossible in some parts of the world, raises questions that go to the heart of our Christian faith,” the signatories of the Ash Wednesday Declaration state.
“Continuing to pollute the atmosphere when we know the dangers, goes against what we know of God’s ways and God’s will,” the signatories continue, adding:
We are failing to love not only the earth, but our neighbours and ourselves, who are made in God's image. God grieves over the destruction of creation and so should we. Repentance means finding creative, constructive and immediate ways of addressing the danger. It happens when God’s Spirit enables a change of mind and change of heart, prompting a turn from past wrong and a decision to change direction. For our generation, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels has become essential to Christian discipleship.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: impossible -
Mar. 02, 2012 12:05 PM ET USA
We seem to have a disagreement. I thought, even if it hurts, it's the truth that sets us free.
-
Posted by: samuel.doucette1787 -
Mar. 02, 2012 8:27 AM ET USA
I think these three intellectual lightweights are quite possibly the only ones left in the world who still believe in global warming. Have they ever heard of Climategate? This is why no one listens to ecumenical mush statements anymore.
-
Posted by: Joseph Paul -
Mar. 02, 2012 5:56 AM ET USA
So the good Cardinal is going to give up his car? I thought not. I dearly wish ecclesiastic types would stick with what they are supposed to be good at and stay away from areas they have no particular competence in. I would dearly like to tell him that as one who has been following the global warming issue for 38 years from a scientific and engineering point of view it is one of the greatest scientific frauds of all time.
-
Posted by: -
Mar. 02, 2012 4:17 AM ET USA
One religion's enough for me to handle. Should be enough for any cardinal, too.
-
Posted by: -
Mar. 01, 2012 1:36 PM ET USA
Or . . . repent of signing vapid ecumenical statements that confuse trendy enviro-ideologies with real spirituality. Let's try that one . . . .
-
Posted by: normnuke -
Mar. 01, 2012 10:47 AM ET USA
I confess that the name 'Desmond Tutu' never fails to fly off the page at me, and I am instantly reminded of Bill Buckley's remark that Desmond Tutu always gives the impression of meddling even when he isn't. Usually, of course, he is, as in this case along with his fellow trivialisers of the office of bishop.
-
Posted by: -
Mar. 01, 2012 10:45 AM ET USA
Or, as an alternative, repent over obsession with climate change . . . or repent over the demagoguery of climate change . . . take your pick.
-
Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Mar. 01, 2012 9:01 AM ET USA
The good cardinal is preaching to the wrong choir. The U.S. and Western Europe have been cleaning up since the 1970s. Our air and water are cleaner now than 50 years ago. If he thinks that CO2 is a pollutant, then he would do well to encourage the planting of trees, crops, and the restoration of rain forests that have been decimated during the last 40 years. I will play my part by continuing to drive my 1992 Accord that still gets up to 42 mpg on the highway.
