Why Divest?
Clearly, God’s creation and creatures are suffering from climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels. But why divestment as one strategy toward healing?
Divestment is a powerful public statement removing moral license from big oil, gas and coal companies, which generate huge profits and overly influence public policy, even while the planet is quickly warming toward an uninhabitable state.
As a strategy, divestment communicates the urgent need to leave untapped 80% of the known carbon reserves and invest in renewable energies capable of meeting humanity's needs. The divestment movement is growing internationally, including hundreds of universities, colleges, cities, counties, and religious organizations.
The underlying moral imperative for the church, in keeping with God’s covenant with all things alive and yet to be born (Genesis 9), is to withdraw its support from companies that profit from destroying creation.
Why divestment? For creation!
Learn more about climate change, the reason why we must be fossil free
In June 2018, more than two dozen people walked from Louisville, KY (where the PCUSA is headquartered), to St. Louis, MO (where the 223rd General Assembly was meeting).
The PC(USA) Walk for a Fossil Free World focused on three things:
- Calling on the PC(USA) to divest from fossil fuels.
- Learning about climate change and walking with front line communities already experiencing the effects of climate change.
- Minimizing our carbon footprint on the journey to General Assembly.
Every morning began with prayer and every evening ended with a teach-in and worship. In between, we walked 10 to 20 miles.
You can watch the videos of each teach-in below.
June 2, 6pm ET
Dr. David Robinson, NJ State Climatologist
The science of climate change
June 3, 6pm ET
Paoli Jammers and friends
Rural responses to environmental issues
June 4, 6pm ET
Dr. Theodore Hiebert, Professor of Old Testament and Dean of the Faculty at McCormick Theological Seminary
The Bible, ecology, and humanity
June 5, 7 pm ET
Poor People’s Campaign
Eco-justice
June 6, 6:30pm ET
Camp Hanover staff and Jed and Jenny Koball, Mission Co-Workers in Peru
Environmental racism
June 7, 6pm CT
Peter Krull, CEO of Earth Equity Advisors
Investments and Divestments
June 8, 6pm CT
Fossil Fuels and Economy
June 9, 6pm CT
Iliana and Justina Anise, Ed Cake, Irene McIntosh
Surviving Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina
June 10, 6pm CT
Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Food Systems and climate change
June 11, 7pm CT
Jose Colon and Abby Brockway
Puerto Rico and Hurricane Maria, Civil disobedience in the time of climate change
June 12, 6pm CT
Rev. Jan Edmiston, Co-Moderator of the PCUSA (Co-Moderator’s participation does not indicate endorsement of a particular overture)
Worshipping together
June 13, 6pm CT
Dr. Ched Myers, Activist Theologian and Biblical Scholar
Exodus and climate change implications
June 14
Doreen Simmonds and Oluwatosin Omotayo Kolawole
Global perspectives on climate change impacts