An impressive cohort of 60 Christian leaders representing eight denominations and twelve organisations from across five states in Australia have sent a letter to Scott Morrison.
The group of Christians reached out just after ScoMo was re-elected as Prime Minister of Australia to essentially tell him to get his shit together regarding climate change.
The letter, which has been published online but one signee, Rev Dr Michael Frost of Baptist Churches of NSW, urges ScoMo to be aware of his responsibility as Prime Minister.
“The bible both begins and ends with God’s presence on Earth overseeing the wise stewardship of all of nature,” the letter reads. “Until that time, our responsibility is to manage it for the benefit of all creation and not just with the short term in mind.”
It’s important to remember at this point that ScoMo is a devout Pentecostal Christian, who declared his election win a “miracle”.
The 60 Christian leaders say that they are “aware of how much there is to learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as God’s appointed original custodians of these lands and waters.”
“The need to listen to them and their Christian leaders is vitally important as they report on the effects of climate change and industry in the Torres Strait and Aboriginal communities in Northern Australia,” they say.
The letter goes on to mention how (rightly) urgent the issue is:
“[…] a strong economic case can be made for getting on the front foot in terms of clean energy and environmental protections as well as providing aid for nations most immediately at risk from climate change,” it reads. “The task is urgent, and we hope that ‘for such an hour as this’ your government will be up to the challenge.”
Read the letter in full below:
Dear Prime Minister,
We are a group of Christian leaders representing eight denominations and twelve organisations from across five states.
Firstly, we wanted to congratulate you on your election win, and to assure you of our continued good wishes and prayers as you lead our nation into the future.
In particular, we hope and pray that your government will be able to maintain a broad policy platform in which the needs of the rest of the world and the needs of future generations are considered as seriously as the needs of present-day Australians.
In the light of this, we would encourage you to be aware of our responsibility as caretakers and stewards of the natural world. Our cultural heritage, steeped in the biblical tradition sees its first responsibility, outlined in Genesis, as that of caring for the creation God has given us. The bible both begins and ends with God’s presence on Earth overseeing the wise stewardship of all of nature. Until that time, our responsibility is to manage it for the benefit of all creation and not just with the short term in mind.
In saying this, we are also aware of how much there is to learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as God’s appointed original custodians of these lands and waters. The need to listen to them and their Christian leaders is vitally important as they report on the effects of climate change and industry in the Torres Strait and Aboriginal communities in Northern Australia.
Although our population, on a world scale, is small, we are among the world’s biggest per capita contributors to greenhouse gas pollution. With the opportunity afforded to you by this election result, we would like to call for a reset of political thinking. This is an opportunity to define your leadership as one marked by imagination, courage and conscience. This moment in our history is a chance to make a significant shift on the issue of climate change. We think our credibility in the world, our moral responsibility to our global neighbours, and our influence on others will be diminished unless we go further than the Kyoto protocols or Paris agreement.
We are called to love our neighbours, particularly those of poorer nations who face catastrophe if the rich nations do not act. We are called to steward the environment facilitating its protection and improvement not contributing to land and water degradation and species extinction. Ultimately we are accountable, not just to electorates, but (using an analogy by Jesus), to the ‘owner of the vineyard’.
We appreciate that politically there are challenges on this issue of which, you will be very familiar. There are economic challenges regarding the very real need for jobs, in for example, the mining industry. These sorts of issues make it difficult for leaders to find win-win solutions for both the communities concerned and for the environment. However, we also think that a strong economic case can be made for getting on the front foot in terms of clean energy and environmental protections as well as providing aid for nations most immediately at risk from climate change.
The task is urgent, and we hope that ‘for such an hour as this’ your government will be up to the challenge.
This letter is meant as a gentle encouragement, Prime Minister, for you to be strong and courageous in the light of your calling. We absolutely assure you of our continued prayers for your government on this and other issues.
Yours faithfully,
Rev Dr Michael Frost, Baptist Churches of NSW
Rev Julian Holdsworth, dchurched.com, Vic
Pastor Jarrod McKenna, Sanctuary Church, WA
Rev Dr John Dickson, minister, Anglican Diocese of Sydney, NSW
Rev Nathan Campbell, Presbyterian Church of Queensland
Major Deborah Robinson, Eva Burrows College, Salvation Army, Vic
Ms Brooke Prentis, Aboriginal spokesperson, Common Grace, NSW
Mr Dave Andrews, Waiters Union, Community Initiatives Resource Association, Qld
Dr Ruth Powell, Director, NCLS Research, NSW
Pastor Brad Chilcott, Founder, Welcoming Australia, SA
Mr Joel Mckerrow, Tear Australia, Vic
Ms Kylie Maddox Pidgeon, St Marks National Theological Centre, CSU, NSW
Rev Ray Minniecon, Sydney Anglican Indigenous People’s Committee, NSW
Rev. Elenie Poulos, minister, Uniting Church in Australia, NSW
Rev Dr Gordon Preece, director, Ethos: Centre for Christianity and Society, Vic
Rev Chris Bedding, rector, Anglican Parish of Darlington-Bellevue, WA
Rev Dr Geoff Broughton, rector, Paddington Anglican Church, Charles Sturt University, NSW
Rev Dr Andrew Menzies, principal, Stirling Theological College, University of Divinity, Vic
Rev Dr Karina Kreminski, Morling College (Baptist), NSW
Dr Matthew Anslow, Australian Anabaptist Association, NSW
Ms Naomi Swindon, Scripture Union, Vic
Mr John Beckett, Seed Initiatives, NSW
Rev Scott Higgins, Director, A Just Cause, NSW
Dr Jonathan Foye, Uniting Church, NSW
Mr Matthew Darvas, Micah Challenge, NSW
Dr Liz Boase, Adelaide College of Divinity, Sa
Mr Nils von Kalm, Anglican Overseas Aid, Vic
Mr Geoff Folland, chaplain, University of Sydney, NSW
Pastor Josh Dowton, Northside Baptist Church, NSW
Rev Stephen Barrington, CEO Foothills Community Care, Churches of Christ, Vic
Ms Mary E Fisher, retired missionary and pastor, Christian and Missionary Alliance, Vic
Rev Andrew Palmer, Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT
Rev Dr Graham Hill, Global Church Project, NSW
Rev David Fuller, Senior Minister, All Saints Anglican church, Greensborough, Vic
Rev Breeana Mills, Glen Waverley Anglican Church, Vic
Pastor Dan Sweetman, Senior Pastor, Life Point Church, Qld
Rev Megan Powell du Toit, Baptist minister, Australian College of Theology, NSW
Rev Paul Walton, West End Uniting Church, Qld
Pastor Sam Hearn, Jigsaw Baptist Church, Vic
Rev Stu Cameron, Newlife Church, Qld
Rev Dr Vicky Balabanski, Uniting College for Leadership and Theology, SA
Adam Gowen, Reach Australia Network, Acts Global Churches, NSW
Pastor Vikki Howorth, Seaforth Baptist Church, NSW
Ms Cate Vose, director online learning, Vose Seminary, Baptist Churches, WA
Rev Kenn Baker, Placed Wesleyan Methodist Faith Community, Qld
Kerrie Polkinghorne, Lead Pastor, Activate Church, SA
Rev Dr Darrell Jackson, Morling College, Baptist Churches of NSW
Dr Armen Gakavian, Associate Director, Ethos: Centre for Christianity and Society, NSW
Major Adam Couchman, lecturer, Eva Burrows College, Salvation Army, Vic
Ms Margaret Mowczko, writer, MargMowczko.com
Ms Bianca Manning, Common Grace, NSW
Pastor Kim Hammond, lead pastor, Citylife Church, Casey, Vic
Rev Janet Woodlock, minister, Churches of Christ, Vic
Mr Scott Sanders, former CEO, Common Grace, NSW
Dr Mick Pope, Ethos: Centre for Christianity and Society, NSW
Rev Luke Williams, Follow Baptist Church, Vic
Rev John Gilmore, Churches of Christ Global Mission Partners, Vic
Rev Dr Tim Hein, Uniting College for Leadership and Theology, SA
Rev Simon Rattray, Director, Project114, Qld
Rev Mike Wardrop, minister, Encounter Church, SA
Ms Jessie Sanders, Uniting College for Leadership and Theology, SA
Dr Rene Erwich, Whitley College, Baptist Churches of Vic
